APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF PROVIDING DATA TO AN EXTERNAL APPLICATION

• US 20090088962A1
• Filed: 09/06/2005
• Published: 04/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cotares Limited
• Original Assignee: Cotares Limited
• Inventors: Jones, Alan Henry
• Granted Patent: US 8,000,889 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/200
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries

Abstract

A method of providing data to an external application is provided. The location and time of an object are periodically recorded to form a record of sightings. The record of sightings is then analysed in accordance with at least one criterion specified by the external application to which the data is to be provided. Lists of sightings from the record meeting the at least one criterion are supplied for use by the external application.

Claims

1. A method of providing data to an external application, comprising the steps of:

(al) periodically recording the location and time to form a record of sightings of an object;

(h

     1) analysing the record of sightings in accordance with at least one criterion specified by the external application; and

(c

     1) supplying lists of sightings from the record meeting the at least one criterion for use by the external application.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, in which the step (al) adds sightings continually to the record.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the steps (hl) and (cl) are performed separately and the step (al) continues to be performed after at least one of the steps (hl) is performed.

4-11. -11. (canceled)

12. A method of selecting locations at which an object is stationary from a record of sightings of the object, where each sighting comprises a location and a time, the method comprising the steps of:

(31) identifying breaks in movement of the object;

(b2) comparing the durations of the breaks in movement with the durations of preceding and succeeding periods of movement to determine when the object is stationary; and

(c2) selecting those breaks whose destinations have a predefined relationship with the durations of the periods of movement.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12, in which the step (a2) comprises identifying sets of sightings where the ignition of the vehicle was known to be switched off.

14. A method as claimed in claim 12, in which the step (31) comprises identifying periods of time during which no sightings were received for a period exceeding a predetermined time.

15. A method as claimed in claim 12, in which the step (31) comprises identifying sets of locations when all subsequent ones of the locations of the set remain within a predetermined distance of an earliest one of the locations of the set for at least a predetermined minimum time.

16. A method as claimed in anyone of claims 12 to 15, in which the step (c2) determines a break in a journey when the duration of the break is greater than the duration of at least one of the preceding and succeeding periods of movement.

17-18. -18. (canceled)

19. A method of accessing a record of sightings of an object, where each sighting comprises a location and a time, to extend annotation of an event associated with at least one of a location and a time provided independently of the record, the apparatus comprising a data processor for:

(a3) interrogating the record with one of the location and the time associated with the event to retrieve a sighting;

(b3) returning the other of the location and the time of the retrieved sighting; and

(c3) extending the annotation on the basis of the returned other of the location and the time.

20. A method as claimed in claim 19, in which the step (c3) comprises interrogating the record with the returned other of the location and the time to retrieve a further sighting and using the one of the location and time of the further sighting to locate a further event related to the event.

21. A method as claimed in claim 19 or 20, in which the step (c3) comprises annotating a diary with locations of the object.

22. A method as claimed in claim 19 or 20, in which the event comprises recording of a photographic image.

23. (canceled)

24. A method of calibrating route planning parameters of a route planning system in accordance with a record of sightings of an object, where each sighting comprises a location and a time, the method comprising:

(a4) analyzing at least some of the sightings to derive a value of at least one route planning parameter; and

(b4) modifying the at least one parameter in accordance with the derived value.

25. A method as claimed in claim 24, comprising augmenting the route planning system with common destinations and/or routes derived from the record.

26. A method as claimed in claim 24 or 25, in which the at least one parameter comprises a mean and a variance.

27-34. -34. (canceled)

35. A method of selecting a route or routes through a network which takes account of previous occasions when portions of that network have been used.

36. A method as claimed in claim 35, in which the route selection takes account of how often portions of that network have previously been used.

37. A method as claimed in claim 35 or 36, in which the route selection takes account of how recently portions of that network have been used.

41. A method as claimed in claim 35, in which the network is a road network.

42. A method as claimed in claim 41, in which the previous usage taken into account is previous usage by a particular vehicle.

43. A method as claimed in claim 41, in which the previous usage taken into account is previous usage by a particular driver.

44. A method as claimed in claim 41, in which the previous usage taken into account is previous usage by a particular set of vehicles.

45. A method as claimed in claim 41, in which the previous usage taken into account is previous usage by a particular set of drivers.

38-40. -40. (canceled)

46-52. -52. (canceled)