Providing position information to a device

• US 6,714,865 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2002
• Issued: 03/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MediaTek, Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Innes, Brian, Angwin, Alastair J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): To, Tuan C
• Application Number:
  US10/273,274
• Publication Number:
  US 20030120424A1
• Time in Patent Office: 530 Days
• Field of Search: 701/213, 701/214, 701/215, 709/224, 709/225, 709/242, 709/220, 709/228, 709/222, 709/328, 455/456, 455/422, 455/556, 455/457, 455/557, 370/392, 370/312, 370/399, 370/401
• US Class Current: 701/213
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A system for providing position data in a pre-determined format to a device (e.g. a smartphone, laptop etc.), whereby the device is capable of executing an application. The system utilizes a plurality of position determination systems (e.g. GPS), which provide position data. The system further comprises an application program interface (API), which receives a request for position data from the application and passes this request to one of a plurality of position adapters. Each position adapter receives position data from a respective position determination system. The system further comprises an interface program providing data handling functions. The interface program determines whether the received position data is in a pre-determined format preferred by the application and if it is not, the respective position adapter creates position data in a pre-determined format.

Claims

1. A system (310) for providing position data in a pre-determined format to a device (300), in which said device comprises means for executing an application (305), for use with a plurality of position determination systems (315, 320), each of said plurality of position determination systems providing position data, said system further comprising:

means for providing an interface (400) to said application, whereby said means for providing an interface (400) receives a request for position data from said application;

one or more means for receiving (415) position data from respective position determination systems; and

means for providing data handling (405);

in which said means for providing data handling (405) determines whether said received position data is in a pre-determined format; and

said means for receiving (415), responsive to an unsuccessful determination, creates position data in a pre-determined format.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising means for supporting (410) said receiving means (415).

3. A system as claimed in claim 2, in which said request is passed via said means for supporting (410) to said means for receiving (415).

4. A system as claimed in claim 1, in which in response to an unsuccessful determination, said means for providing an interface (400) provides said created position data in a pre-determined format to said application.

5. A system as claimed in claim 1, in which in response to a successful determination, said means for providing an interface (400) provides said received position data in a pre-determined format to said application.

6. A system as claimed in claim 1, in which each of said plurality of position determination systems provides differing position data.

7. A system as claimed in claim 1, in which at least one of said plurality of position determination systems is a global positioning system.

8. A system as claimed in claim 1, in which at least one of said plurality of position determination systems comprises a plurality of cell stations and personal stations, communicating over a network.

9. A system as claimed in claim 1, in which at least one of said plurality of position determination systems comprises a pay service.

10. A system as claimed in claim 1, in which said system further comprises means for controlling said plurality of position determination systems.

11. A system as claimed in claim 10, in which said means for controlling comprises security functions for controlling access to said device.

12. A system as claimed in claim 1, in which said position data is provided to said application with associated values for latitude, longitude and altitude.

13. A system as claimed in claim 12, in which said position data further comprises associated values for accuracy.

14. A system as claimed in claim 1, in which said means for receiving (415), utilizes an associated application to create position data in a pre-determined format.

15. A system as claimed in claim 1, in which at least one of said plurality of position determination systems comprises an exclusion list, whereby said list comprises co-ordinates and position data known to be inaccurate.

16. A method of providing position data in a pre-determined format to a device (300), in which said device comprises means for executing an application (305), for use with a plurality of position determination systems (315, 320), each of said plurality of position determination systems providing position data, in a system comprising:

means for providing an interface (400) to said application, whereby said means for providing an interface (400) receives a request for position data from said application;

one or more means for receiving (415) position data from respective position determination systems; and

means for providing data handling (405);

said method further comprising the steps of;

determining, by said means for providing data handling (405), whether said received position data is in a pre-determined format; and

in response to an unsuccessful determination, creating, by said means for receiving (415), position data in a pre-determined format.

17. A method as claimed in claim 16, further comprising supporting, by means for supporting (410), said receiving means (415).

18. A method as claimed in claim 17, in which said request is passed via said means for supporting (410) to said means for receiving (415).

19. A method as claimed in claim 16, in which in response to an unsuccessful determination, providing, by said means for providing an interface (400), said created position data in a pre-determined format to said application.

20. A method as claimed in claim 16, in which in response to a successful determination, providing, by said means for providing an interface (400), said received position data in a pre-determined format to said application.

21. A method as claimed in claim 16, in which each of said plurality of position determination systems provides differing position data.

22. A method as claimed in claim 16, in which at least one of said plurality of position determination systems is a global positioning system.

23. A method as claimed in claim 16, in which at least one of said plurality of position determination systems comprises a plurality of cell stations and personal stations, communicating over a network.

24. A method as claimed in claim 16, in which at least one of said plurality of position determination systems comprises a pay service.

25. A method as claimed in claim 16, further comprising the step of:

controlling said plurality of position determination systems.

26. A method as claimed in claim 25, in which said controlling step further comprises the step of utilizing security functions for controlling access to said device.

27. A method as claimed in claim 16, in which said position data is provided to said application with associated values for latitude, longitude and altitude.

28. A method as claimed in claim 27, in which said position data further comprises associated values for accuracy.

29. A method as claimed in claim 16, further comprising the step of:

utilizing, by said means for receiving (415), an associated application to create position data in a pre-determined format.

30. A method as claimed in claim 16, in which at least one of said plurality of position determination systems comprises an exclusion list, whereby said list comprises co-ordinates and position data known to be inaccurate.

31. A computer program product stored on a computer readable storage medium for, when run on a computer, instructing the computer to carry out the method of claim 16.