Location alarm

• US 6,392,548 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2000
• Issued: 05/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: US Philips Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: US Philips Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Farringdon, Jonathan, Poll, Leonard H., Valdes, Armando S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tweel, John A.
• Application Number:
  US09/747,111
• Publication Number:
  US 20010005171A1
• Time in Patent Office: 516 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.1, 340/944, 340/995, 340/996, 340/825.36, 340/825.49, 701/211, 701/213
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel

Abstract

A portable location alarm device is provided which allows a user to pre-set an alarm event to occur when the device arrives at a pre-determined location. The alarm event alerts the user by audible, visual or vibrating means. The alarm device determines its actual location using GPS data. In one embodiment the user bookmarks particular locations while physically present at a given location. Part of the bookmarking process involves the device simultaneously receiving GPS data that describes the physical location. The user can subsequently set an alarm event for any bookmarked location without the need for the device to carry large databases, for example of the type cross-referencing place names to mapping co-ordinates.

Claims

1. A location alarm apparatus comprising:

alarm setting means allowing a user to specify a plurality of alarm locations by a common identity;

storage means for storing data defining the specified alarm locations and for storing other data specifying a task;

location establishing means for determining the current location of the apparatus; and

output signal generating means for generating an output signal when the condition is met that the current location is substantially the same as a specified alarm location and the common identity of the specified alarm location is associated with the specified task.

2. A location alarm apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the location establishing means includes means for obtaining and processing Global Positioning System information.

3. A location alarm apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein the location establishing means further comprises receiving means for receiving data transmitted by satellites according to the Global Positioning System.

4. A location alarm apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the alarm setting means allows the user to specify an alarm location which corresponds to the current location as determined by the location establishing means.

5. A location alarm apparatus in accordance with claim 1 and further comprising specified alarm location recording means for maintaining a record of previously specified alarm locations.

6. A location alarm apparatus in accordance with claim 5, wherein the alarm setting means allows the user to specify an alarm location selected from the record of previously specified alarm locations.

7. A location alarm apparatus in accordance with claim 1 and further comprising means for associating supplementary information with a specified alarm location.

8. A location alarm apparatus in accordance with claim 7 wherein the alarm setting means allows the user to specify an alarm location selected from the record of previously specified alarm locations, and further wherein the alarm setting means allows the user to specify one or more alarm locations in terms of the associated supplementary information.

9. A location alarm apparatus in accordance with claim 7 wherein, on the condition being met that the current location is substantially the same as a specified alarm location, the output signal generating means generates an output signal of a type dependent on the supplementary information associated with the said specified alarm location.

10. A location alarm apparatus in accordance with claim 7, wherein, on the condition being met that the current location is substantially the same as a specified alarm location, at least part of the supplementary information associated with the said specified alarm location is reproduced.

11. A location alarm apparatus in accordance with claim 1 and further comprising database means which relates items of data with one or more locations.

12. A location alarm apparatus in accordance with claim 11 wherein the alarm setting means allows the user to specify an alarm location in terms of an item of data.

13. A location alarm apparatus in accordance with claim 12 wherein the data includes navigational co-ordinates.

14. A location alarm apparatus in accordance with claim 12 wherein the data includes a place name.

15. A location alarm apparatus in accordance with claim 12 wherein the data includes mapping symbols denoting the presence of physical objects.

16. A mobile communications terminal including the location alarm apparatus of claim 1.

17. A personal digital assistant having the location alarm apparatus of claim 1.

18. An interactive electronic device having the location alarm apparatus of claim 1.

19. Wearable electronic computer apparatus having the location alarm apparatus of claim 1.

20. A method of generating a location dependent alarm output signal in a device comprising the steps of:

specifying a plurality of alarm locations by one or more common identities for which an output signal should be generated;

specifying a task associated with at least one common identity;

establishing the current location of the device; and

generating the output signal when the current location is substantially the same as a specified location and the common identity of the specified location is associated with the specified task.