Mobile Service For Keeping Track Of Competitors During A Race

• US 20100099437A1
• Filed: 03/01/2007
• Published: 04/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Moerdijk, Adriaan Jan
• Application Number:
  US12/529,459
• Publication Number:
  US 20100099437A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/457
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0045 Transmission from base station to mobile station G01S5/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0294 Trajectory determination or predictive filtering, e.g. target tracking or Kalman filtering

Abstract

The invention relates to an application server for use in a mobile communication network, the application server being arranged for: —receiving position information on positions of a first mobile terminal; —calculating a distance traveled since a starting time for the first mobile terminal; —comparing the distance traveled with a distance traveled by a competitor to render a relative distance; —sending feedback information to the first mobile terminal relating to the relative distance. The competitor can be based on a real participant that has done the race before (in theory the end-user itself) or a fictitious opponent that was selected on criteria like average speed. The system can be used during races and may provide information to participants, spectators and officials via bill-boards and/or voice messages and/or SMS messages.

Claims

1-22. -22. (canceled)

23. Application server for use in a mobile communication network, said application server comprising:

Means for receiving track information of a track to be travelled by a racer carrying a first mobile terminal, said track information comprising way points of said track;

Means for receiving real time position information on positions of said first mobile phone;

Means for calculating a distance traveled since a starting time for the first mobile phone using said received real time position information and said track information;

Means for comparing said distance traveled with a distance traveled by a competitor to render a relative distance travelled;

Means for sending feedback information during a race to said first mobile phone relating to said relative distance travelled.

24. Application server according to claim 23, wherein said position information on positions of said first mobile phone are received from said first mobile phone.

25. Application server according to claim 23, wherein said position information on positions of said first mobile phone are received from a positioning server.

26. Application server according to claim 23, wherein said feedback information is given in audio beeps expressing the relative distance.

27. Application server according to claim 26, wherein said audio beeps have an audio frequency depending on the value of said relative distance travelled.

28. Application server according to claim 23, wherein said application server is also arranged to send race information to a remote billboard.

29. Application server according to claim 23, wherein said application server is arranged to store track performance information of tracks traveled by said first mobile station.

30. Application server according to claim 29, wherein said track performance information is stored as distance traveled as a function of time lapsed since said starting time.

31. Application server according to claim 29, wherein said track performance information is stored as time lapsed since said starting time as a function of distance traveled.

32. Application server according to claim 23, wherein said application server is arranged to store track performance information of a plurality of tracks traveled by one or more mobile stations.

33. Application server according to claim 23, wherein said application server is arranged to send countdown information to said first mobile phone indicating a start sequence.

34. Application server according to claim 23, wherein said application server is arranged to receive a trigger from said first mobile phone and arranged to send said countdown information on receiving said trigger.

35. Application server according to claim 23, wherein said application server is arranged to recognize that said first mobile phone is at a starting point of a race, and that said application server is arranged to initiate said sending of said countdown information as soon as said first mobile phone is spotted at said starting point.

36. Application server according to claim 23, wherein said application server is arranged to recognize that said first mobile phone is at a finish point of a race, and that said application server is arranged to sending of a finish result feedback message to said first mobile phone.

37. Application server according to claim 23, wherein said application server is arranged to calculate a distance between said position of the phone and a defined track, and arranged to send an off track message to the first mobile phone to alert the end-user.

38. Application server according to claim 29, wherein said application server is arranged to calculate said relative distance using a reverse track, said reverse track comprising information of said stored track but in a reverse order.

39. Method of executing a mobile service on an Application server of a mobile communication network, said method comprising:

receiving track information of a track to be travelled by a racer carrying a first mobile terminal said track information comprising way points of said track;

receiving position information on positions of said first mobile phone;

calculating a distance traveled since a starting time for the first mobile phone using said received real time position information and said track information;

comparing said distance traveled with at least one distance traveled by a competitor to render a relative distance;

sending feedback information during a race to said first mobile phone relating to said relative distance.

40. Method for keeping track of competitors during a race, said method comprising:

receiving track information of a track to be travelled by a racer carrying a first mobile terminal said track information comprising way points of said track;

receiving real time position information on positions of a first mobile phone carried by a racer during the race;

calculating a distance traveled since a starting time of the race for the first mobile phone using said received real time position information and said track information;

comparing said distance traveled with at least one distance traveled by a competitor to render a relative distance travelled;

sending feedback information to said first mobile phone relating to said relative distance travelled, during a race.