Position privacy in an electronic device

• US 7,551,128 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2007
• Issued: 06/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NorthStar Systems LLC (Alpha Alpha Intellectual Partners LLC)
• Original Assignee: Virginia Innovative Technologies LLC
• Inventors: Harris, Scott C.
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, DAO LINDA
• Application Number:
  US11/778,068
• Publication Number:
  US 20080074315A1
• Time in Patent Office: 708 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357.01, 342/357.06, 342/357.12, 342/357, 342/13, 342/357.14, 701/208, 701/209, 701/211, 701/213
• US Class Current: 342/357.51
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3644 Landmark guidance, e.g. using POIs or conspicuous other objects
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/367 Details, e.g. road map scale, orientation, zooming, illumination, level of detail, scrolling of road map or positioning of current position marker
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/01 Satellite radio beacon positioning systems transmitting time-stamped messages, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System], GLONASS [Global Orbiting Navigation Satellite System] or GALILEO
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/13 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0036 of measured values, i.e. measurement on mobile and position calculation on base station
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0054 of actual mobile position, i.e. position calculation on base station
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 2203/16 for telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/65 using deceptive jamming or spoofing, e.g. transmission of false signals for premature triggering of RCIED, for forced connection or disconnection to/from a network or for generation of dummy target signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/68 using passive jamming, e.g. by shielding or reflection shielding of apparatus or components against electric or magnetic field H05K9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/90 related to allowing or preventing navigation or positioning, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• 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 8/16 selectively restricting mobility data tracking

Abstract

A privacy enhancement device for electronic device such as a cellular telephone. The privacy enhancement device may include a jammer which may produces false information, e.g. false information indicative of pseudo ranges. In addition, the navigation information used on the position detecting device may be locally stored versions of dynamically changing information. The navigation operation may be carried out using a Web service.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

operating a navigation system that determines a current location and provides navigation information that guides from the current location to a desired location; and

displaying a graphical user interface, formed of a local area map, said local area map including at least one landmark thereon;

detecting selection of a desired location for navigation by selecting an area on said map and providing navigation information to said desired location; and

automatically changing an amount of zoom on the map responsive to said selecting said area on the map.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein said displaying comprises centering the local area map at said current location determined by the navigation system.

3. A method as in claim 1, wherein at least one of said landmarks is something other than street information.

4. A method as in claim 1, wherein said at least one landmark includes a shopping establishment.

5. A method as in claim 1, wherein said selection on the map is sent to a remote Web server, which returns information based on said selection.

6. A method as in claim 5, wherein said information sent to said Web Server is in XML format.

7. A method as in claim 1, wherein said displaying comprises selecting an area on the map and causing a new area on the map to be displayed which is centered at an area related to said selecting.

8. A method as in claim 1, further comprising associating and displaying a screen tip with an area on the map, when a selection is placed near said area on the map.

9. A method as in claim 1, further comprising allowing selection of a pulldown menu near an area, which pulldown menu shows certain options in the area.

10. A method as in claim 9, wherein said options include street names in the area.

11. A method as in claim 1, wherein said operating, displaying and detecting are carried out on a cellular phone.

15. A method as in claim 1, wherein said zooming comprises providing more area on the map responsive to said actuation.

16. A method as in claim 1, wherein said zooming comprises showing more detail on the map responsive to said actuation.

17. A method as in claim 16, further comprising displaying a screen tip, responsive to placing the cursor over an area of the map, said screen tip having information about a street over which the cursor has been placed.

18. A method as in claim 5, wherein said selection returns information that is centered around an area of the selection and is at a different zoom level than a map on which said selection was carried out.

12. A navigation system, comprising:

a communicating device, having a user interface;

a position detecting part, determining a current position, and sending information indicative of said current position using said communicating device;

a display screen, showing a map obtained from said communicating device responsive to said sending of information,

said user interface enabling selecting an area on the map; and

a navigation part, which provides instructions to a user indicative of navigation to a desired location;

wherein said navigation part includes a first part which determines a location on the map that was selected by the user, sends information indicative of said location using said communicating device and receives navigation information over said communicating device, wherein a zoom level of a map obtained indicative of said navigation to said desired location is different than a zoom level of a map used for selecting said area.

13. A system as in claim 12, wherein said device is a cellular telephone.

14. A device as in claim 12, wherein said position detecting part detects position using GPS and also at least one item of information other than GPS.

19. An apparatus as in claim 12, further comprising detecting the user placing a user interface over an area of a street, and displaying a screen tip relative to said street.