Range-Centric Contextual Information Systems and Methods

Abstract

A computer implemented method for providing location-based services using a mobile device is provided. A first anchor is generated by sensing a location-identifying physical characteristic proximate to a mobile device present at a first location and generating a representation of the location-identifying physical characteristic; determining a descriptive identification of the first location; and combining the descriptive identification and the representation of the location-identifying physical characteristic. The first anchor is transmitted to a computer remote from the first location. A request is made to a remote computer for a chronotope retrieved from a database of previously generated anchors, the received chronotope indicating a logical distance between the first anchor and a second anchor, wherein the second anchor is associated with a second location distinct from the first location. Information including the logical distance between the first and second anchors indicated by the received chronotope is conveyed to a user of the mobile device.

1 . A computer implemented method for providing location-based services using a mobile device, the method comprising:
 generating a first anchor by:
 sensing a first location-identifying physical characteristic proximate to a mobile device present at a first location and generating a representation of the first location-identifying physical characteristic; 
 determining a descriptive identification of the first location; and 
 combining the descriptive identification and the representation of the first location-identifying physical characteristic; 
   transmitting the first anchor, comprising the representation of the first location-identifying physical characteristic, to a computer remote from the first location;   requesting from the remote computer a chronotope retrieved from a database of previously generated anchors, the received chronotope indicating a logical distance between the first anchor and a second anchor, comprising a representation of a second location-identifying physical characteristic, wherein the second anchor is associated with a second location distinct from the first location; and   conveying to a user of the mobile device information including the logical distance between the first and second anchors indicated by the received chronotope.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first location identifying physical characteristic is selected from a group consisting of:
 an identifier of a single stationary wireless transmitter producing a transmission received by the mobile device;   a one-dimensional barcode;   a two-dimensional barcode;   a plurality of identifying features of sound captured by the mobile device;   a plurality of identifying features of an image captured by the mobile device; and   a plurality of identifying features of a video stream captured by the mobile device.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 automatically collecting a wireless transmitter identifier and an associated radio type for each of a plurality of single stationary wireless transmitters in communication range of the mobile device;   automatically determining the theoretical maximum communication range associated with each wireless transmitter identifier based at least in part on the radio type associated with the wireless transmitter identifier; and   selecting as the first location identifying physical characteristic the wireless transmitter.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further including:
 requesting from the remote computer to retrieve from the database of previously generated anchors to retrieve a previously recorded descriptive identification of the first anchor;   prompting the user to confirm that the previously recorded descriptive identification of the first anchor accurately describes the first location; and   transmitting the first timestamp to the remote computer to be recorded in association with the first anchor.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the logical distance between the first and second anchors is represented by one or more parameters selected from a group consisting of:
 a temporal distance indicated by the chronotope;   an average temporal distance between the first anchor and the second anchor determined from a plurality of chronotopes in the database of previously generated anchors, each associated with both the first anchor and the second anchor; and   a ratio of a first count of chronotopes in the database of previously generated anchors associated with both the first anchor and the second anchor and a second count of chronotopes in the database of previously generated anchors associated with the first anchor but not the second anchor.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of requesting from the remote computer the chronotope retrieved from a database of previously generated anchors further includes a limiting instruction requiring that the retrieved chronotope be limited to a chronotope indicating a mode selected from a group consisting of:
 a pedestrian mode;   an airplane mode;   a bicycle mode;   a boat mode;   a mass transit mode; and   an automobile mode.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving an input from the user providing an identification of the first location. 
     
     
         8 . Software embodied in tangible computer-readable media and, when executed by a processor, operable to:
 generate a first anchor by:
 sensing a first location-identifying physical characteristic proximate to a mobile device present at a first location and generating a representation of the first location-identifying physical characteristic; 
 determining a descriptive identification of the first location; and 
 combining the descriptive identification and the representation of the first location-identifying physical characteristic; 
   transmit the first anchor, comprising the representation of the first location-identifying physical characteristic, to a computer remote from the first location;   request from the remote computer a chronotope retrieved from a database of previously generated anchors, the received chronotope indicating a logical distance between the first anchor and a second anchor, wherein the second anchor, comprising a representation of a second location-identifying physical characteristic, is associated with a second location distinct from the first location; and   convey to a user of the mobile device information including the logical distance between the first and second anchors indicated by the received chronotope.   
     
     
         9 . The software of  claim 8 , wherein the first location identifying physical characteristic is selected from a group consisting of:
 an identifier of a single stationary wireless transmitter producing a transmission received by the mobile device;   a one-dimensional barcode;   a two-dimensional barcode;   a plurality of identifying features of sound captured by the mobile device;   a plurality of identifying features of an image captured by the mobile device; and   a plurality of identifying features of a video stream captured by the mobile device.   
     
     
         10 . The software of  claim 9 , further operable to:
 automatically collect a wireless transmitter identifier and an associated radio type for each of a plurality of single stationary wireless transmitters in communication range of the mobile device;   automatically determine the theoretical maximum communication range associated with each wireless transmitter identifier based at least in part on the radio type associated with the wireless transmitter identifier; and   select as the first location identifying physical characteristic the wireless transmitter identifier.   
     
