GB2359888A

GB2359888A - Displaying directional indications in handheld devices

Info

Publication number: GB2359888A
Application number: GB0004793A
Authority: GB
Inventors: James Thomas Edward Mcdonnell; Michael Peter Spratt; John Deryk Waters
Original assignee: Hewlett Packard Co
Current assignee: HP Inc
Priority date: 2000-03-01
Filing date: 2000-03-01
Publication date: 2001-09-05
Also published as: GB0004793D0

Description

2359888 1 Displaying Directional Indications in Handbeld Devices

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to displaying directional indications in handheld devices and in particular, but not exclusively, to displaying such indications in cell phones; the present invention further relates to a method and service system for providing directional information to a user.

Background of the Invention

Communication infrastructures suitable for mobile users (in particular, though not exclusively, cellular radio infrastructures) have now become widely adopted. Whilst the primary driver has been mobile telephony, the desire to implement mobile data-based services over these infrastructures, has led to the rapid development of data-capable bearer services across such infrastructures. This has opened up the possibility of many Internetbased services beffig available-to mobile users.

By way of example, Figure 1 shows one form of known communication infrastructure for mobile users providing both telephony and data-bearer services. In this example, a mobile entity 20, provided with a radio subsystem 22 and a phone subsystem 23, communicates with the fixed infrastructure of GSM PLMN (Public Land Mobile Network) 10 to provide basic voice telephony services. In addition, the mobile entity 20 includes a data-handling subsystem 25 interworking, via data interface 24, with the radio subsystem 22 for the transmission and reception of data over a data-capable bearer service provided by the PLMN; the data-capable bearer service enables the mobile entity 20 to communicate with a service system 40 connected to the public Internet 39. The data handling subsystem 25 supports an operating environment 26 in which applications run, the operating environment including an appropriate communications stack.

More particularly, the fixed infrastructure 10 of the GSM PLMN comprises one or more Base Station Subsystems (BSS) 11 and a Network and Switching Subsystem NSS 12. Each 2 BSS 11 comprises a Base Station Controller (BSC) 14 controlling multiple Base Transceiver Stations (BTS) 13 each associated with a respective "cell" of the radio network. When active, the radio subsystem 22 of the mobile entity 20 communicates via a radio link with the BTS 13 of the cell in which the mobile entity is currently located. As regards the NSS 12, this comprises one or more Mobile Switching Centers (MSC) 15 together with other elements such as Visitor Location Registers 32 and Home Location Register 32.

When the mobile entity 20 is used to make a normal telephone call, a traffic circuit for carrying digitised voice is set up through the relevant BSS 11 to the NSS 12 which is then ible f responsi or routing the call to the target phone (whether in the same PLMN or in another network).

With respect to data transmission to/from the mobile entity 20, in the present example three different data-capable bearer services are depicted though other possibilities exist. A first data-capable bearer service is available in the form of a Circuit Switched Data (CSD) service; in this case a full traffic circuit is used for carrying data and the MSC 32 routes the circuit to an InterWorking Function WYT 34 the precise nature ofwhich depends on what is connected to the other side of the FiVF. Thus, 1WF could be configured to provide direct access to the public Internet 39 (that is, provide functionality similar to an IA-P - Internet Access Provider IAP). Alternatively, the 1WF could simply be a modem connecting to a PSTN; in this case, Internet access can be achieved by connection across the PSTN to a standard IAP.

A second, low bandwidth, data-capable bearer service is available through use of the Short Message Service that passes data carried in signalling channel slots to an SMS unit which can be arranged to provide connectivity to the public Internet 39.

A third data-capable bearer service is provided in the form of GPRS (General Packet Radio Service which enables IP (or X.25) packet data to be passed from the data handling system of the mobile entity 20, via the data interface 24, radio subsystem 21 and relevant BSS 11, 3 to a GMS network 17 of the PLMN 10 (and vice versa). The GMS network 17 includes a SGSN (Serving GMS Support Node) 18 interfacing BSC 14 with the network 17, and a GGSN (Gateway GMS Support Node) interfacing the network 17 with an external network (in this example, the public Internet 3 9). Full details of GMS can be found in the ETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute) GSM 03.60 specification. Using GMS, the mobile entity 20 can exchange packet data via the BSS 11 and GMS network 17 with entities connected to the public Intemet 39.

The data connection between the PLMN 10 and the Internet 39 will generally be through a 10 firewall 35 with proxy and/or gateway functionality.

Different data-capable bearer services to those described above may be provided, the described services being simply examples of what is possible.

In Figure 1, a service system 40 is shown connected to the Intemet 40, this service system being accessible to the OS/application 26 running in the mobile entity by use of any of the data-capable bearer services described above. The data- capable bearer services could equally provide access to a service system that is within the domain of the PLNIN operator or is connected to another public or private data network.

