Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02805681 2013-02-11
MOBILE DEVICE FOR EXITING A PARKING STRUCTURE AND METHODS
THEREOF
Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to mobile devices, and more
particularly to
software applications for expedient exiting a parking structure.
Background
In recent time, there has been an explosion in the use of mobile phone
applications on
smartphones to facilitate a specific consumer demand. In some ways, a
smartphone has
rapidly become a mobile device with a powerful processing capability. The
convenience of
having a relatively small portable device that is light weight and easily
carried by people of all
ages, provides a platform in which thousands of mobile applications are
created and made
available for public consumption.
As the world becomes more interconnected, people are traveling more frequently
locally, regionally, nationally, and globally. In entering and exiting a
metered facility, such as
a parking structure or other controlled-exit facilities, the processes and
methods have been
traditionally manually-intensive driven. In a conventional scenario, a
consumer entering a
parking structure at a shopping mall picks up a paper ticket before entering
the parking
structure. Before exiting the parking structure, the user would normally pay
the necessary
parking fee by walking to the service window of such parking establishment and
handling the
ticket to the cashier, who in turn would take the payment and manually code
the ticket to
reflect a verification of payment. Alternatively, there might be a receiving
machine in the
facility, in which the user can insert the parking ticket and pay via the
machine with cash or
credit card. After receiving a parking ticket that has been coded as paid, the
user would
normally insert the ticket at the exit gate to exit the parking structure.
This method of entering
Accordingly, it is desirable to have a smartphone or other mobile device that
offers a
software application, which better facilitates the use of such parking
structures or controlled-
exit establishments.
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CA 02805681 2013-02-11
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to methods and systems for facilitating vehicle
exit from
a parking lot, parking garage, or similar venue for which payment or other
compensation, or
identification, must be provided prior to being permitted egress.
Alternatively, or in addition,
the present invention may be applied in the context of facilitating pedestrian
or vehicle exit
from any venue (e.g., a building, a parking garage, a parking space, a public
park, an
amusement park, an airport, a stadium, or other sport facilities, or any types
of facilities that
require an electronic payment through a smartphone to enter or exit a
controlled-exit
establishments) where payment prior to such exit is required and/or an
identity check must be
performed prior to permitting such exit. In general, the present invention
permits pre-
payment and/or pre-authorization prior to a vehicle's or pedestrian's arrival
at a point of exit
(the exit point being controlled in some fashion) so as to facilitate rapid
confirmation of such
payment/authorization at the point of exit. In the description below, the
example of a vehicle
exiting from a parking garage is provided, however, it will be readily
apparent from this
description that the present invention is applicable to use in any context
where proof of
payment and/or identity is required prior to exiting through a controlled
exit.
The Exit Express application (also referred to Exit Express Engine) permits
pre-
payment prior to a vehicle's arrival at a point of exit, so as to facilitate
rapid confirmation of
such payment/authorization when exiting a parking structure or other similar
controlled-exit
facility. The embodiments of the present invention operate in a Network
environment, which
may include one or more client computer systems (including personal computers,
laptop
computers, net book computers, mobile devices, and the like) that access a
server via a
computer network or network of networks. An Exit Express application or Exit
Express
Engine, installed on a smartphone or similar device, is launched and used to
scan a first
barcode, or other identification means printed on a parking garage ticket or
other device,
which is provided to the user at the time of entry. The information scanned by
the
smartphone is transmitted to an associated parking system, where it is
received by an Exit
Express Plug-in application. The user indicates payment authorization, via the
smartphone to
an associated payment processing facility, to a pre-established account and
stores payment
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verification. When the user arrives at the controlled-exit point, he/she scans
the ticket with a
second barcode, and the exit gate is activated to allow the user's vehicle to
exit within a pre-
established time.
The structures and methods of the present invention are disclosed in the
detailed
description below. This summary does not purport to define the invention. The
invention is
defined by the claims. These and other embodiments, features, aspects, and
advantages of the
invention will become better understood with regard to the following
description, appended
claims, and accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will be described with respect to specific embodiments thereof,
and
reference will be made to the drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a simplified block illustration of a computer network for use in
an Exit
Express application, or Exit Express Engine, environment in accordance with
the present
invention.
Figure 2 shows a block diagram illustrating an example of a computer system in
accordance with the present invention.
Figure 3 shows an architecture view of a computer system in accordance with
the
present invention.
Figure 4 illustrates one embodiment of an Exit Express application, or Exit
Express
Engine, embodied on a smartphone in accordance with the present invention.
