2456 results about "Location data" patented technology

A system that tracks the current and historical locations of a GPS locator device carried by a person provides widely available access to data referencing these locations, so that a parent can easily and frequently monitor the location of a child. Monitoring of a child's location may be conducted via a Web site, which provides graphical maps of location data, or via calling into a call center. The present invention also provides a means for a parent to trigger the automatic transmission of the device's location, via a Web site or call placed to a call center agent or a VRU. The present invention also provides a process of auto-notification of a device's movement that exceeds a pre-specified threshold. The present invention also includes a capability to function as a proximity alert device.

Verification of a source of a package is facilitated. A data terminal certified by an authority obtains location data from a location detection component. The location data indicates a source location from which the package is to be shipped, and is detected by the location detection component at the source location. Secure package shipment information, including the location data, is provided with the package to securely convey the detected source location to facilitate verifying the source of the package. The data terminal can be a portable data terminal certified by the authority and have a tamper-proof boundary behind which resides the location detection component and one or more keys for securing the package shipment information. Upon tampering with the tamper-resistant boundary, the certification of the portable data terminal can be nullified.

System and methods for querying digital image archives containing digital photographs and/or videos (collectively, "digital images"). The digital images are indexed in accordance with a plurality of recorded parameters including time, date and geographic location data (altitude and longitude), as well as image data such as lens focal length, auto focus distance, shutter speed, exposure duration, aperture setting, frame number, image quality, flash status and light meter readings, which are used for searching a database consisting of the digital images. These images are preferably generated by an image capturing system which is capable of measuring and recording a plurality of parameters with each captured digital image. The image retrieval system allows a querying user to search the image archive by formulating one or more of a plurality of query types which are based on the recorded parameters, and then retrieve and display those images having the specified parameters.

This invention provides a system and method for identifying, locating, authorizing by proximity and communicating with equipment and personnel in a facility that generally employs a series of limited range transceivers for location determination and a distributed wireless data network for data transfer. The system employs unique RF transceiver tags on personnel and equipment that are each uniquely identified and registered with a facility control application that oversees activities in the facility. The tags are tracked by RF communication based upon their proximity to one or more fixed-base networked access points and relays (which transfer location data by RF back to access points) within four range zones. Location data on all tags is uploaded periodically to a location server that interfaces with the facility control server. Tag data is monitored by the facility control server to track, authorize and deauthorize certain data transfers, movements and activities in accordance with rules established for each tag (or type of tag) within the facility control server's application. Wireless networking (WiFi, for example), in combination with the RF-derived location information, allows the facility control server to correlate and transmit data to staff in conjunction with location and proximity. WiFi can transmit authorizations, deauthorizations and general data based upon triggers established by proximity and location. Likewise, data can be transmitted over WiFi from readers etc. from personnel and equipment located and identified by the system.

A method and apparatus for tracking and determining a location of a gaming machine or other item within a casino or hotel is disclosed. In one embodiment the method and apparatus utilizes a transmitter or emitter to provide a tracking signal that may be tracked by one or more receivers or detectors. It is contemplated that the transmitter or emitter connect to a gaming machine. As the gaming machine is relocated within the casino its location is monitored. The one or more receivers may communicate with a host computer or other data processing system to generate location data regarding the gaming machine in relation to other aspects of the casino. Based on the location information generated by the location monitoring and tracking system, other aspects of machine operation may be controlled and additional features dependant on the machine location information may be enabled.

The method and the information processing system dynamically creates an HTML document with at least one embedded hyperlink code therein. The HTML document is based upon a source document provided by a manufacturer or a supplier of services. Typically, the system and the method is operable in a client-server computer environment. A database is provided on the server computer system which database associates location data of a plurality of data strings in the source document with hyperlink addresses. The location data in the database maps at least one predetermined data string in the source document. An HTML document, based upon the source document, is published with an image tag on, in or near the predetermined data string. As an example, the string may be a "part number" or a string of words "SONY PLAYSTATION II.". The published HTML document has an image tag on, at or near the part number and a map attribute command which supplies or generates an HTML location data unique to the image tag location in the HTML document when the browser calls the server's common gateway interface (CGI). The image tag URL points to the database on the server. The server, via the database provides a corresponding hyperlink address, associated with the unique location data correlated to the HTML location data, to the browser on the client computer system. The method and the system then publishes and embeds in the original or initial HTML document at, on or near the predetermined data string or part number an active hyperlink tag (an embedded code) with the corresponding hyperlink address obtained from the database.

