Portable Patents (Class 701/526)
  • Patent number: 8768618
    Abstract: Methods and systems for determining a location of a mobile device using a multi-modal Kalman filter are described. According to an example method, a mobile device may maintain multiple approximations of a location of a mobile device. Each approximation includes an estimated geographic location of the mobile device that is determined by filtering a respective subset of location estimates received by the mobile device using a respective Kalman filter, and one of the multiple approximations is designated as an active approximation. The method also involves receiving data indicating an estimate of a geographic location of the mobile device and, based on a distance between the estimate of the geographic location and a given approximation of the multiple approximations, updating the given approximation using the estimate of the geographic location. Additionally, the method involves providing for display a visual indication of an estimated geographic location associated with the active approximation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: David Nicholas Christie, Brian Patrick Williams, Mohammed Waleed Kadous
  • Publication number: 20140163867
    Abstract: A system adapted to provide a way finder throughout a facility is described. The system includes an array of sensors, each sensor in the array adapted to transmit a wireless beacon signal, the beacon signal including a sensor ID associated with the sensor; at least one mobile device adapted to receive the wireless beacon signal from a particular sensor from the array of sensors and generate a request for a route to a destination; and a server adapted to receive the request and generate the route based on a location of the particular sensor and a location of a destination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2013
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: NETCLEARANCE SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventor: David Fernandez
  • Patent number: 8751144
    Abstract: An automatic navigation method and automatic navigation system are provided. The automatic navigation method includes the following steps. A guiding path is provided. A current facing direction which a user faces is obtained by an electronic compass. A turning direction is obtained according to the current facing direction and the guiding path. The turning direction is notified by an electric shock signal. A nearest trace point of the guiding path is obtained by sensing a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag. The turning direction is updated according to the nearest trace point and the current facing direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Szu-Han Tzao, Jong-Jeng Hong, Shang-Yuan Cheng
  • Patent number: 8712690
    Abstract: A non-time of flight or time of arrival position location system for accurate determination of a user's location in an enclosed, indoor, or covered environment can include a number of beacons mounted in an arrangement within the environment. Each of the beacons is mounted in a known location and transmits a broadcast signal containing a unique identifier that identifies the originating beacon. A handheld electronic device including a receiver and a communicably coupled processor can receive broadcast signals from at least some of the number of beacons, iteratively determine a vector quantity corresponding to each of the received signals, and sum the resultant vector quantities to determine an updated position. The iterative process can be repeated until consecutive iterations yield an updated position that falls within a defined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Intermec IP Corp.
    Inventors: Allen White, Michael Hansen, Ronald van der Putten
  • Patent number: 8712689
    Abstract: A digitized image of a map is stored in a data memory. At least one point of the image of the map is selected as reference point. Space coordinates of the location which corresponds to the reference point are determined and allocated to the reference point. A supplementary calibration information item which enables the image of the map to be calibrated in space coordinates is determined. A mobile radio telephone has a navigation device which is set up for carrying out the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Intel Mobile Communications GmbH
    Inventors: Ian Courtney, Josef Ploetz, Dan Dinescu
  • Patent number: 8713700
    Abstract: When a user carries a mobile terminal with confidential information, such as customer information, stored therein, it is required to maintain information confidentiality and to prevent an unauthorized third party from accessing the confidential information even if the mobile terminal is stolen. According to the disclosed access control method, an encryption key is generated based on a planned route and the information is encrypted. When the user accesses the information, a decryption key is generated based on the actual movement route that is regularly acquired. The encrypted information can be decrypted if the planned route and the movement route match.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Sytstems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsuneo Sobue, Tatsuaki Osafune
  • Publication number: 20140114571
    Abstract: Techniques are described for providing a meeting notification and automatic modification service. A system may be configured to identify an appointment in a calendar application, identify a geographic location of the appointment, and identify, before the appointment time, a geographic location of a first participant of the appointment. Based on the geographic information, the system may identify a route extending from the geographic location of the first participant to the geographic location of the appointment, and may identify a travel time associated with the route. Based on the travel time and the appointment time, the system may determine whether the first participant is estimated to arrive at the appointment on time and, based on the determination, the system may send a message to participants of the appointment or dynamically reschedule the appointment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2013
    Publication date: April 24, 2014
    Applicant: FACEBOOK, INC.
