MOBILE IMAGING DEVICE AS NAVIGATOR

• US 20130144905A1
• Filed: 02/11/2013
• Published: 06/06/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: R2 Solutions LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Soderstrom, Gustav
• Granted Patent: US 8,897,498 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/769
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/005 with correlation of navigation data from several sources, e.g. map or contour matching G01C21/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/246 using feature-based methods, e.g. the tracking of corners or segments
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/73 using feature-based methods

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention are directed to obtaining information based on directional orientation of a mobile imaging device, such as a camera phone. Visual information is gathered by the camera and used to determine a directional orientation of the camera, to search for content based on the direction, to manipulate 3D virtual images of a surrounding area, and to otherwise use the directional information. Direction and motion can be determined by analyzing a sequence of images. Distance from a current location, inputted search parameters, and other criteria can be used to expand or filter content that is tagged with such criteria. Search results with distance indicators can be overlaid on a map or a camera feed. Various content can be displayed for a current direction, or desired content, such as a business location, can be displayed only when the camera is oriented toward the desired content.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium, having computer-executable instructions stored thereon, that in response to execution by a mobile device, cause the mobile device to perform operations, comprising:

determining a geographic position of the mobile device;

determining a change in an orientational direction of the mobile device from a first direction to a second direction, the orientational direction being determined at least in part using an imaging component of the mobile device;

receiving one or more search terms at the mobile device;

performing a search request using the received geographic position, change in orientational direction of the mobile device, and the received search terms; and

displaying results of the search request at the mobile device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mobile device performs operations, further comprising:

receiving merchant information that is useable to refine the search request.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein one or more of the search terms are based on a selection at the mobile device of a type of merchant.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mobile device performs operations, further comprising:

receiving user profile information about a user of a second mobile device located in the orientational direction of the mobile device; and

refining the search request using the user profile information.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein when the user of the second mobile device indicates that results of the user is private, preventing display of information about the user at the mobile device.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein performing the search request further comprises using a distance parameter to limit the search results.

7. A system, comprising:

an imaging device; and

a processor within a mobile device, the processor is enabled to perform actions, including;

determining a geographic position of the mobile device;

determining a change in an orientational direction of the mobile device from a first direction to a second direction, the orientational direction being determined at least in part using the imaging device of the mobile device;

receiving one or more search terms at the mobile device;

sending a search request using the received geographic position, change in orientational direction of the mobile device, and the received search terms; and

displaying results from the search request on a display device of the mobile device.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the search request further employs information that is based on tracking actions of the mobile device.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein at least one search term includes information about a type of merchant.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the type of merchant is obtained using a selectable tab within a display on the mobile device.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the search results are limited based on a distance from the mobile device.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein at least one search term includes information about a person.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein at least one search term further includes presence information about the person.

14. A computer-based method operating within a mobile device, comprising:

determining a geographic position of the mobile device;

determining a change in an orientational direction of the mobile device from a first direction to a second direction, the orientational direction being determined at least in part using an imaging component of the mobile device;

receiving one or more search terms at the mobile device;

performing a search request using the received geographic position, change in orientational direction of the mobile device, and the received search terms; and

displaying results of the search request at the mobile device.

15. The computer-based method of claim 14, wherein at least one search term includes information about a type of merchant in which to perform the search request.

16. The computer-based method of claim 14, wherein the search request is directed towards providing information about a person within a defined distance from the mobile device and within the orientational direction of the mobile device.

17. The computer-based method of claim 14, wherein the search request is refined based on tracked information about the mobile device.

18. The computer-based method of claim 14, wherein at least one search term includes information about a merchant within a defined distance from the mobile device and orientational direction of the mobile device.

19. The computer-based method of claim 14, wherein determining a change in direction comprises analyzing a plurality of images captured by the imaging component to determine the orientational direction based on a shift between image patterns in the plurality of images.

20. The computer-based method of claim 14, wherein the search results include information about a distance between the mobile device and at least one of a landmark, building, or an other computing device.