Method and system for saving and retrieving spatial related information

• US 8,169,343 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2011
• Issued: 05/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Artax LLC (IPValuation Partners, LLC)
• Original Assignee: TeleCommunication Systems Inc (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Inventors: Sheha, Michael A., Sheha, Angie, Petilli, Stephen, Goddard, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): BLOUNT, ERIC
• Application Number:
  US12/929,476
• Publication Number:
  US 20110130960A1
• Time in Patent Office: 460 Days
• Field of Search: 340/990, 340/995.13, 340/539.1, 340/539.13, 701213-216, 701/200, 455/414.2, 455/456.1
• US Class Current: 340/995.13
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/36 Input/output arrangements for on-board computers
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3679 Retrieval, searching and output of POI information, e.g. hotels, restaurants, shops, filling stations, parking facilities G01C21/3611 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3682 output of POI information on a road map G01C21/3614, G01C21/3685 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for storing, referencing, retrieving, and graphically displaying spatial and non-spatial related information of a mobile computing device, such as a laptop computer or a cellular telephone. The spatial-related information may be obtained by using positioning tracking systems such as a global positioning system, whereas the non-spatial related information may include communication activities associated with the mobile computing device, such as phone calls, e-mails, text messages, pages, etc. The present invention also provides methods and apparatus of sharing event information between mobile communication devices as well as related navigational information for traveling to an event from a real-time position of a mobile communication device.

Claims

1. A machine-readable medium storing a set of executable instructions for causing a processor of a system to perform a method of planning a route, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving presence information including a start time, an end time, an origin point, and a destination point;

determining at least one stop point associated with the presence information, each of the at least one stop point associated with a duration indicating an expected period of time to be spent at the stop point;

adding each of the at least one stop point to the route, each of the at least one stop point between the starting point and the destination point;

determining a route between the origin point and the destination point, the route including each of the at least one stop point;

providing direction in response to the route;

estimating a travel time for the route in response to the duration associated with each of the at least one stop;

comparing the travel time with a duration between the start time and the end time of the presence information; and

updating the presence information in response to the comparison.

2. The machine-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the route is optimized to have a shortest distance.

3. The machine-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the route is optimized to have a shortest travel time.

4. The machine-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises of receiving supplemental location information to be added to the route.

5. A system for planning a route, comprising:

means for receiving presence information including a start time, an end time, an origin point, and a destination point;

means for determining at least one stop point associated with the presence information, each of the at least one stop point associated with a duration indicating an expected period of time to be spent at the stop point;

means for adding each of the at least one stop point to the route, each of the at least one stop point between the starting point and the destination point;

means for determining a route between the origin point and the destination point, the route including each of the at least one stop point;

means for providing direction in response to the route;

means for estimating a travel time for the route in response to the duration associated with each of the at least one stop;

means for comparing the travel time with a duration between the start time and the end time of the presence information; and

means for updating the presence information in response to the comparison.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the route is optimized to have a shortest distance.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the route is optimized to have a shortest travel time.

8. The system of claim 5, further comprises means for receiving supplemental location information to be added to the route.