Enhanced guidance for electronic devices having multiple tracking modes

• US 8,624,725 B1
• Filed: 09/22/2011
• Issued: 01/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: MacGregor, Christopher S. A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffrey
• Application Number:
  US13/241,031
• Time in Patent Office: 838 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.13, 340/988, 340/995.1, 455/414.2, 455/404.2, 455/456.1, 342/450, 342/451, 342/453, 342/457, 342/459, 701/23, 701/408
• US Class Current: 340/539.13
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/026 using orientation information, e.g. compass
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

The location of an electronic device can be tracked and updated in order to provide a user of the device accurate directions from the user'"'"'s current location to a target location, for various types of environments. Upon detecting a trigger (e.g., detecting a QR code or detecting an access point signal), an example device can switch from using a first type of positioning element (e.g., GPS) to a second type of positioning element (e.g., using accelerometers, QR codes, etc.) in determining the user'"'"'s current location. By using the appropriate type of positioning element for each environment, the device may determine the user'"'"'s current location more accurately. The device may provide an overlay (e.g., arrows) for displaying the directions over images captured from the user'"'"'s surroundings to provide a more realistic and intuitive experience for the user.

Claims

1. A method of determining a position of a mobile device in a particular area, the method comprising:

in a first mode of the mobile device, tracking the position of the mobile device by receiving one or more signals from at least a first type of positioning element;

detecting a second type of positioning element upon entering the particular area;

in response to detecting the second type of positioning element, automatically switching the mobile device to operate in a second mode wherein the position of the mobile device is able to be tracked at least in part by detecting one or more positioning elements of the second type within the particular area;

tracking the position of the mobile device using at least one orientation determining element of the mobile device when at least one positioning element of the mobile device is unable to be detected; and

updating the tracked position of the mobile device as determined using the at least one orientation determining element upon subsequent detection of positioning element of the second type within the particular area.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising correcting the position of the mobile device using at least one of the orientation determining element or the second type of positioning element.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first mode is an outdoor mode and a second mode is an indoor mode.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more signals is at least one of a GPS signal, a cellular signal, a Wi-Fi signal, a base station signal, or a Bluetooth®

signal.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first type of positioning element is at least one of a UPS, a cellular base station, or a wireless access point, the second type of positioning element is at least one of a QR code, a femtocell, a wireless router, an RFID tag, an NFC tag, or an image recognition element, and the orientation determining element is at least one of an accelerometer, an electronic gyroscope, an electronic compass, or a signal strength detector, wherein the first positioning element, the second positioning element, and the orientation determining element provide information that enable the mobile device to determine a current position of the mobile device.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying a map that indicates the position of the mobile device as the position is updated in real-time.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a request for directions to a target location within the particular area;

capturing at least one image of an area around the mobile device;

generating directions from the updated position of the mobile device to the target location; and

displaying an overlay over the captured images, the overlay including a portion of the generated directions.

8. A method of enabling an electronic device to provide directional guidance, the method comprising:

determining an initial location of the electronic device, the initial location corresponding to a current location of the electronic device at an initial point in time;

determining directions from the initial location to a target location within an area;

capturing image information of at least a viewable portion of the area around the electronic device using at least one imaging element of the electronic device;

displaying a composite display including an overlay representing at least a portion of the generated directions over at least a portion of the captured image information;

updating the current location of the electronic device in response to detecting one or more positioning elements with respect to the area; and

updating the overlay in the displayed composite display to include at least a portion of the generated directions from the updated current location to the target location.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

from a user of the electronic device, receiving a request for directions to the target location within the area.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

obtaining mapping information for the area, the mapping information including location data for a plurality of items in the area and additional information relating to the plurality of items, wherein determining the directions includes using the mapping information to obtain one or more routes between the initial location and the target location.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the image information comprises at least one of still images and video images.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein updating the current location of the electronic device comprises:

scanning the one or more positioning elements with respect to the area to obtain at least one identifier; and

mapping the at least one identifier to location information using a lookup table.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the one or more positioning elements is detected over a sideband channel that is at least one of a wireless data channel, radio frequency channel, Bluetooth®

channel, ultra wideband radio frequency channel, Wi-Fi channel, or infrared signaling channel.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the one or more positioning elements is of a first type of positioning element, the method further comprises updating the current location by using a second type of positioning element different from the first type.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein the imaging element comprises at least one of an ambient light camera element or an infrared sensor.

16. The method of claim 8, wherein the one or more positioning elements is at least one of an RFID tag, an NFC tag, or a QR code.

17. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

upon detecting a movement of the electronic device, updating the composite display.

18. The method of claim 8, wherein the initial location of the electronic device is determined using GPS signals.

19. An electronic device, comprising:

a processor;

at least one imaging element;

at least one sideband communication mechanism; and

a memory device including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to;

determine an initial location of the electronic device, the initial location corresponding to a current location of the electronic device at an initial point in time;

determine directions from the initial location to a target location within an area;

capture image information of at least a viewable portion of the area around the electronic device using at least one imaging element of the electronic device;

display a composite display including an overlay representing at least a portion of the generated directions over at least a portion of the captured image information;

update the current location of the electronic device in response to detecting one or more positioning elements with respect to the area; and

update the overlay in the displayed composite display to include at least a portion of the generated directions from the updated current location to the target location.

20. The electronic device of claim 19, wherein the memory device further includes instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

detect a signal from at least a first type of positioning element; and

switch from detecting from at least the first type of positioning element to at least a second type of positioning element upon detecting a trigger.

21. The electronic device of claim 20, wherein detecting the trigger includes recognition of at least one of an object, a location, a QR code, an RFID tag, a Wi-Fi signal, or an NFC tag.

22. The electronic device of claim 19, wherein the memory device further includes instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

update the current location of the electronic device by using additional positioning elements that include at least one of an accelerometer, an electronic gyroscope, or an electronic compass.

23. The electronic device of claim 19, wherein the overlay comprises a symbol that instructs a user of the electronic device to proceed in a particular direction.

24. The electronic device of claim 23, wherein the symbol is at least one of an arrow, a text, or an animated visual cue.

25. The electronic device of claim 19, wherein the memory device further includes instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

detect an orientation of the electronic device; and

display a two-dimensional bird'"'"'s eye view of the directions from the initial location to the target location when the detected orientation of the electronic device is below a threshold angle.

26. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computing program for enabling an electronic device to provide information to a user of the electronic device, the computer program comprising sets of instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

in a first mode of the electronic device, track a position of the electronic device by receiving a first type of signal from a first positioning element;

detect a second positioning element upon entering a particular area;

in response to detecting the second positioning element, switch to a second mode that tracks the position of the electronic device by receiving a second type of signal from the second positioning element;

track the position of the electronic device using at least one of a third positioning element and an orientation determining element of the electronic device; and

upon detection of a fourth positioning element, update the position of the electronic device.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 26, wherein the first mode is outdoor mode, the second mode is indoor mode, the first type of signal is at least one of a GPS signal, a cellular signal, or a Wi-Fi signal, and the second type of signal is at least one of a base station signal, a Bluetooth®

signal, or a Wi-Fi signal.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 26, wherein the sets of instructions when executed further cause the processor to:

receive a request for directions to a target location within the particular area;

capture at least one image of an area around the electronic device;

generate directions from the updated position of the electronic device to the target location; and

display an overlay including a portion of the generated directions over the captured images.