Providing Location Information Using Matrix Code

• US 20120142322A1
• Filed: 12/06/2010
• Published: 06/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Echostar Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Gomez, Mark H.
• Granted Patent: US 8,886,172 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.3
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/362 received from an external device or application, e.g. PDA, mobile phone or calendar application
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3623 using a camera or code reader, e.g. for optical or magnetic codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2755 by optical scanning
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A method for providing a user of a mobile electronic device with information regarding the geographic location of a business entity. The method includes detecting, utilizing the mobile electronic mobile device, a matrix code. The matrix code is encoded with data relating to the business entity. The method further includes retrieving, utilizing the electronic mobile device, GPS data relating to any or all of a current geographic location of the electronic mobile device and a reference geographic location. The method further includes generating, utilizing the electronic mobile device, a request for location information with respect to the business entity.

Claims

1. A method for providing a user of a mobile electronic device with information regarding the geographic location of a business entity, the method comprising:

detecting, utilizing the mobile electronic device, a matrix code, wherein the matrix code is encoded with data relating to the business entity;

retrieving, utilizing the mobile electronic device, GPS data relating to at least one of a current geographic location of the electronic mobile device and a reference geographic location;

generating, utilizing the mobile electronic device, a request for location information with respect to the business entity, the request for location information including business entity identifying information and GPS data.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting, over a network, the request for location information to a server, and processing, utilizing the server, the request for location information.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the business entity identifying information comprises a unique identifier.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising retrieving, utilizing the server, information regarding the geographic location of the business entity from a storage device accessible to the server.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein processing the request for location information comprises comparing the information regarding the geographic location of the business entity to the GPS data.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising generating, utilizing the server, a response to the request based at least in part on the comparison.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising transmitting, over the network, the response to the mobile electronic device, and

displaying, utilizing the mobile electronic device or an electronic device communicably coupled to the mobile electronic device, the response.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the request is carried out automatically after the matrix code is detected.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the matrix code comprises a quick response (QR) code.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile device is a wireless communications device.

11. A system for providing location information pertaining to a particular business entity, comprising:

a mobile device comprising;

an optical input device configured to optically detect a machine readable code, wherein the machine readable code includes information relating to the particular business entity;

a position determination system configured to acquire GPS data; and

a processing unit communicably coupled to the optical input device and the GPS receiver;

wherein the processing unit is provided with computer implemented instructions to;

decode the machine readable code;

and generate for transmission over a network a location information request that includes at least a portion of the information relating to the particular business entity and GPS data.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising a server communicably coupled to the processing unit and configured to receive the location information request and based at least in part on the information relating to the particular business entity and the GPS data, generate a response that includes location information for the particular business entity.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the mobile device further comprises a display and wherein the processing unit is provided with further computer implemented instructions to:

receive the response from the server; and

display at least a portion of the response on the display.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the GPS data comprises either or both of GPS data corresponding to the current geographical location of the mobile device and GPS data corresponding to a reference geographical location.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the machine readable code comprises a quick response (QR) code.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the QR code is encoded with information for identifying the particular business entity.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the QR code is encoded with information for transmitting the request to the server.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the response includes either or both of address information and navigation information with respect to one or more facilities of the particular business entity.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the response is generated automatically upon detection of the machine readable code.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the mobile device is a wireless communications device.