Orientation

• US 9,157,981 B2
• Filed: 05/27/2009
• Issued: 10/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Ranki, Ville Valtteri, Kainulainen, Antti Paavo Tapani, Belloni, Fabio
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Dao
• Application Number:
  US13/322,918
• Publication Number:
  US 20120188128A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,330 Days
• Field of Search: 342/386, 342/417, 342/422, 342/443, 701/409, 701/454, 701/532
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/047 Displays or indicators G01S1/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/046 Displays or indicators
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/102 using electrical means

Abstract

An apparatus, a method and a computer program are provided. The apparatus comprises: determination circuitry configured to determine a first bearing from a first location to a radio transmitter at a second location, using at least one radio signal received from the radio transmitter; and orientation circuitry configured to control orientation of an electronic map, to align the first bearing with a second bearing of the electronic map, from the first location to the radio transmitter.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

determination circuitry configured to determine a first bearing from a first location to a radio transmitter at a second location, using at least one radio signal received from the radio transmitter; and

orientation circuitry configured to control orientation of an electronic map, to align the first bearing with a second bearing of the electronic map, from the first location to the radio transmitter.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the determination circuitry is configured to determine that the apparatus is at the first location on the electronic map, and configured, after analyzing the relative positioning of the apparatus and the radio transmitter on the electronic map, to control orientation of the electronic map to align the first bearing with the second bearing.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the determination circuitry is configured to determine the second bearing from the at least one radio signal received from the radio transmitter.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the orientation circuitry is configured to orientate the electronic map in the absence of movement of the apparatus.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the determination circuitry is configured, in response to the apparatus being moved from the first location to a third location, to determine a third bearing from the third location to the radio transmitter at the second location, and the orientation circuitry is configured, in response to determination of the third bearing, to control re-orientation of the electronic map to align the third bearing with a fourth bearing of the electronic map, from the third location to the radio transmitter.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising at least one of the following:

i) wherein receiver circuitry is configured to receive the at least one radio signal from the radio transmitter,

ii) wherein the determination circuitry is configured to select a radio transmitter suitable for use in orientating the electronic map.

7. An apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising at least one of the following:

i) wherein the determination circuitry is configured to select a radio transmitter from multiple radio transmitters,

ii) wherein the determination circuitry is configured to determine whether a radio transmitter is suitable for use in orientating the electronic map by analyzing at least one radio signal received from that radio transmitter,

iii) wherein the determination circuitry is configured to determine whether a radio transmitter is suitable for use in orientating the electronic map by determining whether there is a line of sight between the first location and that radio transmitter,

iv) wherein the determination circuitry is configured to determine whether a radio transmitter is suitable for use in orientating the electronic map by determining a distance between the first location and that radio transmitter,

v) wherein the determination circuitry is configured to determine whether a radio transmitter is suitable for use in orientating the electronic map by determining an angle of elevation between the first location and that radio transmitter.

8. A method, comprising:

determining a first bearing from a first location to a radio transmitter at a second location, using at least one radio signal received from the radio transmitter; and

controlling orientation of an electronic map, to align the first bearing with a second bearing of the electronic map, from the first location to the radio transmitter.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8, further comprising:

determining that an apparatus is at the first location on the electronic map; and

controlling, after analyzing the relative positioning of the apparatus and the radio transmitter on the electronic map, the orientation of the electronic map to align the first bearing with the second bearing.

10. A method as claimed in claim 8, further comprising:

determining the second bearing from the at least one radio signal received from the radio transmitter.

11. A method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising:

determining a third bearing from a third location to the radio transmitter at the second location; and

controlling re-orientation of the electronic map, to align the third bearing with a fourth bearing of the electronic map, from the third location to the radio transmitter.

12. A method as claimed in claim 8, further comprising:

selecting a radio transmitter suitable for use in orientating the electronic map.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising at least one of the following:

i) wherein the radio transmitter is selected from multiple radio transmitters,

ii), further comprising;

determining whether a radio transmitter is suitable for use in orientating the electronic map by analyzing at least one radio signal received from that radio transmitter,

iii) wherein the suitability of a radio transmitter for use in orientating the electronic map is determined by determining whether there is a line of sight between the first location and that radio transmitter,

iv) wherein the suitability of a radio transmitter for use in orientating the electronic map is determined by determining a distance between the first location and that radio transmitter,

v) wherein the suitability of a radio transmitter for use in orientating the electronic map is determined by determining an angle of elevation between the first location and that radio transmitter.

14. A computer program that, when executed by a processor, enables the method as claimed in claim 8 to be performed.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium having a computer program stored thereon, the computer program comprising computer program instructions that, when executed by a processor, enable:

determining a first bearing from a first location to a radio transmitter at a second location, using at least one radio signal received from the radio transmitter; and

controlling orientation of an electronic map, to align the first bearing with a second bearing of the electronic map, from the first location to the radio transmitter.

16. A non-transitory computer program readable medium as claimed in claim 15, wherein the computer program instructions further enable:

determining that an apparatus is at the first location on the electronic map; and

controlling, after analyzing the relative positioning of the apparatus and the radio transmitter on the electronic map, the orientation of the electronic map, to align the first bearing with the second bearing.

17. An apparatus, comprising:

determining means for determining a first bearing from a first location to a radio transmitter at a second location, using at least one radio signal received from the radio transmitter; and

control means for controlling orientation of an electronic map, to align the first bearing with a second bearing of the electronic map, from the first location to the radio transmitter.