United States Patent Application 20110051665
Kind Code A1
Huang; Ronald Keryuan March 3, 2011
Location Histories for Location Aware Devices
Abstract
A location aware mobile device can include a baseband
processor for communicating with one or more communication
networks, such as a cellular network or WiFi network. In
some implementations, the baseband processor can collect
network information (e.g., transmitter IDs) over time. Upon
request by a user or application, the network information
can be translated to estimated position coordinates (e.g.,
latitude, longitude, altitude) of the location aware device
for display on a map view or for other purposes. A user or
application can query the location history database with a
timestamp or other query to retrieve all or part of the
location history for display in a map view.
Inventors: Huang; Ronald Keryuan; (Milpitas, CA)
Assignee: APPLE INC.
Cupertino
CA
Serial No.: 553534
Series Code: 12
Filed: September 3, 2009
Current U.S. Class: 370/328
Class at Publication: 370/328
International Class: H04W 4/00 20090101 H04W004/00
Claims
1. A computer-implemented method performed by a location
aware device, the method comprising: configuring a processor
of the location aware device to collect network information
broadcast from a number of network transmitters over a time
span; and storing the network information and corresponding
timestamps in a database as location history data.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving a
request for location history; and responsive to the request,
translating the network information stored in the database
into position coordinates.
3. The method of claim 1, where configuring the processor to
collect network information comprises: configuring a
baseband processor to collect transmitter identifiers.
4. The method of claim 3, where the network information is
provided by a cellular network or a wireless local area network.
5. The method of claim 4, where the network information is
provided by a cellular network and the transmitter
identifiers are cell identifiers.
6. The method of claim 4, where the network information is
provided by a wireless local area network and the
transmitter identifiers are Media Access Control (MAC)
addresses for access point devices.
7. The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining
that a satellite positioning system is not available; and
configuring the processor of the location aware device to
collect network information broadcast from a number of
network transmitters over the time span.
8. The method of claim 1, where the database is included in
the location aware device and is configured to be searchable
by a user of the location aware device.
9. The method of claim 8, where the database is configured
to be queried for at least a portion of the location history
data.
10. The method of claim 9, further comprising: querying the
database for at least a portion of the location history
data; retrieving network information from the database that
is responsive to the query; translating the network
information into position coordinates; displaying a map
view; and displaying markers on the map view as a timeline
according to the position coordinates, the markers
indicating the location history of the location aware device
for the time span.
11. The method of claim 1, further comprising: storing event
data related to events occurring over the time span; and
associating the event information with the location history
data.
12. The method of claim 11, further comprising: querying the
database for at least a portion of the location history
data; retrieving network information from the database that
is responsive to the query; translating the network
information into position coordinates; displaying a map
view; displaying markers on the map view as a timeline
according to the position coordinates, the markers
indicating the location history of the location aware device
for the time span; and displaying the event data on the map
view, such that the event data is visually associated with
one or more markers.
13. The method of claim 12, further comprising: displaying a
user interface element on the map view, the user interface
element operable for providing access to at least some event
data.
14. A system, comprising: memory configured for storing a
database; and a processor coupled to the memory, the
processor configured for collecting network information
broadcast from a number of network transmitters over a time
span; storing the network information and corresponding
timestamps in a database as location history data; receiving
a request for location history; and responsive to the
request, translating the network information stored in the
database into position coordinates.
15. The system of claim 14, further comprising: a baseband
processor configured to collect the transmitter identifiers.
16. The system of claim 15, where the network information is
provided by a cellular network or a wireless local area network.
17. The system of claim 16, where the network information is
provided by a cellular network and the transmitter
identifiers are cell identifiers.
18. The system of claim 16, where the network information is
provided by a wireless local area network and the
transmitter identifiers are Media Access Control (MAC)
addresses for access point devices.
19. The system of claim 14, where the processor is
configured for: determining that a satellite positioning
system is not available; and configuring the processor of
the location aware device to collect network information
broadcast from a number of network transmitters over the
time span.
20. The system of claim 14, where the database is configured
to be searchable by a user of the location aware device.
21. The system of claim 20, where the database is configured
to be queried for at least a portion of the location history
data.
22. The system of claim 14, where the processor is
configured for: querying the database for at least a portion
of the location history data; retrieving network information
from the database that is responsive to the query;
translating the network information into position
coordinates; displaying a map view; and displaying markers
on the map view as a timeline according to the position
coordinates, the markers indicating the location history of
the location aware device for the time span.
23. The system of claim 14, where the processor is
configured for: storing event data related to events
occurring over the time span; and associating the event
information with the location history data.
