METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR UTILIZING GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION INFORMATION

• US 20110125403A1
• Filed: 01/21/2011
• Published: 05/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Garmin Switzerland GmbH (Garmin Limited)
• Original Assignee: Garmin Switzerland GmbH (Garmin Limited)
• Inventors: Smith, David A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,280,628 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/213
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/005 with correlation of navigation data from several sources, e.g. map or contour matching G01C21/30 takes precedence

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide navigation devices (10) and methods for receiving and/or forming geoblogs. The provided navigation devices (10) are generally operable to retrieve a geoblog utilizing the current geographic location of the device (10) and a user input, form a geoblog utilizing the current geographic location of the device (10) and selected pre-defined comment, and/or automatically title a geoblog utilizing a current geographic location of the device (10). Such configurations and variations thereof enable users to easily share information related to a geographic location.

Claims

1. A navigation device comprising:

a location determining component operable to determine a current geographic location of the device;

a communications element operable to communicate through a communications network;

a display operable to present information associated with the current geographic location of the device;

a user interface operable to be functioned by a user to create a geoblog; and

a processor coupled with the location determining component, the communications element, the display, and the user interface, the processor operable to—

access a database of location names and corresponding geographic locations to determine a name associated with the current geographic location of the device,

generate a geoblog title corresponding to the determined name,

form the geoblog using the generated geoblog title, and

provide the formed geoblog through the communications network utilizing the communications element.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the location determining component includes a global positioning system receiver.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the communications element is operable to communicate through a mobile phone network to enable the navigation device to function as a mobile phone.

4. The device of claim 1, further including a memory coupled with the processor, the memory including the database.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor is operable to access the database through the communications network utilizing the communications element.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the generated geoblog title includes the determined name.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the display is further operable to provide a visual indication of the formed geoblog.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the user interface and the display include a touchscreen display.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein—

the processor is operable to determine a plurality of names associated with the current geographic location of the device,

the display is operable to provide a listing of the determined names, and

the user interface is operable to receive an input from the user corresponding to selection of one of the listed names, the selected name being used by the processor as the determined name to generate the geoblog title.

10. A navigation device comprising:

a location determining component operable to determine a current geographic location of the device;

a communications element operable to communicate through a communications network;

a display operable to present information associated with the current geographic location of the device;

a user interface operable to be functioned by a user to create a geoblog; and

a processor coupled with the location determining component, the communications element, the display, and the user interface, the processor operable to—

access a database of location names and corresponding geographic locations to determine a plurality of names associated with the current geographic location of the device,

control the display to present a listing of the names,

receive a selection input through the user interface corresponding to one of the listed names,

generate a geoblog title corresponding to the selected name,

form the geoblog using the generated geoblog title, and

provide the formed geoblog through the communications network utilizing the communications element.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the location determining component includes a global positioning system receiver.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein the communications element is operable to communicate through a mobile phone network to enable the navigation device to function as a mobile phone.

13. The device of claim 10, further including a memory coupled with the processor, the memory including the database.

14. The device of claim 10, wherein the processor is operable to access the database through the communications network utilizing the communications element.

15. The device of claim 10, wherein the generated geoblog title includes the selected name.

16. The device of claim 10, wherein the display is further operable to provide a visual indication of the formed geoblog.

17. The device of claim 10, wherein the user interface and the display include a touchscreen display.