With Map Display Patents (Class 340/990)
  • Patent number: 8285480
    Abstract: An electronic mobile device includes a display for displaying a graphical element. A tilt sensor is configured to sense first and second tilt angles of the mobile device. A processor is coupled to the display and the tilt sensor and configured to move the graphical element relative to the display in a first direction based on the first tilt angle, and to move the graphical element relative to the display in a second direction based on the second tilt angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Kevin Howard Orr, Alexander Kornilovsky, Alexei Skarine
  • Patent number: 8285305
    Abstract: Devices, methods, and systems for notifying a user of an event are described herein. One or more embodiments include a computing device for notifying a user of an event. The computing device includes a memory and a processor coupled to the memory. The processor is configured to execute executable instructions stored in the memory to determine a location of a user based on location information received from a personal device of the user, receive information regarding a predicted path or range of an event, determine, based on the location of the user and the information regarding the predicted path or range of the event, if the user is located within the predicted path or range of the event, and send a notification of the event to the user if the user is located within the predicted path or range of the event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Alan Cornett, Robert C. Becker, Jerome P. Drexler
  • Patent number: 8280544
    Abstract: There is provided a system for use in performance of injection molding operations, wherein the system can include a plurality of injection molding assembly components. In one embodiment, the system can be operative so that various information respecting components of the system can be recorded within a component database. The component database can be a computer implemented database and in one embodiment can be utilized to output information that indicates past and/or present conditions prevailing within the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Mold Masters (2007) Limited
    Inventors: Bruce Catoen, Louis Gorgenyi
  • Patent number: 8280105
    Abstract: The imaging position of each of the frames in image data of a plurality of frames captured while a vehicle is traveling is accurately determined. An image data acquiring device captures a front image by means of a video camera while a vehicle is traveling. When in imaging, the device associates the vehicle speed pulse detected by a vehicle speed sensor with the frame data and records them. An image data processing device arranges data on each frame of the image along the initial path according to the correspondence with the vehicle speed pulse. The device determines the variation between the frames of a feature point such as a road lane marking included in the image, reflects the variation on the initial path, and corrects the errors in the direction perpendicular to the moving direction so as to determine the traveling path and imaging positions of the frames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: GEO Technical Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiyonari Kishikawa, Kouhei Tou, Toru Irie
  • Patent number: 8275508
    Abstract: A vehicle management system can generate a vehicle management user interface that depicts vehicle history information in timelines or graphical timelines. These history timelines can include information regarding vehicle location, speed, and idling, among other useful information. The graphical nature of the history timelines can quickly convey vehicle tracking details and potential problems, such as idling and congregation, to an administrator. Further, history timelines for multiple vehicles can be displayed in parallel, allowing comparison between histories for different vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Telogis, Inc.
    Inventors: Nathan Adams, Jason Koch, Howard Jelinek
  • Patent number: 8269624
    Abstract: A positioning apparatus is disclosed, which comprises: a position detection module, including an inertial sensor, a magnetometer, and a global positioning device, being used for detection a movement of an object and thus generating a positioning signal accordingly; wherein the positioning signal is transmitted to a control unit and then to a signal processing device where it is being processed and converted into an angular/displacement signal to be transmitted to a monitoring device by way of a signal transmission device for enabling the monitoring device to track the movement of the object. In a preferred embodiment, both of the monitoring device and the signal transmission device are respectively being configured with a displaying unit for displaying the movement of the object. In addition, the positioning apparatus further comprises an identity module, for providing a unique identification code to the object to be used for identifying the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Yung-Yu Chen, Shyang-Jye Chang, Sheng-Chih Shen, Ren-Yuan Yu, Shih-Hao Wang
  • Patent number: 8271192
    Abstract: A method of controlling a navigation apparatus, and which includes measuring, via a sensor, an environmental characteristic including at least one of an altitude of the navigation apparatus and an atmospheric pressure of an atmosphere the navigation apparatus is operating in; extracting, via a controller, a hearing characteristic including a degree of hearing impairment for a user operating the navigation apparatus from a memory based on the measured environmental characteristic; and compensating, via the controller, audio output by the navigation apparatus using the extracted degree of hearing impairment for the user operating the navigation apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Se-Young Jung, Jung-Hyun Hwang, Jin-Seok Choi, Jong-Sun Park
  • Patent number: 8260545