24. The system of claim 23, where the processor is
configured for: querying the database for at least a portion
of the location history data; displaying a map view;
retrieving network information from the database that is
responsive to the query; translating the network information
into position coordinates; displaying markers on the map
view as a timeline according to the position coordinates,
the markers indicating the location history of the location
aware device for the time span; and displaying the event
data on the map view, such that the event data is visually
associated with one or more markers.
25. The system of claim 24, where the processor is
configured for: displaying a user interface element on the
map view, the user interface element for providing access to
at least some of event data.
26. A computer-implemented method performed by a location
aware device, the method comprising: configuring a processor
of the location aware device to collect transmitter
identifiers broadcast from a number of network transmitters
over a time span; converting the transmitter identifiers
into position coordinates; storing the position coordinates
and corresponding timestamps in a database of the location
aware device; receiving a search query specifying a search
time span; responsive to the search query, generating a map
view including markers identifying a location history of the
location aware device for the search time span, the location
history based on position coordinates corresponding to
timestamps within the search time span; and displaying the
map view and markers on a display of the location aware device.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] This subject matter is related generally to location
aware mobile devices.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Conventional mobile devices are often dedicated to
performing a specific application. For example, a mobile
phone provides telephony services, a personal digital
assistant (PDA) provides a way to organize addresses,
contacts and notes, a media player plays content, email
devices provide email communication, etc. Modern mobile
devices can include two or more of these applications. Due
to the size limitation of a typical mobile device, such
mobile devices may need to rely on a network or other remote
service to support these multiple applications. For example,
a map service may provide maps to a mobile device over a
network, which can be used with one or more applications
running on the mobile device. The introduction of a
positioning system integrated with, or coupled to, the
mobile device provides additional opportunities for
providing location-based services.
[0003] Modern positioning systems include satellite based
positioning systems, such as Global Positioning System
(GPS), cellular network positioning based on "cell IDs" and
WiFi positioning technology based on a WiFi networks. The
satellite based positioning systems tend to be the most
accurate. These satellite systems, however, often consume
more power than the other positioning systems, and rely on
the visibility of multiple satellites to determine a
position estimate.
SUMMARY
[0004] A location aware mobile device can include a baseband
processor for communicating with one or more communication
networks, such as a cellular network or WiFi network. In
some implementations, the baseband processor can collect
network information over time. The network information can
be converted to estimated position coordinates (e.g.,
latitude, longitude, altitude) of the location aware device.
The position coordinates can be stored in a location history
database on the location aware device or made accessible on
a network. A user or application can query the location
history database with a timestamp or other query to retrieve
all or part of the location history for display in a map
view. In some implementations, the size and "freshness" of
the location history database can be managed by eliminating
duplicate entries in the database and/or removing older
entries. The location history can be used to construct a
travel timeline for the location aware device. The travel
timeline can be displayed in a map view or used by location
aware applications running on the location aware device or
on a network. In some implementations, an Application
Programming Interface (API) can be used by an application to
query the location history database.
[0005] In some implementations, the location history can
allow users to tag photos or other content taken by a device
and to synchronize the content with the location history
using timestamps. This can allow the user to augment a
travel timeline with the content, for example.
[0006] In some implementations, the network information can
include transmitter identifiers (IDs). For example, Cell IDs
can be tracked and recorded. The Cell IDs can be mapped to
corresponding cell tower locations which can be used to
provide estimated position coordinates of the location aware
device. When a location history is requested by a user or
application (e.g., through an API), the transmitter IDs can
be translated to position coordinates of the location aware
device which can be reverse geocoded to map locations for
display on a map view or for other purposes. In other
implementations, the network information can include WiFi
scan data (e.g., access point IDs) which can be used to
determine position coordinates of the location aware device,
which can be reverse geocoded for display on a map view. In
some implementations, the network information can be sent to
a network server, which can translate the network
information into position coordinates, which can be returned
to the location aware device for processing by a location
aware application.
[0007] In some implementations, other information related to
various events can be recorded by the location aware device
and associated with the location history. The other
information can be displayed or otherwise made accessible to
a user in a map view or other application. The other
information and location history can be part of a personal
"journal" for the user, which can be queried at a later time.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary location
determination system in accordance with some implementations.
[0009] FIG. 2 is a flow diagram of an exemplary process for
generating and storing location history data for location
aware devices in accordance with some implementations.
[0010] FIG. 3A illustrates an exemplary home screen of a
location aware device capable of storing and processing
location history data in accordance with some implementations.
[0011] FIG. 3B illustrates an exemplary search interface for
a location aware device capable of retrieving and displaying
location history data in accordance with some implementations.
