Method and apparatus for location identification and presentation

• US 9,219,988 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2014
• Issued: 12/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IpVenture, Inc.
• Original Assignee: IpVenture, Inc.
• Inventors: Lau, Chung, Tong, Peter P., Thomas, C. Douglass
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, QUYNH H
• Application Number:
  US14/519,503
• Publication Number:
  US 20150038168A1
• Time in Patent Office: 427 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.3, 455/404.2, 455/414.2, 455/440, 340/539.13, 340/825, 340/988, 342/357.01, 342/357.06, 342/357.07, 342/357.13, 342/457, 701/213, 701/214, 701/215
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/005 with correlation of navigation data from several sources, e.g. map or contour matching G01C21/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

Method and apparatus to analyze and present location information in an easy-to-digest manner are disclosed. In one embodiment, each piece of location information can include a piece of location-designating information and a piece of location-related information. Location-designating information is primarily for identifying location. Location-related information is information related to location-designating information. The location-designating information and the location-related information can be supplied by a mobile device. With the help of location-related information, each piece of location-designating information can be more accurately transformed into a label to help identify a location. The amount of location information can be reduced. All of the location-designating information pertaining to a given area can be consolidated into one piece of location-designating information related to the label. Consolidation of some of the information may not occur if a piece of location-related information changes by more than a preset value. To better present location information in an easy-to-digest manner, location information can be compared to standards. Presentation can be on a display with respect to a reference location.

Claims

1. A mobile electronic device comprising:

a satellite signal receiver in the mobile electronic device to receive signals related to location from a plurality of satellites;

a wireless-signal sensor in the mobile electronic device to sense wireless signals in the vicinity of the mobile electronic device;

a display;

a storage device in the mobile electronic device, the storage device to store at least instructions; and

a processor in the mobile electronic device, the processor being coupled to the satellite signal receiver, the wireless-signal sensor, the display and the storage device, the processor to execute at least a portion of the instructions,

wherein the at least a portion of the instructions include;

instructions to present a geographic area with a plurality of points of interest on the display;

instructions to present a symbol at a position on the geographic area,

wherein the position on the geographic area is based on a location of the mobile electronic device,

wherein the location of the mobile electronic device is based on at least data from a first measurement and data from a second measurement,

wherein the first measurement is from the satellite signal receiver receiving the signals related to location from the plurality of satellites, and

wherein the second measurement is from the sensor sensing the wireless signals.

2. A mobile electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the instructions in the storage device further include instructions to present the symbol at another position on the geographic area to track movement of the mobile electronic device.

3. A mobile electronic device as recited in claim 2, wherein whether at least a particular point of interest is one of the plurality of points of interest on the display depends on movement of the mobile electronic device.

4. A mobile electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the second measurement from the sensor sensing at least wireless signals with a frequency in the Ghz range.

5. A mobile electronic device as recited in claim 4, wherein the wireless signals include WiFi signals.

6. A mobile electronic device as recited in claim 4, wherein the instructions in the storage device further include instructions to present certain data resulting from an electronic search for data in a database based on words provided by a user to the mobile electronic device.

7. A mobile electronic device comprising as recited in claim 4, wherein the instructions in the storage device further include instructions to present another symbol on the geographic area, and the another symbol is selectable by a user to cause a website to be presented on the display.

8. A mobile electronic device as recited in claim 4, wherein the instructions in the storage device further include instructions to present certain data resulting from an electronic search for a point of interest based on words provided by a user to the mobile electronic device.

9. A mobile electronic device as recited in claim 1 further comprising wireless transmitting electronics, wherein the instructions in the storage device further include instructions to receive a message from a user of the mobile electronic device, and to have the wireless transmitting electronics wirelessly transmit data regarding the message with data regarding the location to be received by another device.

10. A mobile electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the instructions in the storage device further include instructions to present another geographic area on the display, and instructions to change the presenting of at least one of the plurality of points of interest in view of the another geographic area being presented.

11. A mobile electronic device as recited in claim 1 wherein the instructions in the storage device further include instructions to help a user set a particular point of interest to be one of the plurality of points of interest being presented.

12. A mobile electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the instructions in the storage device further include instructions to present another symbol on the geographic area, and the another symbol is selectable by a user to cause a website to be presented on the display.

13. A mobile electronic device as recited in claim 12, wherein the another symbol is selectable by clicking the another symbol.

14. A mobile electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the instructions in the storage device further include instructions to present certain data resulting from an electronic search for data in a database based on words provided by a user to the mobile electronic device.

15. A mobile electronic device as recited in claim 14, wherein the mobile electronic device to access the database wirelessly.

16. A mobile electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the instructions in the storage device further include instructions to present certain data resulting from an electronic search for a point of interest based on words provided by a user to the mobile electronic device.

17. An article comprising:

a non-transitory storage medium having stored thereon instructions executable by a handheld electronic device, wherein the instructions are executable to;

present a geographic area with a plurality of points of interest on a display of the handheld electronic device; and

present a symbol at a position on the geographic area,

wherein the position on the geographic area is based on a location of the handheld electronic device,

wherein the location of the handheld electronic device is based on at least data from a first measurement and data from a second measurement,

wherein the first measurement is from a satellite signal receiver receiving signals related to location from a plurality of satellites, and the satellite signal receiver is in the handheld electronic device, and

wherein the second measurement is from a wireless-signal sensor sensing wireless signals in the vicinity of the handheld electronic device, and the sensor is in the handheld electronic device.

18. An article as recited in claim 17, wherein the instructions are further executable to present the symbol at another position on the geographic area to track movement of the handheld electronic device.

