METHODS, APPARATUSES, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCTS FOR PROVIDING USER LOCATION INFORMATION

• US 20100082247A1
• Filed: 09/30/2008
• Published: 04/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Klein, Michael, Hartl, Klaus, Singer, Tilmann, Wang, Jeanny, Treadway, Sean, Follmann, Andreas
• Granted Patent: US 8,260,553 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/209
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/107 wherein the security policies are location-dependent, e.g. entities privileges depend on current location or allowing specific operations only from locally connected terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/53 using third party service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and computer program product are provided, which may provide activity user location information. An apparatus may include a processor configured to maintain data describing a first user'"'"'s location timeline. The processor may be further configured to receive a request for the first user'"'"'s current location. The first user'"'"'s current location may define the first user'"'"'s location at a current time. The processor may also be configured to estimate the first user'"'"'s current location based at least in part upon the maintained data. The processor may additionally be configured to provide the first user'"'"'s current location to a second user. Corresponding methods and computer program products are also provided.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

maintaining data describing a first user'"'"'s location timeline, wherein the location timeline comprises a location at which the first user will be located in the future;

receiving a request for the first user'"'"'s current location;

estimating the first user'"'"'s current location based at least in part upon the maintained data; and

providing the first user'"'"'s current location.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first user'"'"'s current location defines the first user'"'"'s location at a current time, and wherein estimating the first user'"'"'s current location comprises:

determining based at least in part upon the maintained data a previous location for the first user and a next location for the first user, wherein the previous location defines a known previous location for the first user having an associated time closest in time to the current time, and wherein the next location defines a next known future location for the first user; and

estimating the first user'"'"'s current location based at least in part upon the previous location and the next location.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein estimating the first user'"'"'s current location based at least in part upon the previous location and the next location comprises estimating the first user'"'"'s current location to be one of the previous location and the next location based at least in part upon a determination of which of the previous location and the next location has an associated time closest to the current time.

4. A method according to claim 2, further comprising:

determining based at least in part upon the maintained data a mode of transportation for the first user between the previous location and the next location; and

determining a route between the previous location and the next location based at least in part upon the determined mode of transportation; and

wherein estimating the first user'"'"'s current location based at least in part upon the previous location and the next location comprises estimating the first user'"'"'s current location based at least in part upon the determined mode of transportation, determined route, current time, the time associated with the previous location, and the time associated with the next location.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein the mode of transportation is one or more of automobile, airplane, boat, walking, or public transit system.

6. A method according to claim 2, wherein the current time comprises a time at which the request is received or a time at which the first user'"'"'s location is estimated.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein estimating the first user'"'"'s current location further comprises determining based at least in part upon the maintained data whether a current location is defined for the first user and, if so, estimating the first user'"'"'s current location to be the defined current location.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein providing the first user'"'"'s current location comprises causing the first user'"'"'s current location to be displayed on a map.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein maintaining data describing a first user'"'"'s location timeline further comprises storing the data in a memory.

10. A computer program product comprising at least one computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program instructions stored therein, the computer-readable program instructions comprising:

a first program instruction for maintaining data describing a first user'"'"'s location timeline, wherein the location timeline comprises a location at which the first user will be located in the future;

a second program instruction for receiving a request for the first user'"'"'s current location;

a third program instruction for estimating the first user'"'"'s current location based at least in part upon the maintained data; and

a fourth program instruction for providing the first user'"'"'s current location.

11. A computer program product according to claim 10, wherein the first user'"'"'s current location defines the first user'"'"'s location at a current time, and wherein the third program instruction includes instructions for:

determining based at least in part upon the maintained data a previous location for the first user and a next location for the first user, wherein the previous location defines a known previous location for the first user having an associated time closest in time to the current time, and wherein the next location defines a next known future location for the first user; and

estimating the first user'"'"'s current location based at least in part upon the previous location and the next location.

12. A computer program product according to claim 11, wherein the third program instruction includes instructions for estimating the first user'"'"'s current location to be one of the previous location and the next location based at least in part upon a determination of which of the previous location and the next location has an associated time closest to the current time.

13. A computer program product according to claim 11, further comprising:

a fifth program instruction for determining based at least in part upon the maintained data a mode of transportation for the first user between the previous location and the next location; and

a sixth program instruction for determining a route between the previous location and the next location based at least in part upon the determined mode of transportation; and

wherein the third program instruction includes instructions for estimating the first user'"'"'s current location based at least in part upon the determined mode of transportation, determined route, current time, the time associated with the previous location, and the time associated with the next location.

14. A computer program product according to claim 13, wherein the mode of transportation is one or more of automobile, airplane, boat, walking, or public transit system.

15. A computer program product according to claim 11, wherein the current time comprises a time at which the request is received or a time at which the first user'"'"'s location is estimated.

16. A computer program product according to claim 10, wherein the third program instruction includes instructions for determining based at least in part upon the maintained data whether a current location is defined for the first user and, if so, estimating the first user'"'"'s current location to be the defined current location.

17. A computer program product according to claim 10, wherein the fourth program instruction includes instructions for causing the first user'"'"'s current location to be displayed on a map.

18. An apparatus comprising a processor configured to:

maintain data describing a first user'"'"'s location timeline, wherein the location timeline comprises a location at which the first user will be located in the future;

receive a request for the first user'"'"'s current location;

estimate the first user'"'"'s current location based at least in part upon the maintained data; and

provide the first user'"'"'s current location.

19. An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the first user'"'"'s current location defines the first user'"'"'s location at a current time, and wherein the processor is configured to estimate the first user'"'"'s current location by:

determining based at least in part upon the maintained data a previous location for the first user and a next location for the first user, wherein the previous location defines a known previous location for the first user having an associated time closest in time to the current time, and wherein the next location defines a next known future location for the first user; and

estimating the first user'"'"'s current location based at least in part upon the previous location and the next location.

20. An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the processor is configured to estimate the first user'"'"'s current location based at least in part upon the previous location and the next location by estimating the first user'"'"'s current location to be one of the previous location and the next location based at least in part upon a determination of which of the previous location and the next location has an associated time closest to the current time.

21. An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine based at least in part upon the maintained data a mode of transportation for the first user between the previous location and the next location; and

determine a route between the previous location and the next location based at least in part upon the determined mode of transportation; and

wherein the processor is configured to estimate the first user'"'"'s current location based at least in part upon the previous location and the next location by estimating the first user'"'"'s current location based at least in part upon the determined mode of transportation, determined route, current time, the time associated with the previous location, and the time associated with the next location.

22. An apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the mode of transportation is one or more of automobile, airplane, boat, walking, or public transit system.

23. An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the wherein the current time comprises a time at which the request is received or a time at which the first user'"'"'s location is estimated.

24. An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the processor is configured to estimate the first user'"'"'s current location by determining based at least in part upon the maintained data whether a current location is defined for the first user and, if so, estimating the first user'"'"'s current location to be the defined current location.

25. An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the processor is configured to provide the first user'"'"'s location by causing the first user'"'"'s current location to be displayed on a map.

26. An apparatus according to claim 18, further comprising a memory, wherein the processor is further configured to store the maintained data in the memory.