Location based information providing system

• US 10,469,984 B1
• Filed: 04/19/2018
• Issued: 11/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alfred X. Xin
• Original Assignee: Alfred X. Xin
• Inventors: Xin, Alfred X
• Primary Examiner(s): Torres, Marcos L
• Application Number:
  US15/957,862
• Time in Patent Office: 565 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/026 using orientation information, e.g. compass

Abstract

A location based information providing system operates utilizing a communicably coupled mobile device and a mobile software application communicating with its remote server installed on the mobile device and providing a user interface for operation. The mobile device includes a GPS module, a compass, an aiming device and a digital map communicating with remote server of the digital map. A user points the mobile device at a building and the software extrapolates a straight line intermediate the mobile device and the building. The location of the mobile device is determined utilizing the GPS module and a check along the extrapolated straight line by cross referencing with the digital map is executed until a potential identity of the building is determined. The user is sent an image and data of the identity of the building. A widened search range angle is executed if the mobile device is close to the building.

Claims

1. A geolocation based information providing system configured to determine and provide information about a selected location comprising:

providing a mobile device, wherein the mobile device is operably coupled to the Internet, said mobile device further having a digital map, a GPS module, a digital compass and a digital aiming device;

providing a mobile software application, said mobile software application providing a user interface and user-end operation of the present invention;

providing a database server, said database server operably coupled to the internet and communicably coupled to the mobile software application;

installing the mobile software application, wherein the mobile software application is installed onto the mobile device;

activating the mobile software application on the mobile device;

pointing the mobile device in a direction;

determining the geolocation of the mobile device wherein the geolocation of the mobile device is determined utilizing the GPS module;

extrapolating a straight line in a direction in which the mobile device is pointed, wherein the straight line includes a first endpoint and a second endpoint;

said first endpoint being the geolocation of the mobile device, said second endpoint being determined by extrapolation of the straight line wherein the straight line is axially aligned with the direction of the mobile device; and

cross referencing data of said digital map;

determining a geolocation of the second endpoint, said geolocation of said second endpoint being determined once extrapolation of the straight line reaches a first facility cross referencing data of the digital map;

matching a geolocation on the extrapolated straight line with the second endpoint;

providing an image of the first facility located at said second endpoint on the digital map to user via the mobile device;

requesting confirmation of the image of the first facility from user;

providing confirmation of the image of the first facility located at said second endpoint; and

sending information about the first facility located at said second endpoint to the mobile software application installed on the mobile device wherein the information contains details about the first facility and information related to the facility;

wherein the extrapolated straight line is incrementally extended with intervals for a search and data of the digital map within each interval of incremental straight line is searched, said search is completed when first and closest building is detected.

2. The geolocation based information providing system as recited in claim 1, wherein the mobile software application is configured to communicate with said digital map via an application programming interface wherein said mobile software application is configured to receiv e real time updates regarding location information from said digital map.

3. The geolocation based information providing system as recited in claim 1, and further including the step of creating and updating information about a location, wherein owners of physical locations create and upload information about their physical locations and information pertaining thereto to the database server of the system via a website or software configured with the system.

4. The geolocation based information providing system as recited in claim 1, and further including updating physical location information, wherein information about physical locations is collected from a plurality of data resources and updated on said database server.

5. The geolocation based information providing system as recited in claim 4, and further including verifying the most recently updated information about the physical location, wherein prior to sending information about a physical location thereon is verified that the data is current.

6. The geolocation based information providing system as recited in claim 1, providing a directional arrow in accordance with the digital aiming device, said directional arrow being displayed on the mobile device and operable to indicate a direction in which the mobile device is pointed.

7. The geolocation based information providing system as recited in claim 1, wherein the mobile software application is configured to apply an adjustable distance between intervals for a search according to distances of surrounding locations from the position of the mobile device as to speedily and accurately pinpoint first location that said mobile device is pointed at.

