Adaptive mobile device navigation

• US 8,204,684 B2
• Filed: 01/08/2008
• Issued: 06/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Forstall, Scott, Christie, Gregory N., Borchers, Robert E., Tiene, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nolan, Peter D
• Application Number:
  US11/970,766
• Publication Number:
  US 20090005975A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,624 Days
• Field of Search: 701/207, 701/213, 701/214, 701/216, 701/217, 701/220, 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.3, 455/456.6, 455/457
• US Class Current: 701/433
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3647 Guidance involving output of stored or live camera images or video streams

Abstract

Adaptive mobile device navigation system, methods, and apparatus provide location information for a mobile device performing location estimation using dead reckoning. Multiple estimation modes can be selected including a mode for restricting measured movements to surrounding streets. Updated location fixes can be obtained through turn comparison with surrounding map information and user feedback. User feedback prompts can include photographs having geographic tag information corresponding to locations near an estimated location of the device.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

storing a position in memory;

receiving sensor data related to movement of a device;

detecting a turn in the movement of the device based on the received sensor data;

comparing the sensor data to map data corresponding to the stored position;

identifying a candidate location defined by the map data based on an estimated current device location and the detected turn, where identifying the candidate location comprises identifying that the candidate location defined by the map data has characteristics consistent with characteristics of the detected turn;

determining the estimated current device location, the determination being based at least in part on the stored position, the received sensor data, and an interpretation of the received sensor data as corresponding to movement along at least one pathway defined by the map data;

prompting the user for confirmation that the estimated current device location corresponds to an actual physical location of the device; and

updating the position stored in memory with the estimated current device location when the user confirms that the estimated current device location corresponds to the actual physical location of the device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the pathway is a street.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the pathway is a sidewalk.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the motion sensor is an accelerometer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the motion sensor is a gyroscope.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the motion sensor is a compass.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the candidate location defined by the map data based on the estimated current device location and the detected turn comprises identifying the candidate location defined by the map data if the estimated device location is within a threshold distance of the candidate location.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the candidate location defined by the map data based on the estimated current device location and the detected turn comprises identifying the candidate location defined by the map data if an angle of the detected turn is within a threshold number of degrees of an angle of a turn at the candidate location defined by the map data.

9. A non-transitory computer program product, encoded on a computer readable medium, operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

storing a position in memory;

receiving sensor data related to movement of a device;

detecting a turn in the movement of the device based on the received sensor data;

comparing the sensor data to map data corresponding to the stored position;

identifying a candidate location defined by the map data based on an estimated current device location and the detected turn, where identifying the candidate location comprises identifying that the candidate location defined by the map data has characteristics consistent with characteristics of the detected turn;

determining the estimated current device location, the determination being based at least in part on the stored position, received sensor data, and an interpretation of the received sensor data as corresponding to movement along at least one pathway defined by the map data;

prompting the user for confirmation that the estimated current device location corresponds to an actual physical location of the device; and

updating the position stored in memory with the estimated current device location when the user confirms that the estimated current device location corresponds to the actual physical location of the device.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the pathway is a street.

11. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the pathway is a sidewalk.

12. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the motion sensor is an accelerometer.

13. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the motion sensor is a gyroscope.

14. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the motion sensor is a compass.

15. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein identifying the candidate location defined by the map data based on the estimated current device location and the detected turn comprises identifying the candidate location defined by the map data if the estimated device location is within a threshold distance of the candidate location.

16. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein identifying the candidate location defined by the map data based on the estimated current device location and the detected turn comprises identifying the candidate location defined by the map data if an angle of the detected turn is within a threshold number of degrees of an angle of a turn at the candidate location defined by the map data.

17. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a computer program product, encoded on a computer readable medium, operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising;

storing a position in memory;

receiving sensor data related to movement of a device;

detecting a turn in the movement of the device based on the received sensor data;

comparing the sensor data to map data corresponding to the stored position;

identifying a candidate location defined by the map data based on an estimated current device location and the detected turn, where identifying the candidate location comprises identifying that the candidate location defined by the map data has characteristics consistent with characteristics of the detected turn;

determining the estimated current device location, the determination being based at least in part on the stored position, received sensor data, and an interpretation of the received sensor data as corresponding to movement along at least one pathway defined by the map data;

prompting the user for confirmation that the estimated current device location corresponds to an actual physical location of the device; and

updating the position stored in memory with the estimated current device location when the user confirms that the estimated current device location corresponds to the actual physical location of the device.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the pathway is a street.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the pathway is a sidewalk.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the motion sensor is an accelerometer.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the motion sensor is a gyroscope.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the motion sensor is a compass.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein identifying the candidate location defined by the map data based on the estimated current device location and the detected turn comprises identifying the candidate location defined by the map data if the estimated device location is within a threshold distance of the candidate location.

24. The system of claim 17, wherein identifying the candidate location defined by the map data based on the estimated current device location and the detected turn comprises identifying the candidate location defined by the map data if an angle of the detected turn is within a threshold number of degrees of an angle of a turn at the candidate location defined by the map data.