[0012] FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an example network
operating environment for location aware device of FIG. 1 in
accordance with some implementations.
[0013] FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an exemplary
architecture for a location aware device capable of storing
and processing location history data in accordance with some
implementations.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
System Overview
[0014] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary location
determination system 100. In some implementations, location
determination system 100 can include location aware device
102, cellular tower transmitters 104, access point
transmitters 114 (e.g., WiFi beacons), and location server
110. Cellular tower transmitters 104 can be coupled to wide
area network 108 (e.g., the Internet) through gateway 106,
and access point transmitters 114 can be coupled to network
108 through wired and/or wireless communication links.
[0015] Location aware device 102 can be any device capable
of determining its current geographic location by
communicating with a positioning system, such as GPS,
cellular networks, WiFi networks, and any other technology
that can be used to provide the actual or estimated location
of a location aware device 102. Some examples of location
aware devices include but are not limited to: a handheld
computer, a personal digital assistant, a cellular
telephone, a network appliance, a camera, a smart phone, an
enhanced general packet radio service (EGPRS) mobile phone,
a network base station, a media player, a navigation device,
an email device, a game console, or a combination of any two
or more of these data processing devices or other data
processing devices. Location aware device 102 can include
storage device 118 (e.g., flash memory, hard disk) for
storing location history database (DB) 116.
[0016] Location server 110 can include one or more server
computers operated by a location service provider. Location
server 110 can deliver location information to location
aware device 102.
[0017] In some implementations, location aware device 102
collects and stores network information associated with
transmitter detection events. The network information can
include a transmitter identifier (ID) of a detected
transmitter and a timestamp marking a time of the
transmitter detection event. Some examples of transmitter
IDs include but are not limited to Cell IDs provided by cell
tower transmitters in a cellular communications network
(e.g., transmitters on GSM masts) and access point
transmitter IDs (e.g., a Media Access Control (MAC)
address). A wireless access point (AP) can be a hardware
device or a computer's software that acts as a communication
hub for users of a wireless device to connect to a wired LAN.
[0018] A sequence of transmitter IDs can be correlated with
known geographic locations of corresponding transmitters.
The geographic locations of the transmitters can be used to
compute estimated position coordinates (e.g., latitude,
longitude, altitude) for location aware device 102 over a
period of time, resulting in a location history for location
aware device 102. For example, a sequence of transmitter IDs
can be compared with a reference database (e.g., Cell ID
database, WiFi reference database) that maps or correlates
the transmitter IDs to position coordinates of corresponding
transmitters, and computes estimated position coordinates
for location aware device 102 based at least in part on the
position coordinates of the corresponding transmitters. If a
reference database is available on location aware device
102, then the mapping can be performed by a processor of
location aware device 102. Alternatively, the transmitter
IDs can be sent to location server 110 which can store
transmitter position coordinates in a remote reference
database in storage device 112. Location server 110 can map
or correlate transmitter IDs to position coordinates of
corresponding transmitters which can be sent back to
location aware device 102 through network 108 and one or
more wireless communication links. The position coordinates
can be reverse geocoded to map locations (e.g., street
locations). The map locations can be represented by markers
(e.g., pushpin icons) on a map view displayed by location
aware device 102, or used for other purposes by location
aware applications.
[0019] The position coordinates and associated timestamps
can be stored in location history database 116 and/or
storage device 112 for subsequent retrieval and processing
by a user or application. The position coordinates and
timestamps can be used to construct a timeline in a map view
showing a history of locations for location aware device
102. In some implementations, timestamps associated with the
position coordinates can be used to query database 116 or a
remote database on storage device 112 for location history
data responsive to query from a user or application, as
described in reference to FIG. 3B.
[0020] In some implementations, location history database
116 can be correlated or related to other recorded data
(e.g., related using a relational database). A data
recording event occurs when data associated with an event is
stored in location aware device 102 or on a network storage
device (e.g., storage device 112). Some examples of recorded
data include but are not limited to: data associated with a
picture taking event, data associated with a financial
transaction, sensor output data, data associated with a
communication event (e.g., receipt of phone call or instant
message), data associated with a network event (e.g., a
wired or wireless connection or disconnection with a
network), etc.
[0021] In some implementations, recorded data, together with
location history data and corresponding timestamps can be
used to create and store a personal "journal" for a user of
location aware device 102. In example system 100, the
recorded data or "journal" can be stored on location aware
device 102 or stored on storage device 112 by location
server 110.
