Triangulation method and apparatus for targeting and accessing spatially associated information
First Claim
1. A method for using a portable computing device to retrieve information relationally associated with a distant location within a physical environment, the method comprising:
- collecting a first set of geospatial sensor data when said portable computing device is positioned at a first local location and aimed at said distant location, said first set of geospatial sensor data including a first positional coordinate and first directional vector;
collecting a second set of geospatial sensor data when said portable computing is positioned at a second local location and aimed at said distant location, said second set of geospatial sensor data including a second positional coordinate and second directional vector;
computing locative coordinates representing said distant location, said locative coordinates computed based at least in part upon both said first set of geospatial sensor data and said second set of geospatial sensor data;
accessing information from a remote server using a representation of said locative coordinates having been computed, said information from said remote server being relationally associated with said distant location; and
displaying a representation of said information having been accessed upon a display component of said portable computing device.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus is disclosed for enabling a user to target and access information that is associated with physical locations that are spatially distant from said user. More specifically, a method and apparatus is disclosed herein for enabling enhanced accuracy of spatial targeting and information access through a multi-step triangulation process. The methods and apparatus disclosed herein relate to portable information-targeting and information-accessing systems, such as a portable computing device interfaced with a positioning system such as the civilian Navstar Global Positioning System (GPS) in combination with a distributed network.
174 Citations
40 Claims
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1. A method for using a portable computing device to retrieve information relationally associated with a distant location within a physical environment, the method comprising:
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collecting a first set of geospatial sensor data when said portable computing device is positioned at a first local location and aimed at said distant location, said first set of geospatial sensor data including a first positional coordinate and first directional vector;
collecting a second set of geospatial sensor data when said portable computing is positioned at a second local location and aimed at said distant location, said second set of geospatial sensor data including a second positional coordinate and second directional vector;
computing locative coordinates representing said distant location, said locative coordinates computed based at least in part upon both said first set of geospatial sensor data and said second set of geospatial sensor data;
accessing information from a remote server using a representation of said locative coordinates having been computed, said information from said remote server being relationally associated with said distant location; and
displaying a representation of said information having been accessed upon a display component of said portable computing device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A multi-step triangulation method for using a portable computing device to retrieve information that is relationally associated with a distant location within a physical environment, the method comprising:
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collecting a first set of geospatial sensor data when said portable computing is positioned at a first local location and is aimed at said distant location, said first set of geospatial sensor data including a first positional coordinate representing a current location of said portable computing device and a first directional vector representing a current orientation of said portable computing device, said first set of geospatial sensor data being collected in response to user input to said portable computing device;
collecting a second set of geospatial sensor data when said portable computing is positioned at a second local location and is aimed at said distant location, said second set of geospatial sensor data including a second positional coordinate representing a current location of said portable computing device and a second directional vector representing a current orientation of said portable computing device, said second set of geospatial sensor data being collected in response to user input to said portable computing device;
computing locative coordinates representing said distant location, said locative coordinates computed based at least in part upon a geometric calculation using both said first set of geospatial sensor data and said second set of geospatial sensor data, said locative coordinates defining at least one of a point, an area, or a volume at said distant location;
accessing information from a remote server using a representation of said locative coordinates having been computed, said information being relationally associated with said distant location;
displaying a representation of said information having been accessed upon a display component of said portable computing device. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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Specification