WO2015063712A1

WO2015063712A1 - An electronic navigation system and method

Info

Publication number: WO2015063712A1
Application number: PCT/IB2014/065705
Authority: WO
Inventors: Solomon Gabriel MOTUBA
Original assignee: Motuba Solomon Gabriel
Priority date: 2013-11-01
Filing date: 2014-10-30
Publication date: 2015-05-07

Abstract

A navigation system and method comprise receiving a directions request from a first user. The directions request includes an identity of a second user, in response thereto, the directions request is transmitted to the second user and an acceptance message is received from the second user. The first location and the second location of the users are determined as the current or future location of the first and second users before determining and transmitting the directions to the first user. The directions are transmitted to the first user by SMS, USSD or MMS protocol.

Description

AN ELECTRONIC NAVIGATION SYSTEM AND METHOD

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This patent application relates to an electronic navigation system and method.

Currently when a person wants to go to a place to which he or she has never been, they phone to ask for directions or use a navigation system in the vehicle which is typicaiiy a freestanding device, vehicle fitted or an application executing on a mobile telephone, laptop or tablet.

However, the vast majority of people have access to mobile telephones that do not have Internet access. This results in people often having to constantly phone for directions along the way.

The present invention provides an electronic system to address this. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a navigation method comprising: receiving a directions request from a first user; in response to receiving the directions request, determining directions for travel from a first location to a second location; and transmitting the directions via a mobile communications network using a mobile communications protocol to a mobile communications device of the first user, wherein the directions take the form of text describing directions to be followed.

The directions are transmitted by SMS, USSD or MMS protocol.

The method may include: receiving the directions request from a first user, the directions request including an identity of a second user; in response thereto, transmitting the directions request to the second user; receiving an acceptance message from the second user in response to the directions request; and determining the first location and the second location as the current or future location of the first and second users before determining and transmitting the directions to the first user. The directions typically take the form of text describing a list of turns to be followed and distances to be travelled.

The directions request received from the first user may be received via SMS, USSD or MMS protocol.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a navigation system, the system comprising: a communications module for: receiving a directions request from a first user; and transmitting the directions via a mobile communications network using a mobile communications protocol to a mobile communications device of the first user, wherein the directions take the form of text describing directions to be followed; and a directions module for directions for travel from a first location to a second location to be transmitted by the communications module.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 shows a schematic drawing of a system in accordance with an example embodiment;

Figure 2 shows a schematic drawing of the server of Figure 1 in greater detail; and

Figure 3 shows a flow diagram of a method in accordance with an example embodiment. DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of an embodiment of the present disclosure. It will be evident, however, to one skilled in the art that the present disclosure may be practiced without these specific details.

Referring to the accompanying Figures, an example electronic system is implemented by a server 12 and an associated memory 14 typically in the form of a database.

The server 12 includes a number of modules shown in Figure 2.

In this regard, "module" in the context of the specification will be understood to include an identifiable portion of code, computational or executable instructions, data, or computational object to achieve a particular function, operation, processing, or procedure. It follows that a module need not be implemented in software; a module may be implemented in software, hardware, or a combination of software and hardware. Further, the modules need not necessarily be consolidated into one device but may be spread across a plurality of devices.

!n any event, a first user wishing to obtain directions to a second user will use the system of the present invention for this.

The first user will use their mobile communications device 10 to transmit a directions request message to the second user who will use their mobile communications device 16 to receive the request.

The mobile communications devices 10 and 16 are illustrated as mobile telephones but these could take the form of any other suitable mobile communications devices such as tablet computers, for example. it will also be appreciated that whilst a single first user's mobile communications device 10 and single second user's mobile communications device 16 are illustrated, in reality there will be a plurality of users using a plurality of mobile communications devices accessing the system.

The transmitted request is transmitted over a mobile communications network 18 and terminates in server 12.

It will be appreciated that server 12 may form part of the mobile communications network 18 or may be a separate server connected to the mobile communications network 18.

In one example embodiment, the request is transmitted in SMS, MMS or USSD format.

This is typically done by the first who user will send a request for directions by sending a message such as a text message or using a code (which will be described in more detail below).

In any event, the server 12 receives the request at a communications module 20.

The request will include an identification of the first user and an identification of the second user.

These identifications may take any form including being an identification of the mobile communications devices 10 and 16, for example in the form of the MSISDN of these devices.

In the illustrated embodiment, the request is transmitted to the mobile communications devices 16 by way of the mobile communications network 18. In one example, the request is sent by SMS, MMS or via a USSD session.

Upon receipt of the request at the mobile communications device 16, the second user is able to either accept or decline the request for directions.

The response is again transmitted via the mobile communications network 18 back to the server 12.

Only if the request is accepted will the server 12 initiate the steps of determining the direction for travel from the first user to the second user. in order to obtain the location of the first user and the second user, the direction module 22 can either determine the current location of the mobile communications devices 10 and 16 or can request from the users their locations or can operate with a combination of these two methods.

If the directions module 22 needs to request the location of one or both of the users, messages can be transmitted to one or both of the users via the mobile communications network 18 and the mobile communications devices 10 and 16 for either GPS co-ordinates or a physical location typically including at feast some of street number, street name, suburb and city.