[0022] In some implementations, the recorded data can be
displayed with corresponding location markers on a map view,
as described in reference to FIG. 3B. The data can be
displayed in the map view or other user interface, and/or a
link (e.g., hypertext link) or other reference can be
displayed with the marker to allow access to the recorded data.
[0023] In some implementations, the transmitter detection
event data (e.g., transmitter IDs) are received while
location aware device 102 is operating in a low power mode.
A lower power mode can occur, for example, when satellite
positioning receiver (e.g., a GPS receiver) of location
aware device 102 is turned off to conserve power. In low
power mode, a power efficient processor (e.g., a 3G baseband
processor) can accumulate and store transmitter IDs for
computing location history data. Baseband processors are
used in radio-frequency (RF) subsystems, such as the RF
subsystem 524 shown in FIG. 5. Baseband processors are used
to transmit and receive radio signals in, for example, GSM
(Global System for Mobile communications), GPRS (General
Packet Radio Service) and EGPRS (Enhanced General Packet
Radio Service) telecommunication devices, such as cellular
mobile phones.
[0024] During reception of radio signals, the RF subsystem
receives radio signals, converts the radio signals into
baseband signals and sends the baseband signals to the
baseband processor. Thereafter the baseband processor
processes the received baseband signals and decodes various
data, including transmitter IDs (e.g., Cell IDs). In many
location aware mobile devices, a GPS receiver consumes
significantly more power than a baseband processor. Thus,
the collecting and storing of transmitter IDs can be
achieved by a baseband processor without the high
consumption of power associated with, for example, a GPS
receiver.
[0025] Location histories can be computed from transmitter
IDs collected with a low power baseband processor. The
transmitter IDs can be used to reconstruct a location
history timeline for display in a map view. The location
history can be correlated or related to data from other
recording events, allowing the data to be displayed or
otherwise made accessible to a user in a map view
application or other application. A sequence of locations
traveled by location aware device 102 in the past can be
displayed in a map view as a timeline, the span of which can
be specified by a user or application generated query, as
described in reference to FIG. 3B.
Example Location History Process
[0026] FIG. 2 is a flow diagram of an exemplary process 200
for generating and storing location history data for
location aware devices. Process 200 will be described as if
performed by location aware device 102, described in
reference to FIG. 1.
[0027] In some implementations, if the location aware device
is in a low power or sleep mode (202) for a period of time,
the location aware device can be configured to receive
transmitter IDs (204) that are within communication range of
the location aware device. The transmitter IDs can be
collected on a scheduled basis (e.g., collected every 10
minutes) and/or in response to a trigger event (e.g.,
whenever the user or an application requests location data).
[0028] In low power or sleep mode, a satellite positioning
receiver (e.g., GPS receiver) may be powered down to
conserve power or because there is an insufficient number of
satellites available to compute a navigation solution (e.g.,
GPS receiver is operated indoors). In low power mode, the
transmitter IDs can be collected by, for example, a baseband
processor that often consumes less power than, for example,
a GPS receiver. In some implementations, transmitter IDs can
be collected even if the location aware device is operating
in a normal power mode. This scenario could occur with
location aware devices that do not include satellite
positioning systems.
[0029] In some cases, the same transmitter ID may be
received multiple times by the location aware device in a
short period of time, potentially resulting in duplicate
entries in the location history database. This could occur,
for example, if the device remains stationary while in the
vicinity of a transmitter. In such cases, duplicate entries
can be detected and removed from the location history
database. Referring to process 200, if a new transmitter ID
is received (206), and the location history database is not
full (208), then the transmitter ID and corresponding
timestamp can be stored in the location history database
(212). In some implementations, if the transmitter ID was
received in the past (206) and stored in the location
history database, process 200 can update the timestamp of
the entry (207) and return to step (202).
[0030] If a new transmitter ID is received (206), and the
location history database is full (208), the entry from the
location history database can be removed from the location
history database to make room for the new entry (210). In
this manner, step (210) ensures that the size and
"freshness" of the location history database can be managed.
Any suitable database management policy can be implemented
to determine which location entry to remove from the
database. For example, in one implementation an "aging"
algorithm can be used to remove the oldest entry based on a
comparison of timestamps. In another implementation, all or
a portion of the location history database can be purged
whenever the location aware device is powered down for a
period of time. In some implementations, a user interface
can be provided to a user of the location aware device which
allows the user to manually purge the location history database.
[0031] In some implementations, a single accurate location
(e.g., a single transmitter ID) or a smaller number of
transmitter IDs representing a defined time span can be
stored in the location history database to reduce the size
of the location history database. For example, a week's
worth of working and commuting to and from home can be
represented by a single or small number of transmitter IDs
since the route from home to work may not change during the
work week. This option can be specified by the user through
a user interface which allows the user to specify the
frequency of transmitter ID recording and/or specify periods
of time where recording will or will not occur.
