Adaptive Mobile Device Navigation

• US 20120253665A1
• Filed: 06/15/2012
• Published: 10/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Forstall, Scott, Christie, Gregory N., Borchers, Robert E., Tiene, Kevin
• Application Number:
  US13/525,130
• Publication Number:
  US 20120253665A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/450
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3647 Guidance involving output of stored or live camera images or video streams

Abstract

Adaptive mobile device navigation system, methods, and apparatus provide location information for a mobile device performing location estimation using dead reckoning. Multiple estimation modes can be selected including a mode for restricting measured movements to surrounding streets. Updated location fixes can be obtained through turn comparison with surrounding map information and user feedback. User feedback prompts can include photographs having geographic tag information corresponding to locations near an estimated location of the device.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

storing a location of a mobile device in memory;

receiving sensor data related to movement of a mobile device;

detecting a turn in the movement of the mobile device based on the received sensor data;

estimating a current location of the device based on the sensor data and the stored location;

determining that a portion of a pathway defined by map data corresponding to the estimated current location has characteristics consistent with characteristics of the detected turn;

based on the determination, identifying a candidate location corresponding to the portion of the pathway that has characteristics consistent with characteristics of the detected turn; and

updating the stored location of the mobile device with the candidate location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the pathway is a street.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the pathway is a sidewalk.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor data is generated by an accelerometer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor data is generated by a gyroscope.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor data is generated by a compass.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the candidate location comprises determining that the estimated current location is within a threshold distance of the portion of the pathway defined by the map data.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the candidate location comprises determining that an angle of the detected turn is within a threshold number of degrees of an angle of a turn at the portion of the pathway defined by the map data.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

presenting a prompt requesting that a user verify that the candidate location is the actual location of the mobile device;

receiving input confirming that the candidate location is the actual location of the mobile device; and

in response to receiving the confirmation, updating the stored location of the mobile device with the candidate location.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes:

storing a location of a mobile device in memory;

receiving sensor data related to movement of a mobile device;

detecting a turn in the movement of the mobile device based on the received sensor data;

estimating a current location of the device based on the sensor data and the stored location;

determining that a portion of a pathway defined by map data corresponding to the estimated current location has characteristics consistent with characteristics of the detected turn;

based on the determination, identifying a candidate location corresponding to the portion of the pathway that has characteristics consistent with characteristics of the detected turn; and

updating the stored location of the mobile device with the candidate location.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the pathway is a street.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the pathway is a sidewalk.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the sensor data is generated by an accelerometer.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the sensor data is generated by a gyroscope.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the sensor data is generated by a compass.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the instructions that cause identifying the candidate location comprise instructions that cause determining that the estimated current location is within a threshold distance of the portion of the pathway defined by the map data.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the instructions that cause identifying the candidate location comprise instructions that cause determining that an angle of the detected turn is within a threshold number of degrees of an angle of a turn at the portion of the pathway defined by the map data.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the instructions cause:

presenting a prompt requesting that a user verify that the candidate location is the actual location of the mobile device;

receiving input confirming that the candidate location is the actual location of the mobile device; and

in response to receiving the confirmation, updating the stored location of the mobile device with the candidate location.

19. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a computer-readable medium including one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, causes;

storing a location of a mobile device in memory;

receiving sensor data related to movement of a mobile device;

detecting a turn in the movement of the mobile device based on the received sensor data;

estimating a current location of the device based on the sensor data and the stored location;

determining that a portion of a pathway defined by map data corresponding to the estimated current location has characteristics consistent with characteristics of the detected turn;

based on the determination, identifying a candidate location corresponding to the portion of the pathway that has characteristics consistent with characteristics of the detected turn; and

updating the stored location of the mobile device with the candidate location.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the pathway is a street.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the pathway is a sidewalk.

22. The system of claim 19, further comprising an accelerometer, wherein the sensor data is generated by the accelerometer.

23. The system of claim 19, further comprising a gyroscope, wherein the sensor data is generated by the gyroscope.

24. The system of claim 19, further comprising a compass, wherein the sensor data is generated by the compass.

25. The system of claim 19, wherein the instructions that cause identifying the candidate location comprise instructions that cause determining that the estimated current location is within a threshold distance of the portion of the pathway defined by the map data.

26. The system of claim 19, wherein the instructions that cause identifying the candidate location comprise instructions that cause determining that an angle of the detected turn is within a threshold number of degrees of an angle of a turn at the portion of the pathway defined by the map data.

27. The system of claim 19, wherein the instructions cause:

presenting a prompt requesting that a user verify that the candidate location is the actual location of the mobile device;

receiving input confirming that the candidate location is the actual location of the mobile device; and

in response to receiving the confirmation, updating the stored location of the mobile device with the candidate location.