System and method for determining action spot locations relative to the location of a mobile device

• US 8,326,327 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2010
• Issued: 12/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OT Patent Escrow LLC (J.S. Held LLC)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Hymel, James Allen, Bouchard, Jean Philippe
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Cong
• Application Number:
  US12/870,676
• Publication Number:
  US 20120052880A1
• Time in Patent Office: 830 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/456.3, 455/456.6, 455/457, 455/566, 455/95, 455/550.1
• US Class Current: 455/456.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications

Abstract

A system and method for determining action spot locations relative to the location of a mobile device includes a display and a processor module communicatively coupled to the display. The processor module is configured to receive executable instructions to display a graphical user interface of the display; receive data indicative of the current location of the mobile device; and determine at least one action spot relative to the current location of the mobile device. The processor module can signify the action spot on the graphical user interface and provide an indication of activity level occurring at the action spot. The action spot can be a location where at least one other mobile device has engaged in documenting action within a predetermined period of time from when the mobile device arrived at the current location.

Claims

1. A mobile device comprising:

a display; and

a processor module communicatively coupled to the display and configured to receive executable instructions to;

display a graphical user interface on the display;

receive data indicative of a current location of the mobile device;

determine at least one action spot within a predetermined distance from the current location of the mobile device, the at least one action spot corresponding to a location where at least one other mobile device has engaged in documenting action within a predetermined period of time;

signify the at least one action spot on the graphical user interface; and

provide an indication of activity level at the at least one action spot.

2. The mobile device as recited in claim 1, wherein the indication of activity level includes coloring a graphical item associated with the at least one action spot in accordance with a range of activity occurring at the at least one action spot.

3. The mobile device as recited in claim 1, wherein the level of activity is based upon at least one of a number of images being captured, a number of videos being captured, or a number of messages being transmitted within a predetermined distance from the at least one action spot.

4. The mobile device as recited in claim 1, wherein the processor module is further configured to receive instructions to provide directions to the at least one action spot in response to a selection of a graphical item associated with the at least one action spot.

5. The mobile device as recited in claim 4, wherein the providing directions presents a graphical interface on a display of the mobile device in the form of a map.

6. The mobile device as recited in claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface includes displaying a compass on a display of the mobile device.

7. The mobile device as recited in claim 6, wherein the compass provides bearing and distance to the at least one activity spot.

8. The mobile device as recited in claim 1, wherein the determining of the at least one action spot is based upon a defined distance from the mobile device.

9. The mobile device as recited in claim 1, wherein the processor module is further configured to receive executable instructions to:

run an image acquisition application on the mobile device;

display an image from a camera module on the display screen; and

display the image with the at least one activity spot.

10. A method for providing action spots on a mobile device comprising:

determining, via a processor, a current location of the mobile device;

determining at least one action spot within a predetermined distance from the current location of the mobile device, the at least one action spot corresponding to a location where at least one other mobile device has engaged in documenting action within a predetermined period of time;

displaying a graphical item on the display of the mobile device, said graphical item identifying a direction, relative to the current location, in which to travel in order to arrive at the determined at least one action spot.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein a level of activity associated with the at least one action spot is signified on the display of the mobile device.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the level of activity associated with the at least one action spot is signified by coloring the background of the display according to a color scheme associated with a range of activity occurring at the at least one action spot.

13. A method for providing action spots on a mobile device comprising:

determining, via a processor, a current location of the mobile device;

determining at least one action spot within a predetermined distance from the current location of the mobile device, the at least one action spot corresponding to a location where at least one other mobile device has engaged in documenting action within a predetermined period of time;

signifying the at least one action spot with a graphical item on a display of the mobile device;

marking the graphical item according to an activity level with at least one action spot.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein marking the graphical item includes coloring the graphical item in accordance with a range of activity occurring at the at least one action spot.

15. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the activity level is based upon at least one of a number of images being captured, a number of videos being captured, or a number of messages being transmitted within a predetermined distance from the at the at least one action spot.

16. The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising providing directions to the at least one action spot in response to a selection of the graphical item on the display of the mobile device.

17. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein providing directions presents a graphical interface on the display of the mobile device in the form of a map.

18. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein the graphical interface further includes a compass on a display of the mobile device.

19. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein the compass provides bearing and distance to the at least one activity spot.

20. The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

running an image acquisition application on the mobile device;

displaying an image from a camera module on the display; and

displaying the image with the at least one activity spot.