    Abstract: A method is described for generating a navigation chart. The navigation chart includes a plurality of allocated areas corresponding to symbols for a plurality of chart features. The method includes identifying an unallocated area of the navigation chart proximate to a symbol for one chart feature of the plurality of chart features. A first label and a second label are determined for the one chart feature. The first label includes a plurality of feature attribute indicators, and the second label includes a subset of the plurality of feature attribute indicators. A label is selected from among the first label and the second label based on dimensions of the unallocated area. At least a portion of the unallocated area is allocated to the selected label, and the navigation chart is displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Sven D. Aspen, Kevin S. Schlatter, Robert Henry, Stephen A. Lewis, Danny M. Price, Robert Black
  • Patent number: 8261083
    Abstract: A CPU of a navigation apparatus stores public keys to which priorities are set and which are published by an information distribution center in a public key storage section. The CPU of the navigation apparatus extracts an electronic signature of distribution data which is distributed from the information distribution center and verifies the electronic signature by using only ‘valid’ public keys among the public keys in order of the priorities. The CPU of the navigation apparatus determines that the distribution data is valid information which is distributed from the information distribution center when the electronic signature passes verification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignees: Aisin AW Co., Ltd., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Norihiro Nakamura, Isao Moribe, Hiroyoshi Masuda, Toru Sakai, Yoriyuki Nagata, Hironobu Sugimoto, Tomoki Kodan
  • Patent number: 8255158
    Abstract: A data store includes at least one adjustment factor. A server that is configured to: receive a request for a travel route, the request including an origin, a destination, and an estimated time of departure; determine the travel route; calculate a normal travel time; use at least one adjustment factor to the normal travel time to calculate an adjusted travel time; and calculate an estimated time of arrival based on the estimated time of departure and the adjusted travel time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventor: David J. O'Neill
  • Patent number: 8255097
    Abstract: A system and method for managing maintenance activities such as, for example, aircraft maintenance activities, according to which, in several exemplary embodiments, aircraft maintenance requirements are monitored and/or aircraft maintenance resources are assigned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: American Airlines, Inc.
    Inventor: Kyle Edward Wander
  • Patent number: 8248274
    Abstract: A method for monitoring the flight of an aircraft using two navigation screens respectively dedicated to a pilot and to a copilot of the aircraft is provided. The method includes displaying on the screens, depending on the choice of the pilot and the copilot, at least information relating to the following of terrain by the aircraft or information relating to meteorological conditions that the aircraft encounters during the flight, triggering at least one warning representative of hazardous meteorological conditions detected by the meteorological radar and liable to be encountered by the aircraft while the navigation screens of the pilot and copilot simultaneously are displaying the terrain-following information, wherein the at least one warning is triggered when the information relating to the hazardous meteorological conditions is located in a predetermined volume relative to the aircraft, and displaying the warning on at least one of the navigation screens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignees: Airbus Operations SAS, Airbus
    Inventors: Laure Christophe, Garance Raynaud, Nicolas Caule, Andre Marques, Jean-Michel Merle
  • Patent number: 8249807
    Abstract: Provided is a critical point method used to determine the points of a real-time stream of location data, such as Global Positioning System (GPS) data, that should be retained based on their importance in reconstructing the travel path of a mobile device. The method may run on a mobile device or on a server. When run on a mobile device, the method reduces the amount of data transferred between mediums by only transferring points that are critical to reconstructing the path of travel of the mobile device. This reduction saves power used in the wireless transmission and reception of the non-critical data and the bandwidth used while transmitting non-critical data. The method may be run every time a new position is calculated. When a new position is determined to be a critical point, the point is transmitted. If the new position is not a critical point, then the point is discarded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: University of South Florida
    Inventors: Sean Barbeau, Philip L. Winters, Rafael Perez, Miguel Labrador, Nevine Georggi
  • Patent number: 8242884
    Abstract: A system for locating a vehicle may include a hand-held device and a communication device on-board the vehicle. The hand-held device may include a screen, and may be adapted to import a map and display a present location of the hand-held device on the map. The communication device on-board the vehicle may be adapted to communicate a present location of the vehicle to the hand-held device. The hand-held device may be capable of displaying the location of the vehicle and the location of the hand-held device on the map at the same time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: DENSO International America, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Holcomb, Justin McBride, Toshihiro Wakamatsu, Akira Sakashita, Minoru Sasaki
  • Patent number: 8237591
    Abstract: A system for locating a vehicle may include a hand-held device and a communication device on-board the vehicle. The hand-held device may include a screen, and may be adapted to import a map and display a present location of the hand-held device on the map. The communication device on-board the vehicle may be adapted to communicate a present location of the vehicle to the hand-held device. The hand-held device may be capable of displaying the location of the vehicle and the location of the hand-held device on the map at the same time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: DENSO International America, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Holcomb, Justin McBride, Toshihiro Wakamatsu, Akira Sakashita, Minoru Sasaki
  • Patent number: 8238943
