FRIEND-FINDING MOBILE DEVICE

• US 20100094536A1
• Filed: 05/20/2009
• Published: 04/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Garmin Limited
• Original Assignee: Garmin Limited
• Inventors: Grimsley, Nicholas S., Peh, Pendra C., Gunara, Alfredo E., Barry, Timothy J., Kral, Nicolas S., Stanley, Barton D., Lee, Choy Wai, Zeng, Qiang
• Application Number:
  US12/469,136
• Publication Number:
  US 20100094536A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/201
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3611 using character input or menus, e.g. menus of POIs character input methods in general G06F3/0233
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/047 Optimisation of routes or paths, e.g. travelling salesman problem
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083

Abstract

An off-board navigation application is provided that is configured to be stored in memory on a wireless portable device. The application comprises a menu hierarchy including a series of pages to be presented on a screen of the device. The pages include a category page having a list of categories. The categories each are associated with points of interest (POIs). The menu hierarchy includes an address page presenting address information related to a selected point of interest (POI). The address page includes a function option that directs the portable device to transmit wirelessly a navigation information request to a remote server. The menu hierarchy includes a navigation page configured to present navigation information that is received wirelessly by the portable device from the remote server in response to the navigation information request. Optionally, the application may further comprise a sub-category page presenting a list of POI names, wherein the address page presents address information in response to the selected POI. The function option may represent a GO option such that, when the GO option is selected, the application directs the portable device to transmit a navigation information request to the remote server. The navigation information request instructs the remote server to perform a route calculation from a present location of the portable device to the selected POI.

Claims

1. A mobile device comprising:

a display;

a satellite navigation receiver operable to receive satellite navigation signals from one or more satellites to determine a current geographic location of the mobile device;

a memory including a friend database operable to store data corresponding to a plurality of friend names, associated friend locations, and associated location update times;

a wireless communication receiver operable to bi-directionally communicate with a wireless network to receive the friend locations for storage within the friend database; and

a processor coupled with the display, the satellite navigation receiver, the wireless communication receiver; and

the memory, the processor operable to;

access the friend database,

present a listing of at least one of the friend names stored within the friend database, and

in response to selection of one of the listed friend names by a user, present on the display a friend status page indicating the name of the selected friend, a street address corresponding to the location associated with the selected friend, and the location update time associated with the selected friend.

2. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the memory further includes map information and the processor is operable to present on the display a map including the location associated with the selected friend.

3. The mobile device of claim 2, wherein the processor is further operable to retrieve the map information through the wireless network using the wireless communication receiver.

4. The mobile device of claim 2, wherein the processor is further operable to provide an indication of a route to the location associated with the selected friend on the displayed map.

5. The mobile device of claim 4, wherein the processor is further operable to retrieve the route through the wireless network using the wireless communication receiver.

6. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further operable to initiate a voice communication with the selected friend using the wireless communication receiver.

7. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication receiver is operable to communicate with a cellular network.

8. The mobile device of claim 1, further including a control operable to be functioned by the user to select one of the friends from the listing.

9. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the control is further operable to be functioned by the user to store information corresponding to one or more friends in the friend database.

10. A mobile device comprising:

a display;

a satellite navigation receiver operable to receive satellite navigation signals from one or more satellites to determine a current geographic location of the mobile device;

a memory including map information and a friend database, the friend database operable to store data corresponding to a plurality of friend names, associated friend locations, and associated location update times;

a wireless communication receiver operable to bi-directionally communicate with a wireless network to receive the associated friend locations for storage within the friend database; and

a processor coupled with the display, the satellite navigation receiver, the wireless communication receiver; and

the memory, the processor operable to;

access the friend database,

present a listing of at least one of the friend names stored within the friend database, and

in response to selection of one of the listed friend names by a user, present on the display a friend status page including;

the name of the selected friend,

a street address corresponding to the location associated with the selected friend,

the location update time associated with the selected friend,

a view map option operable to be selected by the user to cause the processor to present on the display a map including the location associated with the selected friend,

a routing option operable to be selected by the user to cause the processor to provide an indication of a route to the location associated with the selected friend on a displayed map, and

a call option operable to be selected by the user to cause the processor to initiate a voice communication with the selected friend using the wireless communication receiver.

11. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein the processor is further operable to retrieve the map information through the wireless network using the wireless communication receiver.

12. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein the processor is further operable to retrieve the route through the wireless network using the wireless communication receiver.

13. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein the wireless communication receiver is operable to communicate with a cellular network.

14. The mobile device of claim 10, further including a control operable to be functioned by the user to select one of the friends from the listing.

15. The mobile device of claim 14, wherein the control is further operable to be functioned by the user to store information corresponding to one or more friends in the friend database.