    Inventors: Stephen J. Coughlin, Adrienne C. Meisels, Steven E. Greenberg
  • Publication number: 20140107916
    Abstract: A navigation system includes: a hearing device configured to be worn at a head of a user and having speakers for emission of sound towards ears of the user; a GPS unit for determining a geographical position of the system; a user interface for receiving input from the user regarding at least one of available time and maximum distance; a sound generator for outputting audio signals to the speakers; and a processor configured for determining a route between selected Points-Of-Interest, which route can be covered within the at least one of available time and maximum distance, wherein the processor is also configured for controlling the sound generator to output the audio signals for processing by the speakers to guide the user along the determined route; wherein the processor is further configured for taking information on preferred directions of approach for at least one Point-Of-Interest into account when determining the route.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2013
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicant: GN Store Nord A/S
    Inventors: Kathrine Steen URUP, Jakob JENSEN, Peter MOSSNER
  • Patent number: 8694252
    Abstract: A personal navigation device includes a navigation console and a peripheral device. The navigation console is configured to acquire a navigation instruction from a start point to a destination and a detailed map which depicts a predetermined area around the destination. The peripheral device is connected to the navigation console in a detachable manner for displaying the detailed map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Mitac International Corp.
    Inventors: Wei-Han Hu, Yao-Tsung Yeh
  • Publication number: 20140095069
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to computer-implemented methods and systems for intelligent route planning. An example method may include receiving, by a computation system comprising one or more processors, one or more tasks. The one or more tasks may be associated with one or more locations. The method may further include storing, by the computation system, the one or more tasks. The method may further include receiving, by the computation system, current location information associated with a user. The method may further include generating, by the computation system, based upon the one or more tasks and the current location information, one or more notifications associated with at least one task for presentation to the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Publication date: April 3, 2014
    Inventors: Jennifer A. Healey, Alexandra C. Zafiroglu, Tim Plowman, Helen A. Gould, Philip J. Corriveau
  • Publication number: 20140088860
    Abstract: Techniques and mechanisms for providing information to represent a course traversed by a mobile device. In an embodiment, navigation logic of the mobile device determines context data other than any geodetic data that specifies a position of the mobile device. With such context data, the navigation logic determines a sequence of estimates each for a respective position of the device on a course traversed by the mobile device. In another embodiment, determining the sequence of estimates includes determining a first estimate of a first position of the mobile device independent of any geodetic data that specifies the first position. Course information representing such a determined sequence includes timestamp information for the first estimate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2012
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: INTEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Rajesh Poornachandran, Uttam Sengupta, Rajasekaran Andiappan
  • Publication number: 20140088867
    Abstract: A travel orientation can be calculated with a high degree of accuracy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2012
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tomohisa Takaoka
  • Patent number: 8676504
    Abstract: An embodiment of a communication system includes a client device adapted to receive a location object that includes tracer information, and to perform one or more location object-based actions using the location object. The client device stores the tracer information and location object usage information, which describes the one or more location object-based actions that have been performed using the location object. The client device also sends the stored information to a server. The system also includes the server, which is adapted to receive the location object usage information and the tracer information reported by the client device. In an embodiment, the system also includes a service provider adapted to initiate a billing event, which may include generation and transmission of a bill to a sponsor entity based on an evaluation of the location object usage information and the tracer information reported by the client device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC
    Inventors: Stephen M. Baker, David B. Harris, Bernhard P. Weisshaar
  • Patent number: 8676668
    Abstract: A population activity mapping method may include detecting a plurality of wireless mobile devices within a geographic region. Individual wireless mobile devices may include a processor, a user interface, a transmitter and a receiver. The detecting operation may be performed by use of a wireless access point, a GPS satellite, and/or a base station, and may be performed at at least two different points in time. Input data may be provided based upon the detecting operation. A distance and speed at which the mobile devices travel within the geographic region may be discerned dependent upon the input data. The discerning operation is performed by at least one processor of a computer network. A time and/or location at which salable output is to be made available and/or an amount of salable output to be made available may be determined dependent upon the discerning operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Empire Technology Development, LLC
    Inventor: Andrew Wolfe
  • Publication number: 20140058662
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus that detects a current location of the information processing apparatus; obtains a direction of a destination from the detected current location as a target direction; detects a facial orientation of a user wearing a headphone unit connected to the information processing apparatus via a wired or wireless connection in relation to a reference orientation based on outputs of a geomagnetic sensor and an acceleration sensor connected to the headphone unit; obtains a relative target angle based on a difference between the target direction and the user's facial orientation; and generates sound to be output by the headphone unit based on the obtained relative target angle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2013
