Input Device Patents (Class 340/995.16)
  • Patent number: 11487807
    Abstract: A system having a computer, a database for storage and retrieval of real estate data, an agent/owner computing device in remote data communication with the computer, at least two geolocations provided to the computer by the agent/owner computing device, a multimedia recording device connected to the agent/owner computing device, at least two multimedia presentations captured by the multimedia recording device and transmitted to the computer by the agent/owner computing device, a route created by software on the agent/owner computing device associating at least one of the multimedia presentations with each of the geolocations, the route uploaded to the computer for storage on the database, a user computing device including a display and speakers for remotely accessing the route through the computer, and a variable presentation path generated by software on the computer by combining a route requested by the user computing device with a geolocation of the user computing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Inventor: Hanan K. Eldahry
  • Patent number: 11433880
    Abstract: An in-vehicle processing apparatus is capable of performing position estimation resistant to disturbance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Morihiko Sakano, Shinya Tagawa, Takehito Ogata
  • Patent number: 11163839
    Abstract: A personalized way to digitally record a person's physical activities over time serves web searching, business advertising, nostalgia, security and object tracing purposes. The chronological digital history of the person's physical presence over a time includes (i) digital network entries from other members who hold their portable wireless short range device near the person's device and transmit a URL or other key data and (ii) digital member entries such a digital photograph of a store sign. The digital network entries and digital member entries are automatically transmitted to a database located on a telecommunications network at a time of entry. Advertisers can transmit to members when members enter premises of advertiser's store. Upon sign-up online, the authentication data uniquely associated with an account is provided and key data they want to transmit is associated with the account. Digital histories can be used to improve web searching and networking opportunities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Inventors: Sholem Weisner, Shmuel Nemanov
  • Patent number: 11085784
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes accessing a user database, accessing a transport database, and generating a global recommended travel plan. The user database includes travel preferences and a metric preference for each user. The travel preferences include an origin, and a destination. The transport database includes transport data. The global recommended travel plan includes, for each user, a recommended route from the user's origin to the user's destination, a recommended mode, and a recommended start time. Generating the global recommended travel plan includes simultaneously optimizing each user's metric preference based on the transport data and the travel preferences. The computer-implemented method further includes returning each user's recommended route, recommended mode, and recommended start time. A corresponding computer program product and computer system are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: John V. Delaney, Anthony M. Hunt, Philippe H. V. M. Spaas, Clea A. Zolotow
  • Patent number: 11074293
    Abstract: Systems and methods are presented for generating a transition graph from check-in data for determining probabilistic transitions of a user from an origin (location) to a destination. Check-in data for a plurality of users is obtained. The check-in data is organized and analyzed to determine a set of transition tuples for each of the plurality of users. These transition tuples are aggregated and used to generate a transition graph comprising a plurality of nodes and edges. Each node corresponds to a location and each edge indicates a transition from an origin node to a destination node and is associated with a likelihood of a user transitioning from the origin node to the destination node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Sushma Bannur, Omar Alonso
  • Patent number: 10746556
    Abstract: A computer learning, assessment and recommendation system to generate new information about the quality and degrees of walkability of sidewalks and walking routes through the collection, assessment and manipulation of large amounts of visual and geographic data, a scoring system, a rule-based computational methods and selected data representation are provided. Micro and macro data, methods and systems for sidewalk assessment generate various characteristics and qualities of routes creating general, locational and navigational functions using attributes and categories identified as important to walkability or to the experience of walking. Computed scores and recommendations displayed in maps and other visual tools and apps can be used by multiple client and sector groups including navigation, real estate, fitness, tourism and urban and rural development planning. This abstract complies with rules requiring abstract submission but does not limit the scope, interpretation or full meaning of the claims.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Walkspan, Inc.
