5773results about "Beacon systems" patented technology

An Integrated Routing / Mapping Information System (IRMIS) links desktop personal computer cartographic applications to one or more handheld organizer, personal digital assistant (PDA) or "palmtop" devices. Such devices may be optionally equipped with, or connected to, portable Global Positioning System (GPS) or equivalent position sensing device. Desktop application facilitates user selection of areas, starts, stops, destinations, maps and / or point and / or route information. It optionally includes supplemental online information, preferably for transfer to the PDA or equivalent device. Users' options include route information, area, and route maps. Maps and related route information are configured with differential detail and levels of magnitude. Used in the field, in conjunction with GPS receiver, the PDA device is configured to display directions, text and map formats, the user's current position, heading, speed, elevation, and so forth. Audible signals identifying the next turn along the user's planned route are also provided. The user can pan across maps and zoom between two or more map scales, levels of detail, or magnitudes. The IRMIS also provides for "automatic zooming," e.g., to show greater detail or closer detail as the user approaches a destination, or to larger scale and lower resolution to show the user's overall planned route between points of interest. The IRMIS also enables the user to mark or record specific locations and / or log actual travel routes, using GPS position information. These annotated location marks and / or "breadcrumb" or GPS log data can be saved, uploaded, displayed, or otherwise processed on the user's desktop geographic information or cartographic system. The IRMIS application and data may be distributed online and / or in tangible media in limited and advanced manipulation formats.

System and method for preventing vehicle accidents in which GPS ranging signals relating to a host vehicle's position on a roadway on a surface of the earth are received on a first communication link from a network of satellites and DGPS auxiliary range correction signals for correcting propagation delay errors in the GPS ranging signals are received on a second communication link from a station or satellite. The host vehicle's position on a roadway on a surface of the earth is determined from the GPS, DGPS, and accurate map database signals with centimeter accuracy and communicated to other vehicles. The host vehicle receives position information from other vehicles and determines whether any other vehicle from which position information is received represents a collision threat to the host vehicle based on the position of the other vehicle relative to the roadway and the host vehicle. If so, a warning or vehicle control signal response to control the host vehicle's motion is generated to prevent a collision with the other vehicle.

The present invention generally relates to systems, methods and applications utilizing the convergence of any combination of the following three technologies: wireless positioning or localization technology, wireless communications technology and sensor technology. In particular, certain embodiments of the present invention relate to a remote device that includes a sensor for determining or measuring a desired parameter, a receiver for receiving position data from the Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite system, a processor for determining whether or not alert conditions are present and a wireless transceiver for transmitting the measured parameter data and the position data to a central station, such as an application service provider (ASP). The ASP, in turn, may communicate the measured data, position data and notification of any alerts to an end user via an alert device. The present invention also relates to various applications and systems utilizing the capabilities of such a device.

The present invention is directed to a system and method for searching and retrieving location information associated with one or more points of interests, whereby the search criteria can be dependent upon the location of a point of interest with respect to the the real-time position of the user, and any preferences or search restrictions selected by the user, such as rating information about the point of interest. Upon selecting a point of interest from the search result, the user is then given further information regarding the selected point of interest, including but not limited to directions for traveling to the point of interest. Additionally, the present invention can provide to the user a proximity notification once the user is within a certain distance from the point interest. Finally, while at a point of interest, the user can provide to the system information regarding the point of interest, such as rating of the food of a restaurant, without having to specifically identify the point of interest as the system can self-identify the point of interest by using the position information of the user.

An imaging system suitable for use with a vehicle based global positioning system includes an imaging sensor and a control. The imaging sensor is positioned at the vehicle and may face generally forwardly with respect to the direction of travel of the vehicle. The control may be operable to provide a record of vehicle movement since the last position data derived from the vehicle based global positioning system. The imaging system may also or otherwise be suitable for use with a vehicle based magnetic compass system. The imaging system may be operable in combination with a magnetic field sensor of the magnetic compass system to provide a substantially continuously calibrated heading indication, which is substantially resistant to local magnetic anomalies and changes in vehicle inclination. The imaging sensor may be associated with one or more other accessories of the vehicle.

System and method for preventing vehicle accidents in which the absolute position of the vehicle is determined, e.g., using a satellite-based positioning system such as GPS, and the location of the vehicle relative to the edges of the roadway is then determined based on the absolute position of the vehicle and stored data relating to edges of roadways on which the vehicle may travel. A system or component within the vehicle is initiated, e.g., an alarm or warning system, or the operation of a system or component is affected, e.g., an automatic guidance system, if the location of the vehicle approaches close to an edge of the roadway or intersects with an edge of the roadway.