Figure 5 shows an example of a user interface screen for the Exit Express
application,
or Exit Express Engine, as instantiated on a smartphone in accordance with the
present
invention.
Figure 6 illustrates an example of the use of the Exit Express system for
entering and
exiting a parking facility in accordance with the present invention.
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Figure 7 illustrates an example of a parking ticket encoded with a barcode and
an
example of how the barcode is scanned using a camera associated with a
smartphone in
accordance with the present invention.
Figure 8 is a software system diagram illustrating the Exit Express
application, or Exit
Express Engine, in accordance with the present invention.
Figure 9 is a flow diagram illustrating one embodiment of the Exit Express
application, or Exit Express Engine, in accordance with the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
A description of structural embodiments and methods of the present invention
is
provided with reference to Figures 1-9. It is to be understood that there is
no intention to limit
the invention to the specifically disclosed embodiments but that the invention
may be
practiced using other features, elements, methods, and embodiments. Like
elements in
various embodiments are commonly referred to with like reference numerals.
Before describing aspects of the present invention in detail, it is helpful to
first discuss
the environment in which embodiments of the invention operate. Figure 1
includes a
simplified illustration of a computer network 100, which is such an
environment. Network
100 includes one or more client computer systems 102a - 102n, which may be
used to access
a server 104 at which an instantiation of a computer-based application, which
provides the
cloud-based and other features discussed below, may be installed and
accessible. Such access
may be by way of a computer network or network of networks 106, such as a
local and/or
wide area network. In some cases, network 106 may be or include the network of
networks
commonly known as the Internet. In other instances, network 106 may be a local
area
network (LAN) of an enterprise and/or a virtual LAN, which is instantiated
over the Internet
or other networks of networks. Server 104 is communicatively coupled to a
database 108,
which may store records concerning purchase authorizations, content, etc.
Client computers
102a - 102n may be any form of computer-based system, including personal
computers,
laptop computers, net book computers, mobile devices such as tablet computers
110,
smartphones 112, and the like. Generally, a client computer 102 may run a Web
browser
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application, through which the application running on server 104 may be
accessed, however,
as described herein client computers 102 may also run a client application
specially
configured to interface with the application running on server 104. References
to a
smartphone below should be read as including tablet computers, portable
computers (e.g.,
laptop computers, net books, etc.), and other forms of mobile, computer-based
systems.
Figure 2 shows a block diagram illustrating an example of a computer system
200.
Any of the client computer systems 102a - 102n, 110, 112, and/or server 104
may be
configured in the manner described for computer system 200. Computer system
200 includes
a bus 202 or other communication mechanism for communicating information, and
a
processor 204 coupled with the bus 202 for processing information. Computer
system 200
also includes a main memory 206, such as a random access memory (RAM) or other
dynamic
storage device, coupled to the bus 202 for storing information and
instructions to be executed
by processor 204. Main memory 206 also may be used for storing temporary
variables or
other intermediate information during execution of instructions to be executed
by processor
204. Computer system 200 further includes a read only memory (ROM) 208 or
other static
storage device coupled to the bus 202 for storing static information and
instructions for the
processor 204. A computer-readable storage device 210, such as a magnetic disk
or optical
disk, is provided and coupled to the bus 202 for storing information and
instructions.
Computer system 200 may be coupled via the bus 202, either directly or via an
input/output module 212, to a display 214, such as a flat panel display, for
displaying
information to a computer user. An input device 216, including alphanumeric
and other keys,
is coupled to the bus 202 for communicating information and command selections
to the
processor 204. Another type of user input device is cursor controller 218,
such as a mouse, a
trackball, or cursor direction keys for communicating direction information
and command
selections to processor 204 and for controlling cursor movement on the display
214. In some
cases, for example with tablet-style computers, input may be by way of a touch
screen display
214 rather than a keyboard/mouse combination.
As should be apparent, aspects of the present invention involve computer
software
running on clients 102, 110, 112, and server 104. That software may take the
form of
CA 02805681 2013-02-11
computer-executable instructions stored in main memory 206 and/or storage
device 210, to be
executed by processor 204. In other instances, the instructions may be stored
on other
computer-readable media, such as a floppy disk, a flexible disk, a hard disk,
magnetic tape, or
any other magnetic medium, a CD-ROM or DVD ROM, flash memory, or any other
physical
medium adapted to store computer-readable instruction and from which a
computer processor
can be read. Execution of the sequences of instructions contained in the main
memory 206
causes the processor 204 to perform the processes described herein to provide
the miDayBook
application and/or the virtual stores and feeds used by the application. In
alternative
embodiments, hard-wired circuitry may be used in place of or in combination
with computer
software instructions to implement the invention. Thus, embodiments of the
invention are not
limited to any specific combination of hardware circuitry and software.
