Personal Wireless Navigation System

Abstract

A personal wireless navigation system operable on wireless phone devices provides a platform for empowering a merchant-paid search. Performance of a navigation functionality in a personal wireless navigation system is higher and more comparable and competitive with portable navigation devices and in-car navigation systems, and the search capability is comparable and competitive with the most popular web search engines. A user interface (UI) and look and feel of the personal wireless navigation system is provided which is enhanced so that users do not simply want to use the product—they covet it. The personal wireless navigation system may be constructed such that a subset of it with fewer features and functions can be productized, marketed and deployed to users.

1 - 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A method of displaying a circular-depicted carousel user interface for a personal wireless device, comprising:
 assembling a plurality of visual carousel pages visually into a carousel that rotates about a center, said plurality of visual carousel pages displaying information readable from a direction outside a perimeter of said carousel;   sensing a gesture on a display of said personal wireless device to rotate said carousel; and   continuously rotating said carousel sequentially through said plurality of visual carousel pages such that said plurality of visual carousel pages repeat in said rotation in a same order on subsequent full rotations of said carousel.   
     
     
         16 . A method of displaying a circular-depicted carousel user interface for a personal wireless device according to  claim 15 , further comprising:
 updating location-based information on said plurality of visual carousel pages on a subsequent full rotation of said carousel.   
     
     
         17 . A method of displaying a circular-depicted carousel user interface for a personal wireless device according to  claim 16 , further comprising:
 said update is repeatedly performed approximately every 20 minutes.   
     
     
         18 . A method of displaying a circular-depicted carousel user interface for a personal wireless device according to  claim 15 , further comprising:
 periodically updating a current location of said personal wireless device; and   updating at least one of said plurality of visual carousel pages based on said periodically updated current location of said personal wireless device.   
     
     
         19 . A method of displaying a circular-depicted carousel user interface for a personal wireless device according to  claim 18 , further comprising:
 said update is repeatedly performed approximately every 20 minutes.   
     
     
         20 . A method of displaying a circular-depicted carousel user interface for a personal wireless device according to  claim 15 , further comprising:
 rotating said carousel in a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction depending upon a pre-determined hand gesture on a touch screen of said personal wireless device.   
     
     
         21 . A method of displaying a circular-depicted carousel user interface for a personal wireless device according to  claim 15 , further comprising:
 updating a current location of said personal wireless device when said carousel is operating in a background of said personal wireless device.   
     
     
         22 . A method of displaying a circular-depicted carousel user interface for a personal wireless device according to  claim 15 , wherein:
 said plurality of visual carousel pages include local weather based on a current location of said personal wireless device.   
     
     
         23 . A method of displaying a circular-depicted carousel user interface for a personal wireless device according to  claim 15 , wherein:
 said plurality of visual carousel pages include gas prices at each of a plurality of gas stations nearest a current location of said personal wireless device.   
     
     
         24 . A method of displaying a circular-depicted carousel user interface for a personal wireless device according to  claim 15 , wherein:
 said plurality of visual carousel pages include movies playing at at least one closest theater to a current location of said personal wireless device.   
     
     
         25 . A method of displaying a circular-depicted carousel user interface for a personal wireless device according to  claim 15 , wherein:
 said plurality of visual carousel pages include information about an upcoming event in a local region relating to a current location of said personal wireless device.   
     
     
         26 . A method of displaying a circular-depicted carousel user interface for a personal wireless device according to  claim 15 , wherein:
 at least one of said plurality of visual carousel pages includes a navigation application running on said personal wireless device.   
     
     
         27 . A method of displaying a circular-depicted carousel user interface for a personal wireless device according to  claim 15 , further comprising:
 replacing content of at least one of said plurality of visual carousel pages after each full 360 degree rotation of said carousel.   
     
     
         28 . Apparatus for displaying a circular-depicted carousel user interface for a personal wireless device, comprising:
 means for assembling a plurality of visual carousel pages visually into a carousel that rotates about a center, said plurality of visual carousel pages displaying information readable from a direction outside a perimeter of said carousel;   means for sensing a gesture on a display of said personal wireless device to rotate said carousel; and   means for continuously rotating said carousel sequentially through said plurality of visual carousel pages such that said plurality of visual carousel pages repeat in said rotation in a same order on subsequent full rotations of said carousel.   
     
     
         29 . Apparatus for displaying a circular-depicted carousel user interface for a personal wireless device according to  claim 28 , further comprising:
 means for updating location-based information on said plurality of visual carousel pages on a subsequent full rotation of said carousel.   
     
     
         30 . Apparatus for displaying a circular-depicted carousel user interface for a personal wireless device according to  claim 28 , further comprising:
 means for periodically updating a current location of said personal wireless device; and   means for updating at least one of said plurality of visual carousel pages based on said periodically updated current location of said personal wireless device.   
     
     
         31 . Apparatus for displaying a circular-depicted carousel user interface for a personal wireless device according to  claim 28 , further comprising:
 means for rotating said carousel in a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction depending upon a pre-determined hand gesture on a touch screen of said personal wireless device.   
     
     
         32 . Apparatus for displaying a circular-depicted carousel user interface for a personal wireless device according to  claim 28 , wherein:
 at least one of said plurality of visual carousel pages includes a navigation application running on said personal wireless device.   
     
     
         33 . Apparatus for displaying a circular-depicted carousel user interface for a personal wireless device according to  claim 28 , further comprising:
 means for replacing content of at least one of said plurality of visual carousel pages after each full 360 degree rotation of said carousel.