    Inventors: Bernardita Calinao, Marie Rusin, Andrei Radulescu
  • Patent number: 10746559
    Abstract: In an embodiment of the present invention, background data of a first user in a group of one or more users is received. Physiometric data of the first user while the group of one or more users is traversing a first route is received from a first group of one or more sensors. Environmental data associated with the first route is received from a second group of one or more sensors. Environmental data associated with a second route is received from the second group of one or more sensors. It is determined whether to modify the first route into the second route based on the background data, the physiometric data, and the environmental data associated with the first route and the environmental data associated with the second route, and the determination occurs while the group of one or more users is traversing the first route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Aaron K. Baughman, Christian Eggenberger-Wang, Lars M. Jenzer, Craig M. Trim
  • Patent number: 10650039
    Abstract: Computer implemented methods for publishing a personalized map are provided that include receiving, via a server computer coupled to at least one client device over a communications network, a plurality of media files; associating each of the plurality of media files with at least one location one each of a plurality of personal maps, wherein the plurality of personal maps comprise a map of a geographic region and a map of a sub-region of the geographic region; and causing an interface to be displayed at the at least one client device, the interface displaying a personalized map of the geographic region with a plurality of slots associated with the plurality of sub-regions thereof, slots having at least one media file associated therewith generated to include content from the at least one media file and slots without at least one media file association generated with solid fill.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: Lionheart Legacy UCO
    Inventor: Gary Mariner
  • Patent number: 10648829
    Abstract: A map application generates a map context that includes information such as the current location and route of a user of a device, and a recent search history. The map context is provided to one or more background applications of the device, which use the map context to determine any content items that may be relevant to the user of the device. The determined content items are provided to the map application, and are presented to the user in the map application. In another implementation, applications running on the device save metadata related to the content items that were provided to the user by the applications. Later, when a user opens the map application, the map application selects content items based on the saved metadata and a map context, and presents the selected content items to the user in the map application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Kshitij Mehta, Jeff West, David Grochocki, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10551200
    Abstract: Embodiments may include determining a navigation route between an origination and a destination; the route may span multiple portions of a map. Embodiments may also include receiving an order of priority in which to receive the multiple portions of the map; the order may be generated based on distinct levels of expected signal strength for each of the multiple portions. For instance, within the order of priority, map portions associated with areas of low signal strength may be ranked higher than areas of higher signal strength. Embodiments may also include acquiring at least some of the portions of the map according to the order of priority, and generating a map display comprising the multiple portions of the map. For instance, map portions associated with areas of poor reception may be downloaded first whereas map portions associated with strong signal strength may be downloaded on-the-fly during route navigation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Blumenberg, Seejo K. Pylappan
  • Patent number: 10394906
    Abstract: A personalized way to digitally record a person's physical activities over time serves web searching, business advertising, nostalgia, security and object tracing purposes. The chronological digital history of the person's physical presence over a time includes (i) digital network entries from other members who hold their portable wireless short range device near the person's device and transmit a URL or other key data and (ii) digital member entries such a digital photograph of a store sign. The digital network entries and digital member entries are automatically transmitted to a database located on a telecommunications network at a time of entry. Advertisers can transmit to members when members enter premises of advertiser's store. Upon sign-up online, the authentication data uniquely associated with an account is provided and key data they want to transmit is associated with the account. Digital histories can be used to improve web searching and networking opportunities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Inventors: Sholem Weisner, Shmuel Nemanov
  • Patent number: 10373377
    Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for providing augmented reality assisted deliveries. Some embodiments include determining a current location of a client device and a next node in a delivery workflow based at least in part on the current location of the client device. Then, the client device renders the next node in the delivery workflow on an augmented reality display linked to the client device. Various embodiments can also include identifying a plurality of delivery workflows that include a destination node that corresponds to a delivery and selecting select a delivery workflow from the plurality of delivery workflows based at least in part on a delivery constraint. In these embodiments, a delivery route to a routing node is generated, wherein the routing node comprises an entry to the selected delivery workflow. The delivery route and the delivery workflow are then sent to an augmented reality client.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Niewiadomski
