SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REAL-TIME MAP-BASED LOST & FOUND

• US 20110061018A1
• Filed: 09/09/2009
• Published: 03/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deutsche Telekom AG
• Original Assignee: Deutsche Telekom AG
• Inventors: Nicoara, Angela, Piratla, Nischal
• Granted Patent: US 9,342,532 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/781
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/367 Details, e.g. road map scale, orientation, zooming, illumination, level of detail, scrolling of road map or positioning of current position marker
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3679 Retrieval, searching and output of POI information, e.g. hotels, restaurants, shops, filling stations, parking facilities G01C21/3611 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases

Abstract

A system and method for lost and found includes enabling information about found objects to be stored in real time. The method further includes enabling adjustment of a field of view of an interactive map. The method further includes receiving a search input for search of a lost object. The method further includes performing a search for the lost object based on at least the stored information about the found objects, the search input, and the field of view of the interactive map. The method further includes enabling results of the search to be overlaid on the interactive map.

Claims

1. A manufacture including a processor-readable medium having processor-executable code encoded therein, which when executed by one or more processors, enables actions for lost and found, comprising:

enabling information about found objects to be stored in real time;

enabling adjustment of a field of view of an interactive map;

receiving a search input for search of a lost object;

performing a search for the lost object based on at least the stored information about the found objects, the search input, and the field of view of the interactive map; and

enabling results of the search to be overlaid on the interactive map.

2. The manufacture of claim 1, the actions further comprising:

enabling the interactive map and the overlaid results to be displayed on the client device.

3. The manufacture of claim 1, the actions further comprising:

enabling a user to select one of the results of the search;

providing a record of the selected result of the search, wherein the record includes a description of a found object; and

providing contact information for a finder of the found object.

4. The manufacture of claim 1, wherein

enabling adjustment of the field of view of the interactive map includes:

enabling a user to change a center point of the field of view of the interactive map;

enabling the user to zoom in;

enabling the user to zoom out;

enabling the user to enter a location;

searching for the location entered by the user; and

if the entered location is found, changing the center point of the field of view of the map to the entered location.

5. The manufacture of claim 1, the actions further comprising:

enabling information about lost objects to be stored in the processor-readable database in real time, wherein the information about the lost objects includes a plurality of entries of lost objects; and

wherein each entry of the plurality of entries includes a description of the lost object, and further includes at least one location where the object may have been lost;

enabling a user to provide contact information;

enabling another interactive map to be displayed on a finder client device;

enabling adjustment of a field of view of said another interactive map;

receiving, from the finder client device, another search input for search of found object;

performing another search for said another object based said another search input and the field of view of said another interactive map;

enabling results of said another search to be overlaid on said other interactive map;

enabling the finder client device to select one of the results of said another search;

providing to the finder client device an entry associated with the selected result; and

providing to the finder client device the contact information of the user associated with the entry that is associated with the selected result.

6. The manufacture of claim 1, wherein

enabling information about the found objects to be stored in the processor-readable database in real time includes:

enabling a finder to provide a name of a found object;

enabling a finder to provide a description of the found object

enabling the finder to provide contact information for contacting the finder;

determining a location of the found object; and

storing a record of the found object, wherein the record includes the name of the object, the description of the object and the location of the object.

7. The manufacture of claim 6, wherein

enabling the finder to provide a description of the found object is accomplished via at least one of a web-based interface or a mobile device;

and

wherein determining the location of the found object includes;

enabling the finder to provide the location of the object;

if the finder does not provide the location of the object, and the finder is providing the information via the mobile device, deriving the location from the mobile phone.