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Applicant: Sony Mobile Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Makoto TACHIBANA, Takashi SHIINA, Tetsuya NARUSE, Yuichi SHIRAI, Chikashi YAJIMA, Susumu TAKATSUKA
  • Publication number: 20140058659
    Abstract: A method for computer-aided processing of electronically stored calendar data by a user terminal, wherein, by use of the user terminal, a calendar entry is read out of a data memory, the calendar entries including, with respect to an event, at least one piece of information concerning the beginning and the location of the event. The current position and time of the user terminal and a route from the current position of the user terminal to the location of the event, as well as the probable duration for the covering of the route are determined. From the beginning of the event, the current time and the probable duration for the route covering, a time difference is determined which is available up to the start of the route covering, in which case, the time difference is visually and/or audibly outputted for the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2013
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Applicant: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Joachim KOLLING
  • Patent number: 8645064
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for recommending a navigation destination based upon recent updates are provided. The apparatus and methods include, in one or more aspects, receiving a request from a user communication device for a desired item, and associating a user location of the user communication device with a destination location of a provider of the desired item. Further, the one or more aspects include identifying a destination communication device at the destination location, and querying the destination communication device for a human-originating response to obtain a current accessibility status of the desired item. Additionally, the one or more aspects include reporting the destination location of the provider and the current accessibility status to the user communication device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: David L. Bednar, Babak Forutanpour, Devender A. Yamakawa, Daniel S. Baker
  • Patent number: 8620579
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for identifying points-of-interest. In one aspect, a method includes determining a position and a heading of a mobile device, defining a zone of interest based on the position and heading of the mobile device, identifying one or more points of interest (POIs) that are located within the zone of interest, determining, for each of the identified POIs, a distance between the mobile device and the respective POI, selecting one or more of the identified POIs based on the distances, and displaying information identifying the selected POIs on a user interface of the mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Trystan G. Upstill, Andrei Lopatenko, Soham Mazumdar
  • Patent number: 8543334
    Abstract: Traffic notification systems include a location determination system that can determine a geographic location of a subscriber, and an automated traffic notification system that can automatically transmit a traffic notification message that is based on the geographic location of the subscriber to a wireless terminal associated with the subscriber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Wei Zhao, Lara F. Morgan, Xiaofeng Gao, Michael A. Oblon
  • Patent number: 8538679
    Abstract: An enhanced geocoding module may be used to determine various physical addresses located on the same street. The enhanced geocoding module may create a grid around a predetermined location and request the physical addresses of various coordinate points located on the grid. Additional features of the module may include a display that displays the grid with physical addresses located on the same street, various statistics related to a user of the enhanced geocoding module, and a color-coded scheme that indicates the status of individuals/groups located at the physical addresses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Oberweis Dairy, Inc.
    Inventors: Akash Takyar, Shaifali Garg
  • Patent number: 8498814
    Abstract: A system and method for executing user-definable events triggered through geolocational data describing zones of influence is described. One or more zones of influence are defined. Each zone of influence is described by stored geolocational data and forms a logically enclosed physical space. One or more user-definable events are associated with each zone of influence. Each user-definable event specifies a trigger condition based on the stored geolocational data for the associated zone of influence. A location of a user device is identified based on further geolocational data and at least one user-definable event is triggered when the location of the user device substantially correlates to the stored geolocational data for the trigger condition of the at least one user-definable event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Groundspeak, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeremy Irish, Elias Alvord
  • Publication number: 20130191021
    Abstract: A system and method for identification of a particular one device from an array of networked devices. Each of the devices are individually addressable by a controller on the network, and a technician preferably identifies a particular one device by use of a handheld remote control. Pointing one of transmitter/receiver pair at a device including the complementary component allows remote disambiguation based upon ranging and signal strength, particularly when using a pair of orthogonal antennas to discriminate and confirm which particular device is being pointed to by the remote. Optional confirmation helps improve identification robustness, and then the properly identified device may be configured/commissioned.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2013
    Publication date: July 25, 2013
    Inventors: Richard S. Slevin, Margarita Kovats Slevin
  • Patent number: 8478528
    Abstract: A method of wirelessly adding navigational content to a personal navigation device includes changing a mode of the personal navigation device to pairing standby mode, adding navigational content to a computing device, and establishing a direct wireless connection between the personal navigation device and the computing device to add navigational content to the personal navigation device from the computing device when the personal navigation device and the computing device are within range of each other for establishing a wireless connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Mitac International Corp.
