System and method for providing directions using a communication network
DCFirst Claim
1. A system for providing directions, comprising:
- a server coupled to a communication network, the server operable to determine directions from an origination location to a destination location and to communicate the directions using the communication network, wherein the directions comprise a plurality of segments, each segment separated from an adjacent segment by a separator signal and comprising a command and a notification region defined by a plurality of notification coordinates; and
a mobile unit coupled to the communication network remote from the server, the mobile unit operable to receive the communicated directions, the mobile unit further operable to present automatically a particular segment of the directions to a user if the location of the mobile unit substantially corresponds to a notification coordinate defining the notification region associated with that segment.
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Abstract
A communication system includes mobile units, a network switching center, and service centers to provide a variety of enhanced services to the mobile units. The service centers and/or the network switching centers determine directions from an origination location to a destination location. The directions, which may comprise multiple segments separated by separator signals, are communicated to the mobile unit using a communication network. The mobile unit may present each segment of the directions to a user. In one embodiment, the mobile unit generates a service message specifying an origination location and a destination location. The directions are determined in response to the service message.
429 Citations
56 Claims
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1. A system for providing directions, comprising:
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a server coupled to a communication network, the server operable to determine directions from an origination location to a destination location and to communicate the directions using the communication network, wherein the directions comprise a plurality of segments, each segment separated from an adjacent segment by a separator signal and comprising a command and a notification region defined by a plurality of notification coordinates; and
a mobile unit coupled to the communication network remote from the server, the mobile unit operable to receive the communicated directions, the mobile unit further operable to present automatically a particular segment of the directions to a user if the location of the mobile unit substantially corresponds to a notification coordinate defining the notification region associated with that segment. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
the communication network comprises a cellular services network;
the mobile unit is further operable to determine the origination location and the destination location, and to communicate a service message in a call using the cellular services network, wherein the service message specifies the origination location and the destination location; and
the server determines the directions in response to the service message.
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3. The system of claim 1, wherein:
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the communication network comprises a global computer network;
the mobile unit is further operable to determine the origination location and the destination location, and to communicate a request using the global computer network, wherein the request specifies the origination location and the destination location; and
the server determines the directions in response to the request.
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4. The system of claim 1, wherein the server comprises:
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a memory operable to store geographical information, traffic information, or weather information; and
a processor coupled to the memory, the processor operable to determine the directions by using the stored information.
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5. The system of claim 1, wherein the server comprises:
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a network interface that couples to a global computer network; and
a processor that couples to the network interface, the processor operable to determine the directions by accessing geographical information, traffic information, or weather information from the global computer network.
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6. The system of claim 1, wherein the origination location and the destination location comprise geographical coordinates.
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7. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile unit comprises a global positioning device operable to determine the origination location.
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8. The system of claim 1, wherein the directions are communicated as a voice message using the communication network, and the separator signal comprises a dual tone multifrequency signal.
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9. The system of claim 1, wherein directions are communicated as a text message using the communication network, and the separator signal comprises a text delimiter, and wherein the mobile unit further comprises a processor operable to translate the text message into audible voice signals for presentation to the user.
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10. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile unit is associated with a vehicle.
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11. The system of claim 1, wherein the notification coordinates defining each notification region may be dynamically established.
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12. The system of claim 1, wherein each segment of the directions further comprises a realization region, and wherein the mobile unit is further operable to present automatically a particular segment of the directions to the user if the mobile unit fails to enter the realization region associated with that segment.
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13. A method for providing directions, comprising:
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determining at a server directions from an origination location to a destination location, wherein the directions comprise a plurality of segments, each segment separated from an adjacent segment by a separator signal and comprising a command and a notification region defined by a plurality of notification coordinates, wherein the notification coordinates defining each notification region may be dynamically established; and
communicating the directions to a mobile unit remote from the server using a communication network. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
receiving from the mobile unit a service message specifying the origination location and the destination location, wherein the step of determining comprises determining the directions in response to the service message.
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15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:
storing geographical information, traffic information, or weather information, wherein the step of determining comprises determining the directions by using the stored information.
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16. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of determining comprises determining the directions using geographical information, traffic information, or weather information accessed from a global computer network.
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17. The method of claim 13, wherein the origination location and the destination location comprise geographical coordinates.
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18. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of communicating comprises communicating the directions as a voice message, and wherein the separator signal comprises a dual tone multifrequency signal.
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19. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of communicating comprises communicating the directions as a text message, and wherein the separator signal comprises a text delimiter, the method further comprising translating the text message into audible voice signals and presenting the audible voice signals to the user.
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20. The method of claim 13, wherein the mobile unit is associated with a vehicle.
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21. The method of claim 13, further comprising presenting automatically a segment of the directions to a user if the location of the mobile unit substantially corresponds to a notification coordinate defining the notification region associated with that segment.