[0032] Other implementations may employ other means for
reduction of the size of the location history database, such
as various data compression techniques. For example,
repetitive patterns of locations may be encoded as a shorter
symbol or set of symbols within the database, and a look up
table may be used to map the symbols to a set of locations.
[0033] FIG. 3A illustrates an exemplary home screen 300 of a
location aware device 102 capable of storing and processing
location history data. In some implementations, location
aware device 102 can be a mobile phone. The device 102 can
include a touch sensitive display 302 or touch pad that can
receive touch input and gestures. In the example shown, home
screen 300 can include a number of icons that can be touched
by a user to invoke an application. For example, if the user
touches icon 303, a location history application can be
invoked and a location history user interface can be displayed.
[0034] FIG. 3B illustrates an exemplary search interface 305
for location aware device 102. Search interface 305 can
include search box 304, which a user can use to enter a time
span for location history. In the example shown, the user
entered the time span 10:00 AM-12:00 PM. In some
implementations, the time span can be used to query location
history database 116. Location entries that are responsive
to the query can be used to display markers on a map view
when the user touches location history button 332. In the
example shown, markers 310, 312, 314, 316, 318, 320, 322,
324 and 326 correspond to locations in location history
database 116 that are responsive to the time span query:
10:00 AM-12:00 PM. Each marker can have call out 328 for
displaying information and for providing user interface
element 330 for accessing other recorded data. The other
recorded data can include but is not limited to: photos,
video, text, hyperlinks, click to call telephone numbers,
advertisements, etc.
Example Network Operating Environment
[0035] FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an example network
operating environment 400 for location aware device 102 of
FIG. 1. In FIG. 4, location aware devices 402a and 402b each
can represent location aware device 102. Devices 402a and
402b can, for example, communicate over one or more wired
and/or wireless networks 410 in data communication. For
example, wireless network 412, e.g., a cellular network, can
communicate with wide area network (WAN) 414, such as the
Internet, by use of gateway 416. Likewise, access device
418, such as an 802.11g wireless access device, can provide
communication access to wide area network 414. In some
implementations, both voice and data communications can be
established over wireless network 412 and access device 418.
For example, device 402a can place and receive phone calls
(e.g., using VoIP protocols), send and receive e-mail
messages (e.g., using POP3 protocol), and retrieve
electronic documents and/or streams, such as web pages,
photographs, and videos, over wireless network 412, gateway
416, and wide area network 414 (e.g., using TCP/IP or UDP
protocols). Likewise, in some implementations, device 402b
can place and receive phone calls, send and receive e-mail
messages, and retrieve electronic documents over access
device 418 and wide area network 414. In some
implementations, device 402a or 402b can be physically
connected to access device 418 using one or more cables and
access device 418 can be a personal computer. In this
configuration, device 402a or 402b can be referred to as a
"tethered" device. Connectivity with a wired or wireless
network can allow devices to share location histories with
each other or with a remote service (e.g., navigation
services 430).
[0036] Devices 402a and 402b can also establish
communications by other means. For example, wireless device
402a can communicate with other wireless devices, e.g.,
other devices 402a or 402b, cell phones, etc., over wireless
network 412. Likewise, devices 402a and 402b can establish
peer-to-peer communications 420, e.g., a personal area
network, by use of one or more communication subsystems,
such as the Bluetooth.TM. communication devices. Other
communication protocols and topologies can also be implemented.
[0037] Device 402a or 402b can, for example, communicate
with one or more services 430, 440, 450, 460, and 470 over
one or more wired and/or wireless networks 410. For example,
one or more navigation services 430 can provide navigation
information, e.g., map information, location information,
route information, and other information, to device 402a or
402b. A user of device 402b can invoke a map functionality
by pressing a maps icon on a top-level graphical user
interface, such as home screen 304 shown in FIG. 3A, and can
request and receive a map for a particular location, request
and receive route directions, or request and receive
listings of businesses in the vicinity of a particular
location, for example.
[0038] Navigation services 430 can receive transmitter IDs,
perform a translation to position coordinates using a
reference database and serve map views with markers to the
location aware device for display or for other purposes. In
some implementations, navigation service 430 can provide an
online facility (e.g., a Web site) for users to share
location histories or network information. Navigation
service 430 can use the transmitter IDs to update or improve
the accuracy of the reference database.