    Inventor: Simon Dean Morley
  • Patent number: 8473152
    Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product are provided for utilizing a communication channel of a mobile device by a vehicular assembly. In operation, a vehicular assembly communicates with a mobile device having a wireless communication channel. Additionally, at least one vehicular assembly function is performed utilizing the wireless communication channel of the mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Boadin Technology, LLC
    Inventor: Kevin J Zilka
  • Patent number: 8473209
    Abstract: Marking devices for dispensing markers on the ground and marking methods are provided. The marking devices and marking methods use a marking dispenser having a machine-readable ID mechanism. The ID mechanism has data storage capability. In one embodiment, the marking dispenser may be provided with a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag. In another embodiment, the marking dispenser may be provided with a barcode. The type of information that may be encoded in the ID mechanism may include, but is not limited to, product-specific information, user-specific information, other predetermined information of interest, and any combination thereof. The ID information encoded in the ID mechanism may be collected and used for various purposes, such as, but not limited to, real-time product verification, tracking which user location received a batch of marking paint, tracking marking paint inventory, tracking marking paint problems, and tracking marking paint usage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Certusview Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Steven E. Nielsen, Curtis Chambers, Jeffrey Farr
  • Publication number: 20130158860
    Abstract: A system and method for conditionally transitioning a navigation process on a mobile device between an active state and a reduced activity state are described. In particular, a transition of the navigation process between the active state and the reduced activity state may occur in response to the mobile device approaching a transition location on a predetermined route where the navigation process is to transition to the active state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2011
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Applicant: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventor: Arnold Jason Gum
  • Publication number: 20130138342
    Abstract: A device and method for assisting navigation to an indoor stationary object within a building, comprising: a user interface module for receiving an indication of the current location of a user and of an indoor stationary object within a building, and for presenting the direction of an indoor stationary object to the user; a storage device for storing Absolute Locations of the current location and the indoor stationary object; an instruction generation component for determining distance and navigation instructions between the current location and the indoor stationary object; a direction determination unit for determining a direction a user holding the device is moving at; a distance evaluation unit for determining a distance passed by a user holding the device; and a user updated location determination component for evaluating a current location of a user holding the device based on information received from the direction determination unit and distance evaluation unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2012
    Publication date: May 30, 2013
    Inventors: Jacob ZAID, Shalom DASKAL
  • Publication number: 20130110633
    Abstract: A method of adaptive generating of navigation instructions on a mobile client terminal. The method comprises acquiring, using a mobile client terminal, at least one path passing via a plurality of points of interest and guided tour information pertaining to a tour along the at least one path, monitoring a power availability and a current location of the mobile client terminal, presenting navigation instructions to a user of the mobile client terminal according to the current location in relation to the at least one path, presenting the guided tour information to the user according to the current location, and updating at least one of the navigation instructions and a presentation of the guided tour information according to the power availability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2012
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Applicant: Digital Footsteps, Ltd.
    Inventor: Digital Footsteps, Ltd.
  • Publication number: 20130103200
    Abstract: A portable computing device can be used to locate a vehicle in a parking structure. In particular, the portable computing device can communicate with a parking system that manages the parking structure and/or with a vehicle in order to locate the vehicle. Communications between the portable computing device, parking system and vehicle can be based on one or more wireless connections, such as Bluetooth and/or Bluetooth LE connections.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2011
    Publication date: April 25, 2013
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Brian J. Tucker, Emily C. Schubert, Jesse L. Dorogusker, Joakim Linde, Stephen Chick
  • Patent number: 8401785
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing point of interest (POI) information of a mobile terminal. The method and apparatus extract POI information, where the POI information and/or associated road information is included in an image captured by a camera. Location information of an image capture place and image capture direction information are read from the digital photo image, and the POI information corresponding to the location and image capture direction information is extracted from a map data, and the extracted POI information is thereafter displayed on the digital photo image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Chae-Guk Cho, Ki-Hyung Lee
  • Publication number: 20130066551
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for recommending a navigation destination based upon recent updates are provided. The apparatus and methods include, in one or more aspects, receiving a request from a user communication device for a desired item, and associating a user location of the user communication device with a destination location of a provider of the desired item. Further, the one or more aspects include identifying a destination communication device at the destination location, and querying the destination communication device for a human-originating response to obtain a current accessibility status of the desired item. Additionally, the one or more aspects include reporting the destination location of the provider and the current accessibility status to the user communication device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2011
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Inventors: David L. BEDNAR, Babak FORUTANPOUR, Devender A. YAMAKAWA, Daniel S. BAKER
  • Patent number: 8392113
    Abstract: The subject matter disclosed herein relates to a system and method for determining navigation instructions within a pedestrian navigation environment. For example, a system and method are provided for determining an optimal path to a destination. An optimal path may be determined based at least in part on a measurement of similarity between one or more points of interest and one or more destinations. Such a measurement of similarity may be based at least in part on predefined criteria between the one or more destinations and one or more points of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Rajarshi Gupta, Saumitra Mohan Das, Min-Wook Jeong
  • Patent number: 8392106
    Abstract: A portable personal navigation device having at least one receiver for receiving radio waves and an output unit for outputting audio signals, where the receiver is configured to receive radio programs and where the output unit is configured to play back the radio programs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH
    Inventor: Paul Wlotzka
  • Patent number: 8352171
    Abstract: An auxiliary satellite positioning system is applied to a first satellite positioning apparatus. The auxiliary positioning system includes a detection module, a transmission interface and a positioning module. A second satellite positioning module having a satellite data can be detected by the detection module via a wireless transmission protocol. The satellite data can be transmitted by the transmission interface to the first satellite positioning module from the second satellite positioning module. The satellite data can be used by the positioning module to implement a satellite positioning action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: MiTAC International Corp.