Where the directions module 22 needs to determine the current focation of the mobile communications devices 10 and 16, a request is transmitted to the device to report back their current GPS coordinates. it will be appreciated that in this scenario, the applicable mobile communications device needs to be equipped with the necessary hardware and software to determine its current GPS coordinates. In one example embodiment, an application executes on the mobile communications device to determine the GPS coordinates and to transmit these back to the server 12.

As mentioned above, it is also envisaged that a combination of these methodologies may be used.

For example, the second user may not have a GPS enabled mobile communications device and so may be requested to respond to a request for the physical location whilst the first user may have a GPS enabled mobile communications device which will be queried for its current GPS coordinates. in addition, in terms of the timing of the request for the location of the users, this may take place in the process flow as currently described or may in fact be included in the request stage of the process.

Where this location information is included in the request stage of the process, the navigation request received from the first user will include either an indication of their current physical location or the GPS coordinates of the mobile communications device 10 and the acceptance response from the second user will also include either an indication of their current physical location or the GPS coordinates of the mobile communications device 16.

Finally, it is worth noting that whilst mention has been made above of the current physical location or GPS coordinates it is envisaged that the methodology and system could also be used for any other physical location or GPS coordinates for one or both of the parties. These two locations may be input to the server by one or both parties.

Alternatively or in addition, if the second user has invited the first user to attend a party at the second user's home in a few days time, the first party may request directions at the time of receiving an invitation for the party which is still a few days away.

In any event, once the two locations are determined using one of the above methodologies, the directions module 22 now determines directions for travel from the first user to the second user.

The directions are transmitted via the mobile communications network 18 using an appropriate mobile communications protocol to the mobile communications device 10 of the first user.

In the illustrated embodiment, the mobile communications protocol is SMS, MMS or USSD to name but a few examples.

The directions typically take the form of text describing a list of terms to be followed and distances to be travelled.

For example, the first user will receive an SMS containing the following text:

Travel 5.3km; turn left at the robot; travel 1.2km; turn right at the stop street; travel 800m; destination is on your left.

It will be appreciated that if the first user gets lost along the way, they could send a further navigation request.

The server 12 could either again request acceptance from the second user or if the second user has already accepted a related request previously, the server 12 can automatically authorise this second request, determine the current location of the first user and send new directions to the first user.

Using the above example, if the first user mistakenly turned right at the robot described and has already travelled 1km down the road in the wrong direction they would then receive a revised SMS containing the following text: Make a u-turn; travel 2.2km; turn right at the stop street; travel 800m; destination is on your left.

In one example embodiment, the system uses codes to determine who the first and second users are and to determine the directions.

This will typically apply to instances where the second user is preprogrammed to accept a directions code or mobile number. An example would be with businesses, coileges or institutions, where multiple requests may be sent by sources unknown to these organisations. Such information or code may be published on contact pages, advertisements or brochures of these organisations. For example, students looking for directions to a university or people trying to locate the nearest branch of a particular bank or service station will obtain the code and send a message containing the code to receive directions from their present location to the location represented by the code.

Thus it will be appreciated that the system provides an improved an electronic system to allow users to obtain proper directions to a destination in a manner which until now is unknown.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A navigation method comprising: receiving a directions request from a first user; in response to receiving the directions request, determining directions for travel from a first location to a second location; and transmitting the directions via a mobile communications network using a mobile communications protocol to a mobile communications device of the first user, wherein the directions take the form of text describing directions to be followed.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the directions are transmitted by SMS, USSD or MMS protocol.

3. A method according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the method includes; receiving the directions request from a first user, the directions request including an identity of a second user; in response thereto, transmitting the directions request to the second user; receiving an acceptance message from the second user in response to the directions request; and determining the first location and the second location as the current or future location of the first and second users before determining and transmitting the directions to the first user.

4. A method according to any preceding claim wherein the directions take the form of text describing a list of turns to be followed and distances to be travelled.

5. A method according to any preceding claim wherein the directions request received from the first user is received via SMS, USSD or MS protocol.

6. A navigation system, the system comprising: a communications module for: receiving a directions request from a first user; and transmitting the directions via a mobile communications network using a mobile communications protocol to a mobile communications device of the first user, wherein the directions take the form of text describing directions to be followed; and a directions module for directions for travel from a first location to a second location to be transmitted by the communications module.

7. A navigation system according to claim 6 wherein the communications module is further for: receiving the directions request from a first user, the directions request including an identity of a second user; in response thereto, transmitting the directions request to the second user; receiving an acceptance message from the second user in response to the directions request; and wherein the directions module determines the first location and the second location as the current or future location of the first and second users before determining and transmitting the directions to the first user.

8. A navigation system according to claim 6 or claim 7 wherein the directions are transmitted by SMS, USSD or MS protocol.

9. A navigation system according to any one of claims 6 to 8 wherein the directions take the form of text describing a list of turns to be followed and distances to be travelled.

10. A navigation system according to any one of claims 6 to 9 wherein the directions request received from the first user is received via SMS, USSD or MMS protocol.