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22. The method of claim 13, wherein each segment of the directions further comprises a realization region, the method further comprising presenting automatically a segment of the directions to the user if the mobile unit fails to enter the realization region associated with that segment.
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23. A method for automatically presenting directions to a user at a mobile unit, comprising:
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storing directions determined from an origination location to a destination location, the directions comprising a plurality of segments, wherein each segment includes a command and a notification region defined by a plurality of notification coordinates; and
presenting automatically a particular segment of the directions to a user if the location of the mobile unit substantially corresponds to a notification coordinate defining the notification region associated with that segment. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
determining the origination location and the destination location at the mobile unit; and
communicating a service message using a cellular services network, the service message specifying the origination location and the destination location.
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29. The method of claim 23, further comprising:
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determining the origination location and the destination location at the mobile unit; and
communicating a request using a global computer network, the request specifying the origination location and the destination location.
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30. The method of claim 23, further comprising:
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storing geographical information, traffic information, or weather information at a server remote from the mobile unit; and
determining the directions at the server by using the stored information.
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31. The method of claim 23, further comprising:
determining the directions at a server remote from the mobile unit by accessing geographical information, traffic information, or weather information from a global computer network.
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32. The method of claim 23, wherein the origination location and the destination location comprise geographical coordinates.
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33. The method of claim 23, further comprising determining the location of the mobile unit using a global positioning device.
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34. The method of claim 23, wherein the mobile unit is associated with a vehicle.
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35. A mobile unit for presenting directions to a user, the mobile unit comprising:
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a memory operable to store directions determined from an origination location to a destination location, wherein the directions comprise a plurality of segments, each segment separated from an adjacent segment by a separator signal and comprising a command and a notification region defined by a plurality of notification coordinates; and
a processor coupled to the memory and operable to present automatically a particular segment of the directions to a user if the location of the mobile unit substantially corresponds to a notification coordinate defining the notification region associated with that segment. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
the processor is further operable to determine the origination location and the destination location, and to communicate a service message to a remote server in a call using a cellular services network, wherein the service message specifies the origination location and the destination location; and
the directions are determined at the remote server in response to the service message.
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37. The mobile unit of claim 35, wherein:
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the processor is further operable to determine the origination location and the destination location, and to communicate a request to a remote server using a global computer network, wherein the request specifies the origination location and the destination location; and
the directions are determined at the remote server in response to the request.
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38. The mobile unit of claim 35, wherein the origination location and the destination location comprise geographical coordinates.
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39. The mobile unit of claim 35, further comprising a global positioning device operable to determine the origination location.
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40. The mobile unit of claim 35, wherein the memory stores the directions as a voice message, and the separator signal comprises a dual tone multifrequency signal.
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41. The mobile unit of claim 35, wherein the memory stores the directions as a text message, and the separator signal comprises a text delimiter, and wherein the processor is further operable to translate the text message into audible voice signals for presentation to the user.
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42. The mobile unit of claim 35, wherein the mobile unit is associated with a vehicle.
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43. The mobile unit of claim 35, wherein the notification coordinates defining each notification region may be dynamically established.
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44. The mobile unit of claim 35, wherein each segment of the directions further comprises a realization region, wherein the processor is further operable to present automatically a particular segment of the directions to the user if the mobile unit fails to enter the realization region associated with that segment.
- 45. A server for providing directions, the server comprising a processor operable to determine directions from an origination location to a destination location, wherein the directions comprise a plurality of segments, each segment separated from an adjacent segment by a separator signal and comprising a command and a notification region defined by a plurality of notification coordinates, wherein the notification coordinates defining each notification region may be dynamically established, the processor further operable to communicate the directions to a mobile unit remote from the server using a communication network.
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55. A method for providing directions, comprising:
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determining at a server directions from an origination location to a destination location, wherein the directions comprise a plurality of segments, each segment separated from an adjacent segment by a separator signal and comprising a command and a notification region defined by a plurality of notification coordinates, wherein the notification coordinates defining each notification region may be dynamically established; and
communicating the directions to a mobile unit remote from the server using a communication network, the mobile unit being operable to present automatically a particular segment of the directions to a user if the location of the mobile unit substantially corresponds to a notification coordinate defining the notification region associated with that segment.
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56. A server for providing directions, the server comprising a processor operable to determine directions from an origination location to a destination location, wherein the directions comprise a plurality of segments, each segment separated from an adjacent segment by a separator signal and comprising a command and a notification region defined by a plurality of notification coordinates, wherein the notification coordinates defining each notification region may be dynamically established, the processor further operable to communicate the directions to a mobile unit remote from the server using a communication network, the mobile unit being operable to present automatically a particular segment of the directions from the server to a user if the location of the mobile unit substantially corresponds to a notification coordinate defining the notification region associated with that segment.
Specification