    Inventor: Hung-Yi Lin
  • Patent number: 8296066
    Abstract: Traffic notification systems include a location determination system that is configured to determine a geographic location of a subscriber and an automated traffic notification system that is configured to automatically transmit a traffic notification message that is based on the geographic location of the subscriber to a wireless.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Wei Zhao, Lara F. Morgan, Xiaofeng Gao, Michael A. Oblon
  • Patent number: 8294598
    Abstract: The present invention is an electronic apparatus 100, from which a portable apparatus 10 is detachable, and which includes an information providing portion 200 for providing information to the portable apparatus 10, the electronic apparatus 100 including: a controller 140 which transmits to and receives from the portable apparatus 10 control information through a first communication line L1, and which controls restarting of the information providing portion 200 when the controller 140 receives from the portable apparatus 10 a signal indicating that a function of the information providing portion 200 stops.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited
    Inventors: Yukisuke Ozaki, Daisuke Baba
  • Publication number: 20120245846
    Abstract: Portable device, like a digital camera, is equipped with a GPS receiver, thereby detecting a current position. When a change does not occur in the detected current position for a given period of time or more, the position is considered to be a living sphere, like a user's home. When the user is situated in the living sphere, a receive cycle of the GPS receiver is increased so as to become larger than a normal receive cycle, thereby reducing power consumption.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2012
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Inventors: SHINICHI YOSHIDA, MAKOTO ITO, FUMIKI NAKAMURA
  • Patent number: 8260542
    Abstract: A navigation apparatus including a geomagnetic sensor that detects a geomagnetic field of the navigation apparatus, an orientation calculation unit that calculates an orientation of the navigation apparatus based on the detected geomagnetic field, a cradle detection unit that detects that the navigation apparatus is connected to a cradle, and outputs a signal indicating that the navigation apparatus is connected to the cradle, and an operation control unit that receives the signal output from the cradle detection unit, and controls the orientation calculation unit to not detect the orientation of the navigation apparatus based on the detected geomagnetic field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Masato Kimishima
  • Publication number: 20120191346
    Abstract: The present application relates to a device, such as a navigation device, for vehicular and non-vehicular use, e.g. by pedestrians. The device is arranged to receive a feed from a camera. The navigation device is further arranged to display a combination of a camera image from the feed from the camera and virtual signage on the display. The virtual signage relating to roads, buildings, points of interest and the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2012
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Inventors: Pieter Geelen, Marc Mattu
  • Patent number: 8229668
    Abstract: The present invention provides a vehicle communication system by which even when the number of other vehicles around a traffic line is increased, it is possible to prevent occurrence of a situation that there are located vehicles the number of which is larger than the capacity of a communicable network, and it is possible to secure communications with the other vehicles. Even when it is determined that a host vehicle enters in a traffic line and a plurality of other vehicles the number of which is larger than a threshold value are located in front and rear virtual regions of the host vehicle, a transmission power is reduced to the extent that communications between the host vehicle and one of the other vehicles that is located furthest in the virtual regions can be secured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Kawauchi, Takahiro Fujishiro, Yuki Horita, Kazuya Monden
  • Publication number: 20120179369
    Abstract: There is provided a personal navigation system, including a head-mounted orientation sensor, a coordinate position sensor, a head-mounted display, and a processor receiving an input from the head-mounted orientation sensor and an input from the coordinate position sensor and providing a visually sensible output for displaying on the head-mounted display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2012
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Applicant: LUMUS LTD.
