SYSTEM AND METHOD OF SENDING AN ARRIVAL TIME ESTIMATE

• US 20110231091A1
• Filed: 08/09/2010
• Published: 09/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Fink, Daniel Edward, Gourlay, Alastair
• Granted Patent: US 9,037,405 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/204
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096811 where the route is computed offboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096844 where the complete route is dynamically recomputed based on new data
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096883 where input information is obtained using a mobile device, e.g. a mobile phone, a PDA

Abstract

Aspects provide for a navigation function implemented on a device that has a communication capability (e.g., a mobile phone) in which the navigation function automatically sends an Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) to a contact associated with a destination selected for navigation purposes. For example, when a user activates a navigation function on his mobile phone, and selects a destination for which a route will be generated from his current location to the destination, a contact phone number associated with that destination will be sent a Short Message System (SMS) message with the calculated ETA. Provisions can be made for automatic updates as the route is traveled. Other information pertaining to the reasons for the ETA can be selected or automatically generated by the navigation function.

Claims

1. A method implemented on a device, comprising:

providing an interface comprising a selectable option to send a message comprising an estimate of an arrival time at a destination;

receiving input indicative of selection of the option; and

responsive to receiving the input indicative of the selection, sending a message with the arrival time estimate for transmission on a network to a recipient identified based on stored data associating the recipient with the destination.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the interface as a single selectable button, which causes provision of the input, and the sending of the arrival time estimate.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing an option on the interface to select an additional recipient of the arrival time estimate.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting an option to send the arrival time estimate to a different recipient than the recipient identified based on the data associating the recipient with the destination.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the recipient is associated with the destination through stored data contained in a contact stored in a contact manager.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the recipient is associated with the destination by association of one or more of an e-mail address and a phone number of the recipient with the stored data or the destination.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the arrival time estimate is calculated based on information relating to traffic conditions on a route between a location of the device to the destination.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising producing an updated arrival time estimate and producing an update message comprised the updated arrival time estimate for transmission on the network to the recipient identified based on the stored data associating the recipient with the destination.

9. A computer readable medium storing computer executable instructions for performing a method, comprising:

providing an interface comprising a selectable option to send a message comprising an estimate of an arrival time at a destination;

receiving input indicative of selection of the option; and

responsive to receiving the input indicative of the selection, determining the arrival time estimate to be sent and providing a message with the arrival time estimate for transmission on a network to a recipient identified based on stored data associating the recipient with the destination.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises accessing one or more metrics of traffic congestion on a route from an origin to the destination, and using those metrics in calculating the arrival time estimate.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises automatically sending an updated estimate of the arrival time, upon determining that the arrival time estimate has changed by more than a threshold.

12. A mobile device, comprising:

a processor module;

an interface to a wireless network; and

a computer readable medium storing computer readable data identifying one or more destinations and contact information associated with each of the one or more destinations, and computer executable instructions for programming the processor module to perform a method comprising;

identifying a destination,

producing an estimate of an arrival time at the destination, and

send a message with the estimate of the arrival time, addressed based on the contact information associated with the identified destination, over the interface to the wireless network.

13. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the computer readable medium further stores instructions for programming the processor to receive traffic information and for using the received traffic information in producing the estimate of the arrival time.

14. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the computer readable medium further stores instructions for programming the processor to provide an interface that allows the destination to be selected from a list of destinations.

15. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the computer readable medium further stores instructions for programming the processor to provide an interface as a selectable button, which causes the sending of the message.

16. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the computer readable medium further stores instructions for programming the processor to provide an option on an interface to select an additional recipient of the arrival time estimate.

17. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the computer readable medium further stores one or more of an e-mail address and a phone number as the contact information.

18. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the computer readable medium further stores instructions for programming the processor to calculate the arrival time based on information relating to traffic conditions on a route between a location of the device to the destination.

19. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the computer readable medium further stores instructions for programming the processor to produce an updated arrival time estimate and an update message comprising the updated arrival time estimate for transmission over the interface.