Employing Map Database System Patents (Class 701/532)
  • Patent number: 9649999
    Abstract: A head unit for a motor vehicle. The head unit comprises a processor, a memory, a radio frequency transceiver, a backup camera application, a navigation application, a remote operations event handling application stored in the memory that handles remote operation commands received via the radio frequency transceiver, and a boot-loader application. When executed by the processor the boot-loader application causes the processor to initiate execution of the remote operations event handling application and, after causing the processor to initiate execution of the remote operations event handling application, causes the processor to initiate execution of the backup camera application and execution of the navigation application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Sridhar Reddy Amireddy, David A. Haugh, Alex J. Oyler, Joshua D. Turner
  • Patent number: 9640071
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided in order to identify a bi-modality condition upstream of diverging downstream road segments. In the context of a method, a distribution of speeds associated with a plurality of probe points representative of travel along the road segment upstream of diverging downstream road segments is determined. The method also includes evaluating the distribution so as to cluster the speeds associated with the plurality of probe points into a higher speed cluster associated with a higher speed and a lower speed cluster associated with a lower speed. The method also includes identifying a bi-modality condition upstream of the diverging downstream road segments based upon a relationship between the higher speed and the lower speed. The method further includes determining an extent to the bi-modality condition upstream of the diverging downstream road segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: HERE Global B.V.
    Inventors: James Fowe, Piotr Knap, Indu Kodali
  • Patent number: 9639986
    Abstract: The present specification relates to a head mounted display (HMD) and a method of controlling therefor. More specifically, the present specification provides a method for a user wearing an HMD to recognize at least one object positioned at the front via a virtual map. The HMD includes a display unit configured to display visual information, a position sensing unit configured to sense a position of the HMD, a camera unit configured to sense at least one object positioned at the front of the HMD, and a processor configured to control the display unit, the position sensing unit, and the camera unit. The processor is further configured to obtain position information of the HMD, generate a first virtual map indicating a virtual object corresponding to the at least one object positioned at the front of the HMD, based on the position information of the HMD, and display the first virtual map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Eunhyung Cho, Jongho Kim, Doyoung Lee, Jihwan Kim, Sinae Chun
  • Patent number: 9640074
    Abstract: Systems and methods for tracking a vehicle may use a mobile device associated with a tracking account, a server, and one or more client devices associated with one or more users. The mobile device may be configured to receive a location update from a location service and transmit data associated with the location update over a network. The server may be configured to receive the data associated with the location update from the mobile device, map the location update to a predefined route comprising one or more predefined stops to generate a route update, and transmit data associated with the route update over a network. The one or more client devices may be configured to receive the data associated with the route update from the sever. Access to the route update may be limited to a pre-authorized set of the one or more users associated with the tracking account.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: BUSWHERE LLC
    Inventor: Jacob D. Kustanowitz
  • Patent number: 9631946
    Abstract: An information retrieval system includes a mobile communication terminal independently performing a retrieval service provided by a server that is placed outside a vehicle, and a vehicle device equipped to the vehicle and operating in cooperation with the mobile communication terminal to perform the retrieval service via the mobile communication terminal. The vehicle device includes a first vehicle-side input section that enables an input of an intended keyword by multiple times of user manipulation and a second vehicle-side input section that is preliminarily assigned with a frequently used keyword and enables an input of the frequently used keyword by single time of user manipulation. The mobile communication terminal includes a first terminal-side input section that enables an input of the intended keyword by multiple times of user manipulation and a second terminal-side input section enables an input of a predetermined keyword by at least two times of user manipulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masao Sakuragawa, Hiroki Ukai
  • Patent number: 9626867
    Abstract: A system and method for suppressing collision warning in a host vehicle is provided. The system receives position data from a remote vehicle. The host vehicle suppresses a collision warning when a detected stationary object is in a safe-zone based on the remote vehicle position data, thereby preventing false collision warnings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Roger Arnold Trombley
  • Patent number: 9613546
    Abstract: A system for managing and presenting geolocation data. The system includes a plurality of electronic devices and a server in data communication with a plurality of electronic devices. The server has a processor that is configured to receive requests from an electronic device for a map including a feature of interest and the feature having associated location information therewith. The location information is indicative of a geographic location of the feature and comprises information indicative of a precision of the geographic location. The processor provides a precise icon and an imprecise icon for representing a feature on a map, each having a constant size. The processor is also configured to determine whether to use the precise icon or the imprecise icon to represent the feature on the map based upon information indicative of a scale of the map and the precision of the location information associated with the feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Inventor: Trenton Gary Coroy
  • Patent number: 9613468