With regard to the OSlapplication software 26 ninning in the data handling subsystem 25 of the mobile entity 20, this could, for example, be a WAP application running on top of a WAP stack where "WAY' is the Wireless Application Protocol standard. Details of WAP can be found, for example, in the book "Official Wireless Application ProtocoV' Wireless 25 Application Protocol Forum, Ltd published 1999 Wiley Computer Publishing. Where the OS/application software is WAP compliant, the firewall will generally also serve as a WAP proxy and gateway. Of course, OSlapplication 26 can comprise other functionality (for example, an e- mail client) instead of, or additional to, the WAP functionality.

The mobile entity 20 may take many different forms. For example, it could be two separate units such as a mobile phone (providing elements 22-24) and a mobile PC (data-handling 4 system 25) coupled by an appropriate link (wireline, infrared or even short range radio system such as Bluetooth). Alternatively, mobile entity 20 could be a single unit such as a mobile phone with WAP functionality. Of course, if only data transmission/reception is required (and not voice), the phone flinctionality 24 can be omitted; an example of this is a PDA with built-in GSM data-capable functionality whilst another example is a digital camera (the data-handling subsystem) also with built-in GSM data-capable functionality enabling the upload of digital images from the camera to a storage server.

Whilst the above description has been given with reference to a PLAIN based on GSM 10 technology, it will be appreciated that many other cellular radio technologies exist and can typically provide the same type of functionality as described for the GSM PLAIN 10.

Recently, must interest has been shown in "location-aware" services for mobile users, these 15 being services that take account of the current location of the user (or other mobile party). The most basic form of this service is the emergency location service whereby a user in trouble can press a panic button on their mobile phone to send an emergency requestforassistance message with their location data appended. Another well known location-based service is the provision of traffic and routeguiding information to vehicle drivers based on their current position. A further known service is a "yellow pages" service where a user can find out about amenities (shops, restaurants, theatres, etc.) local to their current location.

Location-aware services all require user location as an input parameter. A number of methods already exist for determining the location of a mobile user as represented by an associated mobile equipment. Example location-determining methods that make use of a mobile radio infrastructure will be described below with reference to Figure 2. As will be seen, one of the methods to be described results in the user knowing their location thereby enabling them to transmit it to a location-aware service they are interested in receiving, whilst another of the methods results in the user's location becoming known to a network entity from where it can be supplied directly to a location-aware service (generally only with the consent of the user concerned). As well as location determination, Figure 2 also illustrates the requesting of a location-aware service from service system 40 by the mobile entity. In the present examples, the request is depicted as being passed over a cellular mobile network (PLNIN 10) to the service system 40, this mobile network also being used in location determination. The PLMN is, for example, similar to that depicted in Figure 1 with the service request being made using a data-capable bearer service of the PLNIN. The service system 40 may be part of the PLMN itself or connected to it through a data network such as the public Internet.

Turning now to a consideration of Figure 2, it can be noted that in general both the mobile 10 entity 20 and the PLMN network 10 will know the identity of the cell in which the mobile entity currently resides, this information being provided as part of the normal operation of the system. (Although in a system such as GSM, the network may only store current location to a resolution of a collection of cells known as a Iocation are&', the actual current cell ID will generally be derivable from monitoring the signals exchanged between the BSC 14 and the mobile entity). Beyond current basic cell ID, it is possible to get a more accurate fix by measuring timing and/or directional parameters between the mobile entity and multiple BTSs 13, these measurement being done either in the network or the mobile entity (see, for example, International Application WO 99/04582 that describes various techniques for effecting location determination in the mobile and WO 99/55114 that describes location determination by the mobile network in response to requests made by location-aware applications to a mobile location center - server- of the mobile network).

The left-hand half of Figure 2 depicts the case of location determination being done in the mobile entity 20F by, for example, making Observed Time Difference (OTD) measurements with respect to signals from BTSs 13 and calculating location using a knowledge of BTS locations. The location data is subsequently appended to a service request 66 sent to service system 40 in respect of a location-aware service. The calculation load on mobile entity 20F could be reduced and the need for the mobile to know BTS locations avoided, by having a network entity do some of the work. The right-hand half of Figure 2 depicts the case of location determination being done in the network, for example, by making Timing Advance measurements for three BTSs 13 and using these 6 measurements to derive location (this derivation typically being done in a unit associated with BSC 14). The resultant location data is passed to a location server 67 from where it can be made available to authorised services. When the mobile entity 20G of Figure 2 wishes to invoke a location-aware service available on service system 50, it sends a request 69 including an authorisation token and its ID (possible embedded in the token) to the service system 40; the service system then uses the authorisation token to obtain the current location of the mobile entity 20G from the location server 67.