A method for predicting vehicle operator destinations including receiving vehicle position data for a vehicle. The vehicle position data for a current trip is compared to vehicle position data for a previous trip to predict a destination for the vehicle. A path to the destination is suggested.

Digital cameras and methods that employ location and time data to automatically select and/or adjust stored profiles used when taking photographs at different geographic locations. The digital camera comprises a user interface that is coupled to processing circuitry. A plurality of predetermined profiles are stored in the camera. Firmware is configured to run on the processing circuitry and process geographic location and time data entered into the camera, such as by way of the user interface, for example, to select one or more profiles based upon the geographic location and time data that were entered.

Generally, the present invention automatically monitors the travel of vehicles in response to requests from users at remote locations. In this regard, a user at a remote location submits a vehicle indicator (such as a bus number, for example) and a location indicator (such as a bus stop number, for example) to a data manager at a vehicle tracking system. The data manager automatically retrieves travel data and location data based on the vehicle indicator and the location indicator. The travel data indicates the current location of the vehicle identified by the vehicle value, and the location data represents a location along the vehicle's route of travel. The data manager then compares the travel data and the location data in order to determine whether the vehicle is a predetermined proximity from the location represented by the location data. When the vehicle is a predetermined proximity from the location identified by the location data (i.e., arrival of the vehicle at the location is imminent), the data manager automatically transmits a notification message to the user at the remote location.

A data logging unit configured for installation in a hybrid vehicle communicates with a user device configured to receive data from the data logging unit and to display selected portions of the data to a user for identification of potential vehicle faults associated with vehicle events reported by the vehicle's driver. The data logging unit has a data logger which communicates with hybrid drive system and other vehicle components to receive hybrid drive system data, and with a vehicle position sensor which detects location to receive vehicle location data. A data log processing module correlates location data with the corresponding vehicle data, and creates a correlated log of drive system data and associated vehicle location information, to allow identification of vehicle data within an event window based on vehicle location at the time of a reported event. Accordingly, a user may make a geographical request and the system will report vehicle data corresponding to the geographical request.

The present invention provides a wireless communication apparatus including: a communication processing unit that transmits and receives a radio signal; a wireless power transmitting unit that supplies power wirelessly to an apparatus located within a power supplyable range; a location data obtaining unit that obtains location data of a power receiver apparatus; and a control unit that controls a power supply to the power receiver apparatus based on the location data of the power receiver apparatus obtained by the location data obtaining unit.

A system for displaying commercial advertising to a mobile unit via a wireless data communication with a global computer network, such as the Internet, based on GPS position data is disclosed. The system distributes location-relevant advertising content over a data network to a client based on a GPS position. A mobile electronic GPS enabled device communicates over a wireless link with a remote computer server and communicates GPS location information to the server. Upon receipt of the user's GPS location data, the server can then select to return to the user location specific commercial advertising information, thereby relieving the client of the task of filtering for relevant information. The commercial advertising information may include advertising of local interest, discount coupons accepted by businesses in the local vicinity of the user, and addresses and/or maps to local points of interest. The information may be received by vehicle mounted and/or hand-held electronic device. According to another aspect of the present invention, the system is useful in a search mode wherein information is relayed to the user based on “keywords” input by the user and GPS location information.

