Real-time remote-viewing digital compass

• US 8,643,715 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2010
• Issued: 02/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ErgonoTech, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Kyu Hwang Cho
• Inventors: Cho, Kyu Hwang
• Primary Examiner(s): Perungavoor, Sath V
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brown, Jr., Howard D
• Application Number:
  US12/890,663
• Publication Number:
  US 20110122244A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,228 Days
• Field of Search: 348/113, 715/700
• US Class Current: 348/113
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/20 Adaptations for transmission via a GHz frequency band, e.g. via satellite

Abstract

Vehicle-mounted video cameras, if and when wirelessly connected via a hybrid transceiver of satellite and terrestrial links and either through a randomly-formed vehicle-to-vehicle network, or via mobile web links, may enable motorists behind the wheel to remotely see either on a navigator screen, or on a screen of mobile equipment, inclusive of handsets and tablet PCs, any real-time video images of traffic and/or street scenes, far beyond physical limits of human eyesight. In pursuing the said peer-to-peer advantages, the real-time street views targeted in any directions can be picked at the discretion of motorists, by transmitting the location-based inquiry to the targeted on-vehicle cameras, by tapping on an in-vehicle touchscreen or a mobile device screen and also by activating voice commands, if necessary. The viewable range and directions are only affected or limited by the signal strength based on the density of moving vehicles in between and the availability of interconnected roadside stationary surveillance fixtures as well as the availability of target vehicles equipped with video cameras.

Claims

1. A method, wherein a digital compass is implemented in an in-vehicle mobile stationary device featured with real-time remote-viewing of either vehicles or traffic scenes in any desired direction from a vehicle driver, comprising steps of:

implementing an on-screen compass dial in said device in an analog form factor;

arranging said device to incorporate a hybrid transceiver for both satellite and terrestrial telecommunications plus GPS using a plurality of modalities and a display touchscreen for haptic interface;

having the device mounted in a center of a vehicular dashboard with a haptic display screen measuring 10″

(W)×

7.5″

((L) minimum interacting with a User and a Base Station;

and delimiting a targeted distance up to 50 miles maximum,

and wherein said compass dial is demarcated with a preset number of concentric circles intended for haptic selection of targeted distances and directions, electing a preset distance as an interface divider between finger touch and voice commands, comprising steps of;

selecting an initially targeted distance, if desired within 4 miles, for instance, by tapping one of said circles with a finger and then dragging said finger toward a desired direction across the said dial surface in a beeline to choose from 16 directions indicated or more;

adjusting the initially selected distance by a fraction of 1-to-15 16^th of one mile to finalize a target distance by continued finger action, of which clockwise or counter clockwise move on said dial surface will determine whether to adjust the initially selected distance downward or upward;

enabling selection of target distances exceeding said preset distance to be executed by voice commands, which can be activated by pressing an outermost circle with a fingertip where it is the closest to a desired direction and by continuing to drag the fingertip far enough to cross the border of said circle;

and calculating and converting a finalized target distance into targeted geographic coordinates in terms of latitude and longitude.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said digital compass is implemented in said form factor on portable mobile devices, such as smartphones, tablets, and laptop computers.