Computer system 200 also includes a network interface 220 coupled to the bus
202.
Network interface 220 provides a two-way data communication path for computer
system 200
to/from a network 222. For example, network interface 220 may be an integrated
services
digital network (ISDN) card or a modem to provide a data communication
connection to a
corresponding type of telephone line. As another example, communication
interface 220 may
be a LAN card to provide a data communication connection to a compatible LAN.
Wireless
communication links may also be implemented. In any such implementation,
network
interface 220 sends and receives electrical, electromagnetic, or optical
signals, which carry
digital data streams representing various types of information. In one
embodiment, network
222 may be network 106, or may be communicatively coupled thereto.
Figure 3 shows an architecture view of computer system 200. The various
hardware
components of computer system 200 are represented as a hardware layer 302. An
operating
system 304 abstracts the hardware layer and acts as a host for various
applications (such as
the Exit Express applications discussed below) 306a - 306m, that run on
computer system
200. In the case of a client computer system, the operating system may also
act as a host for a
Web browser application 308, while in the case of the server 104, the
operating system acts as
a host for a server application 310. For the server 104, the operating system
may also host a
web server application 312, which provides access from the client computers.
In other
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instances, the Web server may be hosted on a separate platform (not shown in
detail), which
is communicatively coupled to a server hosting application 310.
The remaining Figures 4-7 illustrate various features and functions of the
Exit Express
application (also referred to Exit Express Engine) and its use when installed
on a client
computer system, such as a smartphone or the like. Descriptions of the
features and functions
set forth in the drawings are incorporated herein by reference.
Referring first to Figure 4, an Exit Express application (or an Exit Express
Engine)
400 installed on a smartphone 401 or similar device is launched and used to
scan (e.g., using a
camera or other imaging system incorporated with the smartphone) a barcode or
other
identification means printed on a parking garage ticket or other device, which
was provided to
the user at the time of entry into the parking garage or other subject
facility. In some
instances, this device may be an airline ticket, or other multipurpose device.
In other
instances, this device may be a specially issued ticket or other means that is
provided to and
associated with the user at the time the user enters the controlled-exit
facility. For example, it
could be a visitor's pass issued to the user upon entry into a controlled-exit
facility. The
barcode or other identification means could be a numeric-only barcode, an
alpha-numeric
barcode, a linear barcode, a two-dimensional barcode, or other identification
means. The type
of encoding used in connection with the barcode or other identification means
is not critical to
the present invention and could be any of an Aztec code, a codabar, a code 11
barcode, a code
128 barcode, a code 39 barcode, an extended code 39 barcode, a code 93
barcode, a
composite code, a data matrix, an EAN-13 barcode, an EAN-8 barcode, an EAN
Bookland
barcode, an Industrial 2 of 5 barcode, an Interleaved 2 of 5 barcode, an ITF-
14 barcode, a
LOGMARS barcode, a maxicode, an MSI barcode, an MSI Plessey barcode, an
optical
industry Association (OPC) barcode, a PDF-417 barcode, a postnet barcode, a QR
code, an
SCC-14 barcode, a Standard 2 of 5 barcode, a UCC/EAN-128 barcode, a UCC/EAN
Shipping
Container Code, a UPC Shipping Container Code, a UPC-A barcode, a UPC-E
barcode, or
another form of code. As is evident from this list, the identification means
may be associated
with a tangible item rather than an individual, or in some instances with both
an item and an
individual.
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Art
Mobile application users have the ability to scan the barcode or enter in the
serial
number, which is then transmitted into the parking system via a Cloud Payment
System 410.
There are several different methods of sending payments, such as sending
payment
instructions using the cloud technology in order to house the data in a secure
environment for
payment processing. In one embodiment of the present invention, a Cloud
Payment System
410 includes the Exit Express Secure Cloud 402, Exit Express Secure Payment
404, Express
Exit Secure Plug-In Module 405, Site Manager 406, Database 407, System Manager
408, and
a System Controller 412. Information scanned by the smartphone or mobile
device may be
transmitted (securely or in the clear) to an associated parking system, where
it is received by
an Exit Express Plug-in Module 405 or other application executing on a server.
