Method and apparatus for location identification

• US 8,611,920 B2
• Filed: 02/10/2007
• Issued: 12/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: IpVenture, Inc.
• Original Assignee: IpVenture, Inc.
• Inventors: Thomas, C. Douglass, Lau, Chung, Tong, Peter P.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, QUYNH H
• Application Number:
  US11/705,339
• Publication Number:
  US 20080021645A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,502 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.3, 455/404.2, 455/414.2, 455/440, 340/539.13, 340/825.49, 340/988, 342/357.01, 342/357.06, 342/357.07, 342/357.13, 342/457, 701/213, 701/214, 701/215
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/005 with correlation of navigation data from several sources, e.g. map or contour matching G01C21/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• 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
• 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 4/025 using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

Method and apparatus to analyze and present location information in an easy-to-digest manner are disclosed. In one embodiment, each piece of location information can include a piece of location-designating information and a piece of location-related information. Location-designating information is primarily for identifying location. Location-related information is information related to location-designating information. The location-designating information and the location-related information can be supplied by a mobile device. With the help of location-related information, each piece of location-designating information can be more accurately transformed into a label to help identify a location. The amount of location information can be reduced. All of the location-designating information pertaining to a given area can be consolidated into one piece of location-designating information related to the label. Consolidation of some of the information may not occur if a piece of location-related information changes by more than a preset value. To better present location information in an easy-to-digest manner, location information can be compared to standards. Presentation can be on a display with respect to a reference location.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method to identify the location of a location-aware mobile device for a user, the mobile device being configured to be operable as at least a wireless communication device allowing a person to wirelessly send and receive messages with others, the method comprising:

retrieving GPS location-designating information acquired by the location-aware mobile device using GPS signals, which are available at the location of the mobile device;

retrieving location-related information that is not based on GPS signals, but is based at least on a sensor in the mobile device, the location-related information being available at the location of the mobile device; and

identifying the location of the mobile device based on both the GPS location-designating information and the location-related information,

wherein the GPS location-designating information can approximately identify the location of the mobile device, and

wherein the location of the mobile device is more accurately or narrowly identified based on at least the location-related information.

2. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1 further comprising transforming the identified location into a location label, wherein the location label pertains to a name used by a plurality of people to designate the location.

3. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the mobile device is a mobile phone.

4. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the method is performed by the mobile device.

5. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the method is performed by a computing device at least based on information wirelessly received from the mobile device.

6. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 5, wherein the information wirelessly received is received at least via a Wi-Fi network.

7. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 2, wherein the label is stored in a storage device, and

wherein the method further comprises electronically searching the storage device to identify and retrieve the label.

8. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 2, wherein the label is a point of interest.

9. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the location-related information depends on another location-designating information identifying another location of the mobile device, the another location-designating information being acquired by the mobile device.

10. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the location-related information includes direction information.

11. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the location-related information includes information entered by a person.

12. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the location-related information includes information regarding a plurality of prior locations of the mobile device.

13. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the location-related information includes a piece of information regarding the environment where the mobile device is located.

14. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the GPS signals are from at least four pieces of information from satellites to identify position.

15. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 14, wherein the location-related information comprises another location-designating information that is based on Wi-Fi technologies applying triangulation techniques.

16. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 14, wherein the location-related information comprises another location-designating information that depends on GSM technologies.

17. A computing device to identify the location of a location-aware mobile device for a user, the mobile device being configured to be operable as at least a wireless communication device allowing a person to wirelessly send and receive messages with others, the computing device comprising:

a retriever configured to retrieve GPS location-designating information acquired by the location-aware mobile device using GPS signals, which are available at the location of the mobile device, wherein the retriever is also configured to retrieve location-related information; and

an identifier configured to identify the location of the mobile device based on both the GPS location-designating information and the location-related information;

wherein the GPS location-designating information can approximately identify the location of the mobile device,

wherein the location of the mobile device is more accurately or narrowly identified based on at least the location-related information,

wherein the location-related information depends on Wi-Fi technologies to help identify location,

wherein the location-related information is available at the location of the mobile device, and

wherein the computing device is able to be coupled to the mobile device.

18. A computing device as recited in claim 17 further comprising a transformer configured to transform the identified location into a location label, wherein the location label pertains to a name used by a plurality of people to designate the location.

