System and method for providing a directional interface

• US 9,494,427 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 11/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brian D. Owens, Tyrell Gray
• Original Assignee: Brian D. Owens, Tyrell Gray
• Inventors: Gray, Tyrell, Owens, Brian D.
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): REPSHER III, JOHN T
• Application Number:
  US13/832,939
• Publication Number:
  US 20130290909A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,341 Days
• Field of Search: 715/854, 701/431, 701/538, 701/428, 701/487
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3492 employing speed data or traffic data, e.g. real-time or historical traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/362 received from an external device or application, e.g. PDA, mobile phone or calendar application
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3629 Guidance using speech or audio output, e.g. text-to-speech text to speech systems per se G10L13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3652 Guidance using non-audiovisual output, e.g. tactile, haptic or electric stimuli

Abstract

A system and method for providing directional feedback. A user selection of a directional indicator is received from a first directional interface. The directional indicator is converted to an encoded signal. The encoded signal is communicated from a first directional interface to one or more directional interfaces. The encoded signal is converted to the directional indicator by the one or more directional interfaces. The direction indicator is communicated to one or more users by the one or more directional interfaces.

Claims

1. A method for providing directional feedback comprising:

establishing a wireless connection between a first directional interface and one or more directional interfaces;

receiving a user selection associated with a direction indicator through the first directional interface by receiving the user selection from a plurality of direction indicators that are preset by a user from a plurality of available direction indicators and visually represent directional feedback associated with the first directional interface wherein the first directional interface and the one or more directional interfaces include the plurality of direction indicators that are user selectable, each of the plurality of directional indicators is associated with a preset visual representation of a direction provided;

communicating the direction indicator to the one or more directional interfaces as an encoded signal;

converting the encoded signal to the direction indicator utilizing the one or more directional interfaces;

displaying the direction indicator to a display indicator associated with one of the one or more directional interfaces to thereby provide the directional feedback based on the user selection of the directional indicator made through the first directional interface and communicated to the one or more directional interfaces; and

playing a sound or tactile alert at the one or more directional interfaces in response to a user selection of one of the plurality of direction indicators, wherein the plurality of available direction indicators includes directional indicators for travel in two dimensions and three dimensions.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of direction indicators forms a soft button that lights up on a touchscreen display associated with the first directional interface and displays associated with the one or more directional interfaces in response to the associated user selection.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of direction indicators includes at least left, right, forward, and stop.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of directional indicators include a plurality of sub-indicators for varying degrees of left, right, forward, and stop.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the wireless connection is a direct wireless connection.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the direct wireless connection is one of a plurality of frequencies, wherein each of the plurality of frequencies is associated with each of a plurality of directional indicators utilized by the first directional interface and the one or more directional interfaces.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the wireless connection is through one or more networks.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the directional indicator is packetized within the encoded signal.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

powering on the first directional interface and the one or more directional interfaces;

selecting a frequency spectrum for communicating a plurality of encoded signals corresponding to each of the plurality of directional indicators.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

decoding the encoded signal utilizing the one or more directional interfaces to determine the directional indicator.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein the establishing a wireless connection between the first directional interface and the one or more directional interfaces comprises sending an invitation to a first device associated with the first directional interface from a second device associated with one of the one or more directional interfaces and receiving an acceptance of the invitation from the first device at the second device and establishing the wireless connection between the first directional interface and the one or more directional interfaces in response to the acceptance, and wherein the directional indicators are a set of preset visual indicators displayed proximate the map.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising:

displaying a map proximate the first directional interface and displaying on the map location information associated with at least one of the first device and the second device; and

receiving through the touchscreen display a user drawn free form path on the map and breaking down the free form path into path segments and communicating the path segments from the first directional interface to the one or more directional interfaces.

23. The method of claim 1 wherein the preset visual representation forming a soft button on a touchscreen display comprises textual indicators of direction.

11. An apparatus, comprising:

a non-transitory machine readable storage medium containing instructions which when executed by a processor provide a directional interface;

an electronic display to communicate a plurality of directional indicators, the plurality of directional indicators being user selectable, each of the plurality of directional indicators being a preset visual representation of directional feedback displayed on the directional interface, the plurality of direction indicators are pre-selected by a user for display on the directional interface from a plurality of available direction indicators;

logic in communication with the electronic display to convert the selection of each of the plurality of directional indicators to an encoded signal; and

a transceiver to send a plurality of encoded signals associated with the plurality of directional indicators to one or more directional interfaces and receive additional encoded signals from the one or more directional interfaces, the additional encoded signals associated with directional indicators from the one or more directional interfaces;

wherein the electronic display further displays the directional indicators received from the one or more directional interfaces;

wherein the apparatus plays a sound or provide a tactile alert at the one or more directional interfaces in response to a user selection of one of the plurality of direction indicators, wherein the plurality of available direction indicators includes directional indicators for travel in two dimensions and three dimensions.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the plurality of directional indicators light up in response to a user selection on the directional interface as well as the plurality of directional interfaces.

13. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the plurality of directional indicators are configured for providing speed and direction information.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the plurality of directional interfaces are for motion in two dimensions and three dimensions.

15. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the directional interface is integrated in an electronic interface comprising glass.

16. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the logic displays mapped locations of the directional interface and the one or more directional interfaces communicating with the directional interface.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the logic utilizes a mapping application to display the mapped locations.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the display is configured to receive a user created directional indicator as one of the plurality of directional indicators.

19. A wireless device enabled with a directional interface, comprising:

a processor configured to execute a set of instructions; and

a memory configured to store the set of instructions, wherein the set of instructions are executed to;

establish a wireless connection between the wireless device and one or more wireless devices in response to a user request;

display a position and heading of a secondary user on a map of a mapping interface;

display the directional interface for receiving directional indicators, wherein the directional interface includes the directional indicators that are user selectable, wherein the directional indicators are preset by a user from a plurality of available directional indicators and visually represent directional feedback associated with the first directional interface;

receive a user selection of one of the directional indicators through the directional interface and alter the appearance of the selected one of the directional indicators to indicate which of the directional indicators is selected;

transmit the directional indicators to the one or more wireless devices associated with the secondary user, wherein the one of the directional indicators provides direction for the secondary user;

play a sound or tactile alert at the one or more wireless devices associated with the secondary user in response to the user selection of the one of the directional indicators, wherein the plurality of available direction indicators includes directional indicators for travel in two dimensions and three dimensions.

20. The wireless device according to claim 19, wherein the heading compensates for delays in receiving the heading of the user utilizing the wireless connection, wherein the wireless connection is a real-time connection between the wireless device and the one or more wireless devices, and wherein the heading includes a direction of travel, and a speed.