Payment
information may be provided via the smartphone to an associated payment
processing facility,
which in turn informs the parking system when payment has been effected. In
the case of
goods, the payment may be for cash-on-delivery (COD) items, or to confirm
customs or
similar restrictions clearance that are required prior to the goods leaving
the controlled exit
facility.
After payment has been processed through the Exit Express Cloud Payment System
410, a confirmation barcode is sent to the user's mobile device or smartphone.
Once the user
drives to his/her vehicle, the user may scan the barcode in the Parking Garage
Barcode Reader
414. Once the barcode is verified, the Parking Garage Barcode 414 initiates
the Parking Gate
416 to open, allowing the user to egress. The System Controller 412 is
intended to replace the
method of the traditional approach of using an Automatic Cashier Terminal 418
and Cameras
420. In the present invention, the System Controller 412 takes place for the
traditional
methods. In the case of the parking facility, the payment information is
married with the
identification information provided by the smartphone and a record stored to
indicate that
when the parking garage ticket is presented at the exit, the exit should be
permitted. In some
instances, the window of time for such an exit may be set to specified
boundaries to prevent
pre-payment too far in advance of the actual time of exit. The parking garage
ticket may be
presented for review at the controlled-exit Parking Gate 416 itself, where a
similar scan of the
barcode (this time by the parking facility systems) can be effected. The
information obtained
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.onit
by this scan at the parking facility (or some index computed therewith) may be
used as a
means to access the stored database record that indicates proper payment has
been effected,
whereupon a control signal to permit the exit of the vehicle may be generated
and passed to a
controller which operates a parking garage gate or similar exit control means.
Referring now to Figure 5, an example of a user interface screen 422 for the
Exit
Express application or Exit Express Engine 400 as instantiated on a smartphone
or similar
device is shown. The user interface includes at least one text box 424 or
other fields for a
user to enter a ticket number (e.g., if the smartphone or other device is not
equipped with a
camera or other means to scan the barcode printed on the ticket or in
instances where the
ticket does not include a barcode or in some cases where a user has a multiple
use pass and so
is able to reuse a serial number or similar identifier for multiple
entries/exits). In addition, the
user interface includes a button (labeled "SCAN BAR CODE" 426) and/or other
user input
means 428 (see the tool bar at the bottom of the user interface) to begin the
scanning process.
The scanning process, once initiated, would have the smartphone's camera
activated so that
the user can capture an image of the barcode on the ticket.
Once the barcode or serial number information is available, it can be
transmitted from
the smartphone to the parking (or other control) system. This may be done in
response to the
user pressing a "SEND" button 430 or other user interface object that
initiates the data
transfer. The user is also provided means to initiate payment for the ticket
(e.g., "PAY
TICKET" button 432). Activating this button or other user interface object
imitates a process
whereby the smartphone sends payment instructions and, optionally payment
information, to a
payment processing facility associated with the parking system. In some cases,
the payment
information may be stored on the smartphone, e.g., as part of a user profile
434. In other
cases, the payment information may be stored by the payment processing system,
and the
instructions to pay the ticket operate as an authorization to use the
information on file to effect
payment. Payment information may be any of a credit card number, a bank
account number
and routing information, a Web-based payment facility (e.g., PayPalTM or the
like), or other
payment means.
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The user interface may also include means (e.g., icons, buttons or other user
interface
objects), which allow a user to launch a car location 436 portion of the
application. Here, the
user may store information regarding the location of his/her vehicle in the
parking garage.
The information may be entered manually or may be entered automatically using
the
smartphone's location services facilities (e.g., UPS and/or cellular telephone
location
facilities). Other icon buttons 438 may be provided to launch features such as
alerts (e.g.,
concerning the parking garage), coupons (explained below), help, etc.
One such user interface object may be used to check an account balance 440
where the
user has a pre-established credit account with the parking facility. Use of
such an account
avoids the need for the user to store separate payment information with the
parking system or
on the smartphone.
Figure 6 illustrates an example of the use of the Exit Express system. From
left to
right, the user first enters a parking garage or other facility configured to
use the Exit Express
system. In this example, the user is driving a vehicle 442, but as indicated
above, many other
use scenarios are contemplated. Upon entry into the parking facility, the user
receives an exit
ticket 444 or other exit identification means, which may in some cases be
printed with a
barcode. In other instances, the exit identification means will have an
associated serial
number or other identifier.
