Patent Document

FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to a portable electronic device, in particular, a directional location system for a portable electronic device. 
     BACKGROUND 
     With the advent of GPS technology, it has become possible to determine the precise location of any GPS receiver on the globe. GPS technology is often combined with mapping software in order to visually indicate the location of a GPS receiver on a map. Some of the portable devices that are currently available on the market include a screen for displaying a map along with a visual indicator that represents the GPS location of the device, however, there are several drawbacks associated with these devices. 
     Downloading geographic maps onto the portable devices from a network is very time consuming and there are often licensing fees associated with map use. In addition, the size of the screen is typically minimized in order to reduce the overall size and weight of the portable device. This may result in a user spending valuable time attempting to understand the map if insufficient information is provided on a single screen. 
     As with any map, time is also spent becoming oriented with one&#39;s surroundings and correlating them to the map on the screen. If the user is not particularly map literate, it may take a very long time for the user to determine his or her location. Further, in a region that is poorly mapped or a region that includes few roads or landmarks, mapping one&#39;s GPS location on a portable device may not be very useful. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The following Figures set forth an embodiment in which like numerals denote like parts and in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a functional block diagram of a communication system for portable electronic devices according to the embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  is a functional block diagram of certain components at least one of the portable electronic devices of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a functional block diagram of a pointing system of the portable electronic device of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is an overhead view showing the portable electronic devices of  FIG. 1  separated by distance d; and 
         FIG. 5  is a front view of the portable electronic device of  FIG. 2 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a functional block diagram of a communication system  10 , a first portable electronic device  12  and a second portable electronic device  14  is generally shown. The portable electronic devices  12 ,  14  and the communication system  10  are operable to effect communications over a radio communications channel therebetween. A first user (not shown) is associated with the first portable electronic device  12  and a second user (not shown) is associated with the second portable electronic device  14  and both portable electronic devices  12 ,  14  are Global Positioning System (GPS) enabled. 
     For the purpose of illustration, the communication system  10  is functionally represented in  FIG. 1  and includes a first base station  16  and a second base station  18 . Base station  16  defines a coverage area, or cell  20  within which communications between the base station  16  and the portable electronic device  12  can be effected. Similarly, base station  18  defines a cell  22 . It will be appreciated that the portable electronic devices  12 ,  14  are movable within their respective cells  20 ,  22  and can be moved to coverage areas defined by other cells, including those that are not illustrated in the present example. 
     The base stations  16 ,  18  are part of a wireless network and infrastructure  24  that provides a link to the portable electronic devices  12 ,  14 . The wireless network and infrastructure  24  includes additional base stations (not shown) that provide the other cells referred to above. Data is delivered to the portable electronic devices  12 ,  14  via wireless transmission from base stations  16 ,  18 , respectively. Similarly, data is sent from the portable electronic devices  12 ,  14  via wireless transmission to the base stations  16 ,  18 . 
     Wireless networks and infrastructures include, for example, data-centric wireless networks, voice-centric wireless networks, or dual-mode wireless networks. For the purpose of the present exemplary embodiment, the wireless network and infrastructure  24  includes a dual-mode wireless network that supports both voice and data communications over the same physical base stations. 
     The communication system  10  further includes a relay device  26  that is connected to the wireless network and infrastructure  24  and to a server  28 . It will be understood that the functions provided by the relay device  26  and the server  28  can be embodied in the same device. The server  28  is also connected to an administration server  30 , as shown. The administration server  30  provides administrative services to and control over the server  28 . 