[0039] Messaging service 440 can, for example, provide
e-mail and/or other messaging services. Media service 450
can, for example, provide access to media files, such as
song files, audio books, movie files, video clips, and other
media data. In some implementations, separate audio and
video services (not shown) can provide access to the
respective types of media files. Syncing service 460 can,
for example, perform syncing services (e.g., sync files).
Activation service 470 can, for example, perform an
activation process for activating device 402a or 402b. Other
services can also be provided, including a software update
service that automatically determines whether software
updates exist for software on device 402a or 402b, then
downloads the software updates to device 402a or 402b where
the software updates can be manually or automatically
unpacked and/or installed.
[0040] Device 402a or 402b can also access other data and
content over one or more wired and/or wireless networks 410.
For example, content publishers, such as news sites, RSS
feeds, web sites, blogs, social networking sites, developer
networks, etc., can be accessed by device 402a or 402b. Such
access can be provided by invocation of a web browsing
function or application (e.g., a browser) in response to a
user touching, for example, a Web object.
Example Mobile Device Architecture
[0041] FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an example architecture
500 of location aware device 102 of FIG. 1. Device 102 can
include memory interface 502, one or more data processors,
image processors and/or central processing units 504, and
peripherals interface 506. Memory interface 502, one or more
processors 504 and/or peripherals interface 506 can be
separate components or can be integrated in one or more
integrated circuits. The various components in device 102
can be coupled by one or more communication buses or signal
lines.
[0042] Sensors, devices, and subsystems can be coupled to
peripherals interface 506 to facilitate multiple
functionalities. For example, motion sensor 510, light
sensor 512, proximity sensor 514 can be coupled to
peripherals interface 506 to facilitate orientation,
lighting, and proximity functions. Other sensors 516 can
also be connected to peripherals interface 506, such as a
positioning system (e.g., GPS receiver), a temperature
sensor, a biometric sensor, magnetic compass, FM or
satellite radio, or other sensing device, to facilitate
related functionalities.
[0043] Camera subsystem 520 and optical sensor 522, e.g., a
charged coupled device (CCD) or a complementary metal-oxide
semiconductor (CMOS) optical sensor, can be utilized to
facilitate camera functions, such as recording photographs
and video clips.
[0044] Communication functions can be facilitated through
one or more wireless communication subsystems 524, which can
include radio frequency receivers and transmitters and/or
optical (e.g., infrared) receivers and transmitters. The
specific design and implementation of communication
subsystem 524 can depend on the communication network(s)
over which device 102 is intended to operate. For example,
device 102 may include communication subsystems 524 designed
to operate over a GSM network, a GPRS network, an EDGE
network, a Wi-Fi or WiMax network, and a Bluetooth.TM.
network. In particular, wireless communication subsystems
524 may include hosting protocols such that device 102 may
be configured as a base station for other wireless devices.
[0045] Audio subsystem 526 can be coupled to speaker 528 and
microphone 530 to facilitate voice-enabled functions, such
as voice recognition, voice replication, digital recording,
and telephony functions.
[0046] I/O subsystem 540 can include touch screen controller
542 and/or other input controller(s) 544. Touch-screen
controller 542 can be coupled to touch screen 546. Touch
screen 546 and touch screen controller 542 can, for example,
detect contact and movement or break thereof using any of a
plurality of touch sensitivity technologies, including but
not limited to capacitive, resistive, infrared, and surface
acoustic wave technologies, as well as other proximity
sensor arrays or other elements for determining one or more
points of contact with touch screen 546.
[0047] Other input controller(s) 544 can be coupled to other
input/control devices 548, such as one or more buttons,
rocker switches, thumb-wheel, infrared port, USB port,
and/or a pointer device such as a stylus. One or more
buttons (not shown) can include an up/down button for volume
control of speaker 528 and/or microphone 530.
[0048] In one implementation, a pressing of the button for a
first duration may disengage a lock of touch screen 546; and
a pressing of the button for a second duration that is
longer than the first duration may turn power to device 102
on or off. The user may be able to customize a functionality
of one or more of the buttons. Touch screen 546 can, for
example, also be used to implement virtual or soft buttons
and/or a keyboard. In addition to touch screen 546, device
102 can also include a touch pad.
[0049] In some implementations, device 102 can present
recorded audio and/or video files, such as MP3, AAC, and
MPEG files. In some implementations, device 102 can include
the functionality of an MP3 player, such as an iPod.TM..
Device 102 may, therefore, include a connector that is
compatible with the iPod.TM.. Other input/output and control
devices can also be used.
[0050] Memory interface 502 can be coupled to memory 550.