    Abstract: A moving body terminal is basically provided with a position information acquiring section, a receiving section and a control section. The position information acquiring section is configured to acquire position information indicating a current position of the moving body terminal. The receiving section is configured to receive from an information providing apparatus simple map information which includes information transmission determining information indicating an information transmission unnecessary region of the simple map information where the position information of the moving body terminal is not required to be transmitted from the moving body terminal to the information providing apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinji Yasuhara, Masayuki Ohsugi, Tsuneyuki Watanabe, Maki Ueda, Yasuhisa Nakamura, Daisuke Nakata, Yasunori Kondo, Takuya Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 8232897
    Abstract: An apparatus and method of determining bearing and distance measurements between a mobile device and an object using Rf based measurements. The mobile device communicates with a control in the object to determine the relative bearing between the mobile device and the object with respect to magnetic north and, optionally, the distance between the mobile device and the object. An indicator on the mobile device aid in directing s the user of the mobile device toward the object as the mobile device is moved relative to the object. The mobile device can be a key fob and the object can be a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Craig A. Tieman, Lev M. Vitkin, Fiean Liem, Curtis Paul Houllion
  • Patent number: 8229667
    Abstract: A method of displaying a background sky in a navigation system, the method including: storing and maintaining map data and background sky image data with respect to one or more directions of the map data in a database; detecting a driving direction angle of a vehicle; computing a position of a background sky image corresponding to the detected driving direction angle; extracting background sky image data corresponding to the computed position of the background sky image from the database; and displaying the extracted background sky image data as a background sky with respect to the map data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Thinkware Systems Corporation
    Inventor: Hak Soo Kim
  • Patent number: 8207820
    Abstract: A location localization method and system. The method includes transmitting by an RFID tag reader, a request for locating a passive RFID tag in a facility. The RFID tag reader receives from a first group of active RFID tags, a first date/time associated with first data. The RFID tag reader transmits to the first group of active RFID tags, a request for retrieving the first data. The first data comprises distances between each active RFID tag of the first group and the passive RFID tag. The RFID tag reader receives the first data. The RFID tag reader receives a map of the facility and locations on the map for the first group of active RFID tags. The RFID tag reader determines a location within the facility for the passive RFID tag based on the first data, the map, and the locations on the map. The RFID tag reader transmits the first location to a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Frederic Bauchot, Jean-Yves Clement, Gerard Marmigere, Joaquin Picon
  • Patent number: 8209116
    Abstract: Provided is a navigation system capable of outputting situation information of a specified area according to real-time traffic information including a traffic regulation. A navigation apparatus can make a user recognize the moment when a vehicle (Q) enters a specified area (A) where a situation which affects the travel of the vehicle (Q) along a navigation route (r) is generated and the situation (inf(A)) indicating the situation by using an icon (x) indicating an entry position (pin) and having a design decided according to the situation information (inf(A)). The navigation apparatus also can advice the user to instruct the navigation apparatus to perform an appropriate countermeasure in accordance with the situation such as re-search of the navigation route (r) or detour from the navigation route (r) being outputted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Aiko Sugawara, Takeshi Imai, Tadafumi Nogawa
  • Patent number: 8208949
    Abstract: A navigation system for portable communications devices may comprise computer programs for providing a geographical context for display in the portable device. The portable device periodically interacts with at least one of a telecommunications network and a GPS network to update an information portal with current location information. The navigation system includes displaying information on the portable communications device representative of a change in location of the mobile telephone device or a change in location of another tracked device. The information representative of the change in location can be overlaid on the geographical context and both displayed in the mobile telephone device. The combined geographical context and specific location data is scaled to fit a display on a portable communications device. Other embodiments provide means for obtaining information representative of a location of some object or of another object for display in the mobile telephone device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Inventor: Marc Stuart Cox
  • Patent number: 8200424
    Abstract: A navigation device calculates the distance difference between the position of a vehicle which is map-matched onto a road link, and the position acquired by perpendicular-mapping the actual position of the vehicle at a branch point onto the above-mentioned road link from the lane width K of a road lane along which the vehicle had been traveling before making a turn at the branch point, the lane width N of a road lane along which the vehicle has been traveling after making the turn, and the lane number B of the road lane before the branch point, the lane number A of the road lane after branch point, and the turning angle ? of the vehicle at the branch point, so as to correct the vehicle position in such a way that the vehicle position is the above-mentioned perpendicular-mapped position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Tatsuya Mitsugi, Chikako Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 8188865
