METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MOBILE ASSISTED EVENT DETECTION AND AREA OF INTEREST DETERMINATION

• US 20110117934A1
• Filed: 11/15/2009
• Published: 05/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Mate, Sujeet, Curcio, Igor
• Granted Patent: US 8,335,522 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.3
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements

Abstract

An approach is provided for determining the existence of an event based on information collected from mobile devices. Reception is caused, at least in part, of media from a plurality of mobile devices. A plurality of event vectors for the respective mobile devices is determined. Each of the event vectors includes geo-location information and timing information of the corresponding mobile device. The existence of the event is determined based on the received media and the event vectors.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

causing, at least in part, reception of media from a plurality of mobile devices;

determining a plurality of event vectors for the respective mobile devices, wherein each of the event vectors includes geo-location information and timing information of the corresponding mobile device; and

determining existence of an event based on the received media and the event vectors.

2. A method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a region associated with the event; and

causing, at least in part, retrieval of historical event data associated with the region, wherein the determination of the existence of the event is further based on the historical event data.

3. A method of claim 2, the method further comprising:

determining a historical event determination threshold associated with the historical event data;

determining a current event score based on the received media and the event vectors; and

comparing the current event score with the historical event determination threshold, wherein the determination of the existence of the event is further based on the comparison.

4. A method of claim 1, wherein the event vectors further include orientation data including, at least in part, accelerometer data, magnetometer data, altimeter data, or a combination thereof, and the method further comprising:

determining a focal point associated with the event based on the event vectors;

determining an area of extent associated with the event based on the focal point and the event vectors; and

determining a type of the event based on the focal point and the event vectors.

5. A method of claim 1, wherein the event vectors further include data from sensors including, at least in part, air pressure sensor, thermometer, or a combination thereof, and the method further comprising:

determining a type of the event based on the event vectors.

6. A method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

causing, at least in part, reception of a request for event data from another mobile device specifying a location of the other mobile device;

selecting the event for presentation to the based on the location;

categorizing the received media into one or more views; and

selecting one of the views of the event for presentation.

7. A method of claim 1, wherein the media received from one of the mobile devices includes event vectors from another one or more of the mobile devices.

8. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code,

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following,

cause, at least in part, reception of media from a plurality of mobile devices;

determine a plurality of event vectors for the respective mobile devices, wherein each of the event vectors includes geo-location information and timing information of the corresponding mobile device; and

determine existence of an event based on the received media and the event vectors.

9. An apparatus of claim 8, wherein the apparatus is further caused, at least in part, to:

determine a region associated with the event; and

cause, at least in part, retrieval of historical event data associated with the region, wherein the determination of the existence of the event is further based on the historical event data.

10. An apparatus of claim 9, wherein the apparatus is further caused, at least in part, to:

determine a historical event determination threshold associated with the historical event data;

determine a current event score based on the received media and the event vectors; and

compare the current event score with the historical event determination threshold, wherein the determination of the existence of the event is further based on the comparison.

11. An apparatus of claim 8, wherein the event vectors further include orientation data including, at least in part, accelerometer data, magnetometer data, altimeter data, or a combination thereof, and the apparatus is further caused, at least in part, to:

determine a focal point associated with the event based on the event vectors;

determine an area of extent associated with the event based on the focal point and the event vectors; and

determine a type of the event based on the focal point and the event vectors.

12. An apparatus of claim 8, wherein the event vectors further include data from sensors including, at least in part, air pressure sensor, thermometer, or a combination thereof, and the apparatus is further caused, at least in part, to:

determine a type of the event based on the event vectors.

13. An apparatus of claim 8, wherein the apparatus is further caused, at least in part, to:

cause, at least in part, reception of a request for event data from another mobile device specifying a location of the other mobile device;

select the event for presentation to the based on the location;

categorize the received media into one or more views; and

select one of the views of the event for presentation.

14. An apparatus of claim 13, wherein the media received from one of the mobile devices includes event vectors from another one or more of the mobile devices.

15. A computer-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause an apparatus to at least perform the following steps:

causing, at least in part, reception of media from a plurality of mobile devices;

determining a plurality of event vectors for the respective mobile devices, wherein each of the event vectors includes geo-location information and timing information of the corresponding mobile device; and

determining existence of an event based on the received media and the event vectors.

16. A computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, further comprising:

determining a region associated with the event; and

causing, at least in part, retrieval of historical event data associated with the region, wherein the determination of the existence of the event is further based on the historical event data.

17. A computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the apparatus is caused, at least in part, to further perform:

determining a historical event determination threshold associated with the historical event data;

determining a current event score based on the received media and the event vectors; and

comparing the current event score with the historical event determination threshold, wherein the determination of the existence of the event is further based on the comparison.

18. A computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the event vectors further include orientation data including, at least in part, accelerometer data, magnetometer data, altimeter data, or a combination thereof, and the apparatus is caused, at least in part, to further perform:

determining a focal point associated with the event based on the event vectors;

determining an area of extent associated with the event based on the focal point and the event vectors; and

determining a type of the event based on the focal point and the event vectors.

19. A computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the event vectors further include data from sensors including, at least in part, air pressure sensor, thermometer, or a combination thereof, and the apparatus is caused, at least in part, to further perform:

determining a type of the event based on the event vectors.

20. A computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the apparatus is caused, at least in part, to further perform:

causing, at least in part, reception of a request for event data from another mobile device specifying a location of the other mobile device;

selecting the event for presentation to the based on the location;

categorizing the received media into one or more views; and

selecting one of the views of the event for presentation.