A video on request (“VOR”) system is disclosed. The VOR system includes a producer having a location device for providing location data and a video recording device. The VOR system also includes an information exchange having a producer database configured to store a producer profile having current location and status of the producer. The current location and status are continually updated based on the location data. The VOR system also includes a viewer having access to the information exchange to search the producer database for available producers within a predetermined range of a desired location. Upon finding the available producer at the desired location, the viewer requests an information segment to be produced by the producer from the desired location. The producer thereafter records the information segment and transmits the information segment to the viewer.

System for providing alert-based communication services for which corresponding alert conditions to be met by mobile stations are defined. The system includes an alert engine capable of firing alerts associated with the alert-based communication services if location data regarding the mobile stations is indicative of the mobile stations meeting the alert conditions corresponding to the alert-based communication services. A requirements engine is provided for determining an expected earliest future time at which at least one alert condition is capable of being met by a particular mobile station and outputting a data element indicative of a requirement to obtain updated location data about the particular mobile station in advance of the expected earliest future time. Also provided is a scheduler for receiving expiry times data indicative of a plurality of expiry times relating to respective location requests, processing the expiry times data for determining an order for servicing the location requests by positioning determining equipment (PDE) at least in part on a basis on the expiry times of the location requests and an output for interfacing with the PDE, allowing it to service the location requests according to the order determined.

Non-intrusive peripheral systems and methods to track, identify various acting entities and capture the full motion of these entities in a sports event. The entities preferably include players belonging to teams. The motion capture of more than one player is implemented in real-time with image processing methods. Captured player body organ or joints location data can be used to generate a three-dimensional display of the real sporting event using computer games graphics.

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.

Methods and systems for tracking movements of participants in a market research study, for example, outside retail establishments, are provided. The methods and systems employ portable monitors carried on the persons of the participants to gather location data.

The method and device for locating underground utilities within an area includes traversing the area with a plurality of underground utility sensors and obtaining area location data to locate the area traversed. The sensor data and area location data are used to map the location of one or more utilities within the area traversed.

A system and method of assisting a driver of a vehicle by providing driver and vehicle feedback control signals is disclosed. The system and method includes receiving location data of the vehicle from a GPS unit, receiving the location data of the vehicle and retrieving navigation characteristics relevant to the location data using a processing circuit, generating a most probable future path for the vehicle and determining a location of at least one navigation characteristic with respect to the most probable future path and the vehicle, generating vehicle data at least one vehicle sensor, and transmitting a control signal to a vehicle control area network to warn the driver of an upcoming navigation characteristic on the most probable path.

A technique for content delivery in wireless networks which associates a desired broadcast/multicast (BCMC) territory with the content, estimates cell sector coverage area from a subscriber location data set, and then identifies a set of cell sectors to be sent the content using a BCMC protocol. The method involves first receiving a description of a designated broadcast/multicast (BCMC) territory in terms of a physical area. Next, a content indicator associated with the BCMC territory is identified. The content indicator identifies content, such as text or image data, that is to be supplied to subscribers located in the territory. A cell sector coverage area is then estimated from a subscriber location data set wherein the data set includes at least a geographic location and a cell sector identifier for multiple subscribers. The BCMC territory description and the estimated cell sector coverage areas are then compared against the subscriber location data set to identify a set of targeted cell sectors. Finally, the content indicator is then sent to the set of targeted cell sectors using a BCMC protocol.

Methods and apparatus are described for marine asset security and tracking (MAST). A method includes transmitting identification data, location data and environmental state sensor data from a radio frequency tag. An apparatus includes a radio frequency tag that transmits identification data, location data and environmental state sensor data. Another method includes transmitting identification data and location data from a radio frequency tag using hybrid spread-spectrum modulation. Another apparatus includes a radio frequency tag that transmits both identification data and location data using hybrid spread-spectrum modulation.

A method and a system to correlate location and content. For example hyperlinked content can be received from a user including current geographical position data. The current geographical position data can be extracted from the hyperlinked content. Location or geographically-based content can be selected based on the current geographical position data. The geographical based content can be returned to the user.

