Location Based Wireless Collaborative Environment With A Visual User Interface

• US 20070242131A1
• Filed: 12/29/2006
• Published: 10/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aechelon Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Aechelon Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Sanz-Pastor, Ignacio, Castellar, Javier, Morgan, David
• Granted Patent: US 8,280,405 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/14.20
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/222 using geographical location information, e.g. messages transmitted or received in proximity of a certain spot or area
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/148 Migration or transfer of sessions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/185 by embedding added-value information into content, e.g. geo-tagging
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/006 with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/24 Transfer of terminal data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/18 between terminal devices

Abstract

A wireless networked device incorporating a display, a video camera and a geo-location system receives geo-located data messages from a server system. Messages can be viewed by panning the device, revealing the message'"'"'s real world location as icons and text overlaid on top of the camera input on the display. The user can reply to the message from her location, add data to an existing message at its original location, send new messages to other users of the system or place a message at a location for other users. World Wide Web geo-located data can be explored using the system'"'"'s user interface as a browser. The server system uses the physical location of the receiving device to limit messages and data sent to each device according to range and filtering criteria, and can determine line of sight between the device and each actual message to simulate occlusion effects.

Claims

1. A method for wireless collaboration, the method comprising:

receiving a first message from a first device, the first message identifying a recipient device and including location data associated with a current position of the first device;

receiving an update request from the recipient device, the update request including location data associated with a current position of the recipient device;

determining from the location data associated with the first device and the location data associated with the recipient device whether the current position of the first device is proximate to the current position of the recipient device; and

responsive to the current position of the first device being proximate to the current position of the recipient device, transmitting the first message to the recipient device.

2. The method of claim A1 wherein the first message identifies a plurality of recipient devices.

3. A server system for providing wireless collaboration, the system comprising:

a network server module, adapted to receive a message from a first client device, the first message identifying a recipient device and including location data associated with a current position of the first device, and further adapted to receive an update request from the recipient device, the update request including location data associated with a current position of the recipient device;

a message management module adapted to determine from the location data associated with the first device and the location data associated with the recipient device whether the current position of the first device is proximate to the current position of the recipient device, and further adapted to, responsive to the current position of the first device being proximate to the current position of the recipient device, transmit the first message to the recipient device.

4. A method for wireless collaboration, the method comprising:

sending an update request from a first device to a message server, the update request including first location data associated with a current position of the first device;

displaying on a screen of the first device an image captured by a camera of the first device;

receiving from the message server a first message, the first message originated by a second device and including second location data;

determining whether a location identified by the second location data is visible on the displayed image captured by the camera of the first device; and

responsive to the identified location being visible on the displayed image, rendering at least a portion of the first message on the screen of the first device at a point overlaying the position of the identified location.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the update request includes a second message, the second message addressed to a third device.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the update request includes a second message, the second message addressed to a plurality of devices.

7. A device for wireless collaboration, the device comprising:

a geolocation device adapted to determine a current position of the device;

a video camera adapted to capture an image;

a display screen, adapted to display the image captured by the video camera;

a wireless network interface adapted to send an update request from the device to a message server, the update request including the current position of the device determined by the geolocation device, and further adapted to receive from the message server a first message, the first message originated by a second device and including second location data;

a client message management module, adapted to determine whether a location identified by the second location data is visible on the image captured by the video camera; and

a graphics rendering engine, adapted to render at least a portion of the first message on the display screen at a point overlaying the position of the identified location, responsive to a determination by the client message management module that the location identified by the second location data is visible on the image captured by the video camera.