Wireless communications system providing notification-based mobile device navigation features and related methods

• US 9,164,175 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2009
• Issued: 10/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Tysowski, Piotr K.
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, MAHENDRA R
• Application Number:
  US12/394,120
• Publication Number:
  US 20100222078A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,426 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.3, 455/435.1, 455/466, 455/413, 455/406, 455/435.2, 455/456.2, 455/425, 455/560, 340/436, 340/438, 340/8.1, 342/457, 709/202, 709/203, 370/428, 370/429, 701/207, 701/213
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3682 output of POI information on a road map G01C21/3614, G01C21/3685 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications

Abstract

A wireless communications system may include a notification server and at least one mobile wireless communications device. The at least one mobile wireless communications device may include an output device, a position determining device, and a processor. The processor may be configured to obtain at least one notification from the notification server, determine a current location based upon the position determining device, and output the at least one notification via the output device. The processor may also be configured to selectively output navigation information for a route from the current location to a destination location via the output device based upon the at least one notification being output.

Claims

1. A wireless communications system comprising:

a notification server; and

at least one mobile wireless communications device comprising;

an output device,

a position determining device, and

memory storing program instructions, that when executed by a processor, cause the mobile wireless communications device to;

determine a current location by the position determining device;

obtain at least one notification comprising data representative of at least one advertisement from the notification server based upon at least one location of the mobile wireless communications device;

output the at least one advertisement via the output device; and

selectively output navigation information via the output device for a route from the current location to a destination location associated with the advertisement responsive to user input.

2. The wireless communications system of claim 1 wherein the output device comprises a display.

3. The wireless communications system of claim 2 wherein the processor further displays a point-of-interest (POI) icon corresponding to the at least one advertisement on the display with the navigation information.

4. The wireless communications system of claim 3 wherein the at least one mobile wireless communications device comprises an input device;

wherein the POI icon is selectable based upon the input device; and

wherein the processor updates the navigation information to include a location associated with the POI icon based upon selection thereof.

5. The wireless communications system of claim 1 wherein the at least one mobile wireless communications device comprises an input device;

and wherein the processor selectively outputs the navigation information based upon an acknowledgement via the input device of the at least one advertisement.

6. The wireless communications system of claim 5 wherein the processor outputs the at least one advertisement at a recurring time interval for acknowledgement.

7. The wireless communications system of claim 1 wherein the output device comprises an audio output device.

8. The wireless communications system of claim 7 wherein the navigation information comprises audio navigation information, and the at least one advertisement comprises at least one audio notification;

and wherein the processor selectively outputs the audio navigation information via the audio output device based upon the at least one audio notification being output at a volume level above a threshold level.

9. The wireless communications system of claim 1 wherein the at least one notification comprises a plurality of different advertisements;

and wherein at least one of the notification server and the processor selects the advertisements based upon the current location.

10. The wireless communications system of claim 1 wherein the at least one notification comprises a plurality of different advertisements;

and wherein at least one of the notification server and the processor selects the notifications based upon a user preference profile associated with the at least one mobile wireless communications device.

11. The wireless communications system of claim 1 wherein the navigation information includes road intersection information;

and wherein the processor does not output the at least one advertisement while the at least one mobile wireless communications device is moving and within a given distance of an intersection.

12. The wireless communications system of claim 1 wherein the processor outputs the at least one notification on the display while the at least one mobile wireless communications device is moving at a speed below a speed threshold.

13. A mobile wireless communications device comprising:

an output device;

a position determining device; and

memory storing program instructions that when executed by a processor cause the mobile wireless communications device to;

determine a current location by the position determining device;

obtain at least one notification comprising data representative of at least one advertisement from a notification server based upon at least one location of the mobile wireless communications device;

output the at least one advertisement via the output device; and

selectively output navigation information via the output device for a route from the current location to a destination location associated with the at least one advertisement responsive to user input.

14. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 13 wherein the output device comprises a display.

15. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 13 further comprising an input device;

and wherein the processor selectively outputs the navigation information based upon an acknowledgement of the at least one advertisement.

16. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 13 wherein the output device comprises an audio output device.

17. A method, comprising:

determining a current location of at least one mobile wireless communications device by a position determining device;

receiving at least one notification comprising data representative of at least one advertisement from a notification server by the at least one mobile wireless communications device based upon at least one location of the mobile wireless communications device;

outputting the at least one advertisement via an output device; and

selectively outputting navigation information via the output device for a route from the current location to a destination location associated with the at least one advertisement responsive to user input.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the output device comprises a display.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the at least one mobile wireless communications device further comprises an input device;

and wherein selectively outputting the navigation information is based upon user acknowledgement via the input device of the at least one advertisement.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein the output device comprises an audio output device;

and wherein the navigation information comprises audio navigation information and the at least one notification comprises at least one audio notification.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for causing a wireless communications device including an output device, an input device, and a position determining device, to perform steps comprising:

determining a current location by the position determining device;

receiving at least one notification comprising data representative of at least one advertisement from a notification server based upon at least one location of the mobile wireless communications device;

outputting the at least one advertisement via the output device; and

selectively outputting navigation information via the output device for a route from the current location to a destination location associated with the at least one advertisement responsive to user input.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 21 wherein the output device comprises a display.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 21 wherein selectively outputting the navigation information is based upon user acknowledgement of the at least one advertisement.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 21 wherein the output device comprises an audio output device;

and wherein the navigation information comprises audio navigation information and the at least one advertisement output via the output device comprises at least one audio advertisement.