Navigation system for portable communication devices

• US 8,208,949 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2007
• Issued: 06/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jr. James Ronald Herring
• Original Assignee: Marc Stuart Cox
• Inventors: Cox, Marc Stuart
• Primary Examiner(s): Corsaro, Nick
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUA, QUAN M
• Application Number:
  US11/687,062
• Publication Number:
  US 20070218891A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,929 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.2, 455/456.1, 455/414.2, 340988-996
• US Class Current: 455/456.6
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/14 between corresponding nodes

Abstract

A navigation system for portable communications devices may comprise computer programs for providing a geographical context for display in the portable device. The portable device periodically interacts with at least one of a telecommunications network and a GPS network to update an information portal with current location information. The navigation system includes displaying information on the portable communications device representative of a change in location of the mobile telephone device or a change in location of another tracked device. The information representative of the change in location can be overlaid on the geographical context and both displayed in the mobile telephone device. The combined geographical context and specific location data is scaled to fit a display on a portable communications device. Other embodiments provide means for obtaining information representative of a location of some object or of another object for display in the mobile telephone device.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer program product for providing mapping functionality to mobile telephone devices, wherein the mobile telephone devices belong to a predetermined group, the computer program product comprising:

mapping commands stored on a computer readable storage medium within each of the mobile telephone devices, said mapping commands, when executed by a processor within said each of the mobile telephone devices, causing the processor to calculate a geographical location of said mobile telephone devices;

said mapping commands further;

(i) periodically transmitting an updated geographical location of said each of the mobile telephone devices to an information portal;

(ii) periodically receiving updated geographical locations of other mobile telephone devices that are recognized as belonging to the predetermined group;

(iii) periodically receiving geographical details from the portal; and

(iv) showing a respective map on a respective mobile telephone device,

wherein showing a respective map comprises;

determining an amount of geographic detail transmitted from the portal to the mobile telephone device;

calculating a speed at which the mobile telephone device is moving;

determining a degree of geographic detail that is to be displayed on the mobile telephone device and that is inversely proportional to the calculated speed;

applying the geographical details on a scaled map displayed by the mobile telephone device; and

scaling the map to include location plots for a plurality of said respective mobile telephone devices.

2. The computer program product according to claim 1, wherein said respective mobile telephone devices are cell phones.

3. The computer program product according to claim 1, wherein said respective mobile telephone devices comprise a receiver for accepting data communications from a satellite.

4. The computer program product according to claim 1, wherein said mapping commands comprise a computer program that calculates the current geographical location of mobile telephone devices.

5. The computer program product according to claim 1, wherein said mapping commands comprise a computer program in electronic communication with a transmitter within respective mobile telephone devices for sending a current geographical location of respective mobile telephone devices to an information portal.

6. The computer program product according to claim 1, wherein said mapping commands comprise a computer program in electronic communication with a receiver for processing location data of respective mobile telephone devices, said location data being received from the portal.

7. The computer program product according to claim 1, wherein said mapping commands comprise a computer program in electronic communication with respective viewing screens on respective mobile telephone devices, for showing the location of a plurality of mobile telephone devices on a single viewing screen at updated intervals determined by respective mobile telephone devices.

8. The computer program product according to claim 1, wherein said mapping commands represent location information regarding a mobile telephone device as a vector.

9. The computer program product according to claim 1, wherein said mapping commands comprise zooming features to expand a portion of a viewed display to show more details of associated mapping information.

21. The computer implemented method according to claim 1, further comprising a power saving module stored on said computer readable storage medium, said power saving module comprising computer commands allowing users of said respective mobile telephone devices the option of determining how often a respective mobile telephone device transmits an updated geographical location of said respective mobile telephone devices to an information portal.

