Method, apparatus and system for mapping a course of a mobile device

• US 9,182,240 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2012
• Issued: 11/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Poornachandran, Rajesh, Sengupta, Uttam, Andiappan, Rajasekaran
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Tuan C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kan, Yuri
• Application Number:
  US13/627,950
• Publication Number:
  US 20140088860A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,140 Days
• Field of Search: 701/410, 701/454, 701/532, 702/141, 473/407, 342/458, 726/5, 340/901, 705/14.58, 704/231, 250/206.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/16 by integrating acceleration or speed, i.e. inertial navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation

Abstract

Techniques and mechanisms for providing information to represent a course traversed by a mobile device. In an embodiment, navigation logic of the mobile device determines context data other than any geodetic data that specifies a position of the mobile device. With such context data, the navigation logic determines a sequence of estimates each for a respective position of the device on a course traversed by the mobile device. In another embodiment, determining the sequence of estimates includes determining a first estimate of a first position of the mobile device independent of any geodetic data that specifies the first position. Course information representing such a determined sequence includes timestamp information for the first estimate.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

context processor logic comprising circuitry configured to determine context data indicating a traversal of a course by a mobile device, the context data other than any data that specifies a position in a geodetic coordinate system, wherein the context data includes;

reference context data provided to the apparatus via a collaborative network, wherein the reference context data describes a characteristic of an environment distinct from the mobile device, the environment including a position of the course; and

other context data based on a detection of the characteristic of the environment during the traversal with a sensor of the mobile device;

estimation logic comprising circuitry configured to determine, in response to the traversal, a sequence of multiple estimates each for a respective position of the mobile device on the course, wherein the estimation logic to determine the sequence includes the estimation logic to perform a comparison of the reference context data to the other context data and, based on the comparison, to determine a first estimate of a first position of the mobile device; and

course mapper logic to provide course information to represent the determined sequence in a display of the mobile device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the estimation logic to determine the sequence of multiple estimates is in response to an unavailability of a satellite navigation resource.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the context data is based at least in part on a signal from an inertial sensor of the mobile device.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the reference context data is provided to the apparatus via the collaborative network by another mobile device.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the characteristic of the environment includes one of a lighting condition, a sound and an atmospheric pressure.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the estimation logic to determine the first estimate of the first position includes the estimation logic to estimate elevation motion of the mobile device.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the course mapper logic to provide the course information includes the course mapper logic to provide timestamp information for one of the multiple estimates, the timestamp information for inclusion in the representation of the determined sequence.

8. A system comprising:

a navigation unit including;

context processor logic comprising circuitry configured to determine context data indicating a traversal of a course by a mobile device, the context data other than any data that specifies a position in a geodetic coordinate system, wherein the context data includes;

reference context data provided to the navigation unit via a collaborative network, wherein the reference context data describes a characteristic of an environment distinct from the mobile device, the environment including a position of the course; and

other context data based on a detection of the characteristic of the environment during the traversal with a sensor of the mobile device;

estimation logic comprising circuitry configured to determine, in response to the traversal, a sequence of multiple estimates each for a respective position of the mobile device on the course, wherein the estimation logic to determine the sequence includes the estimation logic to perform a comparison of the reference context data to the other context data and, based on the comparison, to determine a first estimate of a first position of the mobile device; and

course mapper logic to provide course information; and

a display to provide a map including a representation of the determined sequence.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the estimation logic to determine the sequence of multiple estimates is in response to an unavailability of a satellite navigation resource.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the context data is based at least in part on a signal from an inertial sensor of the mobile device.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the reference context data is provided via the collaborative network by another mobile device.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the characteristic of the environment includes one of a lighting condition, a sound and an atmospheric pressure.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the estimation logic to determine the first estimate of the first position includes the estimation logic to estimate elevation motion of the mobile device.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the course mapper logic to provide the course information includes the course mapper logic to provide timestamp information for one of the multiple estimates, the timestamp information for inclusion in the representation of the determined sequence.

15. A method comprising:

with a processor and a memory, determining context data indicating a traversal of a course by a device, the context data other than any data that specifies a position in a geodetic coordinate system, wherein the context data includes;

reference context data provided to the device via a collaborative network, wherein the reference context data describes a characteristic of an environment distinct from the device, the environment including a position of the course; and

other context data based on a detection of the characteristic of the environment during the traversal with a sensor of the device;

in response to the traversal, determining with the processor and the memory a sequence of multiple estimates each for a respective position of the device on the course, the determining the sequence including comparing the reference context data to the other context data and, based on the comparing, determining a first estimate of a first position of the device; and

providing course information to represent the determined sequence in a display of the device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the determining the sequence of multiple estimates is in response to detecting an unavailability of a satellite navigation resource.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the context data is based at least in part on a signal from an inertial sensor of the device.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the reference context data is provided via the collaborative network by a mobile device other than the device.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the characteristic of the environment includes one of a lighting condition, a sound and an atmospheric pressure.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein determining the first estimate of the first position includes estimating elevation motion of the device.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein providing the course information includes providing timestamp information for one of the multiple estimates, the timestamp information for inclusion in the representation of the determined sequence.

22. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by one or more processing units, cause the one or more processing units to perform a method comprising:

determining context data indicating a traversal of a course by a device, the context data other than any data that specifies a position in a geodetic coordinate system, wherein the context data includes;

reference context data provided to the device via a collaborative network, wherein the reference context data describes a characteristic of an environment distinct from the device, the environment including a position of the course; and

other context data based on a detection of the characteristic of the environment during the traversal with a sensor of the device;

in response to the traversal, determining a sequence of multiple estimates each for a respective position of the device on the course, the determining the sequence including comparing the reference context data to the other context data and, based on the comparing, determining a first estimate of a first position of the device; and

providing course information to represent the determined sequence in a display of the device.

23. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the determining the sequence of multiple estimates is in response to detecting an unavailability of a satellite navigation resource.

24. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the context data is based at least in part on a signal from an inertial sensor of the device.

25. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the reference context data is provided via the collaborative network by a mobile device other than the device.

26. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein determining the first estimate of the first position includes estimating elevation motion of the device.