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to a mapping management computer system. According to various embodiments, the mapping management computer system may be configured for updating geographical maps by assessing map data and operational data including vehicle telematics data to identify portions of a vehicle path that do not correspond to known travel paths. In various embodiments, the system is configured to define these identified portions as new known travel paths corresponding to a public road, private road, parking lot lane, or the like, and update the map data to reflect the new known travel paths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: United Parcel Service of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark J. Davidson, John A. Olsen, III
  • Patent number: 9615335
    Abstract: In embodiments of RFID-based location determination for antenna power adjustment, a mobile device includes a RFID reader to interrogate and communicate with RFID tags. A control module can utilize a learning algorithm to determine a current location of the mobile device based on physical locations associated with the RFID tags, and an antenna power of a wireless transceiver can be adjusted for a signal strength of a wireless network based on the current location of the mobile device. The learning algorithm can maintain a database that includes information about particular locations or rooms within a residence, the signal strength of wireless networks at the locations, and identifiers of the RFID tags. The learning algorithm can learn context of a user's location with the mobile device to improve utilization of the antenna power of the wireless transceiver, and conserve battery power of the mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC
    Inventors: Scott Debates, Douglas A Lautner
  • Patent number: 9610934
    Abstract: It is provided a control device of a hybrid vehicle including a plurality of drive power sources for running including an electric motor driven by electric energy of an electric storage device, the hybrid vehicle configured to perform motor running or assist running using the electric motor for running, the control device being configured to divide a running road acquired from map data into a plurality of sections and stores a change amount of a charged capacity of the electric storage device for each of the divided sections, to acquire all possibly-traveled running routes within a predetermined distance from a current position of the vehicle based on the map data, to calculate a variation characteristic of the charged capacity in correlation with a distance from the current position for each of the running routes based on the change amount of the charged capacity, if it is determined from the variation characteristic of the charged capacity that the possibly-traveled running routes include at least one runni
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masafumi Uchihara, Tomohiro Usami, Mariko Kanai
  • Patent number: 9613054
    Abstract: A social networking system generates a location store based on information received from its users. The location store includes entries having a physical location description and one or more terms associated with the physical location description. One or more entries associated with physical location descriptions within an area are identified. A local frequency of occurrence of each term in the identified entry is determined, and a global frequency of occurrence of each term in the identified entries within the location store is determined. Trending terms in the identified entries are determined based on the local frequencies and the global frequencies. Identified entries are compared to each other, with a score based on differing terms in compared entries and whether the differing terms are trending terms is generated. If a score is less than a threshold value, a combined entry is generated from the compared entries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventors: Marian Gelu Olteanu, Nilesh Nandan Dalvi, Manish Raghavan
  • Patent number: 9607055
    Abstract: A system may provide for retrieving data within a selected region of a map is provided. The system may include mobile devices configured to display a map and to receive a user selection of a region of the map. An application server may receive data from the mobile device, representing the user selected region of the map and a search criterion. A database may be in operative communication with the application server and executes a query using the data representing the selected region of the map and the search criterion and to return data results corresponding to a plurality of locations within the selected region and related to the search criterion. The mobile device may further be configured to display the data results corresponding to the plurality of locations on the selected region of the map and the displayed data results are automatically updated when the user moves the selected region of the map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Excalibur IP, LLC
    Inventors: Sean Michael Imler, Kevin Cheng
  • Patent number: 9604651
    Abstract: A computer system comprising a processor, a non-transitory memory, and an application stored in the non-transitory memory. When executed by the processor, the application determines that a telematics unit (TU) has connected to a messaging gateway, determines communication services to which the TU is entitled, generates metadata based on the communication services to which the TU is entitled, where the metadata comprises instructions to the TU to subscribe to topics supported by a publish-subscribe messaging gateway, and transmits the metadata to the TU.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Sridhar Reddy Amireddy, David A. Haugh, Alex J. Oyler, Joshua D. Turner
  • Patent number: 9591396
    Abstract: An ear set device that includes a main body; and one or more earphones configured to output a response signal, wherein at least one of the one or more earphones includes: a first detecting unit configured to detect whether the one or more earphones are attached to a user, wherein the main body includes a communication unit configured to perform wireless communication with the one or more earphones, a second detecting unit configured to detect a location of the main body, and a control unit configured to, based on a determination that the main body is inside a vehicle and a determination that the vehicle is operating while the one or more earphones are attached to the user, receive, from the vehicle, information related to an operation of the vehicle and output a response signal corresponding to the received information through the one or more earphones is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Heungkyu Lee, Sungwook Hong