In the above examples, where the mobile entity is responsible for determining location, this 10 will generally be done only at the time the location-aware service is being requested. Where location determination is done by the infrastructure, for systems covering large areas with potentially a large number of mobile entities, it is also preferable to effect location determination as and when there is a perceived need to do so; thus, location determination may be triggered by the location server 67 in response to the service request 68 from the mobile entity 20G or the mobile entity may, immediately prior to making request 68, directly trigger BSC 14 to effect a location determination and feed the result to location server 67.

With respect to the location server 67, whilst access authorisation by location-aware services has been described as being through authorisation tokens supplied by the mobile entities concerned, other authorisation techniques can be used. In particular, a locationaware service can be prior authorised with the location server in respect of particular mobile entities; in this case, each request from the service for location data needs only to establish that the request comes from a service authorised in respect of the mobile entity for which the location data is requested.

Figure 2 depicts only some examples of how location determination and activation of a location-aware service can be achieved using a mobile radio network, there being many other possible combinations ofwhere in the system the location-determirling measurements are made and location is calculated, stored and used Thus, the locationaware service may reside in the mobile entity whose location is of interest, in a network-connected service 7 system 40 (as illustrated), or even in another mobile entity. Furthermore, whilst in the examples of Figure 2, invocation of the location-aware service has been by the mobile entity whose location is of interest, the nature of the location-aware service may be such that it is invoked by another party (including, potentially, the PLNIN itself). In this case, unless the invoking party already knows the location of the mobile entity and can pass this information to the location-aware service (which may, for example, may be situation where the PLMN invokes the service), it is the location-aware service that is responsible for obtaining the required location data, either by sending a request to the mobile entity itself or by requesting the data from a location server. Unless the location server already has the needed information in cache, the server proceeds to obtain the data either by interrogating the mobile entity or by triggering infrastructure elements to locate the mobile. For example, where a location-aware service running on service system 40 in Figure 2 needs to find the location of mobile 20G, it could be arranged to do so by requesting this information from location server 67 which in turn requests the location data from the relevant BSC, the latter then making the necessary determination using measurements from BTSs 13.

Although in the foregoing, the provision of location data to the mobile entity has been treated as a service effected over a data-capable bearer channel, it may be expected that as location data becomes considered a basic element of mobile radio infrastructure services, provision will be made in the relevant mobile radio standards for location data to be passed over a signalling channel to the mobile entity.

It is, of course, also possible to effect location determination independently of the mobile radio infrastructure, for example, by providing the mobile entity with a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver. The location data can then be used by the mobile entity when requesting a location-aware service.

Whilst location information is often important to mobile users, so also is directional information - for example, a vehicle driver wanting to reach a particular destination in an unfamiliar city may want to be guided by being presented with directional information 8 (such as "take the next left turn"). Similarly, walkers in remote areas often walk on compass bearings towards unseen destinations, the required heading being determined on the basis of the walkers current known location and the location of the destination. The compass used may be an electronic compass such as available from Precision Navigation 5 Inc. of Mountain View, California, USA.

Equipping vehicles with location-determining means is well known (typically a GPS receiver will be used) and it is then a relatively simple matter to determine a required direction of travel to reach a particular destination. Because the current heading of the vehicle is known from its track, the heading required to be taken relative to the vehicle's current heading can also be easily determined. This relative heading can then displayed on a fixed display that has a reference direction aligned to the vehicle's forward direction. Of course, vehicles generally must follow the established road pattern rather than following a direct heading to their destination and therefore in-vehicle guidance systems generally reference map information in determining what course the vehicle driver should follow. Road-following direction information is usually given in terms of what turnings to take (rather than a visual direction indication) and with information of this form it does not matter how the display is aligned.

A walker equipped with a GPS receiver or other location-determining device can, by the traditional use of a map, determine the required heading to a particular destination and then use a compass to follow that heading. US Patent 5389934 describes a more advanced arrangement in which a portable locating device is provided with a GPS receiver for intermittently determining the location of the device. This location can be exchanged with another similar device. Knowing the location of another device, permits the device to determine the relative vector from itself to that other device. This relative vector is then displayed on a display of the device relative to a North reference. However, the user still needs to have a compass in order to determine where North is and thus the direction to be followed. The underlying problem here is that the device can be held and pointed in any direction so that the displayed directional information is unaligned with the real world.

