Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for providing user location information

• US 8,260,553 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2008
• Issued: 09/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Klein, Michael, Hartl, Klaus, Follmann, Andreas, Singer, Tilmann, Treadway, Sean, Wang, Jeanny
• Primary Examiner(s): Joerger, Kaitlin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Suarez, Ernesto
• Application Number:
  US12/241,673
• Publication Number:
  US 20100082247A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,435 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 701/201, 701/202, 701/204, 701/400, 701/410, 701/424, 701/428, 701/465, 701/519, 701/521, 701/527
• US Class Current: 701/519
• 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: H04L 63/107 wherein the security policies are location-dependent, e.g. entities privileges depend on current location or allowing specific operations only from locally connected terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/53 using third party service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and computer program product are provided, which may provide activity user location information. An apparatus may include a processor configured to maintain data describing a first user'"'"'s location timeline. The processor may be further configured to receive a request for the first user'"'"'s current location. The first user'"'"'s current location may define the first user'"'"'s location at a current time. The processor may also be configured to estimate the first user'"'"'s current location based at least in part upon the maintained data. The processor may additionally be configured to provide the first user'"'"'s current location to a second user. Corresponding methods and computer program products are also provided.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

maintaining data describing a first user'"'"'s location timeline, wherein the location timeline comprises a location at which the first user will be located in the future;

receiving a request for the first user'"'"'s current location;

estimating, by a processor, the first user'"'"'s current location based at least in part upon the maintained data; and

causing the first user'"'"'s current location to be provided;

wherein the first user'"'"'s current location defines the first user'"'"'s location at a current time, and wherein estimating the first user'"'"'s current location comprises;

determining, based at least in part upon the maintained data, a previous location for the first user and a next location for the first user, wherein the previous location is that associated with a known location previous to the time of the request, and wherein the next location defines the next known future location for the first user relative to the time of the request;

estimating the first user'"'"'s current location based at least in part upon the previous location and the next location, and

wherein estimating the first user'"'"'s current location based at least in part upon the previous location and the next location comprises estimating the first user'"'"'s current location to be one of the previous location and the next location based at least in part upon a determination of which of the previous location and the next location has an associated time closest to the time of the request, wherein the time of the request is between the time associated with the previous location and the time associated with the next location.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining based at least in part upon the maintained data a mode of transportation for the first user between the previous location and the next location; and

determining a route between the previous location and the next location based at least in part upon the determined mode of transportation; and

wherein estimating the first user'"'"'s current location based at least in part upon the previous location and the next location comprises estimating the first user'"'"'s current location based at least in part upon the determined mode of transportation, determined route, current time, the time associated with the previous location, and the time associated with the next location.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the mode of transportation is one or more of automobile, airplane, boat, walking, or public transit system.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the current time comprises a time at which the request is received or a time at which the first user'"'"'s location is estimated.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein estimating the first user'"'"'s current location further comprises determining based at least in part upon the maintained data whether a current location is defined for the first user and, if so, estimating the first user'"'"'s current location to be the defined current location.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein causing the first user'"'"'s current location to be provided comprises causing the first user'"'"'s current location to be displayed on a map.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein maintaining data describing a first user'"'"'s location timeline further comprises causing the data in a memory to be stored.

8. A computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program instructions stored therein, the computer-readable program instructions configured to cause a processor to execute the steps:

maintaining data describing a first user'"'"'s location timeline, wherein the location timeline comprises a location at which the first user will be located in the future;

receiving a request for the first user'"'"'s current location;

estimating, by a processor, the first user'"'"'s current location based at least in part upon the maintained data; and

causing the first user'"'"'s current location to be provided;

wherein the first user'"'"'s current location defines the first user'"'"'s location at a current time, and wherein estimating the first user'"'"'s current location comprises;

determining, based at least in part upon the maintained data, a previous location for the first user and a next location for the first user, wherein the previous location is that associated with a known location previous to the time of the request, and wherein the next location defines the next known future location for the first user relative to the time of the request;

estimating the first user'"'"'s current location based at least in part upon the previous location and the next location, and

wherein estimating the first user'"'"'s current location based at least in part upon the previous location and the next location comprises estimating the first user'"'"'s current location to be one of the previous location and the next location based at least in part upon a determination of which of the previous location and the next location has an associated time closest to the time of the request, wherein the time of the request is between the time associated with the previous location and the time associated with the next location.

9. A computer program product according to claim 8, further comprising program instructions configured to cause a processor to execute the steps:

determining based at least in part upon the maintained data a mode of transportation for the first user between the previous location and the next location; and

determining a route between the previous location and the next location based at least in part upon the determined mode of transportation; and

wherein estimating the first user'"'"'s current location based at least in part upon the previous location and the next location comprises estimating the first user'"'"'s current location based at least in part upon the determined mode of transportation, determined route, current time, the time associated with the previous location, and the time associated with the next location.

10. A computer program product according to claim 9, wherein the mode of transportation is one or more of automobile, airplane, boat, walking, or public transit system.

11. A computer program product according to claim 8, wherein the current time comprises a time at which the request is received or a time at which the first user'"'"'s location is estimated.

12. A computer program product according to claim 8, wherein the program instructions configured to cause a processor to estimate location includes instructions for determining based at least in part upon the maintained data whether a current location is defined for the first user and, if so, estimating the first user'"'"'s current location to be the defined current location.

13. A computer program product according to claim 8, wherein the program instructions configured to cause the first user'"'"'s current location to be provided includes instructions for causing the first user'"'"'s current location to be displayed on a map.

14. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least;

maintain data describing a first user'"'"'s location timeline, wherein the location timeline comprises a location at which the first user will be located in the future;

receive a request for the first user'"'"'s current location;

estimate the first user'"'"'s current location based at least in part upon the maintained data; and

cause the first user'"'"'s current location to be provided,

wherein the first user'"'"'s current location defines the first user'"'"'s location at a current time, and wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to estimate the first user'"'"'s current location by;

determining, based at least in part upon the maintained data, a previous location for the first user and a next location for the first user, wherein the previous location is that associated with a known location previous to the time of the request, and wherein the next location defines the next known future location for the first user relative to the time of the request; and

estimating the first user'"'"'s current location based at least in part upon the previous location and the next location, and

wherein estimating the first user'"'"'s current location based at least in part upon the previous location and the next location comprises estimating the first user'"'"'s current location to be one of the previous location and the next location based at least in part upon a determination of which of the previous location and the next location has an associated time closest to the time of the request, wherein the time of the request is between the time associated with the previous location and the time associated with the next location.

15. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to:

determine based at least in part upon the maintained data a mode of transportation for the first user between the previous location and the next location; and

determine a route between the previous location and the next location based at least in part upon the determined mode of transportation; and

wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to estimate the first user'"'"'s current location based at least in part upon the previous location and the next location at least in part by estimating the first user'"'"'s current location based at least in part upon the determined mode of transportation, determined route, current time, the time associated with the previous location, and the time associated with the next location.

16. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the mode of transportation is one or more of automobile, airplane, boat , walking, or public transit system.

17. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the current time comprises a time at which the request is received or a time at which the first user'"'"'s location is estimated.

18. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to estimate the first user'"'"'s current location at least in part by determining based at least in part upon the maintained data whether a current location is defined for the first user and, if so, estimating the first user'"'"'s current location to be the defined current location.

19. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to cause the first user'"'"'s location to be provided at least in part by causing the first user'"'"'s current location to be displayed on a map.

20. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to store the maintained data in a memory.