Range-centric contextual information systems and methods

• US 8,549,044 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2009
• Issued: 10/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ydreams-Informatica, S.A. Edificio Ydreams
• Inventors: Franco, Ivan de Almeida Soares, Frazao, Joao Pedro Gomes da Silva, Varzea Tavares, Afonso Miguel Romeiras Lourenco, Danado, Jose Carlos dos Santos
• Primary Examiner(s): Jami, Hares
• Application Number:
  US12/561,391
• Publication Number:
  US 20110066646A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,475 Days
• Field of Search: 707/705, 707/736, 707/755, 707/756, 707/758, 707/999.1, 707/802, 707/803, 701/200, 701/201, 701/202, 701/207, 701/408, 701/409, 701/410, 701/532, 701/533, 701/300
• US Class Current: 707/802
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/153 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera constructional features concerning the integration of cameras in portable phones H04M1/0264

Abstract

A computer implemented method for providing location-based services using a mobile device is provided. A first anchor is generated by sensing a location-identifying physical characteristic proximate to a mobile device present at a first location and generating a representation of the location-identifying physical characteristic; determining a descriptive identification of the first location; and combining the descriptive identification and the representation of the location-identifying physical characteristic. The first anchor is transmitted to a computer remote from the first location. A request is made to a remote computer for a chronotope retrieved from a database of previously generated anchors, the received chronotope indicating a logical distance between the first anchor and a second anchor, wherein the second anchor is associated with a second location distinct from the first location. Information including the logical distance between the first and second anchors indicated by the received chronotope is conveyed to a user of the mobile device.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for providing location-based services using a mobile device, the method comprising:

generating a first anchor by;

sensing a first location-identifying physical characteristic proximate to a mobile device present at a first location and generating a representation of the first location-identifying physical characteristic;

determining a descriptive identification of the first location; and

combining the descriptive identification and the representation of the first location-identifying physical characteristic, wherein global positioning system information including geographic coordinate pair is not used in generation of the first anchor;

transmitting the first anchor, comprising the representation of the first location-identifying physical characteristic, to a computer remote from the first location;

requesting from the remote computer a chronotope retrieved from a database of previously generated anchors, the received chronotope indicating a logical distance between the first anchor and a second anchor, comprising a representation of a second location-identifying physical characteristic, wherein the second anchor is associated with a second location distinct and remote from the first location, wherein the database does not comprise an association between the first anchor and a geographic coordinate pair; and

conveying to a user of the mobile device information including the logical distance between the first and second anchors indicated by the received chronotope.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first location identifying physical characteristic is selected from a group consisting of:

an identifier of a single stationary wireless transmitter producing a transmission received by the mobile device;

a one-dimensional barcode;

a two-dimensional barcode;

a plurality of identifying features of sound captured by the mobile device;

a plurality of identifying features of an image captured by the mobile device; and

a plurality of identifying features of a video stream captured by the mobile device.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

automatically collecting a wireless transmitter identifier and an associated radio type for each of a plurality of single stationary wireless transmitters in communication range of the mobile device;

automatically determining the theoretical maximum communication range associated with each wireless transmitter identifier based at least in part on the radio type associated with the wireless transmitter identifier; and

selecting as the first location identifying physical characteristic the wireless transmitter.

4. The method of claim 1, further including:

requesting from the remote computer to retrieve from the database of previously generated anchors to retrieve a previously recorded descriptive identification of the first anchor;

prompting the user to confirm that the previously recorded descriptive identification of the first anchor accurately describes the first location; and

transmitting the first timestamp to the remote computer to be recorded in association with the first anchor.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the logical distance between the first and second anchors is represented by one or more parameters selected from a group consisting of:

a temporal distance indicated by the chronotope;

an average temporal distance between the first anchor and the second anchor determined from a plurality of chronotopes in the database of previously generated anchors, each associated with both the first anchor and the second anchor; and

a ratio of a first count of chronotopes in the database of previously generated anchors associated with both the first anchor and the second anchor and a second count of chronotopes in the database of previously generated anchors associated with the first anchor but not the second anchor.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of requesting from the remote computer the chronotope retrieved from a database of previously generated anchors further includes a limiting instruction requiring that the retrieved chronotope be limited to a chronotope indicating a mode selected from a group consisting of:

a pedestrian mode;

an airplane mode;

a bicycle mode;

a boat mode;

a mass transit mode; and

an automobile mode.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving an input from the user providing an identification of the first location.

8. Software embodied in non-transitory computer-readable media and, when executed by a processor, operable to:

generate a first anchor by;

sensing a first location-identifying physical characteristic proximate to a mobile device present at a first location and generating a representation of the first location-identifying physical characteristic;

determining a descriptive identification of the first location; and

combining the descriptive identification and the representation of the first location-identifying physical characteristic, wherein global positioning system information including geographic coordinate pair is not used in generation of the first anchor;

transmit the first anchor, comprising the representation of the first location-identifying physical characteristic, to a computer remote from the first location;

request from the remote computer a chronotope retrieved from a database of previously generated anchors, the received chronotope indicating a logical distance between the first anchor and a second anchor, wherein the second anchor, comprising a representation of a second location-identifying physical characteristic, is associated with a second location distinct and remote from the first location, wherein the database does not comprise an association between the first anchor and a geographic coordinate pair; and

convey to a user of the mobile device information including the logical distance between the first and second anchors indicated by the received chronotope.

9. The software of claim 8, wherein the first location identifying physical characteristic is selected from a group consisting of:

an identifier of a single stationary wireless transmitter producing a transmission received by the mobile device;

a one-dimensional barcode;

a two-dimensional barcode;

a plurality of identifying features of sound captured by the mobile device;

a plurality of identifying features of an image captured by the mobile device; and

a plurality of identifying features of a video stream captured by the mobile device.