    Abstract: A mechanism and method for making status reporting devices for container handlers, including: providing a micro-controller module, and installing a program system into memory accessed by a computer directing the micro-controller module. The micro-controller module communicatively couples with means for wirelessly communicating and for sensing a state of the container handler. Means for wirelessly communicating may include means for wirelessly determining container handler location. The micro-controller module may be communicatively coupled to a separate means for determining location. An apparatus making the devices may include a second program system directing the invention's method through a second computer, which may control an assembly device in creating the micro-controller, coupled with the means for sensing and for wirelessly communicating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: PACECO Corp.
    Inventors: Henry S. King, Toru Takehara
  • Patent number: 8179241
    Abstract: A camera of a ground-based information dispatch apparatus captures a blind-spot image, showing a region that is a blind spot with respect to a vehicle driver. A vehicle-mounted camera captures a forward-view image corresponding to the viewpoint of the driver, and the forward-view image is transmitted to the information dispatch apparatus together with vehicle position and direction information and camera parameters. Based on the received information, the blind-spot image is converted to a corresponding image having the viewpoint of the vehicle driver, and the forward-view image and viewpoint-converted blind-spot image are combined to form a synthesized image, which is transmitted to the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignees: Denso Corporation, Carnegie Mellon University
    Inventors: Hiroshi Sakai, Yukimasa Tamatsu, Ankur Datta, Yaser Sheikh, Takeo Kanade
  • Patent number: 8175798
    Abstract: An electronic mobile device includes a display for displaying a graphical element. A tilt sensor is configured to sense first and second tilt angles of the mobile device. A processor is coupled to the display and the tilt sensor and configured to move the graphical element relative to the display in a first direction based on the first tilt angle, and to move the graphical element relative to the display in a second direction based on the second tilt angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Kevin Howard Orr, Alexander Kornilovsky, Alexei Skarine
  • Publication number: 20120105255
    Abstract: A method and system are provided in which maintenance vehicles collect information from sensors and operators, forward the collected information to a server, and, in response, receive maps and operator instructions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2012
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Inventors: Christopher J. Rennie, Kevin K. Groeneweg
  • Patent number: 8170586
    Abstract: A moving body terminal is basically provided with a position information acquiring section, a receiving section and a control section. The position information acquiring section is configured to acquire position information indicating a current position of the moving body terminal. The receiving section is configured to receive from an information providing apparatus simple map information which includes information transmission determining information indicating an information transmission unnecessary region of the simple map information where the position information of the moving body terminal is not required to be transmitted from the moving body terminal to the information providing apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinji Yasuhara, Masayuki Ohsugi, Tsuneyuki Watanabe, Maki Ueda, Yasuhisa Nakamura, Daisuke Nakata, Yasunori Kondo, Takuya Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 8169339
    Abstract: There is provided a method for displaying a traffic situation in a traffic situation display system, the method comprising: transmitting image data obtained by imaging an imaging region including roads from a road-side device; receiving the transmitted image data in an in-vehicle device; displaying an image on the basis of the received image data; storing, by the road-side device, corresponding information in which a pixel coordinate in the image and positional information of the imaging region are corresponded to each other; transmitting, by the road-side device, the stored corresponding information; receiving, by the in-vehicle device, the corresponding information; acquiring, by the in-vehicle device, positional information of an own vehicle; specifying, by the in-vehicle device, an own vehicle position on the image based on the received corresponding information and the acquired positional information; and displaying, by the in-vehicle device, the specified own vehicle position on the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Jun Kawai, Katsutoshi Yano, Hiroshi Yamada
  • Patent number: 8160542
    Abstract: A system for reducing location-related messages in a mobile a network includes: (a) a mobile communicator; (b) a location server coupled with the mobile communicator and the mobile a network; and (c) a location determiner coupled with the mobile communicator or the location server. The location determiner occasionally collects location information relating to an extant location of the mobile communicator. The mobile communicator or the location determiner effects location-related messages to convey location information to the location server. The mobile communicator or the location server employs the location-related messages to compile a locations schedule for the mobile communicator in a time-location almanac coupled with the mobile communicator. The mobile communicator occasionally compares the extant location with the locations schedule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: West Corporation
    Inventor: John Lawrence Snapp
  • Publication number: 20120089271
    Abstract: A system for golf course vehicle management can include a tag device having a transceiver and a vehicle management process. The vehicle management process includes an application service for receiving the location of the tag device from the transceiver, at least one geographical zone, and a tracking module for comparing the location to the zone and generating an alert when the location is within the zone. Also included in the process is a control module for recognizing the alert. The control module can initiate an action, such as performance of a vehicle control action by a vehicle controller device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2011
