Location alarm

• US 6,496,116 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2002
• Issued: 12/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Farringdon, Jonathan, Poll, Leonard H., Valdes, Armando S.
• Primary Examiner(s): TWEEL JR, JOHN ALEXANDER
• Application Number:
  US10/090,174
• Publication Number:
  US 20020089421A1
• Time in Patent Office: 288 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.1, 340/944, 340/995, 340/996, 340/825.36, 340/825.49, 701/211, 701/213
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel

Abstract

A portable location alarm device is provided which allows a user to preset an alarm event to occur when the device arrives at a pre-determined location. The alarm event alerts the user by audible, visual or vibrating means. The alarm device determines it'"'"'s actual location using GPS data. In one embodiment the user bookmarks particular locations while physically present at a given location. Part of the bookmarking process involves the device simultaneously receiving GPS data that describes the physical location. The user can subsequently set an alarm event for any bookmarked location without the need for the device to carry large databases, for example of the type cross-referencing place names to mapping co-ordinates.

Claims

1. A location alarm apparatus comprising:

alarm setting means allowing a user to specify one or more alarm locations by a common identity;

storage means for storing data defining the specified alarm locations and for storing other data specifying a task;

location establishing means for determining the current location of the apparatus; and

output signal generating means for generating an output signal corresponding to at least one of conditions surrounding the current location and the specified task when the condition is met that the current location is substantially the same as a specified alarm location and the common identity of the specified alarm location is associated with the specified task.

2. A location alarm apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the location establishing means includes means for obtaining and processing Global Positioning System information.

3. A location alarm apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein the location establishing means further comprises receiving means for receiving data transmitted by satellites according to the Global Positioning System.

4. A location alarm apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the alarm setting means allows the user to specify an alarm location which corresponds to the current location as determined by the location establishing means.

5. A location alarm apparatus in accordance with claim 1 and further comprising specified alarm location recording means for maintaining a record of previously specified alarm locations.

6. A location alarm apparatus in accordance with claim 5, wherein the alarm setting means allows the user to specify an alarm location selected from the record of previously specified alarm locations.

7. A location alarm apparatus in accordance with claim 1 and further comprising means for associating supplementary information with a specified alarm location.

8. A location alarm apparatus in accordance with claim 7 wherein the alarm setting means allows the user to specify an alarm location selected from the record of previously specified alarm locations, and further wherein the alarm setting means allows the user to specify one or more alarm locations in terms of the associated supplementary information.

9. A location alarm apparatus in accordance with claim 7 wherein, on the condition being met that the current location is substantially the same as a specified alarm location, the output signal generating means generates an output signal of a type dependent on the supplementary information associated with the said specified alarm location.

10. A location alarm apparatus in accordance with claim 7, wherein, on the condition being met that the current location is substantially the same as a specified alarm location, at least part of the supplementary information associated with the said specified alarm location is reproduced.

11. A location alarm apparatus in accordance with claim 1 and further comprising database means which relates items of data with one or more locations.

12. A location alarm apparatus in accordance with claim 11 wherein the alarm setting means allows the user to specify an alarm location in terms of an item of data.

13. A location alarm apparatus in accordance with claim 12 wherein the data includes navigational co-ordinates.

14. A location alarm apparatus in accordance with claim 12 wherein the data includes a place name.

15. A location alarm apparatus in accordance with claim 12 wherein the data includes mapping symbols denoting the presence of physical objects.

16. A mobile communications terminal including the location alarm apparatus of claim 1.

17. A personal digital assistant having the location alarm apparatus of claim 1.

18. An interactive electronic device having the location alarm apparatus of claim 1.

19. Wearable electronic computer apparatus having the location alarm apparatus of claim 1.

20. A method of generating a location dependent alarm output signal in a device comprising the steps of:

specifying one or more locations by one or more common identities for which an output signal should be generated;

specifying a task associated with at least one common identity;

establishing the current location of the device; and

generating the output signal corresponding to at least one of conditions surrounding the current location and the specified task when the current location is substantially the same as a specified location and the common identity of the specified location is associated with the specified task.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the step of establishing the current location of the device further comprises receiving data transmitted by satellites according to the Global Positioning System.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of associating supplementary information with a specified alarm location.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of specifying one or more alarm locations in terms of the associated supplementary information.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein, on the condition being met that the current location is substantially the same as a specified alarm location, further comprising the step of generating an output signal of a type dependent on the supplementary information associated with the said specified alarm location.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein, on the condition being met that the current location is substantially the same as a specified alarm location, comprising the step of reproducing at least part of the supplementary information associated with the said specified alarm location.

26. A location alarm apparatus comprising:

alarm setting input configured to allow a user to specify a plurality of alarm locations by a common identity;

a memory configured to store data defining the specified alarm locations and for storing other data specifying a task;

location establishing device configured to determine the current location of the apparatus; and

signal output configured to generate an output signal when the condition is met that the current location is substantially the same as a specified alarm location and the common identity of the specified alarm location is associated with the specified task.

27. The location alarm apparatus of claim 26, wherein the location establishing device comprises a receiver configured to receive and process Global Positioning System information.

28. The location alarm apparatus of claim 27 wherein the location establishing device is configured to receive data transmitted by satellites according to the Global Positioning System.

29. The location alarm apparatus of claim 26, wherein the alarm setting input is configured to allow the user to specify an alarm location which corresponds to the current location as determined by the location establishing device.

30. The location alarm apparatus of claim 26, wherein the memory is configured to maintain a record of previously specified alarm locations.

31. The location alarm apparatus of claim 30, wherein the alarm setting input is configured to allow the user to specify an alarm location selected from the record of previously specified alarm locations.

32. The location alarm apparatus of claim 26, wherein the memory is configured to associate supplementary information with a specified alarm location.

33. The location alarm apparatus of claim 32, wherein the alarm setting input is configured to allow the user to specify an alarm location selected from the record of previously specified alarm locations, and further wherein the alarm setting input is configured to allow the user to specify one or more alarm locations in terms of the associated supplementary information.

34. The location alarm apparatus of claim 32, wherein, on the condition being met that the current location is substantially the same as a specified alarm location, the signal output is configured to generate an output signal of a type dependent on the supplementary information associated with the said specified alarm location.

35. The location alarm apparatus of claim 32, wherein, on the condition being met that the current location is substantially the same as a specified alarm location, the location alarm apparatus is configured to reproduce at least part of the supplementary information associated with the said specified alarm location.

36. A mobile communications terminal including the location alarm apparatus of claim 26.

37. A personal digital assistant having the location alarm apparatus of claim 26.

38. An interactive electronic device having the location alarm apparatus of claim 26.

39. Wearable electronic computer apparatus having the location alarm apparatus of claim 26.