19. A computing device as recited in claim 18 further comprising:

a storage device configured to store the label; and

a query processor configured to search the storage device to identify and retrieve the label.

20. A computing device as recited in claim 17, wherein the location-related information depends on another location-designating information identifying another location of the mobile device.

21. A computing device as recited in claim 17, wherein the mobile device is a mobile phone.

22. A computing device as recited in claim 17, wherein the GPS signals are based on information from at least four satellites.

23. A computing device as recited in claim 22, wherein the location-related information comprises another location-designating information that is based on Wi-Fi technologies applying triangulation techniques.

24. A computing device as recited in claim 22, wherein the location-related information comprises another location-designating information that depends on GSM technologies.

25. A computing device as recited in claim 17, wherein the location-related information is not based on GPS signals, but is based at least on a sensor in the mobile device.

26. A location-aware mobile device comprising:

a retriever configured to retrieve GPS location-designating information acquired by the location-aware mobile device using GPS signals, which are available at the location of the mobile device, wherein the retriever is also configured to retrieve location-related information; and

an identifier configured to identify the location of the mobile device based on both the GPS location-designating information and the location-related information;

wherein the GPS location-designating information can approximately identify the location of the mobile device,

wherein the location of the mobile device is more accurately or narrowly identified based on at least the location-related information,

wherein the mobile device is configured to be operable as at least a wireless communication device allowing a person to wirelessly send and receive messages with others,

wherein the location-related information is not based on GPS signals, the location-related information being available at the location of the mobile device, and

wherein the location-related information depends on at least one Wi-Fi network for location.

27. A location-aware mobile device as recited in claim 26, wherein the location-related information depends on another location-designating information identifying another location of the mobile device.

28. A location-aware mobile device as recited in claim 27 further comprising a transformer configured to transform the identified location into a location label, wherein the location label pertains to a name used by a plurality of people to designate the location.

29. A location-aware mobile device as recited in claim 28 further comprising:

a storage device configured to store the label; and

a query processor configured to search the storage device to identify and retrieve the label.

30. A location-aware mobile device as recited in claim 27, wherein the mobile device is a mobile phone.

31. A location-aware mobile device as recited in claim 27, wherein the location-related information includes direction information.

32. A location-aware mobile device as recited in claim 26, wherein the location-related information is acquired by at least a sensor in the mobile device.

33. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including instructions of a computer program for identifying the location of a location-aware mobile device, which is configured to be operable as at least a wireless communication device allowing a person to wirelessly send and receive messages with others, for a user by a method comprising:

retrieving GPS location-designating information acquired by the location-aware mobile device using GPS signals, which are available at the location of the mobile device;

retrieving location-related information that is not based on GPS signals, but uses at least data from a sensor in the location-aware mobile device, the location-related information being available at the location of the location-aware mobile device; and

identifying the location of the mobile device based on both the GPS location-designating information and the location-related information,

wherein the location-related information is obtained from at least one Wi-Fi network to help identify location,

wherein the GPS location-designating information can approximately identify the location of the mobile device, and

wherein the location of the mobile device is more accurately or narrowly identified based on at least the location-related information.

34. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including at least executable computer program code tangibly stored therein for identifying the location of a location-aware mobile device for a user, the mobile device being able to be operable at least as a wireless communication device that allows a person to wirelessly send and receive messages with others, said computer readable medium comprising:

computer program code for retrieving location information from the location-aware mobile device using GPS signals, which are available at the location of the mobile device;

computer program code for retrieving related information from the location-aware mobile device using certain wireless signals, which are not GPS signals and which are available at the location of the mobile device; and

computer program code for identifying the location of the mobile device at least based on both the location information and the related information,

wherein the related information depends on Wi-Fi signals to help identify location,

wherein the location information can approximately identify the location of the mobile device, and

wherein the location of the mobile device is more accurately or narrowly identified based on at least the location information and the related information.

35. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 34 further comprising computer program code for transforming the identified location into a location label, wherein the location label is a name commonly used by users to designate the location,

wherein the location label is in a database, and

wherein the computer-readable storage medium further comprises computer program code for searching the database to retrieve the location label.

36. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 34, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium is at a computing device, which is configured to use the location information and the related information received wirelessly from the mobile device.

37. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 34, wherein the GPS signals are based on information from at least four satellites.

38. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 34, wherein the related information depends on the mobile device being at a Wi-Fi network that allows the mobile device to gain network access via the Wi-Fi network.

39. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 38 further comprising computer program code for transforming the identified location into a location label,

wherein the location label is a name commonly used by users to designate the location,

wherein the location label is in a database, and

wherein the computer-readable storage medium further comprises computer program code for searching the database to retrieve the location label.

40. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 34, wherein the related information includes location information that depends on GSM technologies.

41. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 40 further comprising computer program code for transforming the identified location into a location label,

wherein the location label is a name commonly used by users to designate the location, and

wherein the location label is in a database, and is linked at least to the location information, which is also in the database.

42. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 34, wherein the certain wireless signals are not transmitted from a satellite.

43. A computing device for identifying the location of a location-aware mobile device for a user, the mobile device being able to be operable at least as a wireless communication device that allows a person to wirelessly send and receive messages with others, the computing device comprising:

a receiver configured to wirelessly receive location information from the location-aware mobile device using GPS signals, which are available at the location of the mobile device,

wherein the receiver is also configured to wirelessly receive related information from the location-aware mobile device using certain wireless signals, which are not GPS signals and which are available at the location of the mobile device; and

an identifier configured to identify the location of the mobile device at least based on both the location information and the related information, said identifying including accessing a database that stores at least the location information and the related information;

wherein the related information uses Wi-Fi signals to help identify location,

wherein the location information can approximately identify the location of the mobile device, and

wherein the location of the mobile device is more accurately or narrowly identified based on at least the location information and the related information.

44. A computing device as recited in claim 43, wherein the GPS signals are based on information from at least four satellites.

45. A computing device as recited in claim 43, wherein the related information depends on the mobile device being at a Wi-Fi network that allows the mobile device to gain network access via the Wi-Fi network.

46. A computing device as recited in claim 45 further comprising a transformer configured to transform the identified location into a location label,

wherein the location label is a name commonly used by users to designate the location,

wherein the location label is in the database,

wherein the location label is linked to at least the location information in the database, and

wherein the computing device is further configured to search the database to retrieve the location label.

47. A computing device as recited in claim 43, wherein the related information includes location information that depends on GSM technologies.

48. A computing device as recited in claim 43, wherein the certain wireless signals are not transmitted from a satellite.

49. A location-aware mobile device for a user comprising:

a retriever configured to retrieve (a) location information from the location-aware mobile device using GPS signals, which are available at the location of the mobile device, and (b) from the location-aware mobile device, related information, which does not use GPS signals, but is based on data from a sensor in the location-aware mobile device, the data being available at the location of the location-aware mobile device; and

an identifier configured to identify the location of the mobile device based on at least both the location information and the related information,

wherein the mobile device is configured to be operable as at least a communication device allowing the user to send messages to one or more other users,

wherein the location information can approximately identify the location of the mobile device, and

wherein the location of the mobile device is more accurately or narrowly identified based on at least the location information and the related information.

50. A location-aware mobile device as recited in claim 49, further comprising a transformer configured to transform the identified location into a location label, wherein the location label is a name commonly used by users to designate the location.

51. A location-aware mobile device as recited in claim 49, wherein the related information includes another location information based on Wi-Fi technologies.

52. A location-aware mobile device as recited in claim 49, wherein the related information depends on the mobile device at a Wi-Fi network that allows the mobile device to gain network access via the Wi-Fi network.

53. A location-aware mobile device as recited in claim 52, further comprising a transformer configured to transform the identified location into a location label, wherein the location label is a name commonly used by users to designate the location.

54. A location-aware mobile device as recited in claim 49, wherein the related information includes location information based on GSM technologies.

55. A location-aware mobile device as recited in claim 49, wherein the messages include emails.

56. A location-aware mobile device as recited in claim 49, wherein the messages include phone calls.

57. A location-aware mobile device as recited in claim 49, wherein the sensor is configured to generate the data based on signals at the location of the location-aware mobile device, and the signals are wireless signals that are not transmitted from a satellite.

58. A location-aware mobile device as recited in claim 49, wherein the sensor is configured to generate the data based on signals at the location of the location-aware mobile device.

59. A location-aware mobile device as recited in claim 49, wherein the related information is based on Wi-Fi signals for location.

60. A location-aware mobile device as recited in claim 49, wherein the GPS signals are based on information from at least four satellites.