Method and system for location determination and navigation using textual information
View Patent ↗Methods and systems for location determination and navigation using textual information may comprise capturing images of sources of textual information in the vicinity of a wireless communication device (WCD). Text may be extracted from the sources and a position of the WDC may be determined based on a comparison of the extracted text a stored database of textual information. An orientation of the text may be sensed and may be utilized with the extracted text and determined distances from the sources for the position determining. Locations of the sources and/or the captured images may be stored in the database. An instruction to capture images in a different orientation may be received when the positioning does not meet an accuracy requirement. A distance from the sources of textual information may be determined based on known optical properties of a camera in the WCD, such as focal length and/or and focus setting.
1. A method for wireless device positioning, the method comprising:
in a wireless communication device:
capturing one or more images of one or more sources of textual information in the vicinity of said wireless communication device;
extracting text from said one or more sources of textual information; and
determining a position of said wireless communication device based on a comparison of said extracted text in said captured one or more images to text in a stored database of textual information, wherein the determining a position comprises, at least in part, determining a distance to a letter at a beginning of the one or more sources of textual information, determining a distance to a letter at an end of the one or more sources of textual information, and triangulating the position using the determined distances.
2. The method according to claim 1 , comprising sensing an orientation of said text in said captured one or more images relative to said wireless device.
3. The method according to claim 1 , comprising utilizing an orientation of said wireless device in conjunction with said extracted text for said position determining.
4. The method according to claim 3 , comprising utilizing said orientation and said extracted text in conjunction with determined distances from said one or more sources of textual information for said position determining.
5. The method according to claim 1 , comprising storing locations of said sources of textual information and/or said captured one or more images in said database of textual information.
6. The method according to claim 1 , comprising receiving an instruction to capture one or more images in a different orientation when said positioning does not meet an accuracy requirement.
7. The method according to claim 1 , comprising downloading and storing said database of textual information when GNSS signals sufficient for positioning are no longer received by said wireless communication device.
8. The method according to claim 1 , comprising determining a distance from one or more of said sources of textual information in the vicinity of said wireless communication device based on known optical properties of a camera in said wireless communication device.
9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein said optical properties comprises focal length and/or and focus setting.
10. The method according to claim 8 , wherein said determined distance is used to determine an accurate location based on said captured one or more images.
11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the determining a position comprises retrieving from the stored database of textual information, a known distance between or involving the letter at the beginning and the letter at the end of the one or more sources of textual information, and triangulating using the known distance.
12. A system for wireless communication, the system comprising:
one or more circuits for use in a wireless communication device, said one or more circuits being operable to:
capture one or more images of one or more sources of textual information in the vicinity of said wireless communication device;
extract text from said one or more sources of textual information; and
determine a position of said wireless communication device based on a comparison of said extracted text in said captured one or more images to text in a stored database of textual information, wherein the position is determined by, at least in part, determining a distance to a letter at a beginning of the one or more sources of textual information, determining a distance to a letter at an end of the one or more sources of textual information, and triangulating the position using the determined distances.
13. The system according to claim 12 , wherein said one or more circuits are operable to sense an orientation of said text in said captured one or more images relative to said wireless device.
14. The system according to claim 12 , wherein said one or more circuits are operable to utilize an orientation of said wireless device in conjunction with said extracted text for said position determining.
15. The system according to claim 14 , wherein said one or more circuits are operable to utilize said orientation and said extracted text in conjunction with determined distances from said one or more sources of textual information for said position determining.
16. The system according to claim 12 , wherein said one or more circuits are operable to store locations of said sources of textual information and/or said captured one or more images in said database of textual information.
17. The system according to claim 12 , wherein said one or more circuits are operable to receive an instruction to capture one or more images in a different orientation when said positioning does not meet an accuracy requirement.
18. The system according to claim 12 , wherein said one or more circuits are operable to download and store said database of textual information when GNSS signals sufficient for positioning are no longer received by said wireless communication device.
19. The system according to claim 12 , wherein said one or more circuits are operable to determine a distance from one or more of said sources of textual information in the vicinity of said wireless communication device based on known optical properties of a camera in said wireless communication device.
20. The system according to claim 19 , wherein said optical properties comprises focal length and/or and focus setting.
21. The system according to claim 12 , wherein said stored database of textual information comprises a plurality of images of text.
22. The system according to claim 12 , wherein said one or more circuits are operable to determine the second position by retrieving from the stored database of textual information, a known distance between or involving the letter at the beginning and the letter at the end of the one or more sources of textual information, and triangulating using the known distance.
23. A system for location determination, the system comprising:
one or more circuits for use in a wireless communication device, said one or more circuits being operable to:
receive global positioning satellite (GPS) signals for determining a first position of said wireless communication device;
capture one or more images of one or more sources of textual information in the vicinity of said wireless communication device;
extract text from said one or more sources of textual information;
determine a second position of said wireless communication device based on a comparison of said extracted text in said captured one or more images to text in a stored database of textual information, wherein the second position is determined by, at least in part, determining a distance to a letter at a beginning of the one or more sources of textual information, determining a distance to a letter at an end of the one or more sources of textual information, and triangulating the second position using the determined distances.