Interactive map for displaying remote user location and supplemental information

• US 8,164,442 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2009
• Issued: 04/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc. (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc. (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Ungari, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): WANG, JACK K
• Application Number:
  US12/358,201
• Publication Number:
  US 20100182145A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,188 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.13, 715/863, 455/456.3
• US Class Current: 340/539.13
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/10 Map spot or coordinate position indicators; Map reading aids optical projection apparatus per se G03B

Abstract

A method and system for displaying location data and supplemental information associated with a remote mobile device uses, e.g., a spherical display device to display a map of the world or a specific region. The system receives location data from a remote mobile device and displays the location indicated by the location data. The display system may be configured to display a route traveled by the mobile device being tracked by visually connecting multiple locations. The display system may also display supplemental information associated with the map, including points of interest in the area nearby a remote device and information provided by the remote device.

Claims

1. An apparatus for receiving geographic location data and supplemental information associated with multiple mobile devices and displaying data, including the geographic location data and supplemental information, the apparatus comprising:

a display having a spherical, hemispherical, semispherical, or convex shape;

at least one touch-sensitive input component;

at least one network connection component;

a memory, wherein the memory stores geographic location data and supplemental information associated with the mobile device; and

a processor coupled among the display, the at least one touch-sensitive input component, the at least one network connection component, and the memory;

wherein the processor is configured to execute various components, wherein the components comprise;

a registration component configured to register at least a first mobile device and a second mobile device, wherein registering comprises;

receiving information uniquely identifying the first mobile device and the second mobile device;

communicating with the first mobile device to exchange registration information, permission information, or both, associated with the first mobile device;

storing the registration information, the permission information, or both, associated with the first mobile device;

communicating with the second mobile device to exchange registration information, permission information, or both, associated with the second mobile device; and

storing the registration information, the permission information, or both, associated with the second mobile device;

a location component configured to receive first geographic location data associated with a geographic location of the first mobile device and second geographic location data associated with a geographic location of the second mobile device through the at least one network connection component;

a supplemental information component configured to receive supplemental information data associated with the geographic location of the first mobile device, wherein the supplemental information data includes at least one of text data from the mobile device, audio data from the mobile device, digital image data from the mobile device, and video data from the mobile device;

a map display component configured to cause the display to display a map of a geographical region;

a location display component configured to cause the display to display an indicator of the first geographic location data and the second geographic location data on the map of the geographical region;

a device select component configured to receive control information and to cause the display to display the indicator of the first geographic location data and not display the indicator of the second geographic location data in response to the control information; and

a supplemental information display component configured to cause the display to display the supplemental information data on the map associated with the second geographic location.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the map display component is further configured to magnify, minimize, or move the display of the map of the geographical region in response to a command received from a user through the at least one touch-sensitive input component.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the device selection component is further configured to select the mobile device based on settings associated with an individual user of multiple users.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the supplemental information data further comprises at least one of text data, audio data, digital image data, and video data associated with points of interest in the geographical area near at least one of the first geographic location and the second geographic location.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first mobile device and the second mobile device are connected to a mobile wireless network and the at least one network connection component includes a wireless network adapter configured to connect to the mobile wireless network.

6. A method for receiving geographic location data associated with geographic locations of a first mobile device and a second mobile device and displaying data, including the geographic location data, the method comprising:

registering at least a first mobile device and a second mobile device, wherein registering comprises;

receiving information uniquely identifying the first mobile device and the second mobile device;

communicating with the first mobile device to exchange registration information, permission information, or both, associated with the first mobile device;

storing the registration information, the permission information, or both, associated with the first mobile device;

communicating with the second mobile device to exchange registration information, permission information, or both, associated with the second mobile device; and

storing the registration information, the permission information, or both, associated with the second mobile device;

displaying a three dimensional map of a geographical region, wherein the three dimensional map of a geographical region is displayed as a spherical, hemispherical, semispherical, or convex display;