8. A method for lost and found, comprising:

enabling information about found objects to be stored in a processor-readable database in real time;

enabling adjustment of a field of view of an interactive map;

employing a server device to receive, from a client device, a search input for search of a lost object;

performing a search for the lost object based on at least the stored information about the found objects, the search input, and the field of view of the interactive map; and

enabling results of the search to be overlaid on the interactive map.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

enabling the interactive map and the overlaid results to be displayed on the client device.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

enabling a user to select one of the results of the search;

providing a record of the selected result of the search, wherein the record includes a description of a found object; and

providing contact information for a finder of the found object.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein

enabling adjustment of the field of view of the interactive map includes:

enabling a user to change a center point of the field of view of the interactive map;

enabling the user to zoom in;

enabling the user to zoom out;

enabling the user to enter a location;

searching for the location entered by the user; and

if the entered location is found, changing the center point of the field of view of the map to the entered location.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

enabling information about lost objects to be stored in the processor-readable database in real time, wherein the information about the lost objects includes a plurality of entries of lost objects; and

wherein each entry of the plurality of entries includes a description of the lost object, and further includes at least one location where the object may have been lost;

enabling a user to provide contact information;

enabling another interactive map to be displayed on a finder client device;

enabling adjustment of a field of view of said another interactive map;

receiving, from the finder client device, another search input for search of found object;

performing another search for said another object based said another search input and the field of view of said another interactive map;

enabling results of said another search to be overlaid on said other interactive map;

enabling the finder client device to select one of the results of said another search;

providing to the finder client device an entry associated with the selected result; and

providing to the finder client device the contact information of the user associated with the entry that is associated with the selected result.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein

enabling information about the found objects to be stored in the processor-readable database in real time includes:

enabling a finder to provide a name of a found object;

enabling a finder to provide a description of the found object

enabling the finder to provide contact information for contacting the finder;

determining a location of the found object; and

storing a record of the found object, wherein the record includes the name of the object, the description of the object and the location of the object.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein

enabling the finder to provide a description of the found object is accomplished via at least one of a web-based interface or a mobile device;

and

wherein determining the location of the found object includes;

enabling the finder to provide the location of the object;

if the finder does not provide the location of the object, and the finder is providing the information via the mobile device, deriving the location from the mobile phone.

15. A server device for lost and found, comprising:

a memory that is arranged store processor-executable code; and

a processor that is arranged to execute the processor-executable code to enable actions, comprising;

enabling information about found objects to be stored in real time;

enabling adjustment of a field of view of an interactive map;

receiving a search input for search of a lost object;

performing a search for the lost object based on at least the stored information about the found objects, the search input, and the field of view of the interactive map; and

enabling results of the search to be overlaid on the interactive map.

16. The server device of claim 15, wherein the processor is arranged to execute the processor-executable code to enable further actions, comprising:

enabling a user to select one of the results of the search;

providing a record of the selected result of the search, wherein the record includes a description of a found object; and

providing contact information for a finder of the found object.

17. A client device for lost and found, comprising:

a memory that is arranged store processor-executable code; and

a processor that is arranged to execute the processor-executable code to enable actions, comprising;

displaying an interactive map;

adjusting the field of view of the interactive map;

communicating a search input for search of a lost object to the server device;

receiving results of a search for the lost object from the server device; and

overlaying the results of the search on the interactive map.

18. The client device of claim 17, wherein the processor is arranged to execute the processor-executable code to enable further actions, comprising:

selecting one of the results of the search;

displaying a record of the selected result of the search, wherein the record includes a description of a found object; and

displaying contact information for a finder of the found object.

19. A system for lost and found, comprising:

a server device that is arranged to;

enable information about found objects to be stored in real time;

enable adjustment of a field of view of an interactive map;

receive a search input for search of a lost object;

perform a search for the lost object based on at least the stored information about the found objects, the search input, and the field of view of the interactive map; and

enable results of the search to be overlaid on the interactive map; and

a client device that is arranged to;

display the interactive map based on communication with the server device;

adjust the field of view of the interactive map based on communication with the server device;

receive the results of the search for the lost object; and

overlay the results of the search on the interactive map based on communication with the server.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the server device is further arranged:

enabling a user to employ the client device select one of the results of the search;

providing to the client device a record of the selected result of the search, wherein the record includes a description of a found object; and

providing to the client device contact information for a finder of the found object.