10. The software of claim 9, further operable to:

automatically collect a wireless transmitter identifier and an associated radio type for each of a plurality of single stationary wireless transmitters in communication range of the mobile device;

automatically determine the theoretical maximum communication range associated with each wireless transmitter identifier based at least in part on the radio type associated with the wireless transmitter identifier; and

select as the first location identifying physical characteristic the wireless transmitter identifier.

11. The software of claim 8, further operable to:

request from the remote computer to retrieve from the database of previously generated anchors to retrieve a previously recorded descriptive identification of the first anchor;

prompt the user to confirm that the previously recorded descriptive identification of the first anchor accurately describes the first location; and

transmit the first timestamp to the remote computer to be recorded in association with the first anchor.

12. The software of claim 8, wherein the logical distance between the first and second anchors is represented by one or more parameters selected from a group consisting of:

a temporal distance indicated by the chronotope;

an average temporal distance between the first anchor and the second anchor determined from a plurality of chronotopes in the database of previously generated anchors, each associated with both the first anchor and the second anchor; and

a ratio of a first count of chronotopes in the database of previously generated anchors associated with both the first anchor and the second anchor and a second count of chronotopes in the database of previously generated anchors associated with the first anchor but not the second anchor.

13. The software of claim 8, further operable to receive an input from the user providing an identification of the first location.

14. A computing system comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor; and

a mobile application operable to;

generate a first anchor by;

sensing a first location-identifying physical characteristic proximate to a mobile device present at a first location and generating a representation of the first location-identifying physical characteristic;

determining a descriptive identification of the first location; and

combining the descriptive identification and the representation of the first location-identifying physical characteristic, wherein global positioning system information including geographic coordinate pair is not used in generation of the first anchor;

transmit the first anchor, comprising the representation of the first location-identifying physical characteristic, to a computer remote from the first location;

request from the remote computer a chronotope retrieved from a database of previously generated chronotopes, the received chronotope indicating a logical distance between the first anchor and a second anchor, comprising a representation of a second location-identifying physical characteristic, wherein the second anchor is associated with a second location distinct and remote from the first location, wherein the database does not comprise an association between the first anchor and a geographic coordinate pair; and

convey to a user of the mobile device information including the logical distance between the first and second anchors indicated by the received chronotope.

15. The computing system of claim 14, wherein the first location identifying physical characteristic is selected from a group consisting of:

an identifier of a single stationary wireless transmitter producing a transmission received by the mobile device;

a one-dimensional barcode;

a two-dimensional barcode;

a plurality of identifying features of sound captured by the mobile device;

a plurality of identifying features of an image captured by the mobile device; and

a plurality of identifying features of a video stream captured by the mobile device.

16. The computing system of claim 14, wherein the mobile application is further operable to:

automatically collect a wireless transmitter identifier and an associated radio type for each of a plurality of single stationary wireless transmitters in communication range of the mobile device;

automatically determine the theoretical maximum communication range associated with each wireless transmitter identifier based at least in part on the radio type associated with the wireless transmitter identifier; and

select as the first location identifying physical characteristic the wireless transmitter identifier.

17. The computing system of claim 14, wherein the mobile application is further operable to:

request from the remote computer to retrieve from the database of previously generated anchors to retrieve a previously recorded descriptive identification of the first anchor;

prompt the user to confirm that the previously recorded descriptive identification of the first anchor accurately describes the first location; and

transmit the first timestamp to the remote computer to be recorded in association with the first anchor.

18. The computing system of claim 14, wherein the logical distance between the first and second anchors is represented by one or more parameters selected from a group consisting of:

a temporal distance indicated by the chronotope;

an average temporal distance between the first anchor and the second anchor determined from a plurality of chronotopes in the database of previously generated anchors, each associated with both the first anchor and the second anchor; and

a ratio of a first count of chronotopes in the database of previously generated anchors associated with both the first anchor and the second anchor and a second count of chronotopes in the database of previously generated anchors associated with the first anchor but not the second anchor.

19. A computer implemented method for providing location-based services using a mobile device, the method comprising:

receiving from a mobile device a first anchor including;

a representation of a first location-identifying physical characteristic proximate to a mobile device present at a first location,

a descriptive identification of the first location, and

a first timestamp, wherein global positioning system information including geographic coordinate pair is not used in generation of the first anchor;

receiving from the same mobile device a second anchor including;

a representation of a second location-identifying physical characteristic proximate to a mobile device present at a second location,

a descriptive identification of the second location, and

a second timestamp;

automatically generating a chronotope by linking the first anchor, comprising the representation of the first location-identifying physical characteristic, to the second anchor, comprising a representation of a second location-identifying physical characteristic, and calculating the time difference between the first timestamp and the second timestamp; and

storing the chronotope in a database, wherein the database does not comprise an association between the first anchor and a geographic coordinate pair.

20. The computer implemented method of claim 19, further comprising:

receiving a query including a current anchor and a destination anchor;

retrieving from the database a set of one or more chronotopes forming an association between the current anchor and the destination anchor.

21. The computer implemented method of claim 20, wherein:

the set of one or more chronotopes includes a first chronotope and a second chronotope;

the first chronotope associates the current anchor with an intermediate anchor; and

the second chronotope associates the intermediate anchor with the destination anchor.

22. The computer implemented method of claim 19, further comprising:

receiving a query including a current anchor and a criterion specified by a user;

identifying a set of one or more destinations matching the user-specified criterion; and

limiting the set of one or more destinations to destinations associated with the current anchor by one or more chronotopes.

23. The computer implemented method of claim 22, further comprising limiting the set of one or more destinations based at least in part on a user preference retrieved from the database.