10. A computerized system for providing mapping information to portable communications devices comprising:

an information portal in electronic communication with computer hardware, said portal being continually updated with location information of portable communications devices;

a communications network that transmits mapping information to at least one portable communications device, wherein said mapping information comprises a geographical context scaled for display on a portable communications device; and

said portable communications device comprises a computer readable storage medium having mapping commands thereon to show the scaled geographical context and the continually updated location information associated with at least one portable communications device,

wherein said portal is in electronic communication with computer-usable media having software therein for scaling mapping information, said software comprising scaling commands for determining an amount of geographic detail transmitted from the portal to the portable communications device, and wherein said scaling commands utilize data that is selected from the group consisting of the speed at which the portable communications device is moving, the number of portable communications devices to be displayed on a single device, and combinations thereof,

wherein the portable communication device, when the software is executed, is configured to;

calculate a speed at which the portable communication device is moving;

determine a degree of geographic detail that is to be displayed on the portable

communication device and that is inversely proportional to the calculated speed; and

apply the geographical details on a scaled map displayed by the portable communication device.

11. The computerized system according to claim 10, wherein said portable communications device is a mobile telephone device.

12. The computerized system according to claim 10, wherein said information portal comprises databases for storing information regarding respective portable communications devices.

13. The computerized system according to claim 10, wherein said information portal comprises databases for storing information regarding vendors that advertise goods and services to portable communications devices.

14. The computerized system according to claim 10, wherein said information portal comprises a server.

15. The computerized system according to claim 10, wherein said information portal comprises a receiver for receiving data from portable communications devices and storing the data in a database.

16. The computerized system according to claim 15, wherein said data from portable communications devices is selected from the group consisting of device identifier, latitude coordinate of the device, longitude coordinate of the device, altitude coordinate of the device, a global position time stamp, a device clock time stamp, calculated positional parameters, and combinations thereof.

17. The computerized system according to claim 10, wherein said communications network is a cellular radio network.

18. The computerized system according to claim 10, wherein said geographical context is a mapping tile representative of an area in which a portable communications device is located.

19. The computerized system according to claim 10, wherein said portal comprises software for scaling an image to the size of a viewing screen on a portable communications device.

20. The computerized system according to claim 10, wherein said mapping information comprises the location of at least two portable communications devices and said geographical context is scaled to show the location information for each respective portable communications device on the viewing screen of one portable communications device.

22. The computerized system according to claim 10 wherein said scaling commands utilize the speed at which the portable communications device is moving, said software for scaling mapping information providing an amount of geographic detail that is inversely proportional to a speed at which the portable communications device is moving.

23. A computer implemented method of communicating mapped advertisement information to portable communications devices, comprising:

continually updating an information portal with location information for portable communications devices;

continually updating the information portal with categories of interests that can be matched to a portable communications device or to a location;

retrieving the geographical context of a portable communications device from a geographical context server;

overlaying the location information and category of interest information on the geographical context;

scaling the geographical context, the location information, and the category of interest information for display on a portable communication device;

periodically transmitting updated and scaled mapping information to at least one portable communications device, said mapping information selected from the group consisting of said geographical context, said location information, said category of interest information, and combinations thereof; and

displaying the updated and scaled mapping information on the at least one portable communications device, the device including mapping commands that are executable by a processor in the portable communications device, wherein said displaying comprises;

calculating a speed at which the portable communication device is moving;

determining a level of geographic detail that is to be displayed on the portable communication device and that is inversely proportional to the calculated speed; and

applying the geographical details on a scaled map displayed by the portable communication device.

24. The computer program product according to claim 23, wherein said portable communications device is a cell phone.

25. The method according to claim 23, wherein the step of continually updating the information portal with location information for portable communications devices comprises receiving the latitude, longitude, and altitude coordinates for each respective device.

26. The method according to claim 23, wherein the step of continually updating the information portal with category of interest information comprises transmitting data from a portable communications device to the portal for associating goods and services with a portable communications device record in the portal.

27. The method according to claim 23, wherein the step of continually updating the information portal with category of interest information comprises entering goods and services data into the portal and associating those goods and services with a geographical location.