    Inventors: Zvi Lapidot, Abraham Aharoni
  • Publication number: 20120150431
    Abstract: A portable navigation device and method are capable of presenting a destination direction to a user without resorting to visual sensation with a relatively simple configuration. Vibration elements are disposed on or in different positions of a housing. The respective vibration intensities of the vibration elements are determined on the basis of an angular difference ? between a destination direction Vn and a terminal direction Vd. The vibration elements are respectively controlled in accordance with the determined vibration intensities. The position of a vibration, which is obtained as a result of blending vibrations of the vibration elements is sensed by a user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2011
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Applicant: SONY ERICSSON MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS JAPAN, INC.
    Inventor: Tatsuya OOKA
  • Patent number: 8200427
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing point of interest (POI) information of a mobile terminal are disclosed to extract and provide POI information and/or road information included in an image captured by a camera. Location information of an image capture place and image capture direction information are read from the digital photo image, the POI information corresponding to the location and image capture direction information is extracted from map data, and the extracted POI information is displayed on the digital photo image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Chae-Guk Cho, Ki-Hyung Lee
  • Publication number: 20120143495
    Abstract: Methods and systems for indoor navigation utilize a smartphone equipped with various sensors. When a person whose initial position is unknown, and in some circumstances whose sight has been impaired, specifies a destination, the navigation system will calculate the coordinates of his/her present location from the sensor readings. It will then calculate the distance to be traveled to the destination and form routes to direct him/her towards the desired location. These steps are carried out using sensor readings and in some cases magnetic maps of the interiors of buildings stored on the smartphone. In some cases dynamic time warping (“DTW”) is used to align a recorded signature of the person's movement through the building with a stored magnetic map in order to identify the person's location within the building.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2011
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: The University of North Texas
    Inventor: Ramanamurthy Dantu
  • Patent number: 8195343
    Abstract: A method and system for multi-tracking among independent individuals without a monitoring center, where an individual is a person, a vehicle, or any other property, enables the individuals to be networked in a group and each individual to search and track other individuals of interest. The portable multi-tracking system is also capable of tracking personnel inside a building, where a self-contained positioning device provides continuous carrier's position information. In the open area a GPS (Global Positioning System) unit is activated to provide precision absolute position data which can be blended with the self-contained data to improve the accuracy and robustness of the positioning services. Thus the present invention provides excellent position tracking outside a building.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Inventor: Ching-Fang Lin
  • Publication number: 20120130635
    Abstract: A portable information terminal apparatus according to an embodiment acquires route point information corresponding to advertisement information displayed on a digital signage terminal apparatus and searches for a guidance route including a route point equivalent to the acquired route point information. Therefore, in a building such as a shopping mall, it is possible to easily guide, without increases labor of a customer as a user, the customer to a store or the like in which the customer takes an interest according to the advertisement information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2011
    Publication date: May 24, 2012
    Applicant: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Mahina Nakamura, Maki Sato, Yumiko Okuma, Tsunehiro Motegi
  • Publication number: 20120065882
    Abstract: A method of processing location data at a portable computing device is provided and includes receiving information associated with a user defined location at the portable computing device. The information includes a central point and an entry indication perimeter. An entry alert associated with the user defined location is received at the portable computing device. The location of the portable computing device is monitored to determine when the portable computing device crosses the entry indication perimeter associated with the central point of the user defined location indicating that the portable computing device is proximate to the user defined location. The method further includes switching the portable computing device from a roaming state to an entry state indicating that the portable computing device is about to enter the user defined location. An indication can be provided to the user that the portable computing device has switched to the entry state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2011
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Inventor: Sean Scott ROGERS
  • Publication number: 20120053787
    Abstract: The present embodiments provide methods, processes and systems for use in determining navigation. Some embodiments provide methods that receive a communication at a mobile navigation system from an external device, determine whether the communication comprises navigation information, extract the navigation information when the communication comprises navigation information, identify a navigation location based on the navigation information, retrieve a current location, and generate navigation instructions between the current location and the navigation location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2011
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Applicants: SONY ELECTRONICS INC., A DELAWARE CORPORATION, SONY CORPORATION, A JAPANESE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Peter Shintani, Art Ozaki