  • Patent number: 10368199
    Abstract: Geographic location data is sent from a first device to a second device with a modified message to signal the presence of geographic location data associated with the message. The message can include (or attach) the geographic location data or file, or the message can include a link to a network-based resource which the second device can use to obtain the geographic location data. In some implementations, when a user of the first device views a location on a map display of the first device, a graphical user interface is presented to allow the user to select an option to share the geographic location with the second device. The second device receives geographic location data or a link from the first device which can trigger a map display on the second device showing the location of the first device and, optionally, the location of the second device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Marcel MWA Van Os, Scott Herz, Mike Matas
  • Patent number: 10365119
    Abstract: In a map display apparatus, a display processor causes a display to display a map based on map information. A priority object setting unit determines a priority object having higher priority than other objects contained in the map. A scroll processor scrolls the map displayed on the display in step with a scroll operation performed by a user. In a case where the priority object is located outside the map displayed on the display, the operating feel controller adds directivity to an operating feel imparted to the scroll operation in such a manner that a scroll operation for scrolling the map toward the priority object and a scroll operation for scrolling the map in any other direction arouse different operating feels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Haruhiko Wakayanagi, Mitsuo Shimotani
  • Patent number: 10282970
    Abstract: A method for a mobile device to prevent loss including monitoring environmental parameters by a mobile device; storing the environmental parameters in the mobile device to form a history of the environmental parameters; applying statistical analysis to a current set of environmental parameters as compared to the history of the environmental parameters to determine a probability that the mobile device is lost; and responsive to determining the probability that the mobile device is lost exceeds a threshold, performing an action to prevent loss of the mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mark B. Stevens, John D. Wilson
  • Patent number: 10275912
    Abstract: Resource visualization, evaluation, and selection is often a difficult, complex, technically challenging endeavor. This is particularly true when there the resource set is extensive, the resources have widely varying attributes and capabilities, and the resources are also widely disbursed geographically. A multi-dimensional resource evaluation and visualization system implements technical solutions to these technical challenges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Accenture Global Solutions Limited
    Inventors: Mary Elizabeth Hamilton, Taurean Dyer
  • Patent number: 10276027
    Abstract: A system or computer usable program product for a mobile device to prevent loss including monitoring environmental parameters by a mobile device; storing the environmental parameters in the mobile device to form a history of the environmental parameters; applying statistical analysis to a current set of environmental parameters as compared to the history of the environmental parameters to determine a probability that the mobile device is lost; and responsive to determining the probability that the mobile device is lost exceeds a threshold, performing an action to prevent loss of the mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mark B. Stevens, John D. Wilson
  • Patent number: 10184803
    Abstract: A system with the ability to dynamically compose a sequence of visual views or flows allowing a single object or region, or multiple objects or regions, to be viewed from different perspectives and visual distances is described. The sequence of views can provide smooth flyovers over positions and details on objects that are deemed to be of interest, with changes in zoom level and/or velocity that are functions of the estimated complexity and/or unfamiliarity with features of the object. In an example, a flyover displaying different views on a map of a city arterial system on a small-screened mobile device is composed based on current traffic conditions, swooping up and down with parabolic trajectories, based on distances being traversed, and pausing at times over key traffic jams and other findings of interest based on the estimated visual complexity and predicted atypicality of situations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Eric J. Horvitz, Raman K. Sarin
  • Patent number: 10111033
    Abstract: Example implementations described herein are directed to a system involving a cloud architecture and an edge architecture associated with one or more vehicles. The edge architecture can involve devices associated with the one or more vehicles and can conduct edge processing to determine, from Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) information, a proximity of the first apparatus to a first Geographic Information System (GIS) waypoint relative to a second GIS waypoint, generate index information representative of the proximity of the apparatus to the first GIS waypoint relative to the second GIS waypoint; and transmit the index information to the cloud architecture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: HITACHI LTD.
