Apparatus and method for enhancing the utilization of distance measuring devices

• US 20080114538A1
• Filed: 11/09/2006
• Published: 05/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Lindroos, Sanna
• Granted Patent: US 7,822,547 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/208
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 22/00 Measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles, persons, animals or other moving solid bodies, e.g. using odometers, using pedometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0072 Transmission between mobile stations, e.g. anti-collision systems

Abstract

Systems, apparatuses and methods for enhancing the utilization of distance measuring devices using electronic communication devices. A route(s) presentable via a map or map segment may be presented via a mobile device. A distance walked, jogged, or otherwise traveled by a user of the mobile device can be determined using a distance measuring device, such as a step counter. The resulting distance traveled is associated with the presented route to indicate an approximate location of the user on the presented route. The route may be any imaginary or virtual route, whereby the user'"'"'s actual distance traveled on his/her actual route is depicted on the map/map segment as traveling on the virtual route. Communication tools allow data to be obtained, messages to be communicated, and other services to be performed at certain times and/or in connection with reached locations along the route.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

presenting at least one route via a mobile device;

determining a distance traveled by the mobile device; and

associating the distance traveled with the presented route to indicate an approximate location of the device on the presented route.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the presented route corresponds to a virtual route different from the actual route physically traveled.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising facilitating user modification from a current virtual route to a new virtual route, and applying the distance traveled to the new virtual route.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising invoking a communication application to enable user communication appearing to a recipient to originate from a location along the route.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising facilitating user selection of at least a portion of the virtual route in which the travel will be simulated.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising facilitating user modification of the route to be traveled to the destination.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a distance traveled comprises approximating the distance traveled using a step counter.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a distance traveled comprises approximating the distance traveled by comparing a current location with a starting location.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein approximating the distance traveled by comparing a current physical location with a starting physical location comprises comparing global positioning system (GPS) coordinates of the current and starting locations.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein associating the distance traveled with the presented route comprises superimposing a progressive visual course on the presented route substantially corresponding to the distance traveled along the presented route.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein presenting at least one route via a mobile device comprises presenting a map segment including one or more available routes, and wherein associating the distance traveled with the presented route comprises depicting a traveled distance on a selected one of the available routes.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising facilitating user selection of one of the available routes to identify the selected one of the available routes.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting information when the device reaches a marked point along the route.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising facilitating user designation of one or more marked points.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising invoking a data connectivity application when the device reaches the marked point along the route, and presenting the information obtained via the data connectivity application.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising invoking a postcard application to initiate dispatch of a postcard corresponding to a vicinity along the route.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the distance traveled comprises adjusting the distance traveled in view of altitude contours of an actual path traveled.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising invoking a communication application to initiate communication to another device corresponding a marked point on the route.

19. An apparatus comprising:

a distance measuring device outputting a distance indicator indicative of a distance traveled;

a processing module coupled to receive the distance indicator, to determine an approximate location relative to a route based on the distance indicator; and

a presentation module to present the route and at least the approximate location relative to the route.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the presentation module presents the route as a virtual route different from the actual route physically traveled.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the distance measuring device comprises a pedometer to provide the distance indicator as a distance traveled relative to a starting location.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the distance measuring device comprises a step counter to provide the distance indicator as a step count by a user relative to a starting location, and wherein the processing module is configured to calculate the distance traveled by the user based on the step count and a step length of the user.

23. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the distance measuring device comprises a location identification module to provide the distance indicator as coordinates of a user'"'"'s current physical location, and wherein the processing module is configured to calculate the distance traveled by determining the difference between the coordinates of the user'"'"'s current physical location and coordinates of a reference location.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the location identification module comprises a global positioning system (GPS) module.

25. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising a communication module configured to enable user communication appearing to a recipient to originate from a location along the virtual route.

26. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising a data communication module configured to enable at least the receipt of data at the apparatus in response to the apparatus reaching a location on the route.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, further comprising a user interface to allow a user to mark one or more locations on the route in which to receive the data.

28. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising a postcard module operable with the processing module to initiate dispatch of a postcard corresponding to a vicinity along the route.

29. A method comprising:

receiving route selection data and travel distance data from a first device;

determining a distance traveled by the first device based on the received travel distance data; and

providing a map segment to the first device, the map segment including at least one route identified using the route selection data; and

including an identification on the at least one route a current location of the first device based on the distance traveled.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising receiving updates of the travel distance data, determining an updated distance traveled by the first device, and providing an updated map segment to the first device, wherein the map segment identifies on the at least one route the current location of the first device based on the updated distance traveled.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein providing a map segment comprises providing map segment including the at least one identified route and a depiction of the distance traveled in view of a known scale of the map segment.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein determining a distance traveled comprises using the user travel distance data directly as the distance traveled.

33. The method of claim 29, further comprising receiving a step length value from the first device, wherein the travel distance data comprises a step count, and wherein determining a distance traveled comprises calculating a mathematical product of the step length and the step count.

34. The method of claim 29, wherein the travel distance data comprises coordinates of a location of the first device, and wherein determining a distance traveled comprises comparing the coordinates of the location of the first device with coordinates of a starting location.

35. The method of claim 29, wherein:

receiving route selection data and travel distance data comprises receiving route selection data and travel distance data from the first device and one or more second devices;

determining a distance traveled comprises determining the distance traveled by each of the first and second devices; and

providing a map segment comprises providing the map segments to the first and second devices, the map segments including the routes identified using the respective route selection data and respective current locations of the first and second devices based on the respective distances traveled.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising determining if any of the devices among the first and second devices are traveling on a common actual or virtual route, and transmitting at least one message between the devices determined to be on a common actual or virtual route.

37. The method of claim 35, further comprising determining if any of the devices among the first and second devices reach a marked location on an actual or virtual route, and transmitting at least one message to one or more of the other devices in response thereto.

38. The method of claim 35, further comprising facilitating communication between any of the first and second devices.

39. The method of claim 35, further comprising initiating group communication between any two or more of the first and second devices when the two or more of the first and second devices are within a predetermined location on the route from one another.

40. An apparatus comprising:

a receiver to receive route selection data and travel distance data from one or more communication devices;

a processing module configured to identify actual or virtual travel routes for each of the one or more communication devices in response to the received route selection data, and configured to calculate actual distances traveled by each respective one or more of the communication devices in response to the received travel distance data; and

a transmitter to selectively provide map segments to each of the one or more communication devices, each of the map segments including the identified actual or virtual routes for the respective communication device, and an identification of the respective location on the respective actual or virtual route using the calculated actual distances traveled.

41. A computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon which are executable by a computing system to perform steps comprising:

presenting at least one route via a display of a device;

determining a distance traveled by the device; and

associating the distance traveled with the presented route to indicate an approximate location of the device on the presented route.

42. A computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon which are executable by a computing system to perform steps comprising:

receiving route selection data and travel distance data from a first device;

determining a distance traveled by the first device based on the received travel distance data; and

providing a map segment to the first device, the map segment including at least one route identified using the route selection data; and

including an identification on the at least one route a current location of the first device based on the distance traveled.

43. A system comprising:

a mobile device including;

a distance measuring device outputting a distance indicator indicative of a distance traveled;

a transmitter to transmit the distance indicator and route selection data;

a network entity including;

a receiver to receive the route selection data and the distance indicator;

a processing module configured to identify at least one route for the mobile device in response to the received route selection data, and configured to calculate an actual distance traveled by the mobile device in response to the received distance indicator; and

a transmitter to transmit at least one map segment to the mobile device, the at least one map segment including the identified route, and an

identification of the location on the route using the calculated actual distances traveled.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein the mobile device further includes a display to present the route and the identified location on the route.