Arrangement and method for mapping a road during travel of a vehicle having two data acquisition modules arranged on sides of the vehicle, each including a GPS receiver and antenna for enabling the vehicle's position to be determined and a linear camera which provides one-dimensional images of an area on the respective side in a vertical plane perpendicular to the road such that information about the road is obtained from a view in a direction perpendicular to the road. A processor unit forms a map database of the road by correlating the vehicle's position and the information about the road. Instead of or in addition to the linear cameras, scanning laser radars are provided and transmit waves downward in a plane perpendicular to the road and receive reflected waves to provide information about distance between the laser radars and the ground for use in forming the database.

A system and method for locating, tracking, and / or monitoring the status of personnel and / or assets (collectively “trackees”), both indoors and outdoors, is provided. Tracking data obtained from any number of sources utilizing any number of tracking methods (e.g., inertial navigation and signal-based methods) may be provided as input to a mapping application. The mapping application may generate position estimates for trackees using a suite of mapping tools to make corrections to the tracking data. The mapping application may further use information from building data, when available, to enhance position estimates. Indoor tracking methods including, for example, sensor fusion methods, map matching methods, and map building methods may be implemented to take tracking data from one or more trackees and compute a more accurate tracking estimate for each trackee. Outdoor tracking methods may be implemented to enhance outdoor tracking data by combining tracking estimates such as inertial tracks with magnetic and / or compass data if and when available, and with GPS, if and when available.

A system and method displays information using a vehicle-mount computer. The system includes (i) a computer touch screen for inputting and displaying information; (ii) a motion detector for detecting vehicle motion; (iii) a proximity sensor for detecting proximity to an item; and (vi) a vehicle-mount computer in communication with the computer touch screen, the motion detector, and proximity sensor, the vehicle-mount computer including a central processing unit and memory. The vehicle-mount computer's central processing unit is configured to store information associated with user-selected information from the computer touch screen and to display a zoomed view of the user-selected information on the computer touch screen. Further, the vehicle-mount computer's central processing unit is configured to override screen-blanking when user-selected information is displayed.

A navigation system for a vehicle includes a vehicle-based telematics system, a vehicle-based global positioning system and a control. The telematics system is operable to receive a user input from a driver of the vehicle and to download directional information from an external service provider to the control in response to the user input and an initial geographic position of the vehicle. The directional information comprises at least two instructions with each of the instructions being coded or associated with or linked to a respective geographic location. The control is operable to provide an output corresponding to each of the instructions in response to a current actual geographic position of the vehicle. The control is operable to provide each instruction only when the then current actual geographic position of the vehicle at least generally corresponds to the particular geographic location associated with the instruction.

System and methods for determining and disseminating current traffic information and / or route information are presented. For example, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, traffic condition information is collected from mobile units that provide their location or position information. The traffic condition may be determined, for example, based on the difference between the velocity of each mobile unit and the speed limit corresponding to their location. Furthermore, the fastest routes between two locations may be determined and provided based on historical and / or current conditions and provided to a mobile unit. In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, route information may be utilized to determine whether a mobile unit (e.g., associated with a vehicle) is allowed or prohibited from traveling along a certain route.

A system of mobile units are installed in multiple vehicles in traffic. These mobile units include both wireless communications devices and apparatus that determines the location of each vehicle. Monitoring a vehicle's position as a function of time also reveals the velocity of the vehicle. Position and speed information is periodically broadcast by the vehicles to a central monitoring station and to neighboring vehicles. At the central monitoring station, the collective input of a set of vehicles is processed to provide an instant chart of traffic conditions in the area. Warnings of delays or updates on traffic conditions on the road ahead are then automatically returned to subscribers of the information or are used as part of an Intelligent Vehicle Highway System (IVHS). Neighboring vehicles within a region communicating with one another form a network in which the broadcast information is processed locally on the respective vehicles to estimate possible problems ahead and consider computing an alternate road and / or checking with the central monitoring station for more information. If out of range of the central monitoring station, the vehicles in the network form a local area network for the exchange and update of information, and when any vehicle in the network is within range of the central monitoring station, the local area network data is uploaded to help update the overall traffic information.