    Inventors: Joydeep Acharya, Sudhanshu Gaur
  • Patent number: 9992621
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed for enabling a mobile device to generate pathway records, and to use the generated records to identify a location at which a desired type of communication service is available for the mobile device. The generated pathway records include (a) timing data indicative of a data collection time, (b) location data indicative of a collection location of the mobile device at the collection time, and (c) data indicative of available communication services for the mobile device at the collection location. Via a user interface, the mobile device presents a map including indications of (a) a current location of the mobile device, (b) a trail representing a time-ordered sequence of the pathway records, and (c) the available communication services associated with respective ones of the pathway records generated by the mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: James Gordon Beattie, Jr., Stephen Francis Triano
  • Patent number: 9881481
    Abstract: A method for a mobile device to prevent loss including monitoring environmental parameters by a mobile device; storing the environmental parameters in the mobile device to form a history of the environmental parameters; applying statistical analysis to a current set of environmental parameters as compared to the history of the environmental parameters to determine a probability that the mobile device is lost; and responsive to determining the probability that the mobile device is lost exceeds a threshold, performing an action to prevent loss of the mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mark B. Stevens, John D. Wilson
  • Patent number: 9881378
    Abstract: Method for determining position of a mobile device having an imaging device includes obtaining an image of a mark on a known-position object from the imaging device, the mark having an encoded position, decoding the mark to derive data about the position of the mark using a database of marks and their positions, and analyzing appearance of the mark in the image in combination with the derived data about the position of the mark to derive the position of the mobile device. Mark appearance analysis may involve analyzing an angle between an imaging direction of the imaging device and a surface of the mark.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Vortex Intellectual Property Holding LLC
    Inventor: Cyril Houri
  • Patent number: 9881480
    Abstract: A system or computer usable program product for a mobile device to prevent loss including monitoring environmental parameters by a mobile device; storing the environmental parameters in the mobile device to form a history of the environmental parameters; applying statistical analysis to a current set of environmental parameters as compared to the history of the environmental parameters to determine a probability that the mobile device is lost; and responsive to determining the probability that the mobile device is lost exceeds a threshold, performing an action to prevent loss of the mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mark B. Stevens, John D. Wilson
  • Patent number: 9766342
    Abstract: A handheld electronic device, such as a GPS-enabled wireless communications device with an embedded camera, a GPS-enabled camera-phone or a GPS-enabled digital camera, determines whether ephemeris data needs to be obtained for geotagging digital photos taken with the device. By monitoring user activity with respect to the camera, such as activation of the camera, the device can begin pre-acquisition of a GPS position fix by obtaining needed ephemeris data before the photograph is actually taken. This GPS pre-acquisition improves the likelihood that a position fix (GPS lock) is achieved by the time the photo is taken (to enable immediate geotagging). Alternatively, the photo can be geotagged retroactively by appending the current location to the metadata tag associated with the digital photo. An optional acquisition status indicator can be displayed on a user interface of the device to indicate that a position fix is being obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Piotr Konrad Tysowski, Ngoc Bich Ngo, David Noel Vanden Heuvel
  • Patent number: 9767485
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for providing an advertising system in which a buyer generates a profile containing a list of preferred purchases or vendors. At least some of the buyer's preferred profile entries are associated with a geographic area. A mobile network is used to connect the mobile buyers and the sellers. Both the buyers' profiles and the sellers' advertisements are uploaded to the network. The network matches buyers and sellers by providing to the buyers sales advertisements that match the criteria of the uploaded buyer's profiles but without sharing buyers' unique identifying information with the sellers. The buyer devices optionally include an ad server to filter and manage the buyer's receipt of advertisements. The sellers' offers and promotions also optionally include time-dependent information such that they expire upon the passage of a specified time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Inventor: Leonard Z Sotomayor
  • Patent number: 9558516
    Abstract: Methods and system are provided for enhancing consumer shopping. The methods and systems allow consumers to more readily purchase products of interest to them. The consumers' ability to shop effectively and efficiently is enhanced while a payment provider, such as PayPal, Inc., and/or an online seller, such as eBay, is given a mechanism for recruiting new users. For example, a user's online searches and/or stored shopping list can be used to determine which products the user is interested in purchasing and the availability of at least some of these products can be provided to the user, along with directions to the nearest POS brick-and-mortar stores where the products can be purchased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: PAYPAL, INC.