The user then travels away 446 from the parking garage and upon return,
usually
before retrieving his/her vehicle, activates the Exit Express application, or
Exit Express
Engine, 400 on his/her smartphone. The user uses the Exit Express application,
or Exit
Express Engine, 400 to scan the barcode or other identifier from the ticket
into the
smartphone 401 (or enters the information manually) and indicates that payment
should be
effected 451 (either using payment information sent to the payment processing
station or by
authorizing a charge to a pre-established account). The user then proceeds to
his/her vehicle
while the parking system 450 verifies payment and stores the verification 452,
awaiting
scanning of the exit ticket at the controlled-exit point 454. When the user
arrives at the
controlled-exit 454 point he/she presents the ticket. The bar code on the
ticket is scanned, the
parking system confirms payment and then sends the exit authorization signal
to the
CA 02805681 2013-02-11
controlled-exit point. In response, the parking exit gate or other control
means is activated to
allow the user and the vehicle to exit.
In alternative embodiments, the parking system may transmit an exit
authorization
code (e.g., in the form of a barcode or other identifier) to the smartphone
once payment has
been verified and that exit authorization code may be used to facilitate exit
at the controlled-
exit point. This may involve the user presenting the display of the smartphone
for an exit
authorization bar code to be scanned by the parking system. When the code is
verified, the
system may activate the exit gate, allowing the user to egress. In either of
the above
instances, payment receipts may be provided to the user (e.g., by e-mail or by
being made
available for download from a secure Web site, etc.).
If the user does not exit by a time deadline associated with the payment
obtained by
the parking system, he/she may be refused exit and may be required to pay the
difference
before exit is authorized. Such payment may be effected through the same pre-
established
account used to pay the original parking charges, so as not to unnecessarily
inconvenience the
user or others waiting to exit the parking facility.
Figure 7 illustrates an example of a parking ticket 444 encoded with a barcode
456 and
an example of how the bar code is scanned using a camera associated with a
smartphone. The
ticket may include advertising on a reverse side, or such advertisements may
be provided to
the user's smartphone via the Exit Express application, or Exit Express
Engine. The ticket
may also include a traditional magnetic stripe 458 and/or a serial number 460.
The serial
number may be used in the fashion described above if the user is unable to
scan the barcode.
The magnetic strip may be used by legacy parking systems that cannot scan
barcodes at points
of exit. The magnetic stripe may be encoded with information sufficient to
allow the parking
system to associate the exit authorization stored when the user effects
payment of the parking
charges.
Thus, methods and systems for facilitating exit from a parking lot, parking
garage, or
similar venue for which payment or other compensation, or identification, must
be provided
prior to being permitted egress have been shown and described.
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Figure 8 is a software system diagram illustrating the Exit Express Engine 400
that
includes an Input Barcode Module 482, an Output Barcode Module 484, a
Reception Module
480, a Transmission Module 488, and Memory 490. The Input Barcode Module 482
is
configured to receive a first barcode from a machine to a smartphone phone
through the
Reception Module 480. The output barcode module 484 is configured to send a
second
barcode from the smartphone to the machine through the Transmission Module
488. Any
intermediate files, or prior digital files, can be stored in the Memory 490
for subsequent
accessing and processing.
Figure 9 is a flow diagram illustrating one embodiment of the Exit Express
application
(also referred to the Exit Express Engine) in accordance with the present
invention. Figure 9
displays a flow diagram, which describes the general process and supports the
method claims
of the present invention. Particularly, the flow chart emphasizes the core
process of the
invention, which allows a user to park more effectively and acquire rapid
confirmation of
payment through the use of the Exit Express Engine software.
Upon entering a parking structure or other controlled-exit facility, the user
accesses
the Exit Express Engine 400, which is configured to receive a first barcode
500 with a timing
parameter from a receiving machine to a mobile device, such as a smartphone,
tablet, etc. An
optional embodiment of the present invention allows the user to enter the
first barcode (or
other numeric code) manually 502 from the paper ticket into the mobile device.
At the point
of entry, the user receives a parking ticket with the first barcode, which
he/she scans and
stores 506 into the mobile device. This first parking ticket marks the time of
entry, which
allows the Exit Express Engine 400 to calculate the duration when the user
arrives, and
eventually, when the user leaves the parking structure or facility.
In another optional embodiment of the present invention, the user may
associate the
barcode with his/her user profile 504 in the Exit Express Engine. The Exit
Express Engine
400 allows the user to store information, which is part of his/her
registration in the user's
profile, such information includes, but is not limited to, personal
information, credit card
information or other methods of payment, among other. In additional to storing
the
registration information, the user profile serves as a functional process by
permitting the user
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to store parking location information, such as a designated parking lot number
and/or parking
spot number. Through the Exit Express Engine 400, the user can record/store
pertinent
information relating to the parking services being used. In this respect, the
Exit Express
Engine 400 stores the information in the user profiles and may form a general
database of
information that can be shared amongst businesses in different sectors or
industries. For
example, with the contact information of users, other businesses (such as
Hotels, Airports,
etc.) may connect with users in order to market their respective services
through mobile
devices or smartphones.