  • Patent number: 9587948
    Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a method for determining the absolute position of a mobile unit, which has at least one optical surroundings sensor that captures a detection area of the environs of the mobile unit, in a predefined navigation environment, wherein optical, distinguishable markers which can be detected by the surroundings sensor are used in the navigation environment, wherein, for position determination, at least one marker is detected and identified, by means of an image processing algorithm, in sensor data recorded by at least one of the at least one surroundings sensors, and a relative position between the mobile unit and the marker is determined taking account of the position of the marker in the sensor data, and an absolute position of the mobile unit is determined as a function of the relative position and the absolute position of the marker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Audi AG
    Inventors: Florian Schuller, Harald Altinger
  • Patent number: 9582548
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for providing geographically relevant search results. In one aspect, a method includes receiving a geotoken for a resource. The geotoken can be a resource token that references a geographic location. A semantic geotoken can be selected using the received geotoken. The semantic geotoken is a standardized representation of the geographic location that includes one or more location-specific terms. The semantic geotoken is stored with a reference to the resource. Neighboring locations for the geographic location are determined. The neighboring locations are within a predetermined distance of the geographic location. Semantic geotokens for the neighboring locations are selected and stored with the reference to the resource. Data specifying the semantic geotokens and the reference to the resource are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: GOOGLE INC.
    Inventors: Daniel Francis Lieuwen, Andrew William Hogue, Greg Morris, Denis M. Lynch
  • Patent number: 9571961
    Abstract: Systems and methods for transit-rider-status determination and communication where a rider, via their rider communication device may provide their status to one or more transit agencies or transit networks to avail themselves of communication services that are catered to them and to their status.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: TRAPEZE SOFTWARE ULC
    Inventor: David Gavin
  • Patent number: 9553765
    Abstract: A system, method and program product for managing profiles for devices in a network. A computer system is disclosed having a configuration management system for managing configuration profiles for a set of devices within a network, and includes: a boundary definition system that employs a computerized process for defining a plurality of geospatial boundaries; a device manager that employs a computerized process for interfacing with remote agents associated with respective devices to recognize when a device has migrated into a new geospatial boundary; and a profile management system that employs a computerized process for uploading an updated configuration profile to the remote agent in response to the device being migrated to the new geospatial boundary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Shankar S. Kalyana, Jigneshkumar K. Karia, Gandhi Sivakumar
  • Patent number: 9546872
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide efficient and dynamic systems and methods for building a hybrid road network and grid based spatial temporal index to handle big trajectory data. Embodiments of the present invention can be used to satisfy the issue of low indexing and compression rate of big trajectory data, and to improve the efficiency of index queries, while also providing a mechanism to account for missing road links in a map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ning Duan, Peng Gao, Peng Ji, Xiao Bo Li, Zhi Hu Wang, Jun Zhu
  • Patent number: 9542416
    Abstract: A method for validating data changes made to a database is disclosed. The changes are made in the context of a transaction, and validation is performed using a rules database storing a plurality of rules. The method includes identifying a set of data entities affected by one or more data changes made in the context of the transaction. In response to an instruction to commit the transaction, data entities in the set of affected data entities are validated using rules from the rules database. The transaction is committed in dependence on the outcome of the validation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: 1Spatial Group Limited
    Inventors: Paul James Watson, Adrian Cuthbert, Jonathan Mark Billing
  • Patent number: 9538326
    Abstract: A first monitoring device is disposed at a predetermined position and configured to monitor a location of an information apparatus that is movable, by performing a radio communication with the information apparatus. A second monitoring device is movable and configured to monitor a location of the information apparatus by performing the radio communication with the information apparatus. An apparatus monitoring device causes the radio communication with the information apparatus to be taken over between the first monitoring device and the second monitoring device, and collects results of monitoring the information apparatus, from the first monitoring device or the second monitoring device which has taken over the radio communication with the information apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Shinya Yamamura, Kota Ejima
  • Patent number: 9530225
    Abstract: A point cloud contains data points having coordinates that locate each data point in a coordinate system. Cell boundaries are defined in the point cloud and a unique index is assigned to each cell. The indexes of the cells are assigned to any of data point contained in a cell having the same index. The index data points can be accessed in a manner analogous to rasterized or gridded data while maintaining the arbitrary or random distribution associated with point clouds. The indexed point cloud can be further processed to achieve a scalable compression level, either losslessly by increasing redundancy in the point cloud data and/or by separating the point cloud data into relevancy bands, or by conventional lossy techniques, such as by exploiting the redundancies created in the point cloud data to represent the point cloud in a finite number of symbols.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Exelis, Inc.