    Inventors: Vijeya Aravindan Anbalagan, Rajeshwari Muthupandian
  • Patent number: 9412268
    Abstract: Video analytics is used to track an object of interest represented in video data representing the field of view of a scene observed by a video camera. A multidimensional virtual beam is used to detect whether the tracked object of interest is continually present in a detection zone within the field view of the scene. An occurrence of an event is signaled when the tracked object of interest is continually present in the detection zone during a period beginning when the tracked object of interest enters the detection zone and ending when the tracked object of interest leaves the detection zone through the opposite side, after having completely crossed through the detection zone. Use of a virtual beam detection zone reduces false alarms as compared to the numbers of incidences of false alarms of traditional detection methods, while adding several features and benefits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: AVIGILON ANALYTICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mahesh Saptharishi, Douglas H. Marman
  • Patent number: 9024739
    Abstract: The present application provides a system, method and non-transitory computer readable medium that provides a means of using a vehicle horn as an inexpensive user input interface to serve the function of a simple push button switch for an in-vehicle device or system. The use of the vehicle horn as a user input interface to an in-vehicle device or system is novel. The description of example embodiments illustrates application details that take advantage of the properties of the vehicle horn sound to allow efficient processing that can be implemented on a low cost processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Guardity Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Russell Carl McKown, Joseph Thomas Mader, Thomas Edward Mader
  • Patent number: 9026359
    Abstract: A method comprising: presenting a three-dimensional environment, comprising routes, to a user by using a selected one of a plurality of perspective views of the environment that corresponds to a current position on a current route; detecting a gesture user input comprising a characteristic that changes in time, and changing the current position on the current route to a new position on a route in response to the gesture user input wherein a first characteristic of the gesture user input determines a direction along the current route of the new position relative to the current position and a second characteristic of the gesture user input determines the new position; and presenting the three-dimensional environment, comprising routes, to the user by using a newly selected one of the plurality of perspective views of the environment that corresponds to the new position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Nokia Corporation
    Inventor: Petros Belimpasakis
  • Patent number: 9008966
    Abstract: Systems and methods for applying one or more route-based modifications to a map are provided. In some aspects, a system includes a pathfinder module configured to determine a primary route from a beginning point to a destination point on the map. The pathfinder module is further configured to generate one or more primary modifications to the map based on the primary route. The system also includes a restyling module configured to apply the primary route and the one or more primary modifications to the map. The one or more primary modifications include at least one of a) adding a first object to the map that would otherwise be excluded from the map if the primary route is not applied to the map and b) excluding a second object from the map that would otherwise be added to the map if the primary route is not applied to the map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Jamie Zyskowski, Jonah Jones, Scott Shawcroft, Christopher Gonterman, David Teitlebaum, Yatin Chawathe
  • Patent number: 8972107
    Abstract: A vehicle-mounted communication device includes wireless units 3a and 3b that switch a frequency that performs wireless communication with antennas 2a and 2b between a frequency for wireless communication for ITS and a frequency for wireless LAN communication, a parking determination unit 6 that determines whether or not a vehicle is parked, a parking position storage unit 6a that stores as a parking position a position where it is determined that the vehicle is parked by the parking determination unit 6, and a wireless control unit 4 that controls the wireless units 3a and 3b to perform the wireless communication for ITS with the antennas 2a and 2b when the vehicle is running, and switch the wireless communication for ITS or the wireless LAN communication to be performed with the antennas 2a and 2b on the basis of the parking position stored in the parking position storage unit 6a when the vehicle is parked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Shigeki Morita, Yuji Hamada
  • Patent number: 8957791