Upon return of his/her trip, the user accesses, through the Exit Express
Engine 400,
the stored file 508 in the Exit Express application for payment processing. In
this step, the
user returns to the parking structure, opens the application, and the
application calculates the
parking duration and estimated parking charges. This process gives the user
the ability to pay
via different payment methods 510, including PayPal, Credit Card, among
others. Once the
user reviews the parking information and selects a method of payment, he/she
continues to
confirm payment 512 and receives a second barcode. The second barcode is an
approval/confirmation of the received payment. The user receives such
confirmation on
his/her smartphone, tablet, or other mobile device.
After receiving payment confirmation, the user proceeds to vehicle and
accesses the
controlled-exit gate. The second barcode that is received in the Exit Express
Engine 400 is
then transmitted from the smartphone, tablet, or mobile device to an interface
514 at a
receiving machine in the designated point of exit. Essentially, a sensor
transmits the second
barcode at the point of exit from the mobile device into a receiving machine,
checking the exit
time relative to the payment time 516 and allowing the controlled-exit point
to open within a
timing parameter.
Embodiments of the present invention may be implemented with the aid of
computer-
implemented processes or methods (a.k.a. programs or routines) that may be
rendered in any
computer language. Further, some portions of the description that follows are
presented in
terms of algorithms and symbolic representations of operations on data within
a computer
memory. These algorithmic descriptions and representations are the means used
by those
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skilled in the computer science arts to most effectively convey the substance
of their work to
others skilled in the art. An algorithm is here, and generally, conceived to
be a self-consistent
sequence of steps leading to a desired result. The steps are those requiring
physical
manipulations of physical quantities. Usually, though not necessarily, these
quantities take
the form of electrical or magnetic signals capable of being stored,
transferred, combined,
compared, and otherwise manipulated.
It has proven convenient at times, principally for reasons of common usage, to
refer to
these signals as bits, values, elements, symbols, characters, terms, numbers,
or the like. It
should be borne in mind, however, that all of these and similar terms are to
be associated with
the appropriate physical quantities and are merely convenient labels applied
to these
quantities. Unless specifically stated otherwise, it will be appreciated that
throughout the
description of the present invention, use of terms such as "processing",
"computing",
"calculating", "determining", "displaying" or the like, refer to the action
and processes of an
appropriately programmed computer system, or similar electronic computing
device, that
manipulates and transforms data represented as physical (electronic)
quantities within the
computer system's registers and memories into other data similarly represented
as physical
quantities within the computer system memories or registers or other such
information
storage, transmission, or display devices.
The present invention can be implemented with an apparatus to perform the
operations
described herein. This apparatus may be specially constructed for the required
purposes, or it
may comprise a computer system that is selectively activated or reconfigured
by a computer
program, which it executes and which is stored on one or more computer-
readable storage
mediums accessible to processing elements of the computer system. For example,
such a
computer program may be stored in a computer readable storage medium, such as,
but not
limited to, any type of disk including floppy disks, optical disks, compact
disk read only
memories (CD-ROMs), and magnetic-optical disks, read-only memories (ROMs),
flash
drives, random access memories (RAMs), erasable programmable read only
memories
(EPROMs), electrically erasable programmable read only memories (EEPROMs),
flash
memories, other forms of magnetic or optical storage media, or any type of
media suitable for
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storing electronic instructions, and each accessible to a computer processor,
e.g., by way of a
system bus or other communication means.
The algorithms and processes presented herein are not inherently related to
any
particular computer system, processor, or other apparatus. Various electronic
computing
apparatus, along with, where necessary, suitable computer programs that
instantiate processes
in accordance with the teachings herein, may be used. For example, any of the
present
methods can be implemented in hard-wired circuitry, by appropriate programming
of a
computer processor or processors, or any combination of hardware and software
may be used
to carry out the methods discussed below. Of course, the invention can be
practiced with
computer system configurations other than those particularly described below,
including
systems that comprise hand-held devices, multiprocessor systems,
microprocessor-based
electronic devices, digital signal processor-based devices, networked computer
systems,
personal computers, and the like, and it should be recognized that these
examples presented
herein are used merely for purposes of illustration. The invention can also be
practiced in
distributed computing environments where tasks are performed by computer
processing
devices that are remote to one another, either physically and/or logically,
and are linked
through one or more communications networks. The required structure for a
variety of these
systems will appear from the description below.