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 self-contained device for capturing video imagery in response to a triggering event may include a mirror and be mounted to a vehicle windshield in place of a conventional rear-view mirror. The device includes a housing in which the electronics and related elements of the invention are contained. These elements include one or more data sensors, at least one of which is an image sensor,. Also included are a data sensor circuit and a capture circuit. The data sensor circuit responds to the triggering event, and may include data sensors coupled to vehicle systems such as a speedometer, tachometer, brake, turn signals or the like, or other data sensors such as an accelerometer or a vehicle position sensor. The triggering event may be, for example, a sudden change in acceleration indicative of an impending collision, or it may be a change in the signal provided by any such data sensor, including the image sensor. The capture circuit is coupled to the image sensor and captures a signal representing the video imagery by recording it in a digital memory, by transmitting it to a remote location, or by other suitable means. The capture circuit terminates capture of the signal in response to the data sensor circuit sensing a triggering event. The captured data thus describe circumstances leading up to the time of the triggering event. The data can be analyzed to help police, insurance or other investigative personnel understand those circumstances.

A system for transmitting, collecting and displaying diagnostic and operational information from one or more motor vehicles to a central server connected to a wide area network. The system is designed to be used with an existing on-board diagnostic system found in most motor vehicles manufactured today. The system includes a translator device capable of translating the codes from an on-board diagnostic connector into computer readable files such as ASCII files. The translator device may be connected to an on-board computer that includes a wireless modem capable of connecting to a wireless communication network and eventually to a wide area network. A central server is connected to the wide area network which receives and stores information from the on-board computer. Authorized users may connect to central server via the wide area network and request information therefrom regarding selected motor vehicles. All of the information may be presented in a single interface.

Improved approaches for monitoring status of articles being shipped are disclosed. The monitoring can produce notifications to interested parties. The notifications typically contain status information pertaining to the articles being shipped. Alternatively, interested parties can gain access to status information pertaining to the articles being shipped via a website. According to one embodiment, the status information includes at least position (location) information and shipping conditions information.

Improved methods and systems for position acquisition and / or monitoring are disclosed. The position acquisition and / or monitoring can be performed with improved intelligence so that data acquisition, transmission and / or processing is reduced. As a result, the position acquisition and / or monitoring is able to be performed in a power efficient manner.

An interactive multimedia tour guide provides a user with packaged tours in a multimedia format that includes directions and useful information about a selected tour. The packaged tours are composed of principle and ancillary points of interest. A user profile is developed which is used to generate a preference mask for the user. The preference mask is used to select only those ancillary points of interest that would be of most interest to the user. The selected tour is stored on a portable self-contained electronic system which includes a GPS navigation system and cell phone. The system includes voice recognition software and speech synthesis software to provide the user with a verbal interface That provides directions and information on various points of interest during the tour. Combined with optional camera, the interactive multimedia tour guide allows for rapid identification and editing of pictures or videos made on a tour.

A vehicle fleet management information system for identification of location and direction of movement of each vehicle in the fleet in real-time and automatic communication directly with management offices to report its location and heading, and status of predetermined events in which the vehicle may be engaged. One example is a cement delivery truck which monitors location, speed and status information such as start pour, pouring, end pour, wash and leave job, and automatically transmits this information with a management office without requiring affirmative action by the vehicle operator.

The navigation system method described herein could guide people around urban environments, detect guide and navigate them to destinations, add-on to the portable phone. We have focused on the task of detecting and navigating even in situations in which Global Positioning Systems (GPS) cannot provide this information, such as when the person is indoors or in crowded urban areas where there is no line of site to the GPS satellites. The information will be received directly from RF sensors and will display on the existing cellular phone as Bluetooth application

An exercise monitoring system which includes an electronic positioning device; a physiological monitor; and a display unit configured for displaying data provided by said electronic positioning device and said physiological monitor.

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 mobile station (1) of a mobile communication network system (2), comprising a GPS / GSM or UMTS based geographical position localising module (3) for localising the geographical position (24c) of the mobile station, which has storage means for storing geographical related base data, and display means (4) for displaying geographical related base data as a map (24) or as a text string, is characterised in that the geographical related base data displayed has been at least partly provided by wireless transmission from the network system and is limited to a predetermined extent depending on the geographical position, travel modus and speed of the mobile station, and the mobile station itself calculates the geographical position which can be presented to others during call set-up or with SMS services and the mobile station can do routing using a navigational algorithm implemented in location finder module (31) of the mobile station.

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).

Described is an automatic control system for land (and possible marine) vehicles based on carrier phase differential GPS (CPGPS). The system relies on CPGPS to determine vehicle position and attitude very precisely (position to within 1 cm and attitude to within 0.1 DEG ). A system incorporates a technique to calculate and compensate for antenna motion due to vehicle roll and pitch. One aspect of the system utilizes an intelligent vehicle controller that recognizes and adapts to changing conditions, such as vehicle speed, implements towed by the vehicle, soil conditions, and disturbance level. The system provides the capability to control the vehicle on various paths, including straight lines and arbitrary curves. Also described is a technique for initialization and vehicle control using only a single pseudolite.