receiving first geographic location data associated with a geographic location of the first mobile device;

receiving second geographic location data associated with a geographic location of the second mobile device;

displaying an indication of the first geographic location data on the three dimensional map;

displaying an indication of the second geographic location data on the three dimensional map;

receiving control information; and

displaying the indication of the first geographical location and not displaying the indication of the second geographical location in response to the received control information.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising displaying a route traveled by the first mobile device based on the received first geographic location data.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein storing the registration information further comprises sending registration information to a data server and wherein the geographic location data associated with the geographic location of the selected first mobile device is received from the data server.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising displaying an indicator of one or more points of interest on the three dimensional map in the geographical area nearby the indication of the geographic location of the first mobile device.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving media data from the first mobile device, wherein the received media data is one of;

text data, video data, image data, or audio data;

associating the received media data with a specified geographic location, wherein the specified geographic location is the location of the first mobile device; and

displaying the received media data on the three-dimensional map.

11. The method of claim 6, further comprising displaying on the three dimensional map a visual indication after receiving geographic location data to indicate a display update based on newly received geographic location data.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein permission information comprises data provided by the first mobile device or the second mobile device indicating that a user has granted permission for the device to provide geographical location data.

13. The method of claim 6, wherein registration information comprises data provided by the first mobile device or the second mobile device usable to identify communications received from the mobile device.

14. The method of claim 6, wherein the information uniquely identifying the first mobile device is received by direct communications with the first mobile device using a wireless connection.

15. The method of claim 6, wherein the information uniquely identifying the first mobile device is received from a user entering the information through an input device.

16. An apparatus comprising:

an input means for receiving commands from a user;

a display means for displaying a map and one or more geographic location indicators, wherein the display means provides a non-flat display;

a network connection means for receiving data from a data network;

a memory means for storing data;

a processor means for executing one or more components comprising;

a registration component configured to register at least a first mobile device and a second mobile device, wherein registering comprises;

receiving information uniquely identifying the first mobile device and the second mobile device;

communicating with the first mobile device to exchange registration information, permission information, or both, associated with the first mobile device, wherein the permission information comprises data provided by the first mobile device or the second mobile device indicating that a user has granted permission for the device to provide geographical location data;

storing the registration information, the permission information, or both, associated with the first mobile device;

communicating with the second mobile device to exchange registration information, permission information, or both, associated with the second mobile device; and

storing the registration information, the permission information, or both, associated with the second mobile device;

a location component configured to receive first geographic location data associated with a geographic location of the first mobile device and second geographic location data associated with a geographic location of the second mobile device through the network connection means;

a map display component configured to cause the display means to display a map of a geographical region; and

a location mapping component configured to cause the display means to display an indication of the first geographic location data and the second geographic location data.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the map display component is further configured to cause the display means to display a route traveled by the first mobile device based on the received first geographic location data and to magnify or minimize the map of the geographical region in response to a command received from the input means.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising:

a local communications means for communicating with the first mobile device;

wherein the registration component is configured to receive the registration information from the first mobile device via the local communications means.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the registration information comprises data provided by the first mobile device usable to identify communications received from the first mobile device.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the processor means is further configured to execute a supplemental information component configured to cause the display means to display one or more points of interest in the geographical area near the first mobile device.

21. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the processor means is further configured to execute:

a supplemental information component configured to receive media data comprising at least one of video data, audio data, image data, or text data from the first mobile device and associate the received media data with the geographic location of the first mobile device; and

a supplemental information display component configured to cause the display means to display the received media data at the associated geographic location.