Some portions of the above description describe the embodiments in terms of
algorithmic descriptions and processes, e.g., as with the description within
the figures. These
operations (e.g., the processes described above), while described
functionally,
computationally, or logically, are understood to be implemented by computer
programs or
equivalent electrical circuits, microcode, or the like. The computer programs
are typically
embedded as instructions that can be stored on a tangible computer readable
storage medium
(e.g., flash drive disk, or memory) and are executable by a processor.
Furthermore, it has also
proven convenient at times, to refer to these arrangements of operations as
modules, without
loss of generality. The described operations and their associated modules may
be embodied in
software, firmware, hardware, or any combinations thereof.
CA 02805681 2013-02-11
The present invention has been described in particular detail with respect to
possible
embodiments. Those of skill in the art will appreciate that the invention may
be practiced in
other embodiments. The particular naming of the components, capitalization of
terms, the
attributes, data structures, or any other programming or structural aspect is
not mandatory or
significant, and the mechanisms that implement the invention or its features
may have
different names, formats, or protocols. The system may be implemented via a
combination of
hardware and software, as described, or entirely in hardware elements, or
entirely in software
elements. The particular division of functionality between the various system
components
described herein is merely exemplary, and not mandatory; functions performed
by a single
system component may instead be performed by multiple components, and
functions
performed by multiple components may instead be performed by a single
component.
In various embodiments, the present invention can be implemented as a system
or a
method for performing the above-described techniques, either singly or in any
combination.
In another embodiment, the present invention can be implemented as a computer
program
product comprising a computer-readable storage medium and computer program
code,
encoded on the medium, for causing a processor in a computing device or other
electronic
device to perform the above-described techniques.
As used herein, any reference to "one embodiment" or to "an embodiment" means
that
a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection
with the embodiments
is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. The appearances of
the phrase "in one
embodiment" in various places in the specification are not necessarily all
referring to the same
embodiment.
Some portions of the above are presented in terms of algorithms and symbolic
representations of operations on data bits within a computer memory. These
algorithmic
descriptions and representations are the means used by those skilled in the
data processing
arts to most effectively convey the substance of their work to others skilled
in the art. An
algorithm is generally conceived to be a self-consistent sequence of steps
(instructions)
leading to a desired result. The steps are those requiring physical
manipulations of physical
quantities. Usually, though not necessarily, these quantities take the form of
electrical,
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magnetic or optical signals capable of being stored, transferred, combined,
compared,
transformed, and otherwise manipulated. It is convenient at times, principally
for reasons of
common usage, to refer to these signals as bits, values, elements, symbols,
characters, terms,
numbers, or the like. Furthermore, it is also convenient at times, to refer to
certain
arrangements of steps requiring physical manipulations of physical quantities
as modules or
code devices, without loss of generality.
It should be borne in mind, however, that all of these and similar terms are
to be
associated with the appropriate physical quantities and are merely convenient
labels applied to
these quantities. Unless specifically stated otherwise as apparent from the
following
discussion, it is appreciated that throughout the description, discussions
utilizing terms such
as "processing" or "computing" or "calculating" or "displaying" or
"determining" or the like,
refer to the action and processes of a computer system, or similar electronic
computing
module and/or device, that manipulates and transforms data represented as
physical
(electronic) quantities within the computer system memories or registers or
other such
information storage, transmission or display devices.
Certain aspects of the present invention include process steps and
instructions
described herein in the form of an algorithm. It should be noted that the
process steps and
instructions of the present invention can be embodied in software, firmware
and/or hardware,
and when embodied in software, can be downloaded to reside on and be operated
from
different platforms used by a variety of operating systems.
The present invention also relates to an apparatus for performing the
operations herein.
This apparatus may be specially constructed for the required purposes, or it
may comprise a
general-purpose computer selectively activated or reconfigured by a computer
program stored
in the computer. Such a computer program may be stored in a computer readable
storage
medium, such as, but is not limited to, any type of disk including floppy
disks, optical disks,
CD-ROMs, magnetic-optical disks, read-only memories (ROMs), random access
memories
(RAMs), EPROMs, EEPROMs, magnetic or optical cards, application specific
integrated
circuits (ASICs), or any type of media suitable for storing electronic
instructions, and each
coupled to a computer system bus. Furthermore, the computers and/or other
electronic devices
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.00
referred to in the specification may include a single processor or may be
architectures
employing multiple processor designs for increased computing capability.
