Method and apparatus for intelligent acquisition of position information
First Claim
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1. A portable position acquisition apparatus, comprising:
- a position detection unit that detects position information pertaining to said position acquisition apparatus;
a memory that stores the position information;
a battery for providing power to said position acquisition apparatus;
a motion monitoring unit that obtains motion information by monitoring motion of said position acquisition apparatus;
a communication interface that enables said position acquisition apparatus to transmit data to a remote device via a wireless channel, the data being transmitted includes at least the position information; and
a controller operatively connected to said position detection unit, said motion monitoring unit, said memory and said communication interface, said controller causing said position detection unit to reacquire the position information based on the motion information obtained by said motion monitoring unit and a battery level characteristic of said battery,wherein said controller determines a periodic basis at which said position detection unit is to reacquire the position information pertaining to said position acquisition apparatus, the periodic basis at which said position detection unit reacquires the position information varies depending on at least the battery level characteristic of said battery,wherein said position detection unit reacquires the position information in a manner dependent on whether said position acquisition apparatus is in motion,wherein said position detection unit does not reacquire the position information on the periodic basis when said position acquisition apparatus is deemed not in motion,wherein said position detection unit reacquires the position information in accordance with the periodic basis when said position acquisition apparatus is deemed in motion,wherein when said position acquisition apparatus is deemed to be in motion, then said communication interface transmits the data to the remote device periodically, and when said position acquisition apparatus is deemed not to be in motion, then said communication interface does not transmit the data to the remote device periodically, andwherein when said position acquisition apparatus is deemed to be in motion, then said position detection unit continues to reacquire the position information periodically but less frequently when the battery level characteristic indicates a reduced power level of said battery.
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Abstract
Improved methods and systems for position acquisition and/or monitoring are disclosed. The position acquisition and/or monitoring can be performed with improved intelligence so that data acquisition, transmission and/or processing is reduced. As a result, the position acquisition and/or monitoring is able to be performed in a power efficient manner.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. A portable position acquisition apparatus, comprising:
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a position detection unit that detects position information pertaining to said position acquisition apparatus; a memory that stores the position information; a battery for providing power to said position acquisition apparatus; a motion monitoring unit that obtains motion information by monitoring motion of said position acquisition apparatus; a communication interface that enables said position acquisition apparatus to transmit data to a remote device via a wireless channel, the data being transmitted includes at least the position information; and a controller operatively connected to said position detection unit, said motion monitoring unit, said memory and said communication interface, said controller causing said position detection unit to reacquire the position information based on the motion information obtained by said motion monitoring unit and a battery level characteristic of said battery, wherein said controller determines a periodic basis at which said position detection unit is to reacquire the position information pertaining to said position acquisition apparatus, the periodic basis at which said position detection unit reacquires the position information varies depending on at least the battery level characteristic of said battery, wherein said position detection unit reacquires the position information in a manner dependent on whether said position acquisition apparatus is in motion, wherein said position detection unit does not reacquire the position information on the periodic basis when said position acquisition apparatus is deemed not in motion, wherein said position detection unit reacquires the position information in accordance with the periodic basis when said position acquisition apparatus is deemed in motion, wherein when said position acquisition apparatus is deemed to be in motion, then said communication interface transmits the data to the remote device periodically, and when said position acquisition apparatus is deemed not to be in motion, then said communication interface does not transmit the data to the remote device periodically, and wherein when said position acquisition apparatus is deemed to be in motion, then said position detection unit continues to reacquire the position information periodically but less frequently when the battery level characteristic indicates a reduced power level of said battery. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A portable position acquisition apparatus, comprising:
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a position detection unit that detects position information pertaining to said position acquisition apparatus; a memory that stores the position information; a motion monitoring unit that obtains motion information by monitoring motion of said position acquisition apparatus; a battery for providing power to said position acquisition apparatus; and a controller operatively connected to said position detection unit, said memory, said battery and said motion monitoring unit, said controller operates to at least; receive the motion information from said motion monitoring unit; deactivate said position detection unit from reacquiring position information if the motion information indicates that said position acquisition apparatus is not in motion; determine if said position detection unit has not reacquired position information for a predetermined period of time; and activate said position detection unit to reacquire position information independent of the motion information if it is determined that said position detection unit has not reacquired position information for a predetermined period of time, wherein the motion information indicates motion of said position acquisition apparatus based on a threshold level, and wherein the threshold level varies depending on a battery level characteristic of said battery. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A portable position acquisition apparatus, comprising:
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a position detection unit that detects position information pertaining to said position acquisition apparatus; a memory that stores the position information; a battery for providing power to said position acquisition apparatus; a motion monitoring unit that obtains motion information by monitoring motion of said position acquisition apparatus; a communication interface that enables said position acquisition apparatus to transmit data to a remote device via a wireless channel, the data being transmitted includes at least the position information; and a controller operatively connected to said position detection unit, said motion monitoring unit, said memory and said communication interface, said controller causing said position detection unit to reacquire the position information based on the motion information obtained by said motion monitoring unit and a battery level characteristic of said battery, wherein said controller determines a periodic basis at which said position detection unit is to reacquire the position information pertaining to said position acquisition apparatus, the periodic basis at which said position detection unit reacquires the position information varies depending on at least the battery level characteristic of said battery, wherein said position detection unit reacquires the position information in a manner dependent on whether said position acquisition apparatus is in motion, wherein said position detection unit does not reacquire the position information on the periodic basis when said position acquisition apparatus is deemed not in motion, wherein said position detection unit reacquires the position information in accordance with the periodic basis when said position acquisition apparatus is deemed in motion, and wherein when said position acquisition apparatus is deemed to be in motion, then said communication interface transmits the data to the remote device based on a period, and when said position acquisition apparatus is deemed not to be in motion, then said communication interface does not transmit the data to the remote device based on the period. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification