Method and apparatus for access point recording using a position device

• US 8,290,703 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2008
• Issued: 10/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MiTAC International Corporation (MiTAC Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: MiTAC International Corporation (MiTAC Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Vavrus, Jon L., Clark, Brant Miller
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Khatib, Rami
• Application Number:
  US12/016,982
• Publication Number:
  US 20090187342A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,733 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 701/400, 701/408, 701/409, 701/410, 701/416, 701/417, 701/433, 701/445, 701/446, 701/448, 701/457, 701/466, 701/527
• US Class Current: 701/434
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3407 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3617 using user history, behaviour, conditions or preferences, e.g. predicted or inferred from previous use or current movement
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3685 the POI's being parking facilities
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3811 Point data, e.g. Point of Interest [POI]
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3844 Data obtained from position sensors only, e.g. from inertial navigation

Abstract

A method and apparatus for identifying access points using a positioning device and a map having a plurality of segments; determining that the positioning device is near a first location; detecting that the positioning device is off-route at a second location; and storing the second location as a first access point associated with the first location on the map.

Claims

1. A method for providing guidance with a positioning device comprising:

identifying a first venue;

identifying a plurality of second access points at a second venue;

determining the positioning device is near the second venue;

detecting the positioning device is off-route at an off-route location;

storing the off-route location as a first access point associated with the first venue on the map;

periodically determining location of the positioning device from the off-route location until the positioning device switches an operation mode;

providing guidance back to the first access point after the positioning device switches the operation mode;

generating a set of alternative routes by performing point-to-point routing from the first access point to the plurality of second access points;

selecting a best route among the set of alternative routes according to a predetermined criterion; and

using the positioning device to provide guidance from the first venue to the second venue along the best route.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising adding another first access point previously not indicated on the map to the first venue after a user accessing the first venue through the another first access point.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first venue is a building, a building complex, and/or a parking lot.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the predetermined criterion is selecting a route having a shortest length between the first access point and the second venue.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein predetermined criterion is selecting a route having a shortest projected travel time between the first access point and the second venue.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining whether to enable or disable a shortcut segment for routing.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein determining whether to enable or disable the shortcut segment for routing is making the shortcut segment available for generation of all routes, generation of routes in pedestrian mode and/or generation of routes in vehicle mode.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the first access point is an exit of the first venue, the second access points are entrances of the second venue.

9. A positioning device using a map having a plurality of segments, the positioning device comprising a program for performing the method of claim 1.

10. A machine-readable medium that provides instructions for a processor, which when executed by the processor causes the processor to perform the method of claim 1.