    Abstract: An aircraft interface apparatus for providing communication between an aircraft system and a device for use on an aircraft comprises a first communication means for providing communication with the aircraft system, and a second communication means for providing communication with the device, wherein the aircraft system uses a first data format and the device uses a second data format, and the apparatus further comprises: —an interface processing resource that is configured to receive data in a first format from the device and, in response, to output data in the second format to the aircraft system and/or to receive data in the second format from the device and, in response, to output data in the first format to the aircraft system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Bluebox Avionics Limited
    Inventors: James Macrae, Murray Skelton
  • Patent number: 8880332
    Abstract: A method for providing navigation information to a user, the method including: inputting identification associated with the user into one terminal of a plurality of terminals distributed throughout an area visited by the user, each terminal being located in a kiosk and operating in kiosk mode; inputting a destination; computing a route from the kiosk to the destination; and presenting the route as the navigation information to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions Holdings Corporation
    Inventors: Charles Arnaud, Philippe Gregoire, Dominique Picard, Alexandre Van Gent
  • Patent number: 8855918
    Abstract: A method of assisting a user of a personal navigation device with automatically selecting a route after the personal navigation device transitions from driving mode to walking mode includes detecting a mode transition in the personal navigation device from driving mode to walking mode, recording a vehicle location where the mode transition from driving mode to walking mode occurs, receiving a request from the user to create navigation instructions to a destination location, determining a distance from the current location to the destination location, and guiding the user back to the vehicle location by providing walking instructions with the personal navigation device when the distance from the current location to the destination location is greater than or equal to a threshold distance and then guiding the user to the destination location by providing driving instructions with the personal navigation device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Mitac International Corp.
    Inventors: Paul Ranford, Richard Stanton
  • Patent number: 8825370
    Abstract: A trip planner is provided for creating, modifying, categorizing, and sharing online trip plans. A trip plan includes a list of items such as hotels, restaurants, and tourist attractions selected from a travel guide or provided by a user. An item can have a street address for positioning the item on a map, an image and description of the item, and other metadata assigned by the user, such as tags and notes. The trip planner can generate an itinerary listing the items, and a corresponding map showing the locations of the items. A trip plan can be shared with other users, who can locate the trip plan by searching for the tags or other metadata.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventors: Jianing Hu, Pasha Sadri
  • Patent number: 8731735
    Abstract: A method for destination selection in a navigation system in which each destination from a totality of all destinations is defined by destination parameters and a set of possible destinations from the totality of all destinations is limited step-wise due to the input of individual characters for one parameter. When inputting the characters, a switch may be made from one destination parameter to an input of a character for another parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Lungwitz, Stefan Lueer, Dietmar Schloegl, Ulrich Kersken, Thomas Guelzow, Thomas Kleine-Besten, Ute Weittstein
  • Patent number: 8706405
    Abstract: A system for providing navigational information comprises a mobile system processing and transmitting via a wireless link a continuous voice stream spoken by a user of the mobile system, the continuous voice stream including a complete destination address and a data center processing the continuous voice stream received via the wireless link into voice navigational information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Agero Connected Services, Inc
    Inventor: Thomas Barton Schalk
  • Patent number: 8694201
    Abstract: A vehicle multimedia system includes a display that displays a hierarchically structured menu. The hierarchically structured menu may have a main menu, a plurality of submenus, and menu items. The multimedia system provides a memory for storing information identifying a menu or menu item, and a memory control unit for writing information related to a menu item upon a user's selection of the menu by an operating element or by automatic return to a main menu, and displaying the information as selectable menu items identified by the information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignees: Harman International Industries, Incorporated, Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH
    Inventor: Johannes Kolletzki
  • Patent number: 8670922