19. An article as recited in claim 17, wherein the second measurement from the sensor sensing at least wireless signals with a frequency in the Ghz range.

20. An article as recited in claim 19, wherein the wireless signals includes WiFi signals.

21. An article as recited in claim 17, wherein the instructions are further executable to receive a message from a user of the handheld electronic device, and to wirelessly transmit data regarding the message with data regarding the location to be received by another device.

22. An article as recited in claim 17, wherein the instructions are further executable to present another symbol on the geographic area, and the another symbol is selectable by a user to cause a website to be presented on the display.

23. An article as recited in claim 17, wherein the instructions are further executable to present certain data resulting from an electronic search for data in a database based on words provided by a user to the handheld electronic device.

24. An article as recited in claim 23, wherein the instructions are further executable to have the handheld electronic device access the database wirelessly.

25. An article as recited in claim 17, wherein the instructions are further executable to present certain data resulting from an electronic search for a point of interest based on words provided by a user to the handheld electronic device.

26. A mobile electronic device comprising:

a satellite signal receiver in the mobile electronic device, the satellite signal receiver to receive signals related to location from a plurality of satellites;

a wireless-signal sensor in the mobile electronic device, the wireless-signal sensor to sense wireless signals in the vicinity of the mobile electronic device;

a display

a storage device in the mobile electronic device, the storage device to store at least instructions; and

a processor in the mobile electronic device, the processor coupled to the satellite signal receiver, the wireless-signal sensor, the display and the storage device, the processor to execute at least a portion of the instructions,

wherein the portion of the instructions include at least;

instructions to present a geographic area with a plurality of points of interest on the display; and

instructions to present a symbol at a position on the geographic area,

wherein the position on the geographic area is based on a location of the mobile electronic device,

wherein the location of the mobile electronic device is based on at least data from a first measurement and data from a second measurement,

wherein the first measurement is from the satellite signal receiver receiving the signals related to location from the plurality of satellites, and

wherein the second measurement is from the sensor sensing the wireless signals,

wherein the geographic area is a first geographic area,

wherein the location of the mobile electronic device is a first location and is associated with a first time, and

wherein the instructions in the storage device further include at least;

instructions to present the first time on the display;

instructions to present a second geographic area on the display, with at least one of the plurality of points of interest in the first geographic area not being presented in the second geographic area;

instructions to present another symbol at a second position on the second geographic area, together with a second time, on the display, wherein the second position is associated with a second location of the mobile electronic device, and the second location is associated with the second time.

27. An article comprising:

a non-transitory storage medium having stored thereon instructions executable by a handheld electronic device, wherein the instructions are executable to;

present a geographic area with a plurality of points of interest on a display of the handheld electronic device; and

present a symbol at a position on the geographic area,

wherein the position on the geographic area is based on a location of the handheld electronic device,

wherein the location of the handheld electronic device is based on at least data from a first measurement and data from a second measurement,

wherein the first measurement is from a satellite signal receiver receiving signals related to location from a plurality of satellites, and the satellite signal receiver is in the handheld electronic device,

wherein the second measurement is from a wireless-signal sensor sensing wireless signals in the vicinity of the handheld electronic device, and the sensor is in the handheld electronic device,

wherein the geographic area is a first geographic area,

wherein the location of the handheld electronic device is a first location and is associated with a first time, and

wherein the instructions are further executable to;

present the first time on the display;

present a second geographic area on the display, with at least one of the plurality of points of interest in the first geographic area not being presented in the second geographic area; and

present another symbol at a second position on the second geographic area, together with a second time, on the display, wherein the second position is based on a second location of the mobile electronic device, and the second location is associated with the second time.

28. A first electronic device comprising:

a display to couple to a second electronic device that includes (a) a satellite signal receiver in the second electronic device, the satellite signal receiver to receive signals related to location from a plurality of satellites, (b) a wireless-signal sensor in the second electronic device, the wireless-signal sensor to sense wireless signals in the vicinity of the second electronic device, (c) a storage device in the second electronic device, the storage device to store at least instructions, and (d) a processor in the second electronic device, the processor to execute at least a portion of the instructions, wherein the at least a portion of the instructions include;

instructions to present a geographic area with a plurality of points of interest on the display; and

instructions to present a symbol at a position on the geographic area,

wherein the position on the geographic area is based on a location of the mobile electronic device,

wherein the location of the mobile electronic device is based on at least data from a first measurement and data from a second measurement,

wherein the first measurement is from the satellite signal receiver receiving the signals related to location from the plurality of satellites, and

wherein the second measurement is from the sensor sensing the wireless signals.

29. A mobile electronic device comprising:

a satellite signal receiver in the mobile electronic device to receive signals related to location from a plurality of satellites;

a wireless-signal sensor in the mobile electronic device to sense wireless signals in the vicinity of the mobile electronic device;

a storage device in the mobile electronic device, the storage device to store at least instructions; and

a processor in the mobile electronic device, the processor being coupled to the satellite signal receiver, the wireless-signal sensor, and the storage device, the processor to execute at least a portion of the instructions,

wherein the at least a portion of the instructions include;

instructions to present a geographic area with a plurality of points of interest on a display; and

instructions to present a symbol at a position on the geographic area,

wherein the position on the geographic area is based on a location of the mobile electronic device,

wherein the location of the mobile electronic device is based on at least data from a first measurement and data from a second measurement,

wherein the first measurement is from the satellite signal receiver receiving the signals related to location from the plurality of satellites,

wherein the second measurement is from the sensor sensing the wireless signals, and

wherein the mobile electronic device does not include the display, but is coupled to the display.