14950results about "Navigational calculation instruments" patented technology

A smart phone senses audio, imagery, and/or other stimulus from a user's environment, and acts autonomously to fulfill inferred or anticipated user desires. In one aspect, the detailed technology concerns phone-based cognition of a scene viewed by the phone's camera. The image processing tasks applied to the scene can be selected from among various alternatives by reference to resource costs, resource constraints, other stimulus information (e.g., audio), task substitutability, etc. The phone can apply more or less resources to an image processing task depending on how successfully the task is proceeding, or based on the user's apparent interest in the task. In some arrangements, data may be referred to the cloud for analysis, or for gleaning. Cognition, and identification of appropriate device response(s), can be aided by collateral information, such as context. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed.

A system comprise a server configured to communicate vehicle information with a vehicle transceiver of a vehicle moving along a vehicle route and communicate drone information with a drone transceiver of a drone moving along a drone route. A computing device with a memory and a processor may be configured to communicatively connect with the server, process the vehicle information and the drone information, identify a plurality of pickup locations based in part on the vehicle information and drone information, select at least one of the plurality of pickup locations based in part on a priority score associated with a travel time to or wait time for each of the plurality of pickup locations, and update the drone route based in part on the selected pickup location.

A system for exchanging GPS or other position data between wireless devices for purposes of group activities, child location monitoring, work group coordination, dispatching of employees etc. Cell phones and other wireless devices with GPS receivers have loaded therein a Buddy Watch application and a TalkControl application. The Buddy Watch application communicates with the GPS receiver and other wireless devices operated by buddies registered in the users phone as part of buddy groups or individually. GPS position data and historical GPS position data can be exchanged between cell phones of buddies and instant buddies such as tow truck drivers via a buddy watch server. Emergency monitoring services can be set up with notifications to programmable individuals in case an individual does not respond. Positions and tracks can be displayed. TalkControl simplifies and automates the process of joining talk groups for walkie talkie services such as that provided by Nextel.

The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for sending and retrieving location relevant information to a user by selecting and designating a point of interest that is displayed on a graphical user interface and sending the location information associated with that point of interest to a receiver that is also selected using the graphical user interface. The location relevant information may also include mapped routes, waypoints, geo-fenced areas, moving vehicles etc. Updated location relevant information may also be continuously sent to the user while generating updated mapping information on the graphical user interface. The present invention may be practiced by using communication devices such as a personal computer, a personal digital assistance, in-vehicle navigation systems, or a mobile telephone.

A light weight compact portable GPS receiver and transmitter for use on the person during outdoor activity, data logging receiver, data logging software supported by battery pack and modified active GPS patch antenna with chips, download connector, download docking station, charging units, mapping software to transfer the GPS data onto various maps including ortho-rectified, flat topographical maps, 3-D projection view topographical maps and street maps.

A personal training device (10) adapted to assist a user in reaching performance goals, navigating, and accumulating performance statistics. In a preferred embodiment, the device broadly comprises a housing (10); an attachment mechanism (30); a GPS component (40); a user interface (50), including an input portion (52) and an output portion (54); a processor (60), including a timer (62) and a memory element (64); a data interface (70), including an input portion (72) and an output portion (74); an audio component (80); and a power supply (90). The device (10) is adapted to store goal information, monitor performance using GPS-derived data, and communicate performance information.

A user selects a route between a starting point and a destination. A mobile handset monitors the user's progress along the route by monitoring the location and movement of the handset and, optionally, sensor data, and by comparing this information to rules that define permitted or prohibited locations or movements or threshold sensor values. The handset uses one or more positioning systems, such as GPS, to ascertain its location. A server provides the handset with information to correct errors in the location information. If a rule fires, possibly indicating that the user is in danger, the handset attempts to ascertain the user's wellbeing, warns the user to return to the prescribed route and begins sending the handset's location to a server, which displays the information to a dispatcher who dispatches safety or security personnel to the user's location. The handset and servers communicate via any available wireless channel(s).

Systems are arranged to provide a user information which relates to objects of interest. A user may point a hand held device toward an object to address it. The device determines which objects are being addressed by making position and attitude measurements and further a reference and search of a database containing preprogrammed information relating to objects. Information relating to objects determined as objects presently being addressed is thereafter presented at a user interface. Devices of these systems include a point reference, a direction reference, a position determining support, attitude determining support, a computer processor and database, and a user interface. Methods of systems include the steps of addressing an object, determining position and attitude, searching a database, and presenting information to a user.

Program products, methods, and systems for providing location-aware fitness monitoring services are disclosed. In an embodiment of the present invention, a method of displaying a route traversed by an athlete equipped with a location-aware portable fitness monitoring device includes the steps of (a) receiving data describing a plurality of satellite navigational system waypoints that are acquired as the athlete engages in a fitness activity, (b) identifying a map area based on a location indicated by the data describing the plurality of satellite navigational system waypoints, (c) determining the route traversed by the athlete based on the data describing the plurality of satellite navigational system waypoints and based on the location of one or more known paths associated with the map area, and (d) displaying the route traversed by the athlete on top of the map area.

Systems and methods which provide mapping an arbitrary outdoor environment and positioning a ground-based vehicle relative to this map. In one embodiment, a land-based vehicle travels across a section of terrain, recording both location data from sensors such as GPS as well as scene data from sensors such as laser scanners or cameras. These data are then used to create a high-resolution map of the terrain, which may have well-defined structure (such as a road) or which may be unstructured (such as a section of desert), and which does not rely on the presence of any “landmark” features. In another embodiment, the vehicle localizes itself relative to this map in a subsequent drive over the same section of terrain, using a computer algorithm that incorporates incoming sensor data from the vehicle by attempting to maximize the likelihood of the observed data given the map.

