Method and apparatus for intelligent acquisition of position information

• US 6,975,941 B1
• Filed: 03/26/2003
• Issued: 12/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: IpVenture, Inc.
• Original Assignee: IpVenture, Inc.
• Inventors: Lau, Chung, Thomas, C. Douglass
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): To, Tuan C
• Application Number:
  US10/397,473
• Time in Patent Office: 993 Days
• Field of Search: 701/213, 701/216, 455/456, 455/574, 455/517, 455/404.2, 455/521, 455/456.1, 455/435, 455/436, 340/407, 340/540, 340/539, 340/573.1, 340/502, 340/988, 340/438, 340/928, 340/870.16, 340/539.13, 340/568.1, 342/126, 342/357, 342/457
• US Class Current: 701/213
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3415 Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/34 Power consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/42 Determining position
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0032 Control circuits allowing low power mode operation, e.g. in standby mode
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/10 Technologies improving the efficiency by using switched-mode power supplies [SMPS], i.e. efficient power electronics conversion e.g. power factor correction or reduction of losses in power supplies or efficient standby modes

Abstract

Improved methods and systems for position acquisition and/or monitoring are disclosed. The position acquisition and/or monitoring can be performed with improved intelligence so that data acquisition, transmission and/or processing is reduced. As a result, the position acquisition and/or monitoring is able to be performed in a power efficient manner.

Claims

1. A portable position acquisition apparatus, comprising:

a position detection unit that detects position information pertaining to said position acquisition apparatus;

a memory that stores the position information;

a motion monitoring unit that monitors motion of said position acquisition apparatus; and

a controller operatively connected to said position detection unit, said memory and said motion monitoring unit, said controller determines how frequent the position information is reacquired by said position detection unit based on at least the motion identified by said motion monitoring unit as compared to a first threshold amount, the first threshold amount being adjustable while or after said position acquisition apparatus is placed in use by an interested party.

2. A portable position acquisition apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said position detection unit has at least a low-power state and a normal power state, and wherein said position detection unit remains in the low-power state while position information is not being acquired.

3. A portable position acquisition apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said position acquisition apparatus further comprises a battery for providing power to said position acquisition apparatus.

4. A portable position acquisition apparatus as recited in claim 3, wherein said position detection unit has at least a low-power state and a normal power state, and wherein said position detection unit remains in the low power state while position information is not being acquired, whereby power of the battery is conserved when said position detection unit is in the low-power state.

5. A portable position acquisition apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said position acquisition apparatus further comprises:

a communication interface that enables said position acquisition apparatus to transmit data to a remote device via a wireless channel.

6. A portable position acquisition apparatus as recited in claim 5, wherein the data being transmitted includes at least the position information.

7. A portable position acquisition apparatus as recited in claim 5, wherein said communication interface transmits the position information to the remote device only when the position information differs from prior position information by at least a second threshold amount.

8. A portable position acquisition apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein the second threshold amount is user configurable or dynamic based on a condition of said position acquisition apparatus.

9. A portable position acquisition apparatus as recited in claim 5,

wherein said communication interface has at least a normal power state and a low-power state, and

wherein, when the position information differs from prior position information by at least a second threshold amount, said communication interface transitions to the normal power state and then transmits the position information to the remote device.

10. A portable position acquisition apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein after said communication interface transmits the position information to the remote device, said communication interface transitions to the low-power state.

11. A portable position acquisition apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein said position detection unit is disabled or placed in a sleep mode when in the low-power state.

12. A portable position acquisition apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said position acquisition apparatus further comprises:

a battery for providing power to said position acquisition apparatus, and

wherein said controller determines how frequent the position information is reacquired by said position detection unit based on at least both the motion identified by said motion monitoring unit and a battery level characteristic of said battery.

13. A portable position acquisition apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the first threshold amount is dependent on at least one setting or condition associated with said position acquisition apparatus other than motion.

14. A portable position acquisition apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein said motion monitoring unit comprises a micro-machined motion indicator.

15. A portable position acquisition apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein said motion monitoring unit comprises a mechanical device.

16. A portable position acquisition apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said portable position acquisition apparatus is powered by a battery, and

wherein said portable position acquisition apparatus further comprises a solar panel that provides electrical change to said portable position acquisition apparatus.

17. A portable position acquisition apparatus as recited in claim 16, wherein said solar panel provides electrical charge to said battery.

18. A portable position acquisition apparatus as recited in claim 1,

wherein said position acquisition apparatus further comprises:

a communication interface that enables said position acquisition apparatus to transmit data to a remote device via a wireless channel,

wherein the position information is processed by said controller to produce processed position information, and

wherein the processed position information is transmitted to the remote device 10 said communication interface.

19. A portable position acquisition apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the motion identified by said motion monitoring unit includes at least one of an acceleration indication, a velocity indication and a vibration indication.

20. A portable position acquisition apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said position detection unit comprises a GPS receiver.

21. A portable position acquisition apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said position detection unit is one or more of wearable, pager sized or smaller, and pocket sized.

22. A portable position acquisition apparatus, comprising:

a position detection unit that detects position information pertaining to a position of said position acquisition apparatus;

a memory that stores the position information;

a communication interface that enables said position acquisition apparatus to transmit the position information to a remote device; and

a controller operatively connected to said position detection unit, said memory and said communication interface, said controller determines whether the position information acquired by said position detection unit is to be transmitted to the remote device via said communication interface based on whether the position differs from a prior position by at least a threshold amount that is more than just the fact that the apparatus is moving,

wherein said communication interface has at least a normal power state and a low-power state, and

wherein, when the position differs from the prior position by at least the threshold amount, said communication interface transitions to the normal power state and then transmits the position information to the remote device.

23. A portable position acquisition apparatus as recited in claim 22, wherein the prior position information is previously transmitted position information.

24. A portable position acquisition apparatus as recited in claim 22, wherein the threshold amount is user configurable or dynamic based on a condition of said position acquisition apparatus.

25. A portable position acquisition apparatus as recited in claim 22, wherein after said communication interface transmits the position information to the remote device, said communication interface transitions to the low-power state.

26. A portable position acquisition apparatus as recited in claim 22, wherein said position detection unit is disabled or placed in a sleep mode when in the low-power state.

27. A portable position acquisition apparatus, comprising:

a battery for providing power to said position acquisition apparatus;

a solar panel operatively connected to said battery to provide electrical change to said battery;

a position detection unit that detects position information pertaining to said position acquisition apparatus;

a memory that stores the position information;

a communication interface that enables said position acquisition apparatus to transmit the position information to a remote device; and

a controller operatively connected said position detection unit, said memory and said communication interface, said controller controls acquisition of the position information via said position detection unit in accordance with a first threshold as well as transmission of the position information to the remote device via said communication interface in accordance with a second threshold.

28. A portable position acquisition apparatus as recited in claim 27, wherein at least one of the first and second thresholds is configurable or dynamic.

29. A portable position acquisition apparatus as recited in claim 27, wherein at least one of the first and second thresholds is configurable or dynamic based on one or a combination of position, server configuration, time, resolution, battery level, service level, interested party configuration, and network availability.