Memory 550 can include high-speed random access memory
and/or non-volatile memory, such as one or more magnetic
disk storage devices, one or more optical storage devices,
and/or flash memory (e.g., NAND, NOR). Memory 550 can store
an operating system 552, such as Darwin, RTXC, LINUX, UNIX,
OS X, WINDOWS, or an embedded operating system such as
VxWorks. Operating system 552 may include instructions for
handling basic system services and for performing hardware
dependent tasks. In some implementations, operating system
552 can be a kernel (e.g., UNIX kernel).
[0051] Memory 550 may also store communication instructions
554 to facilitate communicating with one or more additional
devices, one or more computers and/or one or more servers.
Memory 550 may include graphical user interface instructions
556 to facilitate graphic user interface processing, such as
described in reference to FIGS. 1-4; sensor processing
instructions 558 to facilitate sensor-related processing and
functions; phone instructions 560 to facilitate
phone-related processes and functions; electronic messaging
instructions 562 to facilitate electronic-messaging related
processes and functions; web browsing instructions 564 to
facilitate web browsing-related processes and functions;
media processing instructions 566 to facilitate media
processing-related processes and functions; GPS/Navigation
instructions 568 to facilitate GPS and navigation-related
processes and instructions; camera instructions 570 to
facilitate camera-related processes and functions; and
location history module 572 and location history database
574 to facilitate the processes and functions described in
reference to FIGS. 1-4. Memory 550 may also store other
software instructions (not shown), such as web video
instructions to facilitate web video-related processes and
functions; and/or web shopping instructions to facilitate
web shopping-related processes and functions. In some
implementations, media processing instructions 566 are
divided into audio processing instructions and video
processing instructions to facilitate audio
processing-related processes and functions and video
processing-related processes and functions, respectively. An
activation record and International Mobile Equipment
Identity (IMEI) or similar hardware identifier can also be
stored in memory 550.
[0052] Each of the above identified instructions and
applications can correspond to a set of instructions for
performing one or more functions described above. These
instructions need not be implemented as separate software
programs, procedures, or modules. Memory 550 can include
additional instructions or fewer instructions. Furthermore,
various functions of device 102 may be implemented in
hardware and/or in software, including in one or more signal
processing and/or application specific integrated circuits.
[0053] The disclosed and other embodiments and the
functional operations described in this specification can be
implemented in digital electronic circuitry, or in computer
software, firmware, or hardware, including the structures
disclosed in this specification and their structural
equivalents, or in combinations of one or more of them. The
disclosed and other embodiments can be implemented as one or
more computer program products, i.e., one or more modules of
computer program instructions encoded on a computer readable
medium for execution by, or to control the operation of,
data processing apparatus. The computer readable medium can
be a machine-readable storage device, a machine-readable
storage substrate, a memory device, a composition of matter
effecting a machine-readable propagated signal, or a
combination of one or more them. The term "data processing
apparatus" encompasses all apparatus, devices, and machines
for processing data, including by way of example a
programmable processor, a computer, or multiple processors
or computers. The apparatus can include, in addition to
hardware, code that creates an execution environment for the
computer program in question, e.g., code that constitutes
processor firmware, a protocol stack, a database management
system, an operating system, or a combination of one or more
of them. A propagated signal is an artificially generated
signal, e.g., a machine-generated electrical, optical, or
electromagnetic signal, that is generated to encode
information for transmission to suitable receiver apparatus.
[0054] A computer program (also known as a program,
software, software application, script, or code) can be
written in any form of programming language, including
compiled or interpreted languages, and it can be deployed in
any form, including as a stand alone program or as a module,
component, subroutine, or other unit suitable for use in a
computing environment. A computer program does not
necessarily correspond to a file in a file system. A program
can be stored in a portion of a file that holds other
programs or data (e.g., one or more scripts stored in a
markup language document), in a single file dedicated to the
program in question, or in multiple coordinated files (e.g.,
files that store one or more modules, sub programs, or
portions of code). A computer program can be deployed to be
executed on one computer or on multiple computers that are
located at one site or distributed across multiple sites and
interconnected by a communication network.
[0055] The processes and logic flows described in this
specification can be performed by one or more programmable
processors executing one or more computer programs to
perform functions by operating on input data and generating
output. The processes and logic flows can also be performed
by, and apparatus can also be implemented as, special
purpose logic circuitry, e.g., an FPGA (field programmable
gate array) or an ASIC (application specific integrated
circuit).
[0056] Processors suitable for the execution of a computer
program include, by way of example, both general and special
purpose microprocessors, and any one or more processors of
any kind of digital computer. Generally, a processor will
receive instructions and data from a read only memory or a
random access memory or both. The essential elements of a
computer are a processor for performing instructions and one
or more memory devices for storing instructions and data.