9 It is known to incorporate an electronic compass into systems that are location-aware. Thus, the paper "Location Aware Mobile Computinj (H.W. Peter Beadle et al; Proc. IEEE/IEE International Conference on Telecommunications, ICT97, Melbourne, April, 1997) describes the incorporation of an attitude sensor (typically a magnetometer and an inclinometer) into a handheld device, the sensor providing a heading (related to North) and two tilt angles describing the attitude of the mobile device. The handheld device is intended as a remote control and the attitude sensor provides orientation information that can be used to determine where the hand-held device is pointing. This orientation information can be incorporated into the user interface of devices under control and can be used to disambiguate the user's intentions when pointing at several co- located devices.

IBM Technical Disclosure 413126 ("Digital Camera with Global Positioning Satellite to Record Location with Image") describes a digital camera with a Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) subsystem that enables the camera to record the location the location the photo was taken. It is also suggested that an electronic compass can be included in the camera to enable the camera to record the direction that it was pointed when the photo was taken.

None of the foregoing prior disclosures provides a solution to the problem, recognised by the Applicants, of aligning displayed direction indications to the real world in handheld devices.

Summary of the Invention

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a handheld device comprising:

a mobile radio transceiver for receiving first data via a mobile radio infrastructure, this first data being related to a direction of interest and being either the direction itself or the location of at least one of its defining endpoints; a user interface including a display; an electronic compass for generating second data indicative of the orientation of the display relative to an absolute directional reference; and processing means for receiving said first and second data, together with further endpoint-location data where said first data comprises location data on one endpoint only, and for using the received data to present on said display a direction indicator pointing in the direction of interest, regardless of the device orientation.

The present invention also contemplates methods and service systems for providing direction/location information to handheld mobile radio devices, these methods and systems being set forth in the accompanying claims.

Brief Description of the Drawings

A handheld device, method and service system, each embodying the present invention, for providing directional information to a user, will now be described, by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a diagram of a known communications infrastructure usable for transferring voice and data to/from a mobile entity; Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating the determination of the location of a mobile entity using signals present in a cellular mobile radio communications system; Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating a first embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4A is a diagram illustrating the determination of the absolute direction of a target destination; Figure 4B is a diagram illustrating the orientation of a device display of the Figure 3 embodiment; Figure 4C is a diagram illustrating the derivation of the required display angle of a direction indicator of the Figure 3 embodiment; Figure 5 is a diagram showing the constancy of pointing of the direction indicator with changes in orientation of the device display; Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating a second embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 is a diagram illustrating a third embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8 is a diagram illustrating a fourth embodiment of the present invention; Figure 9 is a diagram illustrating a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

11 Best Mode of Carrying Out the Invention In the following description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, location and/or direction information is passed between a service system and a handheld mobile radio device using a mobile radio infrastructure. As will be apparent from the foregoing description of the prior art with reference to Figures 1 and 2, many possibilities exist both for exchanging data between a mobile entity and a service system using a mobile radio infrastructure, and for deriving location information about the mobile entity. It is to be understood that, except as otherwise indicated, the particularities of the described embodiments in respect of the form of the mobile entity, mobile radio inftastructure, service system and location-providing means are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention and the alternatives discussed in relation to the prior art will generally also be usable for implementing embodiments of the present invention. Thus, for example, whilst in the following description, the mobile entity takes the form of a cell phone provided with a data-handling system, the mobile entity need not include phone functionality as this functionality is not required to implement the invention. Furthermore, whilst in the embodiments of Figures 4 to 9 below, the location ofthe mobile entity is described as being available through a location service provided by the mobile radio infrastructure, the location of the mobile entity may be derived in other ways such as by means of a GPS receiver in the mobile entity.

Considering first the embodiment of Figure 3, a handheld device 20 in the form of a cell phone is arranged to present a user with a visual direction indicator 54 on a display 53 for the purpose of showing the user the direction to be followed to reach a desired target destination, the coordinates x, y of which have been set in by the user (using an input key pad 52 of the cell phone). The direction indicator 54 points in the correct direction regardless of the orientation of the handheld device 20.

More particularly, the handheld device 20 comprises, in addition to the user interface formed by display 53 and input keypad 52, a radio subsystem 22, a phone subsystem 23, a data handling subsystem 25 interfacing via data interface 24 with the radio subsystem, and 12 an electronic compass 50. The data handling subsystem 25 runs a direction process 51 that controls the display of the direction indicator 54 on the basis of the user-input coordinates of the target location, the current location of the device 20, and the current device orientation as determined by the compass 50. In the present embodiment, the location of the device 20 is derived by the direction process 51 sending a location request 70 over a data-capable bearer service to a location service 67 (here shown as part of the PLMN 10), the service 67 returning the location of the device in response 7 1. As will be appreciated, it may not be necessary to use a data-capable bearer service of the mobile radio infrastructure to obtain the location information where, for example, the location request and response are carried on a signalling channel of the mobile radio infrastructure, or where the device itself can determine its location from measurement of the mobile radio infrastructure signals.