The algorithms and displays presented herein are not inherently related to any
particular computer, virtualized system, or other apparatus. Various general-
purpose systems
may also be used with programs in accordance with the teachings herein, or it
may prove
convenient to construct more specialized apparatus to perform the required
method steps. The
required structure for a variety of these systems will be apparent from the
description
provided herein. In addition, the present invention is not described with
reference to any
particular programming language. It will be appreciated that a variety of
programming
languages may be used to implement the teachings of the present invention as
described
herein, and any references above to specific languages are provided for
disclosure of
enablement and best mode of the present invention.
In various embodiments, the present invention can be implemented as software,
hardware, and/or other elements for controlling a computer system, computing
device, or
other electronic device, or any combination or plurality thereof. Such an
electronic device can
include, for example, a processor, an input device (such as a keyboard, mouse,
touchpad,
trackpad, joystick, trackball, microphone, and/or any combination thereof), an
output device
(such as a screen, speaker, and/or the like), memory, long-term storage (such
as magnetic
storage, optical storage, and/or the like), and/or network connectivity,
according to techniques
that are well known in the art. Such an electronic device may be portable or
nonportable.
Examples of electronic devices that may be used for implementing the invention
include:
mobile phones, personal digital assistants, smartphones, kiosks, desktop
computers, laptop
computers, tablet computers, browser-based computers, consumer electronic
devices,
automobiles, televisions, set-top boxes, watches or the like. An electronic
device for
implementing the present invention may use an operating system such as, for
example, iOS
available from Apple Inc. of Cupertino, Calif., Android available from Google
Inc. of
Mountain View, Calif., Microsoft Phone 7 available from Microsoft Corporation
of Redmond,
Wash., webOS available from Palm, Inc. of Sunnyvale, Calif., or, or any other
operating
system that is adapted for use on the device. In some embodiments, the
electronic device for
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implementing the present invention includes functionality for communication
over one or
more networks, including for example a cellular telephone network, wireless
network, and/or
computer network such as the Internet.
Some embodiments may be described using the expression "coupled" and
"connected"
along with their derivatives. It should be understood that these terms are not
intended as
synonyms for each other. For example, some embodiments may be described using
the term
"connected" to indicate that two or more elements are in direct physical or
electrical contact
with each other. In another example, some embodiments may be described using
the term
"coupled" to indicate that two or more elements are in direct physical or
electrical contact.
The term "coupled," however, may also mean that two or more elements are not
in direct
contact with each other, but yet still co-operate or interact with each other.
The embodiments
are not limited in this context.
As used herein, the terms "comprises," "comprising," "includes," "including,"
"has,"
"having" or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive
inclusion. For
example, a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of
elements is not
necessarily limited to only those elements but may include other elements not
expressly listed
or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. Further, unless
expressly stated to
the contrary, "or" refers to an inclusive or and not to an exclusive or. For
example, a
condition A or B is satisfied by any one of the following: A is true (or
present) and B is false
(or not present), A is false (or not present) and B is true (or present), and
both A and B are
true (or present).
The terms "a" or "an," as used herein, are defined as one or more than one.
The term
"plurality," as used herein, is defined as two or more than two. The term
"another," as used
herein, is defined as at least a second or more.
It should be noted that the language used in the specification has been
principally
selected for readability and instructional purposes, and may not have been
selected to
delineate or circumscribe the inventive subject matter. Accordingly, the
disclosure of the
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present invention is intended to be illustrative, but not limiting, of the
scope of the invention,
which is set forth in the claims.
An ordinary artisan should require no additional explanation in developing the
methods and systems described herein but may nevertheless find some possibly
helpful
guidance in the preparation of these methods and systems by examining standard
reference
works in the relevant art.
While the invention has been described with respect to a limited number of
embodiments, those skilled in the art, having benefit of the above
description, will appreciate
that other embodiments may be devised which do not depart from the scope of
the present
invention as described herein. In addition, it should be noted that the
language used in the
specification has been principally selected for readability and instructional
purposes, and may
not have been selected to delineate or circumscribe the inventive subject
matter. The terms
used should not be construed to limit the invention to the specific
embodiments disclosed in
the specification and the claims, but should be construed to include all
methods and systems
that operate under the claims set forth herein below. Accordingly, the
invention is not limited
by the disclosure, but instead its scope is to be determined entirely by the
following claims.