    Publication date: April 12, 2012
    Inventors: Robert Silzer, SR., Clint Singer, Ariel Kurland, Kirk Bratvold, Alex Doaga
  • Patent number: 8155872
    Abstract: Techniques are provided for providing physical routes to target locations. The techniques include obtaining at least one target location from at least one user; determining at least one physical route to said at least one target location; and displaying said at least one determined physical route through a sequence of at least one sign display, wherein each sign display are configured to display a plurality of physical routes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Frederik C. Kjeldsen, Anthony Levas, Gopal S. Pingali, Claudio S. Pinhanez, Mark E. Podlaseck, Piyawadee Sukavitiya
  • Patent number: 8150617
    Abstract: A system is provided for providing location-specific images to a mobile device for display. The system generally comprises three components: a mobile device having a screen, a position identification system (e.g., a GPS receiver) that determines the position of the mobile device, and a database containing location-specific images taken at various locations. Each location-specific image is associated with geographic coordinates of the location at which the image was taken. Based on the position of the mobile device as determined by the position identification system, a location-specific image is selected from the database and displayed on the screen of the mobile device. For example, when a user is using the mobile device as a car navigation system, a location-specific image of the user's destination location can be selected and displayed when the determined position of the mobile device comes within a certain distance from the geographic coordinates of the destination location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: A9.com, Inc.
    Inventors: Udi Manber, Barnaby M. Dorfman, Jonathan A. Gold
  • Publication number: 20120077475
    Abstract: A system for locating a vehicle may include a hand-held device and a communication device on-board the vehicle. The hand-held device may include a screen, and may be adapted to import a map and display a present location of the hand-held device on the map. The communication device on-board the vehicle may be adapted to communicate a present location of the vehicle to the hand-held device. The hand-held device may be capable of displaying the location of the vehicle and the location of the hand-held device on the map at the same time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Publication date: March 29, 2012
    Applicant: DENSO International America, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Holcomb, Justin McBride, Toshihiro Wakamatsu, Akira Sakashita, Minoru Sasaki
  • Patent number: 8145421
    Abstract: A facility searching device includes a road selecting unit for selecting an arbitrary road from road data stored in a storage unit, and a road facility searching unit for searching for facilities located along the road selected by the road selection unit. Therefore, the facility searching device can search for facilities located along an arbitrary road by allowing users to select the arbitrary road regardless of whether or not a route is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuya Tabata
  • Patent number: 8140258
    Abstract: A wayfinding device is provided for giving directions to a desired destination within a building having a plurality of wayfinding beacons configured to transmit data using an ultrasound signal. The ultrasound signal can include a plurality of bursts, wherein a sequence of predefined time intervals between consecutive bursts within the plurality of bursts uniquely identifies each wayfinding beacon. The wayfinding device is separate from the wayfinding beacons and includes a wayfinding beacon recognition component configured to identify a wayfinding beacon when the device receives the data through the ultrasound signal from a wayfinding beacon. The device is further programmed to provide directions to a user of the device in a direction toward the desired destination in response to identifying a wayfinding beacon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: The General Hospital Corporation
    Inventor: Michael Dempsey
  • Patent number: 8131464
    Abstract: A mobile station database of cellular identifications and associated position information is stored in mobile station memory. The mobile station uses the position information in the database to assist in determining a current position for the mobile based on an identifier, such as cell ID, base station BSIC, PSC, or carrier frequency. A satellite vehicle signal is searched in an uncertainty region that is a function of position information associated with the current identifier. The uncertainty region can be limited by assumed platform dynamics via predefined velocity and acceleration information. Time maintenance for the mobile station can also be achieved through known approximate position from the position database and measurement of a single satellite vehicle propagation delay. The mobile station can compare a position determination obtained through satellite vehicle signals with position database information to determine the validity of that position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Dominic Gerard Farmer, Suzanne F. Arcens
  • Publication number: 20120044094
    Abstract: A GPS voice command system comprising: mapping and direction software residing on a memory device; a visual display means; and a series of voice commands associated with directions provided by the GPS system, where the series of voice commands include the comical and profane phrases for entertainment purposes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2010
    Publication date: February 23, 2012
    Inventor: DAVID YEGGE
  • Patent number: 8121780