The direction process 51 knowing the location M of the device 20 and of the target destination T, can then readily determine the absolute direction to be followed by the user to reach the destination (the device location and target location servig as definffig endpoints of the direction to be followed). The absolute direction can be expressed as an angle (x relative to some absolute reference such as due North N (see Figure 4A). The compass 50 provides the direction process with a measure of the current orientation of the device; in the present example, this measure takes the form of the angle 0 (see Figure 4B) between an axis A-A of display 53 and the due north direction reference N. Where the electronic compass 50 is a magnetic flux compass, then its output will generally need correcting for the difference between the local magnetic north direction and the true north direction; this correction can be effected using correction data that is either stored locally in ROM and accessed according to the current device location, or is provided by the location service 67 along with the device location.

Having determined the angles a and P, the direction process 51 then determines the angle (D at which the direction indicator 54 must be displayed relative to the display axis A-A in order to point in the correct direction for the user to take to the target destination (see Figure 4Q. In the present example, since P is larger than (x, the angle (D would in fact a 13 negative angle (that is, measured counter-clockwise). In Figure 4C, the size of direction indicate 54 has been shown exaggerated for clarity.

Figure 5 shows the device 20 held in three different orientations with the direction indicator 54 remaining pointing in the same direction. For convenience, a compass cross with north indicated by an arrow head is also preferably represented on the display 53, this compass cross like the direction indicator 54, remaining in the same absolute orientation as the device 20 is rotated.

The angle (D is continuously adjusted as the device orientation (as continuously measured by compass 50) changes so that indicator 54 always points in the correct direction. In contrast, the location of the device 20 will generally not be continuously measured with the result that if the user fails to correctly follow the direction indicate by indicator 54, this latter direction will become erroneous in terms of pointing the way to the target 15 destination. Accordingly, the direction process is preferably arranged to update the device location and recalculate angle a (and accordingly (D), this update either being manually triggered by theuser (for example, by pressing a button on the input keypad) or being effected automatically at intervals.

Figure 5 shows a second embodiment of the present invention, this embodiment being similar to the Figure 3 embodiment except that the direction process 51 is no longer responsible for calculating the direction of the target destination (the angle a). Instead, this direction is returned by a direction server 51 of a service system 40 in response to a heading request 72 generated by the process 51 and including the coordinates X, Y of the 25 desired target location. The direction server 41 is depicted as obtaining the current location of the device 20 (needed by server 41 in order to calculate the direction to the target) from a location service 67 - this will generally require the direction server 41 to be appropriately authorised either by prior registration or by an authorisation token supplied by device 20 with the heading request 72. The device location may alternatively be provided to the 30 direction server 41 by process 51 when making the location request 72.

14 The direction process 51 remains responsible for compensating for the current orientation of device 20 when displaying the direction indicator 54 on the display 53.

The direction server 41 can also usefully return the distance to the target destination (and, if not already known to device 20, the current location of device 20).

As with the Figure 3 embodiment, the Figure 5 embodiment is preferably arranged to permit update of the direction indicator 54 either by manual triggering or automatically at intervals.

Figure 7 illustrates a third embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the target destination is specified by the user by destination type rather than in terms of coordinates X, Y. Thus a hill walker may specify 'general store' as desired destination type when the walker wishes to obtain fresh provisions. The desired destination type is passed by process 51 in a "where is" request 74 to a ",,vhere is" enquiry server 43. Server 43 first ascertains the location of device 20 (either by asking location service 67 or by extracting this information from request 74 if incorporated therein by process 5 1), and then accesses database 44 to determine the nearest instance of the specified target type to the device 20. Upon the nearest instance being identified, information about this instance is returned to the device 20 - if the direction process 51 is operative to calculate direction angle (x (as in the Figure 3 embodiment), then only the location of the target instance need be returned whereas if process 51 expects to receive direction information (as in the Figure 4 embodiment) then the direction of the target is returned. Preferably, however, the server 43 returns as much information as is likely to be useful to the user (including in the case of the 'general store' example mentioned above, the opening hours of the store).

The direction server 43 can be arranged to return information on several instances of the specified target type rather than just the one, the instance being prioritised, for example, by proximity to the user. In this case the direction process 51 is operative to present the information about the instances to the user via display 53 to enable the user to select which instance should be set as the desired target destination. The user specifies his /her choice is through input keypad 52 and the directional process 51 then proceeds as before.

In a further refinement of the Figure 7 embodiment, the server 43 is arranged to use userprofile information in making its determination of which instance or instances of the specified destination type are to be returned to the user. The user profile data is, for example, either known to the service 43 as a result of an initial service registration process or is fetched by the server 43 from a profile server subscribed to by the user and known to be "where is" enquiry server 43.

