Method of exchanging data between a local device and a central server

• US 20030065443A1
• Filed: 10/29/2002
• Published: 04/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Inventors: Edwards, Jim, Saint-Hilaire, Ylian
• Granted Patent: US 6,831,598 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/213
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/42 Determining position
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile

Abstract

A peer-to-peer global positioning system includes at least one location aware device to store position data. The at least one location aware device includes a first data transmitter and a first data receiver. An electronic device has a second data transmitter and a second data receiver. The second data transmitter transmits a position data request to the first data receiver. A memory storage device to store position data transmitted from the first data transmitter and received by the second data receiver.

Claims

1. A position coordinate acquisition apparatus in an electronic device, comprising:

a transmitter to transmit a position request signal;

a receiver to receive a position response signal, wherein the position response signal contains position coordinates;

a processing device to determine the position coordinates of the electronic device, wherein if more than one position response signal is received within a predetermined length of time, the processing device determines the position coordinates based upon predetermined criteria; and

a storage device to store the position coordinates of the electronic device.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the position request signal and the position response signal is transmitted via wireless communication.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the position request signal and the position response signal are transmitted via at least one of the following:

(A) Bluetooth, (B) IEEE 802.11a standard, IEEE std. 802.11a- 1999, (C) IEEE 802.11b standard, IEEE std. 802.11b, September 1999, (D) Radio Frequency Identification (“

RFID”

), and (E) Infrared (“

IR”

).

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the position coordinates include Global Positioning System (“

GPS”

) coordinates.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined criteria includes at least one of the following:

(A) received position response signal strength;

(B) time when position response signal was received; and

(C) average of the more than one received position response signal.

6. A method of an electronic device acquiring position data, comprising:

transmitting a position request signal;

receiving a position response signal;

determining position coordinates of the electronic device, wherein if more than one position response signal is received within a predetermined length of time, a processing device determines the position coordinates based upon predetermined criteria; and

storing the position coordinates in a storage device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein at least one of the position request signal and the position response signal is transmitted via wireless communication.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the position request signal and the position response signal are transmitted via at least one of the following:

(A) Bluetooth, (B) IEEE 802.11a standard, IEEE std. 802.11a-1999, (C) IEEE 802.11b standard, IEEE std. 802.11b, September 1999, (D) Radio Frequency Identification (“

RFID”

), and (E) Infrared (“

IR”

).

9. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the position coordinates include Global Positioning System (“

GPS”

) coordinates.

10. The method according to claim 6, wherein the predetermined criteria includes at least one of the following:

(A) received position response signal strength;

(B) time when position response signal was received; and

(C) average of the more than one received position response signal.

11. The method according to claim 6, further including transmitting a success signal after the position data has been received.

12. A position coordinate acquisition device, comprising:

a computer-readable medium; and

a computer-readable program code, stored on the computer-readable medium, having instructions to

transmit a position request signal;

receive a position response signal;

determine position coordinates of the electronic device, wherein if more than one position response signal is received within a predetermined length of time, a processing device determines the position coordinates based upon predetermined criteria; and

store the position coordinates in a storage device.

13. The device according to claim 12, the computer-readable program code further including instructions to transmit a success signal after the position data has been received.

14. The device according to claim 12, wherein at least one of the position request signal and the position response signal is transmitted via wireless communication.

15. The device according to claim 14, wherein the position request signal and the position response signal are transmitted via at least one of the following:

(A) Bluetooth, (B) IEEE 802.11a standard, IEEE std. 802.11a-1999, (C) IEEE 802.11b standard, IEEE std. 802.11b, September 1999, (D) Radio Frequency Identification (“

RFID”

), and (E) Infrared (“

IR”

).

16. The device according to claim 12, wherein the position data includes Global Positioning System (“

GPS”

) coordinates.

17. The device according to claim 12, wherein the predetermined criteria includes at least one of the following:

(A) received position response signal strength;

(B) time when position response signal was received; and

(C) average of the more than one received position response signal.

18. A position coordinate sharing system, comprising:

an electronic device having a first data transmitter and a first data receiver, wherein the first data transmitter transmits a position request signal, and the first data receiver receives a position response signal;

at least two location aware devices to determine and store position coordinates, wherein each of the at least two location aware devices has a second data transmitter and a second data receiver, and the second data receiver receives the position request signal, and the second data transmitter transmits the position response signal;

a processing device to determine the position coordinates of the electronic device, wherein if more than one position response signal is received within a predetermined length of time, the processing device determines the position coordinates based upon predetermined criteria; and

a storage device to store the position coordinates of the electronic device.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein at least one of the position request signal and the position response signal is transmitted via wireless communication.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein the position request signal and the position response signal are transmitted via at least one of the following:

(A) Bluetooth, (B) IEEE 802.11a standard, IEEE std. 802.11a-1999, (C) IEEE 802.11b standard, IEEE std. 802.11b, September 1999, (D) Radio Frequency Identification (“

RFID”

), and (E) Infrared (“

IR”

).

21. The system according to claim 18, wherein the position coordinates include Global Positioning System (“

GPS”

) coordinates.

22. The system according to claim 18, wherein the predetermined criteria includes at least one of the following:

(A) received position response signal strength;

(B) time when position response signal was received; and

(C) average of the more than one received position response signal.

23. A method of a local electronic device exchanging data with a central server, comprising:

transmitting position coordinates for the local electronic device to the central server; and

receiving a buddy list from the central server, wherein the buddy list includes position data for other devices, and the position data is stored in the central server, and at least one web services application program is executable through the buddy list.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the at least one web services application program includes a first mapping program to display a map illustrating the location of the local electronic device and the location of at least one second electronic device.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the first mapping program displays directions from the location of the local electronic device to the location of the at least one second electronic device.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the at least one web services application program includes a second mapping program to display a map illustrating the location of the local electronic device and the location of at least one commercial device.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the second mapping program displays directions from the location of the local electronic device to the location of the at least one commercial device.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein the at least one web services application program includes a third mapping program to display a map illustrating the locations where at least one digital photograph was taken.

29. The method according to claim 28, wherein the locations are determined from position information stored in a meta file of the at least one digital photograph.

30. A position data exchanging device, comprising:

a computer-readable medium; and

a computer-readable program code, stored on the computer-readable medium, having instructions to

transmit position coordinates for the local electronic device to the central server; and

receive a buddy list from the central server, wherein the buddy list includes position data for other devices, and the position data is stored in the central server, and at least one web services application program is executable through the buddy list.

31. The device of claim 30, wherein the at least one web services application program includes a first mapping program to display a map illustrating the location of the local electronic device and the location of at least one second electronic device.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the first mapping program displays directions from the location of the local electronic device to the location of the at least one second electronic device.

33. The method of claim 30, wherein the at least one web services application program includes a second mapping program to display a map illustrating the location of the local electronic device and the location of at least one commercial device.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the second mapping program displays directions from the location of the local electronic device to the location of the at least one commercial device.

35. The method of claim 30, wherein the at least one web services application program includes a third mapping program to display a map illustrating the locations where at least one digital photograph was taken.

36. The method according to claim 35, wherein the locations are determined from position information stored in a meta file of the at least one digital photograph.