    Inventor: Ruben D. Nieves
  • Patent number: 9532164
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for mapping addressable information (e.g. locations denoted by name or address, street addresses, landmarks, etc.) off of disparate applications on a mobile device, onto an existing map on the mobile device, are disclosed. An application on a mobile device may display addressable information (e.g. a website displaying a location name and/or address, an email containing an address, etc.) In response to a user's selecting the addressable information and invoking a mapping command, a map-display application (e.g. Google Maps®, Yahoo! Maps®, Windows Live Search Maps®, MapQuest®, iPhone® maps, Waze® etc.) may be automatically presented (e.g. launched, become visible, displayed, etc.) displaying the addressable information in addition to at least one prior mapping content previously displayed by the map-display application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Empire IP LLC
    Inventors: Gabriel Jakobson, Steven L. Rueben
  • Patent number: 9500495
    Abstract: A vehicle unit in a vehicle determines whether the driver has encountered a difficult spot, which is difficult to understand, based on the deviation from a route, the behavior of the vehicle, and the behavior of the driver. A standard for determining the difficult spot can be corrected by learning. The vehicle unit acquires a raw image picked up at the difficult spot. The raw image is used to verify the determination of the difficult spot. The vehicle unit transmits the raw image to a center unit in a distribution center. The center unit creates a clean image based on a plurality of raw images transmitted from a plurality of vehicles. The clean image that does not show moving objects such as pedestrians and other vehicles is distributed to a succeeding vehicle arriving at the difficult spot. The vehicle unit displays the distributed clean image as a guidance image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tomoo Nomura
  • Patent number: 9489766
    Abstract: The present invention relates to electronic maps, and provides a position searching method and apparatus based on an electronic map. The method includes: receiving a keyword of a searching object; searching the electronic map with the keyword to obtain a current geographical position; acquiring panoramic images of a plurality of scenes that are located within a geographical area around the current geo-geographical position and of a predetermined size; calculating coordinates of the searching object in one of the panoramic images according to position-related information of each scene; generating an image from an image area of the one of the panoramic images and outputting the image, wherein the image area is centered on the coordinates and of a predetermined size. The present invention can accurately position an image associated with the searching object, and has the advantages of low cost and less amount of data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: TENCENT TECHNOLOGY (SHENZHEN) COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventor: Long Liu
  • Patent number: 9479946
    Abstract: Implementations herein include receiving a first signal from a first mobile computing device, the first signal indicative of a first state change and receiving a second signal from a second mobile computing device, the second signal indicative of a second state change. The method may also include determining that the first state change and the second state change are related, and that the first mobile computing device and the second mobile computing device are currently located at a common geographic location. The method may further include determining that a third mobile computing device is currently located at the common geographic location. The method may also include transmitting to the third mobile computing device, a third signal indicative of a recommended state change, the recommended state change being based on the first state change at the first mobile computing device and the second state change at the second mobile computing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Gyula Simonyi, Zoltan Stekkelpak
  • Patent number: 9465513
    Abstract: A system includes a processor configured to display a Geographic Information System (GIS) map, derive a data based on a user action associated with the map; associate a thumbnail image to the data; and display the thumbnail image representative of the map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Oliver William Sims
  • Patent number: 9454852
    Abstract: An electronic access authorization system maintains location-dependent and/or time-dependent validity data which can be read out wirelessly by an access control device (4), which data can be acquired online or, in the case of an accreditation, can be requested online as a special form of access authorization, and which can be transferred following successful issuance in electronic form to an electronic terminal (1) of a user. Changes, on the part of the issuer of the access authorization, to the validity data of the access authorization can be transferred via a data communication connection between a server (2) of the issuer of the access authorization and the electronic terminal (1) to the electronic access authorization stored in the electronic terminal (1) and displayed on a display device (5) of the electronic terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: SKIDATA AG
    Inventors: Christian Lang, Anton Scheiber
  • Patent number: 9454779
    Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for facilitating an assisted shopping experience. A speech input can be captured and transcribed. The transcribed speech input can be transmitted to a customer service agent in a data session that is contemporaneous with a voice session. The customer service agent can then facilitate an assisted shopping experience via the voice session and data session.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Fabien G. Hertschuh, Benoit St-Pierre, James L Ford, Sean P. Cier, Samuel P. Hall, VI, Peter C. Wong