It will be appreciated that user-triggered or automatic updating of the direction indicator 54 can be effected for the Figure 7 embodiment in the same manner as already described for the other embodiments of device 20.

In the foregoing embodiments, the direction indicator 54 pointed directly to the location of the final target destination, whether as specified in X, Y coordinate terms by the user or returned as an instantiation of a target type. However, it is also possible to arrange for an indirect route to a target to be derived and for the direction indicator 54 to point to the next of the succession of route-defining waypoints with arrival at a waypoint resulting in the indicator 54 changing direction to point to the following waypoint. Figure 8 illustrates such an embodiment where the user specifies a final target destination in X, Y coordinate terms, these coordinates being passed by process 51 in a route requested 76 to a route server 45. The server 45 has a map database 42 and is operative to determine an appropriate route from the current device location (provided by location service 67 or in request 76) to the final target destination. This route is defined as a set of waypoints and server 45 is arranged to return this set of waypoints to process 5 1. Process 51 now stores the waypoint set and then takes the first waypoint and determines the direction to that waypoint, this direction being displayed by direction indicator 54 (with compensation for device orientation as with the earlier-described embodiment). Thereafter, periodic location updates are effected to keep indicator 54 pointing towards the first waypoint until the user with device 20 arrives at this first waypoint. At this point, the next waypoint becomes the next destination of interest and indicator 54 is set appropriately; matters proceed in this 16 manner until the user reaches the desired final target destination.

It will be appreciated that a number of variations of the Figure 8 embodiment are possible. For example, the final target destination could be specified by the user as a destination type as in the Figure 7 embodiment; in the case, the service system will effectively comprise a "where is" enquiry server 43 in combination with a route server 45. Since the waypoint data may be substantial, where the user is given a choice of several possible instances of the desired target destination type, the transfer of the waypoint set data to device 20 can be delayed until after the user has selected between the type instances (the user's choice being returned to the service system and resulting in the corresponding waypoint data being sent back to the device 20).

Of course, it is also possible simply to return from server 45 the next waypoint to be attained, the attainment of the waypoint resulting in the process 51 requesting from server 45 the following waypoint. Furthermore, the route server 45 can be arranged to return waypoint direction information (as with the Figure 6 embodiment) rather than waypoint location data.

Generally with respect to the embodiment of Figure 3, 6, 7 and 8, rather than the user 20 having to specify target coordinates or target types in full at the time needed, the process 51 can permit the user to pre-store a set of destinations or destination types and then subsequently to select a current-desired destination or destination type from a displayed list of the pre-stored options.

All the foregoing embodiments of the invention have required the user to specify the target destination either by location or type. Figure 9 illustrates a further embodiment in which the user does not specify the destination but, instead, receives destination data from an advice/conmand system 46. Thus, the user may be taking part in a training exercise where the user is sent from one location to another without knowing in advance the next destination. The advice/command system 46 can be arranged to monitor the location of the user and upon the user reaching a particular location, heading and/or location data 17 concerning the next target destination (possibly with particular instructions) are sent in message 79 to the user device 20; this process can be automatic or under human control. Rather than being solely location triggered, the sending out of next destination heading/location data from system 46 can be in response to the device user checking in (message 78), for example, after having reached a previous target destination and performed some task.

As with the other embodiments, the process 51 of the Figure 9 embodiment is operative to compensate for device orientation when displaying the direction indicator 54 that indicates 10 the direction to be taken.

18

Claims

1. A handheld device comprising: a mobile radio transceiver for receiving first data via a mobile radio infrastructure, this first data being related to a direction of interest and being either the direction itself or the location of at least one of its defining endpoints; a user interface including a display; an electronic compass for generating second data indicative of the orientation of the display relative to an absolute directional reference; and - processing means for receiving said first and second data, together with further endpoint-location data where said first data comprises location data on one endpoint only, and for using the received data to present on said display a direction indicator pointing in the direction of interest, regardless of the device orientation.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the user interface further includes input means for specifying the coordinates of a desired target destination, the processing means being operative to pass the specified coordinates via the mobile radio transceiver and mobile radio infrastructure to a direction-determining service system, the processing means being further operative to receive back from the service system a direction as said first data.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein the user interface further includes input means for specifying a desired target destination type, the processing means being operative to pass the specified target- destination type via the mobile radio transceiver and mobile radio inftastructure to a system that provides a service determining the direction from the device to an instance of said type near the device, the processing means being further operative to receive back from the service system a direction as said first data.

4. A device according to claim 3, wherein the processing means is operative to receive back from the service system direction information relating to multiple instances of the specified target destination type, the interface means being operative in conjunction with 19 the processing means to enable a user to select between said multiple instances with the direction information relating to the selected instance forming said direction of interest.