A user activity, which may be a credit card transaction or an on-line access, is approved based on the user's location at the time of the transaction or access. If the transaction or access is denied, the user may call or send a text message to the authorizing entity to permit the authorizing entity to determine the user's location. Then, the authorizing entity transmits a request to locate the user and receives location data indicating the location of the user in response thereto. If the user location is within a predetermined proximity to the location of the user activity, the user activity is authorized.

A method of presenting images to a user of a vehicle navigation system includes accessing location data indicating a particular location included within a route determined by a vehicle navigation system and accessing corresponding direction data, obtaining a captured image based on the accessed location and direction data, and displaying the obtained image to the user. The obtained captured image corresponds approximately to a driver's perspective from within a vehicle and depicts a view of or from the particular location along the particular direction indicated by the direction data. Location data includes spatial coordinates such as GPS data, a street index, and/or other locative data either absolute or relative to a particular street or intersection. Direction data includes a travel direction of the vehicle upon a street corresponding to the particular location. Additionally, data indicating time-of-day, season-of-year, ambient environmental conditions, etc., may be used to obtain and/or correlate obtainable images.

Systems, methods and devices for gathering data concerning exposure of predetermined survey participants to media displays are provided. A portable monitor is arranged to receive certain types of terrestrial-based signals, and in some specific cases, satellite-based signals, and to use such signals to generate location data indicative of a location of the portable monitor. The location data and stored media display data is analyzed to evaluate the survey participant's exposure to one or more media displays.

A search article estimation apparatus is provided that is capable of estimating an article that a user is trying to search for, even when the user cannot accurately provide information on the article that the user wants to search for. The state of access to a storage equipment by the user and a change in articles in the storage equipment during the access are checked by a sensing apparatus. If there is no change in articles, then a search state detection means determines that the user has performed an article search but has been unable to find the article. Furthermore, a search article estimation means refers to a storage location database and estimates an article that should originally be stored in the storage equipment, to be the article that the user is searching for.

A novel method of and system for enabling the use of one portable cellular phone only, in voice communication with a cellular network control center for voice-requesting position or location data services, and, with the aid of a vehicle GPS-transponder activated in response to signaling from the control center over cellular network channel control paths, to receive and process at the vehicle GPS location data from satellites, and to transmit the data over the said channel control paths to the control center, for then sending therefrom to the user of the portable cellular phone.

A wireless gateway is provided that connects mobile and remote assets or employees to business enterprise users through multiple wireless networks and the Internet by using web served applications. The central core of the gateway is a location aware business component that sends and receives location based information to and from remote and mobile assets and applies business logic to the location data to enhance and automate business applications run by the enterprise user. This functionality considerably exceeds that of a traditional wireless gateway, which simply manages messages passed through multiple wireless networks but does nothing with the content of the messages. The business logic component provides a common interface and protocol for handling location information and allows applications that follow the protocol to interface with the gateway to take advantage of location information by using location data to trigger events or to tag events, messages, or other data.

A technique for acquiring and tracking terminals in a free-space laser communication system involves exchanging beacon laser beams between the terminals to acquire and then track the terminals such that data laser beams exchanged by the terminals for communication are steered based on feedback from detection of the beacon laser beams. The beacon laser beams used for acquisition have a greater beam divergence than those used for tracking. Gimbals provide coarse steering of the data laser beams, and steering mirrors provide fine steering. GPS position data exchanged via an RF link can be used for initial pointing of the beacon laser beams for acquisition. The beacon laser beams can be chopped such that all terminals can use the same beacon wavelength and are distinguished by using different chopping frequencies. By detecting a chopped signal, the position sensor detector can be AC coupled to reduce sensitivity to solar radiation and glint.

A vehicle warning system is responsive to vehicle speed and position as determined by GPS or other location based system information to alert a vehicle operator of potentially unsafe conditions when either exceeding the speed limit on a given road segment or when approaching coordinates of a designated location alert point. The system comprises a portable device, a simple device personalization process using a single physical data communications interface to a local computing device connected to the Internet, and a remote server with a segmented database that provides access to common data services, positional data updates, and device personalization functionality.