     
         11 . The software of  claim 8 , further operable to:
 request from the remote computer to retrieve from the database of previously generated anchors to retrieve a previously recorded descriptive identification of the first anchor;   prompt the user to confirm that the previously recorded descriptive identification of the first anchor accurately describes the first location; and   transmit the first timestamp to the remote computer to be recorded in association with the first anchor.   
     
     
         12 . The software of  claim 8 , wherein the logical distance between the first and second anchors is represented by one or more parameters selected from a group consisting of:
 a temporal distance indicated by the chronotope;   an average temporal distance between the first anchor and the second anchor determined from a plurality of chronotopes in the database of previously generated anchors, each associated with both the first anchor and the second anchor; and   a ratio of a first count of chronotopes in the database of previously generated anchors associated with both the first anchor and the second anchor and a second count of chronotopes in the database of previously generated anchors associated with the first anchor but not the second anchor.   
     
     
         13 . The software of  claim 8 , further operable to receive an input from the user providing an identification of the first location. 
     
     
         14 . A computing system comprising:
 a processor;   a memory coupled to the processor; and   a mobile application operable to:
 generate a first anchor by:
 sensing a first location-identifying physical characteristic proximate to a mobile device present at a first location and generating a representation of the first location-identifying physical characteristic; 
 determining a descriptive identification of the first location; and 
 combining the descriptive identification and the representation of the first location-identifying physical characteristic; 
 
 transmit the first anchor, comprising the representation of the first location-identifying physical characteristic, to a computer remote from the first location; 
 request from the remote computer a chronotope retrieved from a database of previously generated chronotopes, the received chronotope indicating a logical distance between the first anchor and a second anchor, comprising a representation of a second location-identifying physical characteristic, wherein the second anchor is associated with a second location distinct from the first location; and 
 convey to a user of the mobile device information including the logical distance between the first and second anchors indicated by the received chronotope. 
   
     
     
         15 . The computing system of  claim 14 , wherein the first location identifying physical characteristic is selected from a group consisting of:
 an identifier of a single stationary wireless transmitter producing a transmission received by the mobile device;   a one-dimensional barcode;   a two-dimensional barcode;   a plurality of identifying features of sound captured by the mobile device;   a plurality of identifying features of an image captured by the mobile device; and   a plurality of identifying features of a video stream captured by the mobile device.   
     
     
         16 . The computing system of  claim 14 , wherein the mobile application is further operable to:
 automatically collect a wireless transmitter identifier and an associated radio type for each of a plurality of single stationary wireless transmitters in communication range of the mobile device;   automatically determine the theoretical maximum communication range associated with each wireless transmitter identifier based at least in part on the radio type associated with the wireless transmitter identifier; and   select as the first location identifying physical characteristic the wireless transmitter identifier.   
     
     
         17 . The computing system of  claim 14 , wherein the mobile application is further operable to:
 request from the remote computer to retrieve from the database of previously generated anchors to retrieve a previously recorded descriptive identification of the first anchor;   prompt the user to confirm that the previously recorded descriptive identification of the first anchor accurately describes the first location; and   transmit the first timestamp to the remote computer to be recorded in association with the first anchor.   
     
     
         18 . The computing system of  claim 14 , wherein the logical distance between the first and second anchors is represented by one or more parameters selected from a group consisting of:
 a temporal distance indicated by the chronotope;   an average temporal distance between the first anchor and the second anchor determined from a plurality of chronotopes in the database of previously generated anchors, each associated with both the first anchor and the second anchor; and   a ratio of a first count of chronotopes in the database of previously generated anchors associated with both the first anchor and the second anchor and a second count of chronotopes in the database of previously generated anchors associated with the first anchor but not the second anchor.   
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A computer implemented method for providing location-based services using a mobile device, the method comprising:
 receiving from a mobile device a first anchor including:
 a representation of a first location-identifying physical characteristic proximate to a mobile device present at a first location, 
 a descriptive identification of the first location, and 
 a first timestamp; 
   receiving from the same mobile device a second anchor including:
 a representation of a second location-identifying physical characteristic proximate to a mobile device present at a second location, 
 a descriptive identification of the second location, and 
 a second timestamp; 
   automatically generating a chronotope by linking the first anchor, comprising the representation of the first location-identifying physical characteristic, to the second anchor, comprising a representation of a second location-identifying physical characteristic, and calculating the time difference between the first timestamp and the second timestamp; and   storing the chronotope in a database.   
     
     
         21 . The computer implemented method of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 receiving a query including a current anchor and a destination anchor;   retrieving from the database a set of one or more chronotopes forming an association between the current anchor and the destination anchor.   
     
     
         22 . The computer implemented method of  claim 21 , wherein:
 the set of one or more chronotopes includes a first chronotope and a second chronotope;   the first chronotope associates the current anchor with an intermediate anchor; and   the second chronotope associates the intermediate anchor with the destination anchor.   
     
     
         23 . The computer implemented method of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 receiving a query including a current anchor and a criterion specified by a user;   identifying a set of one or more destinations matching the user-specified criterion; and   limiting the set of one or more destinations to destinations associated with the current anchor by one or more chronotopes.   
     
     
         24 . The computer implemented method of  claim 23 , further comprising limiting the set of one or more destinations based at least in part on a user preference retrieved from the database.