5. A device according to claim 3, wherein the processing means is further operative to 5 receive back the location coordinates of said instance from the service system.

6. A device according to claim 2 or claim 5, further comprising means triggered either manually or automatically at intervals, for causing the processing means to update said direction of interest and the corresponding displayed direction indicator, by re-passing the target-destination coordinates to the direction-determining service system and receiving back an updated direction of interest.

7. A device according to claim 2 or claim 3, further comprising locationproviding means for providing the current location of the device to the processing means for transfer to the service system along with the specified target-destination information.

8. A device according to claim 3, wherein the device is operative to receive said direction of interest as said first data without having first passed related endpoint data over the mobile radio transceiver.

9. A device according to claim 1, wherein the user interface further includes input means for specifying the coordinates of a desired target destination, the processing means being responsive to the target destination coordinates being specified to request the current location of the device by a request passed via the mobile radio transceiver and mobile radio infrastructure to a location service, and the processing means being operative to receive back from the location service the current device location as said first data and to use this location and the target destination as endpoints for deriving said direction of interest.

10. A device according to claim 9, further comprising means triggered either manually or automatically at intervals, for causing the processing means to update said direction of interest and the corresponding displayed direction indicator, by requesting an updated device location from the location service and using this updated location to re-determine the direction of interest.

11. A device according to claim 1, wherein the device includes locationproviding means for providing the current location of the device, the user interface further including input means for specifying a desired target destination type, and the processing means being operative to pass the specified target-destination type via the mobile radio transceiver and mobile radio infrastructure to a system that provides a service determining the location of an instance of said type near the device, the processing means being further operative to receive back from the service system the location of a type instance as said first data and to combine it with the current location of the device, as provided by the locationproviding means, to derive said direction of interest.

12. A device according to claim 11, wherein the processing means is operative to receive back from the service system the locations of multiple instances of the specified target destination type, the interface means being operative in conjunction with the processing means to enable a user to select between said multiple instances with the location of the selected instance being used as one defining endpoint for said direction of interest.

13. A device according to claim 1, wherein the device includes locationproviding means for providing the current location of the device, the processing means being operative to receive the location of a target destination as said first data without having first passed parameters of the target destination, and to combine the target destination location with the current location of the device, as provided by the locationproviding means, to derive said direction of interest.

14. A device according to claim 1, wherein the device includes locationproviding means for providing the current location of the device, the user interface further including input means for specifying a desired target destination type, and the processing means being operative to pass the specified target-destination type via the mobile radio transceiver and mobile radio infrastructure to a system that provides a service determining way-point 21 information towards an instance of said type near the device, the processing means being operative to receive back from the service system, the position of a first way-point towards an instance of the target destination type near the device, the processing means being further operative to combine the way-point position with the current location of the device, 5 as provided by the location providing means, to derive said direction of interest.

15. A device according to claim 14, wherein the processing means is operative to receive back from the service system a set of way-points, including said first way-point, leading towards said instance; the processing means being responsive to the location-providing means determining that the device has been moved to the position of a way- point of said set, to present to the user on said display an updated direction indicator pointing in the direction next to be followed, this direction being determined by the processing means on the basis of the current device location and the next way-point in said set; the processing means using said second data to compensate for the current device orientation in presenting said updated direction indicator on said display.

16. A device according to claim 1, wherein the device includes locationproviding means for providing the current location of the device, the user interface further including input means for specifying a desired target destination type, and the processing means being operative to pass the specified target-destination type via the mobile radio transceiver and mobile radio infrastructure to a system that provides a service determining information about instances of said type near the device, the processing means being operative to receive back from the service system information about multiple instances of said destination type and to enable, in conjunction with the user interface, a user to select between said multiple instances; the processing means being further operative to receive as said first data the position of a way-point towards said selected instance and to combine the way-point position with the current location of the device, as provided by the location providing means, to derive said direction of interest; the first data being received by the processing means either with the information on said multiple instances or being requested by the processing means from the service system following selection of said instance by the processing means.

22 17. A device according to claim 16, wherein the processing means is operative to receive back from the service system a set of way-points leading towards said selected instance, the processing means being responsive to the location -providing means determining that the device has been moved to the position of a way-point of said set, to present to the user on said display and using said second data to compensate for the device orientation, a direction indicator pointing in the direction next to be followed, this direction being determined by the processing means on the basis of the current device location and the next way-point in said set; said set of way-points being received by the processing means either with the information on said multiple instances or being requested by the processing means from the service system following selection of said instance by the processing means.

18. A device according to any one of claims 11, 13, 14, or 16, wherein the locationproviding means comprise one of the following:

- means for locally deriving location independently of the mobile radio infrastructure; means for locally deriving location on the basis of measurements made and/or data received from the mobile radio infrastructure; means for requesting the current device location via the mobile radio transceiver and mobile radio infrastructure from a location service associated with the latter.