     The server  28  is also functionally coupled through a connector  32  to a backup/restore database  34 . Other connectors and databases can be provided, for example, for synchronization purposes. The connector  32  receives commands from the server  28 . It will be understood that the connector  32  is a functional component and can be provided by way of an application on the server  28 . The backup/restore database  34  is used for storing data records, including, for example, copies of Short Message Service (SMS) or Personal Identification Number (PIN) messages sent from the portable electronic devices  12 ,  14 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , a block diagram of certain components within the portable electronic devices  12 ,  14  is shown. In the present embodiment, the portable electronic devices  12 ,  14  are based on the computing environment and functionality of a wireless personal digital assistant (PDA). It will be understood, however, that the portable electronic devices  12 ,  14  are not limited to wireless personal digital assistants. Other portable electronic devices are possible, such as cellular telephones, smart telephones, and laptop computers. Referring again to the present embodiment, the portable electronic devices  12 ,  14  are based on a microcomputer including a processor  36  connected to a read-only-memory (ROM)  38  that contains a plurality of applications executable by the processor  36  that enables each portable electronic device  12 ,  14  to perform certain functions including, for example, PIN message functions, SMS message functions and cellular telephone functions. The processor  36  is also connected to a random access memory unit (RAM)  40  and a persistent storage device  42  which are responsible for various non-volatile storage functions of the portable electronic devices  12 ,  14 . The processor  36  receives input from various input devices including a keypad  44 . The processor  36  outputs to various output devices including an LCD display  46 . A microphone  48  and phone speaker  50  are connected to the processor  36  for cellular telephone functions. The processor  36  is also connected to location determining GPS hardware  52 , magnetic sensor hardware  54  and a modem and radio device  56 . The modem and radio device  56  is used to connect to wireless networks using an antenna  58 . The modem and radio device  56  transmits and receives voice and data communications to and from the portable electronic devices  12 ,  14  through the antenna  58 . 
     Each portable electronic device  12 ,  14  is operable to effect two way communication of voice and data. Thus, the portable electronic devices  12 ,  14  transmit and receive voice communications over the wireless network and infrastructure  24  via wireless communications with the base stations  16 ,  18 , respectively over a radio communications channel. In this manner, the first portable electronic device  12  may communicate with the second portable electronic device  14  and vice versa. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , a functional block diagram of a pointing system  60  of the first portable electronic device  12  is generally shown. The pointing system  60  includes an arrow application  62  that obtains information from magnetic sensor hardware  54 , GPS hardware  52  and destination application  64 . The destination application  64  is stored in ROM  38  and executed by the processor  36 . 
     The magnetic sensor hardware  54  includes an electronic compass (not shown) that determines the direction toward which the forward end  74  of the first portable electronic device  12  is pointed. As shown in  FIG. 4 , the forward end  74  of both portable electronic devices  12 ,  14  is pointed towards north, as indicated by north arrow  72 . It will be appreciated that  FIG. 4  is provided by way of example only and the devices  12 ,  14  may be pointed in any direction at any given time. 
     The magnetic sensor hardware  54  communicates with a direction Application Programming Interface (API)  66  to provide the direction information of the first portable electronic device  12  to the arrow application  62 . The direction information is provided in standard compass format, such as 30° north, for example. 
     In one embodiment, the electronic compass includes magnetic sensor HMC1041Z, which is manufactured by Honeywell. Other suitable magnetic sensors manufactured by Honeywell or other manufacturers may alternatively be used. 
     The GPS hardware  52  includes a GPS receiver (not shown) for determining the geographic location coordinates of the first portable electronic device  12 . The GPS receiver is able to determine the latitude, longitude and altitude of the first portable electronic device  12 . Operation of GPS receivers is well-known in the art and therefore will not be described here. The GPS hardware  52  communicates with a GPS API  68 , which provides the geographic coordinates to the arrow application  62 . 
     The destination application  64  provides geographic location coordinates of a destination to the arrow application  62  via a destination API  70 . In one embodiment, the destination is a location of the second portable electronic device  14 . Similar to the first portable electronic device  12 , the second portable electronic device  14  includes a GPS receiver (not shown) for determining geographic location coordinates thereof. Once the coordinates have been determined locally, they are sent to the destination application  64  of the first portable electronic device  12 . The geographic coordinates of the second portable electronic device are updated and sent on a continuous basis to the first portable electronic device  12 . 
     The destination application  64  further includes a selection portion (not shown), which allows the first user to specify which device to track. In this embodiment, the first user tracks the second portable electronic device  14 . By selecting the desired device, signals from other devices are not processed. 
     The arrow application  62  processes information from the direction API  66 , the GPS API  68  and the destination API  70  to generate an arrow  78 , which appears on the LCD display  46 , as shown in  FIG. 5 . The arrow  78  continuously points toward the geographic location of the second portable electronic device  14 . Text  80  is provided to specify the distance and identify which portable electronic device the arrow  78  is pointing toward. The arrow  78  is superimposed on a north arrow  82  in a manner similar to a compass. 
