Mobile navigation to a moving destination

• US 8,825,377 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2012
• Issued: 09/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Callaghan, David Michael, Karamov, Sergey, Saha, Sanjib
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Mary
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAZZARA, ANNE MARIE
• Application Number:
  US13/656,477
• Publication Number:
  US 20140114564A1
• Time in Patent Office: 683 Days
• Field of Search: 701/416
• US Class Current: 701/416
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3415 Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3438 Rendez-vous, i.e. searching a destination where several users can meet, and the routes to this destination for these users; Ride sharing, i.e. searching a route such that at least two users can share a vehicle for at least part of the route
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A source device can navigate towards a moving destination target device, such as when two mobile phones are moving towards each other. The source device can receive an initial position of the target and a route to the target. As the source device and target device simultaneously move, the route can be updated. For example, if a distance of movement exceeds a threshold (e.g., 1 mile) the route can be updated. In another embodiment, a target device can switch between position tracking devices so as to provide less accurate position information, but save power, or provide high accuracy position information at the cost of higher power consumption. Generally, the switching between position tracking devices and the frequency at which the route to the destination point can be based on the distance apart between the source device and target device.

Claims

1. A method of navigating to a moving client device, comprising:

receiving a position of a target device that is itself moving;

displaying, on a source device, the position of the target device on a map together with a first route from the source device to the target device; and

while the source device is moving towards the target device, displaying on the source device, an updated second route, different than the first route, from the source device to the target device;

further including obtaining the position of the target device using a low-power, low-accuracy, first position tracking device, and switching to a second higher power, and higher accuracy second position tracking device when the source device is within a predetermined distance from the target client device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the low-power first position tracking device uses cellular towers or WiFi access points for tracking and the higher-power second position tracking device uses GPS position tracking.

3. The method of claim 1, further including providing a server computer in communication with the source device and target device that recalculates the route when the source device moves more than a threshold distance from when the first route was calculated.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the source device and target device are mobile phones.

5. The method of claim 1, further including switching, in the target device, between position tracking devices depending on a distance between the source and target devices.

6. The method of claim 1, further including providing a server computer in communication with the source device and target device, and transmitting to the server computer an identification of the target device to be tracked.

7. The method of claim 6, further including:

in response to receiving the identification, transmitting to the target device, a command to begin tracking;

receiving from the target device a current position of the target device obtained using cellular or WiFi positioning systems; and

transmitting to the source device the current position of the target and the first route to the target.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second routes are calculated on the source device.

9. The method of claim 1, further including transmitting, to the target device, a command to switch from a low accuracy position tracking device to a high accuracy position tracking device and optionally providing more frequent updates of the changing position of the target device.

10. The method of claim 1, further including transmitting to the target device, a request for an identification of the target device, receiving the identification, and transmitting the identification to a server used to track the target device.

11. One or more computer readable storage media storing instructions thereon for executing a method, the method comprising:

receiving, in a target device, a request for a first position using a first position tracking device;

obtaining the first position of the target device using the first position tracking device, which is low accuracy;

transmitting the first position to the requester;

receiving, in the target device, a request for an updated second position using a second position tracking device, different than the first position tracking device, wherein the second position tracking device is higher accuracy than the low accuracy, first position tracking device; and

transmitting the second position to the requester.

12. The method of claim 11, further including:

receiving the first position of the target device and calculating a route from a source device to the target device; and

receiving the second position of the target device and recalculating the route from the source device to the target device.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the target device is a mobile phone and the first position tracking device uses cellular towers or WiFi access points for position tracking and the second position tracking device uses GPS.

14. The method of claim 11, further including a server computer coupled to the target device that transmits the first position and second position to a source device that uses the first and second positions for displaying a map location of the target device.

15. A system for navigating from a source mobile phone to a target mobile phone, wherein both the source mobile phone and target mobile phone are moving during the navigation, the system comprising:

a server computer for receiving position information of a target mobile phone and transmitting the position information to a source mobile phone, the server computer for calculating a route from the source mobile phone to the target mobile phone multiple times while the source mobile phone is navigating to the target mobile phone with both the source and target mobile phones in motion, wherein the target mobile phone switches from a first position tracking circuit that is low accuracy to a second position tracking circuit that is higher accuracy when the source and target mobile phones are within a predetermined distance apart.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein application software on the target mobile phone switches between the different position tracking circuits based on commands from the server computer.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the at least two different position tracking circuits include circuitry for using at least two of the following:

GPS location technology, cellular tower location technology, or WiFi-based positioning system.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the server computer transmits a command to the target mobile phone to switch which position tracking circuit is used if the source mobile phone is within a predetermined distance to the target mobile phone.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the target mobile phone switches from using cellular tower location tracking to GPS upon receipt of the command to switch.