    Abstract: A method for offering a user reward based on a chosen navigation route includes calculating alternative routes from a starting location to a destination location by taking into consideration route segments including public transportation route segments and road network route segments. The alternative routes are presented to a user. A reward is offered for choosing a respective one of the routes. A navigation system that performs the route calculation preferably queries a network database for public transportation information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Volkswagen of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Arati Gerdes, Daniel Rosario, Jonathan Lee
  • Patent number: 8116974
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for conducting searches and generating routes to selected points of interest using a wireless client-server (WCS) navigator. A method includes the step of requesting, at a mobile unit, information about one or more locations meeting certain criteria. Locations meeting the criteria are displayed on the display screen at the location of the user and, if a location is selected, a route to include the selected location is automatically generated. Guidance regarding how to travel to the selected location may also be provided. If the user is already en route to a destination when a route to a selected location is requested, the navigator may generate a route that includes both the original destination and the selected new location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Inventor: Ian Cummings
  • Patent number: 8111172
    Abstract: A vehicle guidance device is configured such that, in a case where a vehicle is parked in an on-street parking zone, the vehicle guidance device specifies a parking meter from among the parking meters for the on-street parking zone in which the vehicle is parked, then provides guidance to the position where the specified parking meter is installed. In a case where an on-street parking zone is located in the vicinity of the vehicle's current position while the vehicle is in motion, the vehicle guidance device provides guidance to the position of a parking meter for the on-street parking zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Aisin AW Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kyomi Morimoto, Seiji Hayashi, Yutaka Saitou
  • Patent number: 8108147
    Abstract: A method of identifying and imaging a high risk collision object relative to a host vehicle includes arranging a plurality of N sensors for imaging a three-hundred and sixty degree horizontal field of view (hFOV) around the host vehicle. The sensors are mounted to a vehicle in a circular arrangement so that the sensors are radially equiangular from each other. For each sensor, contrast differences in the hFOV are used to identify a unique source of motion (hot spot) that is indicative of a remote object in the sensor hFOV. A first hot spot in one sensor hFOV is correlated to a second hot spot in another hFOV of at least one other N sensor to yield range, azimuth and trajectory data for said object. The processor then assesses a collision risk with the object according to the object's trajectory data relative to the host vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Michael Blackburn
  • Patent number: 8103439
    Abstract: A portable navigation device where a map being displayed on a display section is fixed by performing map stop operation at a portable navigation terminal where an appropriate map is selected and displayed so as to correspond to the speed of movement. A portable navigation terminal (10) has speed detecting means (104) for detecting the speed of movement of the terminal, a map data request/acquisition section (105) for requesting, according to the movement speed detected by the speed detecting mean, different kinds of map data to an information distributing server and acquiring the map data, and an operation section (16) having a map stop button for stopping, at a desired time point during the movement, change in the kind of map displayed on display means. The portable navigation terminal (10) further has manual scroll means (164), a zoom-in button (162), and a zoom-out button (163) that have the function of the map stop button.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Navitime Japan Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Keisuke Onishi, Shin Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 8102253
    Abstract: A location-based and preference-based system and method for matching information such as the attributes, interests and/or characteristics profiles of persons with the expressed preferences of mobile users to alert and direct such users to any persons having information matching the user's express preferences. In particular, the system comprises a mobile device such as a GPS-capable PDA that stores the user's preferences and communicates with a server that contains or accesses the profiles of the persons to compare the profiles and preferences. Comparison of the user's preferences with the various profiles allows the user only to be informed of those persons that it is likely to be interested in. The system and method thus provides for a mobile real-time point of interest exchange network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Earthcomber, LLC
    Inventor: James V. Brady, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8090532
    Abstract: As a pedestrian travels, various difficulties can be encountered, such as traveling through an unsafe neighborhood or being in an open area that is subject to harsh temperatures. A route can be developed for a person taking into account factors that specifically affect a pedestrian. Moreover, the route can alter as a situation of a user changes; for instance, if a user wants to add a stop along a route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Ivan J. Tashev, Jeffrey D. Couckuyt, Neil W. Black, John C. Krumm, Ruston Panabaker, Michael Lewis Seltzer
  • Patent number: 8056017
    Abstract: A computer system creates and displays a map image based upon a value database associating a plurality of values each with a geographic location in a geographic area and a map program associating each location with a map image location. The computer system assigns one of a plurality of symbols to each geographic location based upon its associated value. The symbol is then displayed on the map image at the map image location associated with the geographic location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Vepse Technology Co., L.L.C.
