RF proximity tags providing indoor and outdoor navigation and method of use

• US 8,836,580 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2006
• Issued: 09/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gamba Group Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Gamba Group Ltd
• Inventors: Mendelson, Ehud
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Dao
• Application Number:
  US11/429,864
• Publication Number:
  US 20070001904A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,053 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357.06, 342/357.12, 342/450, 342/457, 342463-465, 342/357.21, 342/357.25, 455/456.6, 455/457, 701/213, 701/215, 701/410, 701/412, 701/468
• US Class Current: 342/463
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/68 Marker, boundary, call-sign, or like beacons transmitting signals not carrying directional information
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/02 Indoor
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0226 Transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 90/20 Destination assistance within a business structure or complex
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/066 guiding along a path, e.g. evacuation path lighting strip
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/33 for indoor environments, e.g. buildings

Abstract

The navigation system method described herein could guide people around urban environments, detect guide and navigate them to destinations, add-on to the portable phone. We have focused on the task of detecting and navigating even in situations in which Global Positioning Systems (GPS) cannot provide this information, such as when the person is indoors or in crowded urban areas where there is no line of site to the GPS satellites. The information will be received directly from RF sensors and will display on the existing cellular phone as Bluetooth application.

Claims

1. A method for determining a position of a display device within a facility area and providing navigation thereto, wherein navigation is provided on said display device, wherein said display device is selected from a group consisting of a portable display device, a mobile phone, a hand held navigation system, a car navigation system and a Bluetooth enabled device, the method comprising steps of:

a) uploading an application onto said display device, wherein said application provides a mobile user with guidance and navigation about said local area, including said facility area,

b) downloading a facility indoor mapping of a local floor plan associated with said facility area to said display device prior to arriving to said facility area,

c) determining a current position of said display device by a proximity of said display device to RF tags installed in known positions in said facility area, wherein said RF tags emit at least one of a Bluetooth signal and a Wi-Fi signal, wherein said step of determining said current position is accomplished by at least one of;

utilizing a location reference of said RF tags when said display device receives a signal from a single RF tag and utilizing a triangulation calculation when said display device receives signals from multiple RF tags,

d) displaying a position marking representative said position of said display device within said facility area on a display device overlay layered over said facility area map,

e) navigating using said positions of said tags as displayed on said facility area maps,

f) displaying additional local based information on said display device, wherein said additional local based information includes information associated with elements within a vicinity of said facility area.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of delivering local based services content to said display device, wherein said local based services content includes content information that is associated with a location of said display device.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising steps of availing and making use of an indoor local base services application on said display device, said indoor local based services application comprises at least one of:

a) map and indoor guide and navigation—

obtaining a local area map and application,

b) directory—

obtaining at least one of a store/mall directory, a local area directory, a store type, and store information as part of—

said local mapping information to said display device,

c) search and find—

searching and locating at least one of a store, a place, an item, and a product, wherein said at least one of said store, said place, said item, and said product is associated with said at least one of said store/mall directory, said local area directory, said store type, and said store information,

d) sales/specials—

obtaining at least one of a discount, a sale, and a coupon, presenting said at least one of said discount, said sale, and said coupon and providing store aisle navigation upon said display device, wherein said store aisle navigation directs said user to a store aisle containing an items associated with said at least one of said discount, said sale, and said coupon,

e) parking—

determining available parking spaces in a vicinity of said display device and providing navigation to said user by displaying available parking spaces on said display device, wherein said parking spaces are associated with said location of said RF tag,

f) return to parking—

identifying a location of a parked car associated with said display device and providing navigation to return said user to said location of said parked car through a display on said display device, wherein a parking space containing said parked car is associated with said location of said RF tag,

g) info—

provide information about events, restrooms, ATM location, seating area, Kids playground, fountain, public phones,

h) emergency—

obtaining emergency information and emergency navigation associated with said facility area, and displaying said emergency information and emergency navigation associated with said facility area on said display device, wherein said emergency navigation is based upon at least one of said location of said display device and said location of said RF tag, and

i) panic—

emitting a panic alert, wherein said panic alert requests.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of displaying additional information associated with at least one waypoint, wherein said additional information includes at least one of a store, a department, a special sale, an event, and a coupon, wherein said information is updated in real time.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of navigating between waypoints illustrated on said local floor plan of said facility indoor mapping using said application displaying said known waypoints, wherein at least one of said facility indoor mapping and said waypoints associated with RF tags that are in a proximity of said display device at said facility.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of determining a location of said display device indoor without aid of a global positioning satellite (GPS) system.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of providing said display device with application software for navigating using a display including at least one of a area map and a facility floor plan.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of providing navigation to a pedestrian within an environment within a facility selected from a facility group consisting of:

a mall, a department store, a specialty store, a conference, a trade show, an amusement park, a stadium, an arena, a sporting event, a university, a hospital, a school, a municipal building, a museum, a subway, a train station, an airport, a down town center, a cruise ship, a financial banking location, a parking facility and a covered structure.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising at least one of:

a step of determining available empty parking spaces in a vicinity of said display device and providing navigation to said user by displaying available parking spaces on said display device, wherein said parking spaces are associated with said location of said RF tag, and

steps of identifying a location of a parked car associated with said display device by associating a parking space containing said parked car with one RF tag and navigating said user to said parking space containing said parked car by referencing said RF tag associated with said parking space containing said parked car one through a display on said display device, thus providing a return to parking feature.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of providing an indoor guide and navigation within one of:

a museum, within a show, a conference, and an exhibition, wherein guide and navigation information is determined by an RF tag identifier of said RF tag located proximate to a location of said display device, wherein said guide and navigation is provided to said user by at least one of audio, video, and content information using said display device.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of providing a local guide and navigation specifically associated with real estate, identifying local property that is available for at least one of sale, lease, and rent, wherein said real estate information is determined based upon said location of at least one of said display device and said location of said RF tag.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising steps of providing guidance and navigation associated with an amusement park having waypoints identifying specific points of interest within said amusement park, and

displaying information associated with said amusement park including at least one of a schedule of show, wait times for a show, time to said show, a restroom location, a food service area and a process for reducing a wait time for access to a show or attraction.

13. The method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of providing navigation for an emergency exit route utilizing a location of at least one of said display device and said location of said proximate RF tag within said facility area to determine said emergency exit route and providing updated guidance for directing a user to safely exit said facility area.

14. The method according to claim 1, further comprising steps of:

providing a display device with a current location of at least one of;

a train, a bus, and a subway train on a route directly to said display device, wherein said current location of at least one of said train, said bus, and said subway train is displayed upon a train/subway/underground map,

presenting the display device location in said route, and

presenting additional information including at least one of a schedule, a restroom location, a food serving location, and an emergency route, wherein said additional information is determined by said RF tag identifier of said RF tag located proximate to said display device.

15. A method for determining a current position of a display device and providing road sign information to said display device, the method comprising steps of:

determining said current position of said display device by utilizing a proximity of said display device to RF tags installed in known positions in a regional area, wherein said step of determining said current position is accomplished by at least one of;

a) utilizing a location reference of said RF tags when said display device receives a signal from a single RF tag,

b) utilizing signal strengths of said RF tags when said display device receives signals from multiple tags, and

c) utilizing a triangulation calculation when said display device receives signals from multiple tags;

obtaining and displaying road sign locations upon a local map collectively displayed upon one of said display device, a vehicle display, wherein said road sign locations are determined by said an RF tag identifier of said RF tag located proximate to said display device, wherein said information is provided through an interface between said display device and a vehicle computer operating a vehicle display; and

in a condition where a road sign affects a speed, the method proceeds in alerting a driver to adjust a speed of said vehicle in accordance with a speed change associated with said road sign located within a vicinity of said display device.

16. A method for determining a current position of a display device and providing location based service (LBS) application and information content to said display device, the method comprising steps of:

determining said current position of said display device by utilizing a proximity of said display device to RF tags installed in known positions in a facility area, wherein said step of determining said current position is accomplished by at least one of;

a) utilizing a location reference of said RF tags when said display device receives a signal from a single RF tag,

b) utilizing signal strengths of said RF tags when said display device receives signals from multiple tags, and

c) utilizing a triangulation calculation when said display device receives signals from multiple tags;

providing a local business with information about customer behavior habit without compromising user ID or privacy;

providing said location based service (LBS) application and information content based on at least one of a location of a user as determined by at least one of said position of said display device and said location associated with an RF tag identifier, a behavior habit obtained from said display device, and a profile provided by data obtained from said display device, wherein said LBS and information content comprises at least one of;

a special, a sale, and a promotion events coupon; and

designating a business as a waypoint and presenting advertisements associated with the business on the display device.