  • Patent number: 9451565
    Abstract: A wireless communication apparatus including a first sensor and a second sensor, the apparatus includes: a memory; and a processor coupled to the memory, configured to: input a detection value of the first sensor and a detection value of the second sensor; determine whether or not an object that is located at the wireless communication apparatus exists, based on the detection value of the first sensor; determine a gradient of the wireless communication apparatus, based on the detection value of the second sensor; and regulate transmit power of a radio wave, based on the determination by the first sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventor: Naozumi Anzai
  • Patent number: 9418478
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for a map tool displaying a three-dimensional view of a map based on a three-dimensional model of the surrounding environment. The three-dimensional map view of a map may be based on a model constructed from multiple data sets, where the multiple data sets include mapping information for an overlapping area of the map displayed in the map view. For example, one data set may include two-dimensional data including object footprints, where the object footprints may be extruded into a three-dimensional object based on data from a data set composed of three-dimensional data. In this example, the three-dimensional data may include height information that corresponds to the two-dimensional object, where the height may be obtained by correlating the location of the two-dimensional object within the three-dimensional data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: James A. Howard, Christopher Blumenberg
  • Patent number: 9418554
    Abstract: A system and method for determining adverse/dangerous road conditions based on sensor data received from a vehicle and generating alerts for other vehicles which may encounter the same condition. The system receives sensor data from a vehicle and evaluates the data to determine if the vehicle encountered a potentially dangerous road condition. The system may apply one or more thresholds to the data, where the thresholds are designed to detect various sudden movements of the vehicle. The system may monitor the location associated with the potentially dangerous road condition and evaluate sensor data from one or more other vehicles that drive near the same location to determine whether they encounter a similar condition. The system may generate one or more alerts and transmit those alerts to vehicles that are approaching the location of the dangerous condition using location data provided by the approaching vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventor: Umashankar Velusamy
  • Patent number: 9414195
    Abstract: Systems and methods for observing and recording users of communication devices are disclosed. A first user associated with a first communication device and a second user associated with a second communication device are recognized at a central computer system. Geographic locations of the first communication device and the second communication device are tracked at the central computer system. A communication between the first communication device and the second communication device are tracked and recorded at the central computer system, wherein at least a portion of the communication is an audible communication. Features of the communication are identified at the central computer system and made available.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: TheatroLabs, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Paul Russell, Guy R. VanBuskirk, Andrew W. Kittler
  • Patent number: 9404767
    Abstract: A method for accessing information on an electronic version of an navigation information display is described. The method includes displaying navigation information on a display of a device, the device incorporating a touch screen, sensing a user touch on the touch screen, determining, by the device, a location on the touch screen where the user touch has occurred, correlating the location on the touch screen where the user touch has occurred with a location on the navigation information display, and displaying a magnified area of a portion of the navigation information proximate the location on the touch screen where the user touch occurred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Ross McNeil Brown
  • Patent number: 9377318
    Abstract: A method comprising receiving an indication of a navigation conveyance mode invocation input, determining a navigation conveyance mode identified by the navigation conveyance mode invocation input, and entering the navigation conveyance mode is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
    Inventor: Veli-Pekka Tapio Uotinen
  • Patent number: 9378504
    Abstract: A mapping system determines points of interest that are related to a selected point of interest within a digital map displayed at a client computing device. The system receives a request for mapping system data from a client computing device. The request indicates a selected point of interest (POI) that is displayed at a geographic location within the digital map. The selected POI corresponds to a list of words describing characteristics of the selected POI, and each word corresponding to the selected POI word includes a base score describing an importance of the word compared to a list of all words corresponding to displayable POIs. The system determines POIs that are related to the selected POI by comparing base scores of the selected POI words to base scores of related POI words, where the related POIs each include at least one word in common with the selected POI.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: GOOGLE INC.