22. An apparatus for providing geographic location data to customer premises equipment, wherein the geographic location data is associated with geographic locations of selected wireless mobile devices operating within at least one wireless network, the apparatus comprising:

a database for storing geographic location data associated with selected wireless mobile devices;

at least one network connection component;

a server computer coupled among the at least one network connection component and the database;

wherein the server computer is configured to execute various components, the components including;

a registration component configured to register at least a first mobile device and a second mobile device, wherein registering comprises;

receiving information uniquely identifying the first mobile device and the second mobile device;

communicating with the first mobile device to exchange registration information, permission information, or both, associated with the first mobile device, wherein registration information comprises data provided by the first mobile device or the second mobile device usable to identify communications received from the mobile device;

storing the registration information, the permission information, or both, associated with the first mobile device;

communicating with the second mobile device to exchange registration information, permission information, or both, associated with the second mobile device; and

storing the registration information, the permission information, or both, associated with the second mobile device;

a location component configured to receive first geographic location data associated with a geographic location of the first mobile device and second geographic location data associated with a geographic location of the second mobile device through the network connection component;

a supplemental information component configured to receive at least a first supplemental information provided by the first mobile device;

an authentication component configured to authenticate forwarding of geographic location data from the first mobile device and the second mobile device to the customer premises equipment; and

a data forwarding component configured to provide, via the network connection component, the first geographic location data, the second geographic location data, and the first supplemental information to the customer premises equipment after the authentication component authenticates forwarding of geographic location data from the first mobile device and the second mobile device to the customer premises equipment,

wherein the customer premises equipment is configured to provide at least the first geographic location data and the second geographic location data with map data on a display device having a spherical or hemispherical shape.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the supplemental information comprises one or more points of interest in the geographical area near the mobile device.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the supplemental information component is configured to receive media data comprising at least one of video data, audio data, image data, or text data from the mobile device, associate the received media data with a second geographic location, and display the received media data on the display device, wherein the second geographic location is a previous geographic location of the mobile device.

25. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the location component is further configured to cause the display device to display a new data indication after receiving the geographic location data to indicate a display update based on newly received geographic location data.

26. A method for receiving geographic location data associated with geographic locations of a first mobile device and a second mobile device and displaying data, including the geographic location data, the method comprising:

registering at least a first mobile device and a second mobile device, wherein registering comprises;

receiving information uniquely identifying the first mobile device and the second mobile device;

communicating with the first mobile device to exchange registration information, permission information, or both, associated with the first mobile device,

wherein permission information comprises data provided by the first mobile device or the second mobile device indicating that a user has granted permission for the device to provide geographical location data;

storing the registration information, the permission information, or both, associated with the first mobile device;

communicating with the second mobile device to exchange registration information, permission information, or both, associated with the second mobile device; and

storing the registration information, the permission information, or both, associated with the second mobile device;

displaying a three dimensional map of a geographical region, wherein the three dimensional map of a geographical region is displayed as a spherical, hemispherical, semispherical, or convex display;

receiving first geographic location data associated with a geographic location of the first mobile device;

receiving second geographic location data associated with a geographic location of the second mobile device;

displaying an indication of the first geographic location data on the three dimensional map;

displaying an indication of the second geographic location data on the three dimensional map.

27. A method for receiving geographic location data associated with geographic locations of a first mobile device and a second mobile device and displaying data, including the geographic location data, the method comprising:

registering at least a first mobile device and a second mobile device, wherein registering comprises;

receiving information uniquely identifying the first mobile device and the second mobile device;

communicating with the first mobile device to exchange registration information, permission information, or both, associated with the first mobile device,

wherein registration information comprises data provided by the first mobile device or the second mobile device usable to identify communications received from the mobile device;

storing the registration information, the permission information, or both, associated with the first mobile device;

communicating with the second mobile device to exchange registration information, permission information, or both, associated with the second mobile device; and

storing the registration information, the permission information, or both, associated with the second mobile device;

displaying a three dimensional map of a geographical region, wherein the three dimensional map of a geographical region is displayed as a spherical, hemispherical, semispherical, or convex display;

receiving first geographic location data associated with a geographic location of the first mobile device;

receiving second geographic location data associated with a geographic location of the second mobile device;

displaying an indication of the first geographic location data on the three dimensional map;

displaying an indication of the second geographic location data on the three dimensional map.