8. The geolocation based information providing system as recited in claim 1, and further including providing multimedia information about the first location, wherein the multimedia is in a plurality of data formats.

9. The geolocation based information providing system as recited in claim 1, and further including providing a view finder, said view finder being displayed on said mobile device, said view finder configured to be utilized to visually target a location.

10. The geolocation based information providing system as recited in claim 1, wherein said mobile software application is configured to display location data received from the digital map via application programming interfaces over a user interface of said mobile software application and further optionally forward key data of said location to remote database server of the system and retrieve data of said location in a plurality of data formats from said database server and display said data over an interface of said mobile software application.

11. A geolocation based information providing system configured to provide information about a facility that is proximate a user comprising the steps of:

providing a mobile device, wherein the mobile device is a smart phone operably coupled to the Internet, said mobile device having a GPS module, a digital map, a digital aiming device and a digital compass;

providing a mobile software application, said mobile software application installed on said mobile device and providing a user interface and user-end operation of the present invention;

providing a database server, said database server operably coupled to the Internet and communicably coupled to said mobile software application, said database server having real time digital map data stored thereon;

establishing an account, wherein owners and tenants of buildings upload information about their buildings and information pertaining thereto, wherein the information is stored with the digital map data on the database server;

installing the mobile software application, wherein the mobile software application is installed onto the mobile device;

activating the software application on the mobile device;

pointing the mobile device in a direction;

displaying an arrow, said arrow being displayed on the mobile device, said arrow operable to identify a direction in which the mobile device is pointed;

determining the geolocation of the mobile device, wherein the geolocation of the mobile device is provided by the GPS module;

extrapolating a straight line in the direction in which the mobile device is pointed, wherein the straight line includes a first endpoint and a second endpoint, said second endpoint being determined by extrapolation of the straight line axially aligned with a direction of the digital aiming device, wherein the extrapolation thereof occurs at intervals along the straight line and wherein the straight line further includes a search range on opposing sides of the extrapolated straight line;

cross referencing data of the digital map;

identifying a building wherein the building location is located at the second endpoint;

determining if the building has at least one sublocation;

providing image of the building to user via mobile device;

requesting confirmation of the building from user;

providing confirmation of the building, wherein the user submits confirmation of the building;

sending information about the building to the user via the mobile device wherein the information contains details about the building and its sub-locations;

wherein the extrapolated straight line is incrementally extended with intervals for a search and data of the digital map within each interval of incremental straight line is searched, said search is completed when first and closest building is detected.

12. The geolocation based information providing system as recited in claim 11, wherein the user of the mobile device is located at proximate a building or a location at which the mobile device is being aimed.

13. The geolocation based information providing system as recited in claim 12, wherein only a location that is closest location to the extrapolated straight line and is within predefined searching range is selected.

14. The geolocation based information providing system as recited in claim 13, and further including establishing a search channel, wherein said search channel is an area adjacent to said extrapolated straight line.

15. The geolocation based information providing system as recited in claim 14, wherein the search channel includes an adjustable width along said extrapolated straight line on each side thereof, and said mobile software application is configured to activate the search channel with appropriate width for a search as to reliably allocate a closest location within said search channel.

16. The geolocation based information providing system as recited in claim 14, wherein the search channel includes fixed width or variable width from initial search point and wherein variable width search channels gradually narrow at each search interval along said extrapolated straight line on each side thereof when a user is aimed at a building to obtain related information.

17. The geolocation based information providing system as recited in claim 14, wherein the incrementally extrapolated straight line is calculated in a plurality of lengths with an interval.

18. The geolocation based information providing system as recited in claim 11, and further including providing information about sub-locations of a building or location.

19. The geolocation based information providing system as recited in claim 18, and further including real time data of the digital map, wherein the real time data of the digital map is shared with said mobile software application via an application programming interface.

20. The geolocation based information providing system as recited in claim 11, wherein the mobile software application is configured to setup search range and conditions, and select location data within a geographical area;

allocate a closest location in search direction and within predefined search range.