28. The method according to claim 23, wherein the step of periodically transmitting updated and scaled mapping information comprises transmitting a mapping tile to the portable communications device.

29. The method according to claim 28, wherein the step of periodically transmitting updated and scaled mapping information comprises calculating the relative position of a portable communication device within the current mapping tile and determining if the device is moving outside the scaled scope of the tile.

30. The method according to claim 29, wherein the step of periodically transmitting updated and scaled mapping information comprises retrieving a new geographical context if the portable communication device is outside the scope of the tile currently displayed on a device.

31. The method according to claim 23 wherein the step of periodically transmitting updated and scaled mapping information to at least one portable communications device comprises receiving preference data from a first portable communications device identifying other portable communications devices or categories of interest for display on the first portable communications device.

32. The method according to claim 31, wherein the step of displaying the updated and scaled mapping information on the at least one portable communications device comprises displaying all preferred portable communications devices and categories of interest on a single mapping tile within the viewing display of the first portable communications device.

33. The method according to claim 31, wherein the step of displaying the updated and scaled mapping information on the at least one portable communications device comprises displaying all preferred portable communications devices and categories of interest on a single mapping tile within the viewing display of all preferred portable communications devices.

34. The method according to claim 33, wherein the step of displaying the updated and scaled mapping information on the all preferred portable communications devices comprises continually updating each respective device with the location of each other respective device.

35. The method according to claim 23, wherein the step of displaying the updated and scaled mapping information on the at least one portable communications device comprises displaying categories of interest associated with the current location of a portable communications device on a single mapping tile within the viewing display of the a portable communications device.

36. A computerized system for transmitting updated mapping information to portable communications devices in a distributed network comprising:

an information portal in electronic communication with computer hardware configured to managing communications within a portable communications network, said portal comprising;

a database for aggregating (i) continually updated location information for multiple portable communications devices and (ii) categories of interest records that can be searched and associated with a portable communications device or with a geographic location;

a security profile database for associating user security preferences with portable communications devices and categories of interest records in the information portal, the security profile database configured to establish rules for transmitting information from said database;

a geographical context server for associating mapping information to a respective portable communications device or to a category of interest record;

computer readable storage media in electronic communication with said portal, said storage media having mapping commands that are executable by a processor to create mapping data by overlaying the location and interest information on the geographical context,

said mapping commands further operating to scale the mapping data for display on a portable communication device;

a data transmission network for sending data from said portal to portable communications devices connected to said network;

at least one portable communications device connected to said network for periodically transmitting updated location information to said information portal and periodically receiving mapping data from said portal, said portable communications device comprising a computer readable storage medium having a display command sequence that, when executed by a processor in said portable communications device, cause the processor to;

calculate a speed at which the portable communication device is currently moving;

determine a level of geographic detail that is to be displayed on the portable communication device and that is inversely proportional to the calculated speed;

apply the geographical details on a scaled map displayed by the portable communication device; and

show the scaled geographical context, location information, and category of interest information on a display, wherein at least one portable communications device has a private group security profile, whereby portable communications devices having a private group security profile exclusively share location information and categories of interest with portable communications devices having the same private group security profile.

37. The computerized system according to claim 36, wherein said portable communications device is a cell phone.

38. The computerized system according to claim 36, wherein said security profile comprises computer logic and data that controls the transmission of location information, geographical context information, and category of interest information from the portal to a portable communications device.

39. The computerized system according to claim 36 wherein a user customizes the security profile by transmitting preferences associated with a portable communications device for saving in said portal.

40. The computerized system according to claim 36, wherein a first portable communications device transmits data to said portal for controlling the extent of location information transmitted to other devices regarding the first portable communications device.

41. The computerized system according to claim 37, wherein said portal communicates a message to said first portable communications device when another portable communications device enters or exits a specified location.