17. A device according to any one of claim 11, 13, 14 or 16, further comprising means, triggered either manually or automatically at intervals, for causing the processing means to update said direction of interest and the corresponding displayed direction indicator, by obtaining an update of the current location of the device from the location-providing means and re-determining the direction of interest using the updated device location as one defining endpoint and, for the other defining endpoint, the data last used for that endpoint; the processing means using said second data to compensate for the current device orientation in presenting the updated direction indicator on said display.

23 20. A device according to claim 2 or claim 9, further comprising means for storing the coordinates of a plurality of target destinations, the input means being operative to enable a user to specify by selection from the stored destinations, said desired target destination.

21. A device according to any one of claims 3, 11, 14 or 15, further comprising means for storing a plurality of different target-destination types, the input means being operative to enable a user to specify by selection from the stored destination types, the desired targetdestination type.

22. A method of presenting directional information to a user of a handheld mobile radio device, the method comprising the steps of.

(a) sending information regarding a desired target destination over the mobile radio infrastructure to a service system; (b) determining at the service system and taking account of the current location of the user, the absolute direction from the user to the target destination or to an intermediate waypoint, (c) passing said absolute direction back to the handheld device over said mobile radio infrastructure, (d) determining the instantaneous orientation of a display of the handheld device relative to an absolute directional reference; (e) on the basis of said absolute direction passed back in step (c) and said instantaneous orientation determined in step (d), presenting on said display a direction indicator that points in said absolute direction, regardless of the current orientation of the device.

23. A method according to claim 22, wherein the step (a) includes sending the current device location with said information regarding a desired target destination.

24. A method according to claim 22, wherein step (b) involves the service system obtaining the current device location from a location server of the mobile radio infrastructure.

24 25. A method according to claim 22, wherein said information regarding a desired target destination comprises a desired type of target destination, step (b) involving finding an instance of said desired type of target destination near the current device location, and then determining the absolute direction from the user to that instance or to an intermediate waypoint thereto.

26. A method according to claim 25, wherein step (b) further includes accessing pre-stored user preferences and using these preferences in selecting said instance.

27. A method according to claim 22, wherein said information regarding a desired target destination comprises a desired type of target destination, step (b) involving finding multiple instances of said desired type of target destination near the current device location, returning information on said instances to the user to enable user selection of the desired target destination from said instances, and providing the absolute direction from 15 the user to the user-selected desired target destination either when returning information on said instances or in response to user selection of the desired target destination.

28. A method according to claim 22, wherein step (b) involves determining an optimum route to the desired target destination by reference to map information available to the service system, determining at least a first waypoint along said route, and determining the absolute direction from the user to that first waypoint.

29. A service system for providing directional information to a user of a handheld mobile radio device, the system comprising:

means for receiving from the handheld device, over the mobile radio infrastructure, information regarding a desired target destination; means for ascertaining the current location of the handheld device; means for determining, taking account of the current location of the device, the absolute direction from the device to the target destination or to an intermediate 30 waypoint, and means for passing said absolute direction back to the handheld device over said mobile radio infTastructure.

30. A service system according to claim 29, wherein the current device location is sent to the service system along with the target-destination information, the means for ascertaining the current device location being operative to receive this location.

31. A service system according to claim 29, wherein the means for ascertaining the current device location is operative to retrieve this location from a location server of the mobile 10 radio infrastructure.

32. A method of providing route information to a user of a handheld mobile radio device, the method comprising the steps of.

(a) sending information regarding a desired target destination over the mobile radio infrastructure from the handheld device to a service system; (b) determining at the service system and taking account of the current location of the user, an optimum route to the desired target destination by reference to map information available to the service system, (c) determining at least a first waypoint along said route, (d) passing at least said first waypoint back to the handheld device over said mobile radio infrastructure, (e) determining the instantaneous orientation of a display of the handheld device relative to an absolute directional reference; (f) on the basis of said first waypoint and the current device location, deriving an absolute direction to be followed by the user to reach the first waypoint, (g) using the absolute direction derived in step (f) and said instantaneous orientation determined in step (e), to present on said display a direction indicator that points in said absolute direction, regardless of the current orientation of the device.

33. A service system for providing route information to a user of a handheld mobile radio device, the system comprising:

26 means for receiving from the handheld device, over the mobile radio infrastructure, infon.nation regarding a desired target destination; means for ascertaining the current location of the handheld device; means for determining, taking account of the current location of the device, an optimum route to the desired target destination by reference to map information available to the service system, means for determining a set of waypoints defining said route, and means for passing the locations of the waypoints of said set back to the handheld device over said mobile radio infrastructure.