    Abstract: When a user specifies a road that he/she wants to pass through, a guiding route generation device generates a guiding route that passes through the specified road up to a destination. A guiding route (37) generated based on waypoints specified is stored in a storage device (15) of the guiding route generation device. A display device (11) displays the guiding route (37) along with roads in the periphery. The guiding route generation device specifies a certain road as the specified pass-through road from among the roads displayed along with the guiding route (37), and further, finds and determines whether there are crossings and the number of the crossings between the specified pass-through road and the guiding route (37).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kenwood
    Inventors: Masaki Kaneda, Masahiro Ueno
  • Patent number: 8634847
    Abstract: A communication system (100) comprises a plurality of mobile stations (118, 124) each operable to communicate with other communication stations by a wireless link of a first kind, at least one location indicator (116) operable to detect by a wireless link of a second kind a location of at least one (118) of the mobile stations when the at least one mobile station is within a communication range of the location indicator, at least one proxy location server (110) operably coupled to at least one associated location indicator (116), and a location server (108) operable to communicate with the at least one proxy location server to receive a notification of the location of the at least one mobile station (118) when detected to be within communication range of the associated location indicator (116).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Edwards, Raul R. Carpio, Nanna Svane Theisen, Valerie Jean Wright, Anneke Bremner, Georgina Redican
  • Patent number: 8618952
    Abstract: A method of identifying an intersection for a collision warning system is disclosed. The method includes steps of selecting an identified intersection where a driver intends to turn from a set of potential intersections. The collision warning system is then controlled according to the identified intersection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yutaka Mochizuki
  • Patent number: 8610550
    Abstract: An in-vehicle device for displaying a plurality of screen data generated by a mobile terminal device on one display is provided. A registering unit is configured to register partial area information in which disposition information indicating disposition of each of a plurality of partial areas which are disposed on a display area of the display are associated with priority information indicating priority of each of the partial areas. A adjusting unit is configured to adjust the display area by allocating one of the screen data to one of the partial areas based on the priority information included in the partial area information when receiving a request to display the one of the screen data on the display. A display control unit is configured to display the one of the screen data allocated to the one of the partial areas on the display based on the disposition information included in the partial area information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited
    Inventors: Masayuki Hagiwara, Satoshi Ohta
  • Patent number: 8538688
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, system, and computer program product are disclosed for creating and displaying shortcuts and landmarks on a navigational map. The embodiments include storing context data in a mobile wireless device, the context data including at least one of travel class of a shortcut path, limits of a shortcut path, or restrictions of a shortcut path. The shortcuts may be categorized by their context in travel classes such as car, bike, pedestrian, pram, wheelchair, walker, blind pedestrian, disabled pedestrian, or the like. The embodiments register in the mobile wireless device a starting location for a shortcut path and record locations of the device as the device moves along the shortcut path. The embodiments receive signals describing a landmark at a landmark location along the shortcut path, including digital photographs, descriptive text and voice clips. The embodiments then form in a shortcut mapping file the recorded shortcut path, information about the landmark, and the context data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Nokia Corporation
    Inventor: Christian Prehofer
  • Patent number: 8532574
    Abstract: An in-vehicle system may detect an occurrence of a triggering event, detect a short-range communication connection between the in-vehicle system and a mobile communication device, send a prompt, including a request for information, to the mobile communication device, and receive a response, including the requested information, from the mobile communication device via the short-range communication module. In some embodiments, a business review, an advertisement, or a redeemable electronic coupon may be sent to the mobile communication device after the requested information is provided. Furthermore, destination information may be shared between the in-vehicle system and the mobile communication device in response to the triggering event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: David M. Kirsch
  • Patent number: 8462019
