WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM PROVIDING NOTIFICATION-BASED MOBILE DEVICE NAVIGATION FEATURES AND RELATED METHODS

• US 20100222078A1
• Filed: 02/27/2009
• Published: 09/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Tysowski, Piotr K.
• Granted Patent: US 9,164,175 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.300
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3682 output of POI information on a road map G01C21/3614, G01C21/3685 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications

Abstract

A wireless communications system may include a notification server and at least one mobile wireless communications device. The at least one mobile wireless communications device may include an output device, a position determining device, and a processor. The processor may be configured to obtain at least one notification from the notification server, determine a current location based upon the position determining device, and output the at least one notification via the output device. The processor may also be configured to selectively output navigation information for a route from the current location to a destination location via the output device based upon the at least one notification being output.

Claims

1. A wireless communications system comprising:

a notification server; and

at least one mobile wireless communications device comprising

an output device,

a position determining device, and

a processor configured to obtain at least one notification from

said notification server, determine a current location based upon

said position determining device, output at least one notification via

said output device, and selectively output navigation

information for a route from the current location to a destination location via said output device based upon the at least one notification being output.

2. The wireless communications system of claim 1 wherein said output device comprises a display.

3. The wireless communications system of claim 2 wherein said processor further displays a point-of-interest (POI) icon corresponding to the at least one notification on said display with the navigation information.

4. The wireless communications system of claim 3 wherein said at least one mobile wireless communications device comprises an input device;

wherein the POI icon is selectable based upon said input device; and

wherein said processor updates the navigation information to include a location associated with the POI icon based upon selection thereof.

5. The wireless communications system of claim 1 wherein said at least one mobile wireless communications device comprises an input device;

and wherein said processor selectively outputs the navigation information based upon an acknowledgement of the at least one notification provided via said input device.

6. The wireless communications system of claim 5 wherein said processor outputs the at least one notification at a recurring time interval for acknowledgement.

7. The wireless communications system of claim 1 wherein said output device comprises an audio output device.

8. The wireless communications system of claim 7 wherein the navigation information comprises audio navigation information, and the at least one notification comprises at least one audio notification;

and wherein said processor selectively outputs the audio navigation information via said audio output device based upon the at least one audio notification being output at a volume level above a threshold level.

9. The wireless communications system of claim 1 wherein the at least one notification comprises a plurality of different notifications;

and wherein at least one of said notification server and said processor selects the notifications based upon the current location.

10. The wireless communications system of claim 1 wherein the at least one notification comprises a plurality of different notifications;

and wherein at least one of said notification server and said processor selects the notifications based upon a user preference profile associated with said at least one mobile wireless communications device.

11. The wireless communications system of claim 1 wherein the navigation information includes road intersection information;

and wherein said processor does not output the at least one notification while said at least one mobile wireless communications device is moving and within a given distance of an intersection.

12. The wireless communications system of claim 1 wherein said processor outputs the at least one notification on said display while said at least one mobile wireless communications device is moving at a speed below a speed threshold.

13. The wireless communications system of claim 1 wherein said advertising server comprises a notification server;

and wherein said at least one notification comprises at least one advertisement.

15. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 13 wherein said output device comprises a display.

16. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 13 further comprising an input device;

and wherein said processor selectively outputs the navigation information based upon an acknowledgement of the at least one notification provided via said input device.

17. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 13 wherein said output device comprises an audio output device.

14. A mobile wireless communications device comprising:

an output device;

a position determining device; and

a processor configured to

obtain at least one notification from a notification server,

determine a current location based upon said position determining device,

output at least one notification via said output device, and

selectively output navigation information for a route from the current location to a destination location via said output device based upon the at least one notification being output.

18. A wireless communications method for use with a notification server and at least one mobile wireless communications device including an output device and a position determining device, the method comprising:

providing at least one notification from the notification server to the at least one mobile wireless communications device;

determining a current location of the at least one mobile wireless communications device based upon the position determining device;

outputting at least one notification via the output device; and

selectively outputting navigation information for a route from the current location to a destination location via the output device based upon the at least one notification being output.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the output device comprises a display.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the at least one mobile wireless communications device further comprises an input device;

and wherein selectively outputting comprises selectively outputting the navigation information based upon an acknowledgement of the at least one notification provided via the input device.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein the output device comprises an audio output device;

and wherein the navigation information comprises audio navigation information and the at least one notification comprises at least one audio notification.

22. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for causing a wireless communications device including an output device, an input device, and a position determining device, to perform steps comprising:

obtaining at least one notification from a notification server;

determining a current location based upon the position determining device;

outputting at least one notification via the output device; and

selectively outputting navigation information for a route from the current location to a destination location via the output device based upon the at least one notification being output.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 22 wherein the output device comprises a display.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 22 wherein selectively outputting comprises selectively outputting the navigation information based upon an acknowledgement of the at least one notification provided via the input device.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 22 wherein the output device comprises an audio output device;

and wherein the navigation information comprises audio navigation information and the at least one notification comprises at least one audio advertisement.