Method, apparatus and computer program to perform location specific information retrieval using a gesture-controlled handheld mobile device

• US 8,494,544 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2009
• Issued: 07/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OL Security LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Osocad Remote LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Patoskie, John, Gerard, Mark, Wheeler, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): MATHARU, MANPREET S
• Application Number:
  US12/629,927
• Publication Number:
  US 20110136511A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,328 Days
• Field of Search: 455/453, 455/566, 455/563, 455/414.1, 345/419, 345/173, 715/707, 715/726
• US Class Current: 455/453
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/15 Information service where the information is dependent on the location of the subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences

Abstract

A method and apparatus are disclosed that calculate an area-of-interest based on a user request for location specific data. The operations may include transmitting initial location data of the mobile terminal and user initiated gesture data to a server. The server may then perform initiating a request to receive the requested location data, and calculating a geographical area-of-interest based on the initial location data and the user initiated gesture data. The location specific data related to the area-of-interest may then be retrieved and transmitted to the mobile terminal. The area-of-interest may be defined based on the initial position of the mobile terminal and information provided by a gesture made by the user of the mobile terminal.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a gesture input at a mobile terminal;

determining the gesture input as a valid known type gesture in defining a target area-of-interest;

based on the determining, transmitting a request to receive location specific data to a server comprising;

initial location data identifying a geographic location of the mobile terminal; and

gesture data associated with the gesture input received by the mobile terminal; and

receiving the location specific data corresponding to an area-of-interest from the server in response to the request;

wherein the area-of-interest is based at least in part on the initial location data and predetermined user preferences corresponding to the gesture data; and

wherein the gesture input comprises at least one of a voice command received by the mobile terminal, movement of the mobile terminal in a particular direction, selection associated with actuating a button or switch on the mobile terminal, a direction estimate from a compass component of the mobile terminal, or data received by the mobile terminal from a peripheral device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the location specific data comprises data identifying facilities located within the area-of-interest.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the facilities comprise at least one of shopping facilities or service facilities.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the location specific data comprises advertisements associated with facilities located within the area-of-interest.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the initial location data comprises a GPS position estimate.

6. An apparatus, comprising:

a receiving module configured to receive initial location data identifying an initial location of a mobile terminal and configured to receive gesture data captured by the mobile terminal;

a processor configured to;

determine the gesture data as a valid known type gesture in defining an area-of-interest;

initiate a request to retrieve data relevant to the area-of-interest stored in a memory;

calculate a geographical area-of-interest based at least in part on the initial location data and predetermined user preferences corresponding to the gesture data; and

retrieve and modify location specific data associated with the area-of-interest; and

a transmitting module configured to transmit the location specific data to the mobile terminal;

wherein the gesture data comprises at least one of a voice command received by the mobile terminal, movement of the mobile terminal in a particular direction, selection associated with actuating a button or switch on the mobile terminal, a direction estimate from a compass component of the mobile terminal, or data received by the mobile terminal from a peripheral device.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the location specific data comprises data identifying facilities located within the area-of-interest.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the facilities comprise at least one of shopping facilities or service facilities.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the location specific data comprise advertisements associated with facilities located within the area-of-interest.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the initial location data comprises a GPS position estimate.

11. A non-transitory computer readable storage device including computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processing device, cause the processing device to perform operations comprising:

receiving a gesture input at a mobile terminal;

determining the gesture input as a valid known type gesture in defining an area-of-interest;

based on the determining, transmitting a request to receive location specific data to a server comprising;

initial location data identifying a geographic location of the mobile terminal; and

gesture data associated with the gesture input received by the mobile terminal; and

receiving the location specific data corresponding to the area-of-interest from the server in response to the request;

wherein the area-of-interest is based at least in part on the initial location data and predetermined user preferences corresponding to the gesture data; and

wherein the gesture input comprises at least one of a voice command received by the mobile terminal, movement of the mobile terminal in a particular direction, selection associated with actuating a button or switch on the mobile terminal, a direction estimate from a compass component of the mobile terminal, or data received by the mobile terminal from a peripheral device.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of claim 11 wherein the location specific data comprises data identifying facilities located within the area-of-interest.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of claim 12 wherein the facilities comprise at least one of shopping facilities or service facilities.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of claim 11 wherein the location specific data comprises advertisements associated with facilities located within the area-of-interest.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of claim 11 wherein the initial location data comprises a GPS position estimate.

16. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a server, initial location data identifying an initial location of a device and gesture data identifying a gesture captured by the device;

initiating a request for data relevant to an area-of-interest stored in a memory;

determining the gesture data as a valid known type gesture in defining the area-of-interest;

based on determining the gesture data, calculating an area-of-interest in response to the initial location data and predetermined user preferences corresponding to the gesture data;

retrieving and modifying location specific data associated with the area-of-interest; and

transmitting the modified location specific data to the device;

wherein the gesture input comprises at least one of a voice command received by the mobile terminal, movement of the mobile terminal in a particular direction, selection associated with actuating a button or switch on the mobile terminal, a direction estimate from a compass component of the mobile terminal, or data received by the mobile terminal from a peripheral device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the location specific data comprises data identifying facilities located within the area-of-interest.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the facilities comprise at least one of shopping facilities or service facilities.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the location specific data comprise advertisements associated with facilities located within the area-of-interest.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the initial location data comprises a GPS position estimate.

21. A device, comprising:

a gesture processing module configured to receive a gesture input and configured to determine the gesture input as a valid known type gesture in defining an area-of-interest;

based on the determining of the gesture input, a transmitter configured to transmit;

initial location data identifying a geographic location of the device;

gesture data associated with a gesture captured by the device; and

a request to receive location specific data; and

a receiver configured to receive the location specific data related to an area-of-interest in response to the request;

wherein the area-of-interest is determined in response to the initial location data and predetermined user preferences corresponding to the gesture data; and

wherein the gesture input comprises at least one of a voice command received by the mobile terminal, movement of the mobile terminal in a particular direction, selection associated with actuating a button or switch on the mobile terminal, a direction estimate from a compass component of the mobile terminal, or data received by the mobile terminal from a peripheral device.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein the location specific data comprises at least one of data identifying shopping facilities or data identifying service facilities geographically located within the area-of-interest.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein the location specific data comprises advertisements associated with the shopping facilities or the service facilities.

24. The device of claim 21, wherein the initial location data comprises a GPS position estimate of the geographic location of the device.