    Abstract: A present novel and non-trivial system, apparatus, and method for generating runway visual aids on an aircraft display unit, where such visual aids could be comprised of surface markings corresponding to the runway. Navigation data and runway data may be provided to an image generating processor which, in turn, generates an image data set representative of at least one visual aid corresponding to one runway located in the scene outside the aircraft. The intensity or brightness of a visual aid could vary when the aircraft is operating on the approach phase of flight. The variation of such intensity could be defined as a function of the navigation data and the data representative of one or more waypoints. The image data set may be provided to a Head-Down Display unit, a Head-Up Display unit, or both, each visual aid is presented on the screen of the display unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Travis S. VanDerKamp, Tiffany D. Williamson, Daniel Y. Chiew
  • Patent number: 8457821
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided in one example embodiment and includes a power management module configured to receive data associated with travel being proposed by an end user of an electric vehicle. The power management module is configured to suggest a starting time for the travel based on time of use (ToU) rates for electricity consumption and a current level of power in the electric vehicle. In more specific embodiments, the data associated with the travel includes a starting location, an ending location, and a proposed drive time. In other embodiments, the power management module is further configured to interface with a mapping tool in suggesting the starting time for the end user. The power management module can be configured to obtain the ToU rates from a utility, and the ToU rates are provided as a function of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Shmuel Shaffer
  • Patent number: 8406999
    Abstract: A navigation device includes a map information acquiring unit 47 and 48 for acquiring map information, a positioning unit 46 for measuring a vehicle position, an input unit 34 and 45 for inputting a search condition for a search for facilities which are search objects, a facility searching unit 50 for, when the vehicle position measured by the positioning unit is located on a dedicated road whose exits and entrances are predetermined, searching through the map information acquired by the map information acquiring unit for facilities existing on the dedicated road and facilities existing at a predetermined distance or less from an exit of the dedicated road, those facilities satisfying the search condition inputted from the input unit, and a display unit 32 and 43 for displaying the facilities searched for by the facility searching unit in order of increasing distance from the vehicle position measured by the positioning unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Takehiko Koyasu, Atsushi Kohno, Wataru Yamazaki, Yuta Kawana, Fumitaka Satou
  • Patent number: 8401775
    Abstract: An air traffic control system for control of airport ground traffic includes a graphical display system configured to display a surface map, and configured to enable a controller to input, via a graphical input device, a taxi route along the surface map. Furthermore, the system includes a processor operatively coupled to the graphical display system, wherein the processor is configured to provide the surface map to the graphical display system. The processor is programmed to interpret the taxi route, and modify the taxi route to a taxiway path existing on the surface map. The system includes a transmitter communicatively coupled to the processor, wherein the transmitter configured to transmit the taxiway path to an aircraft, and a datalink interface positioned onboard the aircraft and configured to receive and display the transmitted taxiway path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: David Rozovski, Juliana J. Goh, Jean M. Crane, Michael E. Dey
  • Patent number: 8265864
    Abstract: A method of providing geographic information for a navigation system comprises obtaining a request for a geographic region and accessing geographic data corresponding to the geographic region from a geographic database. The method also comprises providing a plurality of first map images generated from the geographic data. Each of the first map images represents a unique portion of the geographic region. When the first map images are displayed together, they provide a first map depicting the geographic region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Navteq B.V.
    Inventors: Michael L. Kaufman, James M. Herbst
  • Patent number: 8234059
    Abstract: A navigation device 100 having a function to modify a route comprises an operational object detecting part 11 configured to detect a point or a section on the route as an operational object, a fixed point setting part 12 configured to set as fixed points two points on the route sandwiching the operational object therebetween, an operational object displacement detecting part 13 configured to detect a displacement of the operational object, a path changing part 14 configured to change a path of the route depending on the displacement of the operational object while elongating or contracting a line connecting the operational object and the fixed point, and a route re-searching part 15 configured to re-search and display an alternate route continuously depending on the changing path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinji Sugiyama, Minako Fujishiro