Generally, a computer will also include, or be operatively
coupled to receive data from or transfer data to, or both,
one or more mass storage devices for storing data, e.g.,
magnetic, magneto optical disks, or optical disks. However,
a computer need not have such devices. Computer readable
media suitable for storing computer program instructions and
data include all forms of non volatile memory, media and
memory devices, including by way of example semiconductor
memory devices, e.g., EPROM, EEPROM, and flash memory
devices; magnetic disks, e.g., internal hard disks or
removable disks; magneto optical disks; and CD ROM and
DVD-ROM disks. The processor and the memory can be
supplemented by, or incorporated in, special purpose logic
circuitry.
[0057] To provide for interaction with a user, the disclosed
embodiments can be implemented on a computer having a
display device, e.g., a CRT (cathode ray tube) or LCD
(liquid crystal display) monitor, for displaying information
to the user and a keyboard and a pointing device, e.g., a
mouse or a trackball, by which the user can provide input to
the computer. Other kinds of devices can be used to provide
for interaction with a user as well; for example, feedback
provided to the user can be any form of sensory feedback,
e.g., visual feedback, auditory feedback, or tactile
feedback; and input from the user can be received in any
form, including acoustic, speech, or tactile input.
[0058] The disclosed embodiments can be implemented in a
computing system that includes a back end component, e.g.,
as a data server, or that includes a middleware component,
e.g., an application server, or that includes a front end
component, e.g., a client computer having a graphical user
interface or a Web browser through which a user can interact
with an implementation of what is disclosed here, or any
combination of one or more such back end, middleware, or
front end components. The components of the system can be
interconnected by any form or medium of digital data
communication, e.g., a communication network. Examples of
communication networks include a local area network ("LAN")
and a wide area network ("WAN"), e.g., the Internet.
[0059] The computing system can include clients and servers.
A client and server are generally remote from each other and
typically interact through a communication network. The
relationship of client and server arises by virtue of
computer programs running on the respective computers and
having a client-server relationship to each other.
[0060] While this specification contains many specifics,
these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of
what being claims or of what may be claimed, but rather as
descriptions of features specific to particular embodiments.
Certain features that are described in this specification in
the context of separate embodiments can also be implemented
in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various
features that are described in the context of a single
embodiment can also be implemented in multiple embodiments
separately or in any suitable subcombination. Moreover,
although features may be described above as acting in
certain combinations and even initially claimed as such, one
or more features from a claimed combination can in some
cases be excised from the combination, and the claimed
combination may be directed to a subcombination or variation
of a subcombination.
[0061] Similarly, while operations are depicted in the
drawings in a particular order, this should not be
understand as requiring that such operations be performed in
the particular order shown or in sequential order, or that
all illustrated operations be performed, to achieve
desirable results. In certain circumstances, multitasking
and parallel processing may be advantageous. Moreover, the
separation of various system components in the embodiments
described above should not be understood as requiring such
separation in all embodiments, and it should be understood
that the described program components and systems can
generally be integrated together in a single software
product or packaged into multiple software products.
[0062] Particular embodiments of the subject matter
described in this specification have been described. Other
embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.
For example, the actions recited in the claims can be
performed in a different order and still achieve desirable
results. As one example, the processes depicted in the
accompanying figures do not necessarily require the
particular order shown, or sequential order, to achieve
desirable results. In certain implementations, multitasking
and parallel processing may be advantageous.
OpenSceneGraph3.0
About Author:
Rui Wang is a sofware engineer at the Chinese Academy of
Surveying and Mapping and the
manager of osgChina, the largest OSG discussion website in
China. He is one of the most actve
members of the ofcial OSG community, who contributes to the
serializaton I/O, GPU-based
partcle functonalites, BVH and animated GIF plugins, and
other fixes and improvements to
the OSG project. He translated Paul Martz's OpenSceneGraph
Quick Start Guide into Chinese in
2008, and wrote his own Chinese book OpenSceneGraph Design
and Implementaton in 2009,
cooperatng with Xuelei Qian. He is also a novel writer and a
guitar lover.
Xuelei Qian received his B.Sc. degree in Precision
Instrument Engineering from Southeast
University, Jiangsu, China, and his Ph.D. degree in applied
graphic computng from the
University of Derby, Derby, UK in 1998 and 2005,
respectvely. Upon completon of his Ph.D.
degree, he worked as a postdoctoral research fellow in the
Dept. of Precision Instrument
and Mechanology at Tsinghua University and his current
research interests include
E-manufacturing, STEP-NC and intelligent CNC, and virtual
reality engineering.