Method and apparatus for thematically modifying location and related information

• US 8,538,678 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2009
• Issued: 09/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Arrasvuori, Juha Henrik, Korhonen, Hannu, Montola, Markus, Eronen, Antti Johannes, Holm, Jukka Antero
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Yonel
• Application Number:
  US12/570,033
• Publication Number:
  US 20110077861A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,448 Days
• Field of Search: 701/400, 701408-409, 340/988, 340/995.1, 340/995.14
• US Class Current: 701/408
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3682 output of POI information on a road map G01C21/3614, G01C21/3685 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications

Abstract

An approach is provided for thematically modifying location and related information. A location modification platform determines location information of a device associated with a first user. The location modification platform then modifies the location information to indicate a location other than an actual location of the device according to a predetermined theme and causes, at least in part, actions that result in presentation of the modified location information to a second user.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining location information of a device associated with a first user;

modifying the location information to indicate a location other than an actual location of the device according to a predetermined theme other than or in addition to offsetting geographical coordinates; and

causing, at least in part, actions that result in presentation of the modified location information to a second user.

2. A method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining temporal information corresponding to the location information;

scaling the temporal information according to the predetermined theme; and

causing, at least in part, actions that result in presentation of the scaled temporal information to the second user,

wherein the temporal information is determined from the location information, by input from the first user, or a combination thereof.

3. A method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving event information corresponding to the location information;

modifying the event information to indicate an event other than an actual event corresponding to the location information; and

causing, at least in part, actions that result in presentation of the offset event information to the second user.

4. A method of claim 3, wherein the event information includes information identifying people, locations, actions, tools, means of transport, weather, event outcomes, or a combination thereof, and wherein the event information is obtained from sensors of the device, by input from the first user, or a combination thereof.

5. A method of claim 3, wherein the presentation of the modified location information, the scaled temporal information, the modified event information, or a combination thereof is rendered in a computer animation.

6. A method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining one or more types of points of interest within proximity of the device based on the location information;

causing, at least in part, actions that result in presentation of the one or more types of points of interest to the first user; and

receiving an input from the first user specifying at least one of the one or more types of points of interest to substitute for a type of point of interest corresponding to the actual location of the device,

wherein the predetermined theme modifies the location information, scales the temporary information, modifies the event information, or performs a combination thereof based on the input.

7. A method of claim 3, further comprising:

creating one or more user groups, wherein each user group is associated with a different predetermined theme;

determining a user group to which the second user belongs from among the one or more created user groups; and

determining the predetermined theme corresponding to the determined user group.

8. A method of claim 1, further comprising:

causing, at least in part, actions that result in transmission of one or more media files associated with the predetermined theme to the device,

wherein the predetermined theme is based, at least in part, on a thematic template.

9. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code,

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following,

determine location information of a device associated with a first user,

modify the location information to indicate a location other than an actual location of the device according to a predetermined theme other than or in addition to offsetting geographical coordinates, and

cause, at least in part, actions that result in presentation of the modified location information to a second user.

10. An apparatus of claim 9, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine temporal information corresponding to the location information;

scale the temporal information according to the predetermined theme; and

cause, at least in part, actions that result in presentation of the scaled temporal information to the second user,

wherein the temporal information is determined from the location information, by input from the first user, or a combination thereof.

11. An apparatus of claim 10, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

receive event information corresponding to the location information;

modify the event information to indicate an event other than an actual event corresponding to the location information; and

cause, at least in part, actions that result in presentation of the modified event information to the second user.

12. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein the event information includes information identifying people, locations, actions, tools, means of transport, or a combination thereof, and wherein the event information is obtained from sensors of the device, by input from the first user, or a combination thereof.

13. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein the presentation of the modified location information, the scaled temporal information, the modified event information, or a combination thereof is rendered in a computer animation.

14. An apparatus of claim 9, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine one or more types of points of interest within proximity of the device based on the location information;

cause, at least in part, actions that result in presentation of the one or more types of points of interest to the first user; and

receive an input from the first user specifying at least one of the one or more types of points of interest to substitute for a type of point of interest corresponding to the actual location of the device,

wherein the predetermined theme modifies the location information, scales the temporary information, modifies the event information, or performs a combination thereof based on the input.

15. An apparatus of claim 9, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

create one or more user groups, wherein each user group is associated with a different predetermined theme;

determine a user group to which the second user belongs from among the one or more created user groups; and

determine the predetermined theme corresponding to the determined user group.

16. An apparatus of claim 9, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

cause, at least in part, actions that result in transmission of one or more media files associated with the predetermined theme to the device,

wherein the predetermined theme is based, at least in part, on a thematic template.

17. An apparatus of claim 9, wherein the apparatus is a mobile phone further comprising:

user interface circuitry and user interface software configured to facilitate user control of at least some functions of the mobile phone through use of a display and configured to respond to user input; and

a display and display circuitry configured to display at least a portion of a user interface of the mobile phone, the display and display circuitry configured to facilitate user control of at least some functions of the mobile phone.

18. A computer-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause an apparatus to at least perform the following steps:

determining location information of a device associated with a first user;

determining temporal information corresponding to the location information;

modifying the location information to indicate a location other than an actual location of the device according to a predetermined theme other than or in addition to offsetting geographical coordinates;

scaling the temporal information according to the predetermined theme; and

causing, at least in part, actions that result in presentation of the modified location information and the scaled temporal information to a second user.

19. A computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the apparatus is caused to further perform:

receiving event information corresponding to the location information;

modifying the event information to indicate an event other than an actual event corresponding to the location information; and

causing, at least in part, actions that result in presentation of the modified event information to the second user,

wherein the event information includes information identifying people, locations, actions, tools, means of transport, or a combination thereof, and wherein the event information is obtained from sensors of the device, by input from the first user, or a combination thereof.

20. A computer readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the presentation of the modified location information, the scaled temporal information, the modified event information, or a combination thereof is rendered in a computer animation.