Method and apparatus for determining a relative position of a sensing location with respect to a landmark

• US 8,983,763 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2010
• Issued: 03/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Mate, Sujeet Shyamsundar, Bilcu, Radu Ciprian, Curcio, Igor Danilo Diego, Cricri, Francesco
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Dalena
• Assistant Examiner(s): Figueroa, Jaime
• Application Number:
  US12/887,947
• Publication Number:
  US 20120072100A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,637 Days
• Field of Search: 701/300, 701/516, 701/426, 701/400, 701/408, 705/14.4, 707/E17.001, 707/E17.009, 348/143, 348/E7.086, 340/990, 340/995.1
• US Class Current: 701/300
• 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: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3844 Data obtained from position sensors only, e.g. from inertial navigation
• 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 4/026 using orientation information, e.g. compass

Abstract

An apparatus may include a landmark selector configured to receive selection of a landmark. A sensory device may determine at least one position indicator relating to alignment with the landmark from a sensing location, such as orientation, attitude, and/or altitude. The apparatus may further include a position determiner configured to determine a relative position of the sensing location with respect to the landmark based at least in part on the position indicator. Accordingly, the apparatus may determine the relative position of the sensing location with respect to the landmark. In some embodiments the apparatus may be further configured to determine the absolute position of the sensing location. Thereby position information may be used, for example, to create collaborative content captured at an event occurring near the landmark.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:

receive selection of a landmark;

determine at least one position indicator relating to alignment with the landmark from a sensing location, wherein the at least one position indicator includes at least one of an altitude of the apparatus, an attitude of the apparatus when aligned with the landmark, or an orientation of the apparatus;

determine a relative position of the sensing location with respect to the landmark based at least in part on the position indicator;

receive one or more other position indicators relating to alignment with the landmark from one or more mobile terminals located at other sensing locations; and

determine one or more other relative positions of the one or more mobile terminals located at the other sensing locations with respect to the landmark based at least in part on the one or more other position indicators.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further configured to suggest the landmark.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further configured to signal the position indicator;

and

signal the relative position of the sensing location.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the position indicator comprises one or more of an orientation when aligned with the landmark, an attitude when aligned with the landmark, and an altitude at the sensing location.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further configured to determine an absolute position of the sensing location.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising user interface circuitry configured to:

facilitate user control of at least some functions of the apparatus through use of a display; and

cause at least a portion of a user interface of the apparatus to be displayed on the display to facilitate user control of at least some functions of the apparatus.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is further caused to create a map including the landmark, the sensing location, and the one or more other sensing locations.

7. A method, comprising:

receiving selection of a landmark;

determining at least one position indicator relating to alignment with the landmark from a sensing location, wherein the at least one position indicator includes at least one of an altitude of the apparatus, an attitude of the apparatus when aligned with the landmark, or an orientation of the apparatus;

determining a relative position of the sensing location with respect to the landmark via a processor based at least in part on the position indicator;

receiving one or more other position indicators relating to alignment with the landmark from one or more mobile terminals located at other sensing locations; and

determining one or more other relative positions of the one or more mobile terminals located at the other sensing locations with respect to the landmark based at least in part on the one or more other position indicators.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising suggesting the landmark.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising signaling the position indicator;

and

signaling the relative position of the mobile terminal located at the sensing location.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the position indicator comprises one or more of an orientation when aligned with the landmark, an attitude when aligned with the landmark, and an altitude at the sensing location.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising determining an absolute position of the sensing location.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising providing for acknowledgement of alignment with the landmark.

19. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

creating a map including the landmark, the sensing location, and the one or more other sensing locations.

13. A computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable program code portions stored therein, the computer-executable program code portions when executed by a processor causing an apparatus to perform:

receiving selection of a landmark;

determining at least one position indicator relating to alignment with the landmark from a sensing location, wherein the at least one position indicator includes at least one of an altitude of the apparatus, an attitude of the apparatus when aligned with the landmark, or an orientation of the apparatus;

determining a relative position of the sensing location with respect to the landmark based at least in part on the position indicator;

receiving one or more other position indicators relating to alignment with the landmark from one or more mobile terminals located at other sensing locations; and

determining one or more other relative positions of the one or more mobile terminals located at the other sensing locations with respect to the landmark based at least in part on the one or more other position indicators.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, further comprising program code instructions for suggesting the landmark.

15. The computer program product of claim 13, further comprising program code instructions for:

signaling the position indicator; and

signaling the relative position of the sensing location.

16. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the position indicator comprises one or more of an orientation when aligned with the landmark, an attitude when aligned with the landmark, and an altitude at the sensing location.

17. The computer program product of claim 13, further comprising program code instructions for determining an absolute position of the sensing location.

20. The computer program product of claim 13, further comprising computer-executable program code portions when executed by a processor, cause an apparatus to create a map including the landmark, the sensing location, and the one or more other sensing locations.