    Inventors: Christopher David Vander Mey, Bernhard Seefeld, Nicholas Lee, Matthew Zhong Qing Wu, John Alistair Hawkins
  • Patent number: 9365348
    Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments that may facilitate items being retrieved from a storage location. A robotic drive unit transports a carrier storage unit to be proximate to a target storage unit that comprises a container in which an item is located. The robotic drive unit aligns a receptacle in the carrier storage unit with the container in the target storage unit. The container is transferred from the target storage unit to the carrier storage unit. The robotic drive unit transports the carrier storage unit with the container to a destination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Rishabh Agarwal, Venkataramanan Subramanian, Mustafa Mustansir Hussain, Ahmed Shareef, Vikas Vishwanatham
  • Patent number: 9355547
    Abstract: A system and computer implemented method for detecting a change in a home environment for a visually impaired user is disclosed. The method may include monitoring the home environment using a set of sensors configured to collect environment data for a set of areas of the home environment. The method may also include detecting an environmental change in an area of the home environment. The method may also include providing, in response to a triggering event, a notification of the environmental change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Mark B. Stevens, John D. Wilson
  • Patent number: 9335917
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for enhancing an HMI (Human Machine Interface) mechanism to include continuous, sequential, and time-based navigation capabilities. Airspace data associated with a flight plan is received, and the airspace data associated with a region of the flight plan is displayed. A time scale substantially coextensive with the region is also displayed. To view a future region of the airspace, the time scale on the display is moved in a first direction, and to view a previous region, the time scale on the display is moved in a second, substantially opposite direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Martin Dostal, Jiri Vasek, Matej Papp
  • Patent number: 9297664
    Abstract: A method is disclosed, for processing positioning data to generate map data which includes a plurality of navigable segments representing segments of a navigable route in the area covered by the map, with each segment being arranged to have speed data associated therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: TomTom International B.V.
    Inventors: Geert Hilbrandie, Karine Hilbrandie, Ralf-Peter Schäfer, Peter Mieth, Ian Malcom Atkinson, Martin Wolf, Ben Rutten
  • Patent number: 9288293
    Abstract: In one aspect, the present disclosure relates to a method for a method for hiding a camera preview feed of a mobile device application. The method may proceed by the mobile device application enabling an imaging sensor of the mobile device, where the software of the mobile device requires the mobile device application to display the camera preview feed when the imaging sensor is enabled. The method may continue by creating a camera preview surface for displaying the camera preview feed. The method may further continue by modifying the camera preview surface to be hidden from the mobile device user. The method may end by setting the camera preview feed to be displayed on the camera preview surface. In another aspect, the present disclosure further relates to modifying the camera preview surface by resizing the camera preview surface to be one pixel large.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: ABL IP HOLDING LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Ryan, Aaron Ganick, Kelby Green
  • Patent number: 9285227
    Abstract: A digital map having a routing path is created. Points in at least a majority of a linear length of the path may be constrained so that they are disposed substantially equidistant between structural features that are bounding navigable spaces in a structure. The creating of the path may include selecting a connected component corresponding to some or all of the navigable spaces. A morphological process may be performed on the connected component to create the path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Hui Chao, Jiajian Chen
  • Patent number: 9286797
    Abstract: A location for a traffic incident can be determined by a computer system, using data from a first and second sensor along a travel path. A receiving and sending symptom of the traffic incident are detected from a first and second sensor, using traffic flow data from the sensors. The locations of the first and second sensors are determined. The location and traffic flow data from each sensor are used to create a sending and receiving profiles. From the profiles, a convergence formula is build. Using the convergence formula and by determining a convergence point for the sending and receiving symptoms, a time and location of the traffic incident is identified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Sebastien Blandin, Saif Eddin Jabari, Laura Wynter
  • Patent number: 9268474