A wearable electronic device (10) is disclosed comprising a location determining component (12) enclosed by an elongated housing (14) and a strap (16) operable to secure the housing to a user's forearm for use during exercise or other periods of activity. The housing (14) includes a display (30) and at least one input (44). The display (30) communicates information concerning the device (10) and the input (44) controls the operation of the location determining component (12). In a first preferred embodiment, the location determining component (12) is a GPS receiver operable to determine a geographic location of the device (10). In a second preferred embodiment, the device (110) comprises a location determining component (112) and an exercise performance monitor component (162) operable to compute information relative to the user's exercise. In a third preferred embodiment, the device (212) comprises a location determining component (212) and an entertainment component (264) operable to execute at least one game. In a fourth preferred embodiment, the device (310) comprises a location determining component (312), an exercise performance monitor component (362) and an entertainment component (364).

Athletic performance monitoring and tracking may provide multiple ways in which to track athletic movement and activity. Workouts may also be tagged with various parameters including mood, weather, terrain, athletic equipment, friends used and the like. Workout information may be shared to social messaging and networking outlets. Workout information shared may include map information including images of maps, interactive maps, links to maps, route information and the like and/or combinations thereof. Additionally or alternatively, an application may be configured to execute within a context of a social networking system to facilitate athletic activity data transfer and generation of workout entries in the social networking site.

A hybrid of grid-based and graph-based search computations, together with provision of a sparse search technique effectively limited to high-probability candidate nodes provides accommodation of path constraints in an optimization search problem in substantially real-time with limited computational resources and memory. A grid of best cost (BC) values are computed from a grid of map cost (MC) values and used to evaluate nodes included in the search. Minimum segment/vector length, maximum turn angle, and maximum path length along a search path are used to limit the number of search vectors generated in the sparse search. A min-heap is preferably used as a comparison engine to compare cost values of a plurality of nodes to accumulate candidate nodes for expansion and determine which node at the terminus of a partial search path provides the greatest likelihood of being included in a near-optimal complete solution, allowing the search to effectively jump between branches to carry out further expansion of a node without retracing portions of the search path. Capacity of the comparison engine can be limited in the interest of expediting of processing and values may be excluded or discarded therefrom. Other constraints such as approach trajectory are accommodated by altering MC and BC values in a pattern or in accordance with a function of a parameter such as altitude or by testing of the search path previously traversed.

Described is a technology by which raw GPS data is processed into segments of a trip, with a predicted mode of transportation (e.g., walking, car, bus, bicycling) determined for each segment. The determined transportation modes may be used to tag the GPS data with transportation mode information, and/or dynamically used. Segments are first characterized as walk segments or non-walk segments based on velocity and/or acceleration. Features corresponding to each of those walk segments or non-walk segments are extracted, and analyzed with an inference model to determine probabilities for the possible modes of transportation for each segment. Post-processing may be used to modify the probabilities based on transitioning considerations with respect to the transportation mode of an adjacent segment. The most probable transportation mode for each segment is selected.

A system and method for providing an in-building navigation service using VLC are provided, in which transmitters control lamp modules to generate visible light signals each in a combination of different wavelengths as information for a navigation function, a mobile terminal receives visible light signals from a plurality of lamp modules that illuminate an area where the mobile terminal is located, location information about a current location of the mobile terminal is acquired through the visible light signals received from the plurality of lamp modules, and navigation information including information that matches the location information to map information is displayed on the mobile terminal.

An interruption-free hand-held positioning method and system, carried by a person, includes an inertial measurement unit, a north finder, a velocity producer, a positioning assistant, a navigation processor, a wireless communication device, and a display device and map database. Output signals of the inertial measurement unit, the velocity producer, the positioning assistant, and the north finder are processed to obtain highly accurate position measurements of the person. The user's position information can be exchanged with other users through the wireless communication device, and the location and surrounding information can be displayed on the display device by accessing a map database with the person position information.

Systems are arranged to provide a user information which relates to objects of interest. A user may point a device toward an object to address it. The device determines which objects are being addressed by reference to an internal database containing preprogrammed information relating to objects. Information relating to objects being addressed can then be presented at a user interface. A device of the system may include a point reference, a direction reference, a position determining support, attitude determining support, a computer processor and database, and a user interface. Methods of systems include the steps of addressing an object, determining position and attitude, searching a database, and presenting information to a user.

Humans identify location and directions based on visual cues, such as landmarks, rather than a precise coordinate grid. A database of landmarks can be used to determine the location of a user who can merely describe their location in the same manner they would to any human contact. The location of the user can be determined based on the landmarks described in the input, and the areas from which all of those landmarks are visible. Various databases can be used, including text-based and three-dimensional. Similarly, various mechanisms can be used to determine the user's location, including hierarchical approaches, query optimization approaches, and visibility percentage approaches. Ultimately, the user's location can be determined without the need for expensive, dedicated infrastructure, without compromising the user's security, and without subjecting the user to system outages.

A sensor is used to detect movement of a mobile device. For example, data received from an accelerometer may be averaged together and compared to a threshold value. If the average of the data is greater than a threshold value, the mobile device may be assumed to be moving. This information may be used to control the frequency of data collection by, for example, a GPS receiver in order to maximize utility and minimize power use.

A user interface is presented through which a training plan is established. The training plan includes a plurality of workouts each describing a human physical activity. The training plan is stored within data storage for selection by any of a plurality of users. In response to a user among said plurality of users selecting said training plan, data describing at least one workout in said training plan is electronically transmitted to a client device associated with the user.