    Inventor: Steven Paul Wiese
  • Patent number: 8050811
    Abstract: A method for controlling the wireless distribution of vehicle-related data that is collected from a vehicle and is distributed to one or more authorized recipients in a confidential manner. This method uses predetermined business rules, which can be maintained and/or applied at the vehicle, at the telematics service provider, or elsewhere, to control the distribution of vehicle-related data. These business rules can determine which pieces of vehicle-related data, if any, are to be sent to which authorized recipients and can do so in a confidential manner that prevents even the telematics service provider from having access to the vehicle-related data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: General Motors LLC
    Inventors: Krishnaraj Inbarajan, Thomas P. Grau
  • Patent number: 8046165
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for assisting in the navigation of an aircraft in an airport zone comprising a surface navigation system and means of acquiring in real time, while navigating on the ground or in flight, new information or temporary information relating to the navigation in the airport zone. The surface navigation system uses information relating to the navigation in the airport zone. The information is previously stored in a database on board the aircraft. The device includes means for decoding and analysing the new or temporary information relating to the navigation in the airport zone, means of filtering the information according to the airport concerned and the validity date of the information, means of correlating the information with the information previously stored, and means of displaying the information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Thales
    Inventors: Jérôme Sacle, François Coulmeau
  • Patent number: 8046158
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and method for minimizing or preventing runway incursion at airports by utilizing data packets of information transmitted over the voice communication channel used by pilots at the airport. The data packets of information contain the latitudinal and longitudinal position of the aircraft provided by an on board GPS receiver and a unique identifier for the aircraft, such as the tail number, which is then received by other aircraft on the same ground frequency, and the tower, and displayed on a geo-referenced map display of the airport provided to the pilots and the tower ground controller. The information may be updated by polling the various aircraft In this manner, information received from all active aircraft within an airport can be displayed on an electronic map of the airport which can be viewable by the pilots on the ground as well as the ground controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Innovative Solutions and Support, Inc.
    Inventor: Geoffrey S. M. Hedrick
  • Patent number: 8046139
    Abstract: For controlling several agricultural machine systems during operation on a territory, based on a reference line, an optimized route for working the territory is determined for the particular machine system, and the particular machine system is driven along this route. The reference line is determined by recording a reference path that was driven along with a first machine system, and the first machine system is controlled based on this reference line with consideration for the working conditions of the first machine system. This reference line is also transmitted by the first machine system to at least one second machine system, which is controlled based on this reference line of the first machine system and with consideration for the working conditions of the second machine system. A corresponding control system for controlling several agricultural machine systems during operation of a territory is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: CLAAS Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Norbert Diekhans, Jochen Huster, Andreas Brunnert, Lars-Peter Meyer Zu Helligen
  • Patent number: 8046169
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for estimating a location of a device. For each of a plurality of locations of a device, a set of positional data is determined from signals received from a plurality of satellites. The positional data is filtered and compared with data from a road network database. This comparison may be a function of a distance from at least one point defined by a set of the filtered positional data to a road in the road network database and an angle between a line representing a best fit for plural points defined by corresponding plural sets of the filtered positional data to a line defined by a road in the road network database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Andrew, LLC
    Inventors: Selcuk Mazlum, John Carlson, Martin Alles, George Maher