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus that includes a processor that controls a display to display map data; acquires first altitude data corresponding to a first point on the displayed map data and second altitude data corresponding to a second point on the displayed map data; and controls the display to scroll the map between the first point and the second point based on a difference between the first altitude data and the second altitude data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Satoshi Suzuno
  • Patent number: 9264904
    Abstract: A cache server disposed in a motor vehicle receives and caches content from a content distribution network when a load of a cellular link to the content distribution network is low. The cache server determines that the motor vehicle is turned off, broadcasts a wireless signal as part of a wireless network when the motor vehicle is turned off, and provides a device access to the content cached in the cache server via the wireless network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
    Inventors: Farooq Bari, Qingmin Hu
  • Patent number: 9251168
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus related to determining a characteristic of a location based on visit data associated with the location. Visit data indicative of travel of users to a first location from one or more other locations and/or of travel of users from the first location to one or more other locations may be utilized to determine information about the location. In some implementations visit data may be utilized to determine a connectedness measure and associate the second location with the first location based on the connectedness measure. A characteristic of the first location may optionally be determined based on a characteristic of the second location and/or an attribute associated with the visit data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Tomkins, Sergei Vassilvitskii, Shanmugasundaram Ravikumar, Mohammad Mahdian, Bo Pang, Prabhakar Raghavan
  • Patent number: 9245183
    Abstract: A method and system for mapping the conditions of locations is provided. The method includes retrieving image data associated with a plurality of locations within a specified geographical area. The image data is compared to a plurality of stored image data that includes baseline measurement values associated with an expected condition level of baseline locations within a baseline geographical area. Condition score values associated with the plurality of locations are calculated. The condition score values indicate real time condition values associated with the plurality of locations. An overall condition score value associated with the specified geographical area is generated. A map indicating the overall condition score value is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Richard M. Haas, Randy S. Johnson, Tedrick N. Northway, H. William Rinckel
  • Patent number: 9222791
    Abstract: A point-to-point shortest path technique supports real-time queries and fast metric update or replacement (metric customization). Determining a shortest path between two locations uses three stages: a preprocessing stage, a metric customization stage, and a query stage. Extensions to the customizable route planning (CRP) technique for routing are provided. These extensions include, for example, the computation of alternative routes, faster techniques for unpacking shortcuts, efficient query techniques for batched shortest path (one-to-many, many-to-many, and points of interest) determinations, and determining routes and alternative routes using traffic information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Delling, Andrew V. Goldberg, Renato F. Werneck
  • Patent number: 9222788
    Abstract: Various embodiments pertain to techniques for proactively delivering navigation options to a user via a mobile device. In various embodiments, one or more navigation options can be determined for the user and delivered to the user's mobile device at a relevant time. Navigation options can be selected based on the user's current location, the user's future plans, the time, and other locally relevant information, such as friends nearby or a nearby favorite location of the user. The navigation options can be delivered to the user's mobile device at a time that the navigation options are relevant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Gary Voronel, Donald Barnett, Timothy Wantland, Ran Mokady, Amid Moradganjeh
  • Patent number: 9217647
    Abstract: Systems and methods for recommending time independent or “guidebook” transit routes between an origin and a destination are provided. A score is generated for each transit route. The score can be used to evaluate and prioritize the transit routes so that one or more transit routes can be recommended to a user. The score can be computed based on characteristics of a trip duration function generated for the transit route. The trip duration function specifies a trip cost (e.g. a trip duration) for the transit route as a function of time (such as departure time or arrival time) over the time interval. The trip duration function can be a piecewise linear function with one or more linear trip segments. Each linear trip segment models the trip cost, including waiting time, of a transit trip associated with the transit route over at least a portion of the time interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Lucien Pech, Albert Graells