IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,553,737
Granted Patent B2
US 12,553,737 · App. 17/770,465 · Granted Feb 17, 2026

Method and apparatus for navigation

Inventor: Ning Zhang (Beijing, CN)
Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (PUBL)
G01C21/3652
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,553,737
App. No.
17/770,465
Granted
Feb 17, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide methods and apparatuses for navigation. A method performed by a communication device comprises obtaining a current position of an object. The method further comprises determining whether the object is dangerous to a user of a terminal device based on the current position of the object. The method further comprises, in response to a positive determination, sending a message for guiding the user to a first wearable device of the user and/or a message for informing a maintainer about the dangerous object.

Claims (65)

1 . A method performed by a communication device, comprising:

obtaining a current position and material information of an object that is disposed along a navigation route of a user, obtaining the current position and the material information of the object is in response to:

sending, to a server or the object, a request to provide the current position of the object;

receiving location information associated with the object from the server or the object;

determining that a distance between the object and the communication device is less than a predefined threshold distance, wherein the predefined threshold distance is determined based at least on the material information of the object; and

determining that the object is on a route of a navigation path of the communication device;

determining whether the current position of the object is dangerous to a user of a terminal device based at least on the current position and the material information of the object, wherein the current position of the object is determined to be dangerous if the user reaches the object, the user would get injured, wherein determining whether the current position of the object is dangerous to the user of the terminal device is further based at least on determining that a displacement of the object, represented by a difference between an initial position of the object and the current position of the object, is larger than a predefined threshold; and

in response to a positive determination:

causing a first wearable device to generate a navigation instruction for avoiding the object;

sending a guiding message to the first wearable device of the user, wherein the guiding message comprises the navigation instruction, wherein in response to sending the guiding message to the first wearable device of the user, the first wearable device is activated to trigger a specific vibration pattern that indicates a direction to avoid the object according to the navigation instruction;

receiving a feedback message for confirming or denying that the current location of the object is dangerous to the user from a second wearable device;

marking an indication of danger with respect to the object on a navigation map in response to the feedback message indicating a confirmation that the current location of the object is dangerous to the user; and

sending the feedback message for confirming or denying that the current location of the object is dangerous to the user to the server, wherein in response to sending the feedback message to the server, a dangerous factor associated with the object is determined.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

obtaining an initial position of the object and/or material information of the object,

wherein determining whether the current position of the object is dangerous to the user of the terminal device is further based on the initial position and/or the material information of the object.

3 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein the initial position, the current position of the object and/or the material information of the object are obtained from a server.

4 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

obtaining the navigation route of the user, wherein the object is related to the navigation route.

5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein sending the message for guiding the user is performed when a distance between the terminal device and the object is smaller than a threshold.

6 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the second wearable device comprises at least one tactile input sensor.

7 . The method according to claim 6 , wherein the at least one tactile input sensor is built in a backpack or a handbag.

8 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first wearable device comprises at least one vibrator.

9 . The method according to claim 8 , wherein the at least one vibrator is built in a backpack or a handbag.

10 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the object has at least one built-in Internet of things, IoT, device.

11 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the object comprises at least one of a municipal infrastructure, a vehicle, a ship, a boat, a pedestrian, a drainage ditch, a manhole cover, or a road section under construction.

12 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the communication device is a terminal device or a server.

13 . A method performed by a server, comprising:

obtaining a current position and material information of an object that is disposed along a navigation route of a user, obtaining the current position and material information of the object is in response to:

receiving location information associated with the object from a terminal device or the object; and

a determination that a distance between the object and a communication device is less than a predefined threshold distance, wherein the predefined threshold distance is determined based at least on the material information of the object; and

a determination that the object is on a route of a navigation path of the communication device;

sending the current position of the object to the terminal device,

wherein the current position of the object is used to determine whether the current position and the material information of the object is dangerous to a user of the terminal device, wherein a determination that the current position of the object is dangerous to the user of the terminal device is based at least on a determination that a displacement of the object, represented by a difference between an initial position of the object and the current position of the object, is larger than a predefined threshold,

wherein the current position of the object is determined to be dangerous if the user reaches the object, the user would get injured;

wherein in response to the current position of the object to the terminal device:

a navigation instruction is generated to avoid the object;

a guiding message is sent to the terminal device, wherein the guiding message comprises the navigation instruction, wherein in response to the guiding message being sent to the terminal device, a first wearable device is activated to trigger a specific vibration pattern that indicates a direction to avoid the object according to the navigation instruction;

receiving a feedback message for confirming or denying that the current location of the object is dangerous to the user from a second wearable device,

wherein an indication of danger with respect to the object on a navigation map is marked in response to the feedback message indicating a confirmation that the current location of the object is dangerous to the user, and

determining a dangerous factor associated with the object based at least on the feedback message.

14 . The method according to claim 13 , further comprising:

obtaining an initial position of the object and/or material information of the object; and

sending the initial position of the object and/or the material information of the object to the terminal device,

wherein the initial position and/or the material information of the object are used to determine whether the current position of the object is dangerous to the user of the terminal device.

15 . The method according to claim 14 , wherein the initial position and the current position of the object are obtained from the object's Internet of things, IoT, device.

16 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the object is related to a navigation route of the user.

17 . The method according to claim 13 , further comprising:

marking the object based on the feedback message.

18 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the object has at least one built-in Internet of things, IoT, device.

19 . A communication device, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, said memory containing instructions executable by said processor, whereby said communication device is operative to:

obtain a current position and material information of an object that is disposed along a navigation route of a user, obtaining the current position and the material information of the object is in response to:

sending, to a server or the object, a request to provide the current position of the object;

receiving location information associated with the object from the server or the object;

determining that a distance between the object and the communication device is less than a predefined threshold distance, wherein the predefined threshold distance is determined based at least on the material information of the object; and

determining that the object is on a route of a navigation path of the communication device

determine whether the current position of the object is dangerous to a user of a terminal device based at least on the current position and the material information of the object, wherein the current position of the object is determined to be dangerous if the user reaches the object, the user would get injured, wherein said communication device is further operative to determine whether the current position of the object is dangerous to the user of the terminal device further based at least on a determination that a displacement of the object, represented by a difference between an initial position of the object and the current position of the object, is larger than a predefined threshold; and

in response to a positive determination:

cause a first wearable device to generate a navigation instruction for avoiding the object;

send a guiding message to the first wearable device of the user, wherein the guiding message comprises the navigation instruction, wherein in response to the guiding message being sent to the first wearable device of the user, the first wearable device is activated to trigger a specific vibration pattern that indicates a direction to avoid the object according to the navigation instruction;

receive a feedback message for confirming or denying that the current location of the object is dangerous to the user from a second wearable device;

mark an indication of danger with respect to the object on a navigation map in response to the feedback message indicating a confirmation that the current location of the object is dangerous to the user; and

send the feedback message for confirming or denying that the current location of the object is dangerous to the user to the server, wherein in response to sending the feedback message to the server, a dangerous factor associated with the object is determined.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 20, 2022
From: ZHANG, NING
To: TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)
Reel/Frame 059651/0291 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220373350A1 · Nov 24, 2022
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