     The distance associated with the arrow  78  is determined based on the relationship between the geographic coordinates of the first portable electronic device  12  and the geographic coordinates of the second portable electronic device  14 . The direction of the arrow  78  is determined using the direction information from the magnetic sensor hardware  54  and the relationship between the geographic coordinates of the portable electronic devices  12 ,  14 . No map information is used by the portable electronic device  12 , therefore, the magnetic sensor hardware  54  functions to provide a directional relationship between the geographic coordinates of the first portable electronic device  12  and the geographic coordinates of the second portable electronic device  14 . 
     Arrow  78  will continue to be generated as long as the first portable electronic device  12  is able to receive GPS coordinates from the second portable electronic device  14 . As such, the distance for which the arrow  78  may be generated is generally unlimited. 
     Operation of the pointing system  60  of the first portable electronic device  12  will now be described with reference to  FIGS. 4 and 5 . First, the geographic location and orientation of the first portable electronic device  12  is determined using the GPS hardware  52  and the magnetic sensor hardware  54 , respectively. Then, the geographic coordinates of the second portable electronic device  14  are determined locally and sent to the first portable electronic device  12 . The geographic coordinates are sent over the wireless network and infrastructure  24  via wireless communications with the base stations  16 ,  18 , respectively, over a radio communications channel, as has been previously described. The geographic coordinates are continuously updated and re-sent to the first portable electronic device  12 . 
     The GPS information, direction information and destination coordinates are then sent to the arrow application  62 . The direction and distance from the first portable electronic device  12  to the second portable electronic device  14  is then calculated and an arrow  78  is provided on the display  46  to indicate the location of the second portable electronic device  14  together with optionally the distance calculated. The arrow  78  points toward the destination continuously. The direction of the arrow  78  is updated every time there is a change in any one of the direction information, the GPS information or the destination coordinates. As such, the first user is able to travel in a direct line toward the second user regardless of movement by either parties or reorientation of the first portable electronic device  12 . 
     The arrow  78  may be any visual identifier that indicates a direction between a first point and a second point on the display  46 . For example, an image of a person walking, a car driving, or an airplane flying in the direction of the destination may alternatively be displayed. Indicating the direction to the destination location is particularly useful when a line of vision to the destination is blocked, such as when traveling through bad weather or when navigating through a crowd, for example. 
     It will be appreciated that the first portable electronic device user is authorized to receive and view location information about the second portable electronic device user. Similarly, the second portable electronic device user may be authorized to receive and view location information about the first electronic device user. The authorization process between a pair of portable electronic device users is well known in the art and therefore will not be described here. 
     It will further be appreciated that although the pointing system  60  has been described with respect to the first portable electronic device  12 , the second portable electronic device  14  may also include a pointing system  60 . Any type of device, which is enabled with a positioning system such as GPS, for example, may be tracked by the pointing system  60 . Such devices include cell phones, PDAs and laptop computers, for example. 
     In another embodiment, the geographic location is determined locally by both the first portable electronic device  12  and the second portable electronic device  14  based on signal strength from cell towers. The geographic location information is then processed in a similar manner as the geographic location information obtained using GPS technology. 
     In yet another embodiment, the first portable electronic device  12  is used for locating static destinations. Static destination coordinates that correspond to a restaurant, a friend&#39;s house or a landmark, for example, may be provided to the first portable electronic device  12 . The destination coordinates are manually input into the first portable electronic device  12  by the first user. The geographic location and orientation of the first portable electronic device  12  is determined using the GPS hardware  52  and the magnetic sensor hardware  54 , respectively. Then, the direction information, GPS information and destination coordinates are sent to the arrow application  62  and arrow  78  is generated on the display  46  in a manner that has been previously described. In addition to being manually input, the destination coordinates may alternatively be downloaded from a database or the internet. 
     In still another embodiment, geographic map information is downloaded onto the first portable electronic device. In this embodiment, the arrow  78  is superimposed onto a map. Rather than relying solely on the arrow direction to guide the first user, as has been described in the previous embodiments, the map provides a reference framework so that the first user can choose a map route that follows the arrow direction. It will be appreciated that the geographic map information may be used when locating both changing and static destination coordinates. 
     A specific embodiment has been shown and described herein. However, modifications and variations may occur to those skilled in the art. All such modifications and variations are believed to be within the sphere and scope of the present disclosure.

Technology Category: 3