42. A computerized method of distributing updated mapping information to portable communications devices in a distributed network, comprising:

aggregating continually updated location information for multiple portable communications devices in an information portal, wherein the information in the portal is updated via a data transmission from a respective portable communications device according to a schedule determined by that device, wherein at least one of the portable communications devices has a private group security profile;

aggregating categories of interests that can be searched and associated with a portable communications device or with a location;

retrieving the geographical context of (i) a respective portable communications device or (ii) a category of interest from a geographical context server;

overlaying the location and interest information on the geographical context;

scaling the combined geographical context and the location and interest information for display on a portable communication device;

periodically transmitting updated and scaled geographical context and location and interest information to at least one portable communications device; and

displaying the location and categories of interest information on the at least one portable communications device, the device including mapping commands that are executable by a processor in the portable communications device,

wherein said displaying comprises;

calculating a speed at which the portable communication device is moving;

determining a degree of geographic detail to be displayed on the portable communication device that is inversely proportional to the calculated speed; and

applying the geographical details on a scaled map displayed by the portable communication device;

wherein the geographic context of the at least one portable communications device having a private group security profile is only transmitted to portable communication devices having the same private group security profile.

43. A computerized system for transmitting updated mapping information to portable communications devices in a distributed network comprising:

an information portal for managing communications within a portable communications network, said portal comprising;

a database for aggregating (i) continually updated location information for multiple portable communications devices and (ii) categories of interest records that can be searched and associated with a portable communications device or with a geographic location;

a geographical context server for associating mapping information to a respective portable communications device or to a category of interest record;

computer readable storage media in electronic communication with said portal, said storage media having mapping commands that are executable by a processor to determine a point of convergence for at least two portable communications devices, said mapping commands creating mapping data by overlaying the location, point of convergence, and interest information on the geographical context, said mapping commands further operating to scale the mapping data for display on a portable communication device;

a data transmission network for sending data from said portal to portable communications devices connected to said network;

at least one portable communications device connected to said network for periodically transmitting updated location information to said information portal and periodically receiving mapping data from said servers, said portable communications device comprising a computer readable storage medium having a display command sequence that, when executed by a processor in said portable communications device, causes the processor to;

calculate a speed at which the portable communication device is moving;

determine a degree of geographic detail that is to be displayed on the portable communication device and that is inversely proportional to the calculated speed;

apply the geographical details on a scaled map displayed by the portable communication device; and

show the scaled geographical context, location information, and category of interest information on display.

44. A computer implemented method of communicating mapping information to portable communications devices to foster more efficient meeting arrangements on an ad hoc basis, comprising:

continually updating an information portal with location information for a first portable communication device and a second portable communication device

continually updating the information portal with categories of interests that can be matched to at least one of the first and second portable communications devices or to a location;

calculating a point of convergence for the first and second portable communication devices;

determining a speed at which at least one of the first and second portable communication devices is currently moving;

calculating a degree of geographic detail to be displayed on the respective moving portable communication device that is inversely proportional to the calculated speed;

applying the geographical details on a mapping display to be displayed by the respective moving portable communication device;

scaling the mapping display showing the location of the first and second portable communications devices and the point of convergence for display on at least one of the first and second portable communications devices;

periodically transmitting an updated and scaled version of the mapping display to at least one of the first and second portable communications devices; and

showing the updated and scaled mapping display on any or all of the portable communications devices, the devices including mapping commands that are executable by processors in the portable communications devices.

45. The computer implemented method according to claim 44, wherein at least one of the first and second portable communication devices is a mobile telephone device.

46. The computer implemented method according to claim 44, wherein the step of showing the updated and scaled mapping display comprises showing data selected from the group consisting of geographical context, location information for a portable communications device, categories of interest, and combinations thereof.

47. The computer implemented method according to claim 44, wherein the step of calculating the point of convergence comprises utilizing the position of the first and second portable communication devices, the speed of the first and second portable communication devices, and/or the direction of travel of the first and second portable communication devices.