Method and system for providing voice-based supplementary information service using road map data

• US 20060122772A1
• Filed: 10/05/2005
• Published: 06/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T Map Mobility Company Limited (SK Telecom Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: SK Telecom Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Na, Dong Won, Um, Bong Su, Kim, Kyung Min, Lee, Joon Woo, Huh, Jae Hyung
• Granted Patent: US 7,623,959 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/211
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3691 Retrieval, searching and output of information related to real-time traffic, weather, or environmental conditions arrangements for giving variable traffic instructions G08G1/09

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and system for providing voice-based supplementary information service using road map data. The voice-based supplementary information service system includes a content registration server for receiving content for the voice-based supplementary information service, and converting the content into supplementary information data having voice data format. At least one GPS satellite detects a location of the mobile communication terminal and transmits GPS radio waves, including the location information. A mobile communication terminal receives the location information and requests the road guidance service and the supplementary information service. A relay server relays requests for the road guidance service and the supplementary information service. A road search server generates road map data and transmits the road map data to the relay server. A user management server determines whether the request for the supplementary information service exists in the road map data. An information provision server verifies the type of supplementary information service, receives supplementary information data corresponding to the type from the content registration server, and generates supplementary information-added data in which the supplementary information data is included in a data area of the road map data.

Claims

1. A system for providing voice-based supplementary information service to a mobile communication terminal being provided with road guidance service, using road map data, comprising:

a content registration server for receiving content for the voice-based supplementary information service, converting the content into supplementary information data having voice data format, and storing the supplementary information data;

at least one Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite for detecting a location of the mobile communication terminal and transmitting GPS radio waves, including the location information, to the mobile communication terminal;

the mobile communication terminal for receiving the location information from the GPS satellite and requesting the road guidance service and the supplementary information service;

a mobile communication network for transmitting or receiving data to or from the mobile communication terminal in a wireless manner;

a relay server connected to the mobile communication network and adapted to relay requests for the road guidance service and the supplementary information service, received from the mobile communication terminal;

a road search server connected to the relay server and adapted to generate road map data and transmit the road map data to the relay server so as to provide the road guidance service requested by the mobile communication terminal;

a user management server for determining whether the request for the supplementary information service from the mobile communication terminal exists in the road map data received by the relay server, and transmitting determination results to the relay server; and

an information provision server for receiving the road map data from the relay server, verifying the type of supplementary information service included in the road map data, receiving supplementary information data corresponding to the type from the content registration server, and generating supplementary information-added data in which the supplementary information data is included in a data area of the road map data.

2. The voice-based supplementary information service provision system according to claim 1, wherein the supplementary information service includes a notification item, such as a notification related to service desired by the user of the mobile communication terminal or advertisement of the content provision server, weather information about a destination desired by the user and a travel route, news information, such as the latest news or follow-up reports, stock information about stock items selected by the user, nearby region information about regions within a radius of several km set by the user, or destination tour information about sightseeing places within a radius of several km from the destination set by the user.

3. The voice-based supplementary information service provision system according to claim 1, wherein the supplementary information service is provided in one or more formats selected from among text, images, voice, text including voice, text including images, and images including voice.

4. The voice-based supplementary information service provision system according to claim 1, wherein the road guidance service provides a travel route to the destination, desired by the user of the mobile communication terminal, in one or more formats selected from among text, images, voice, text including voice, text including images, and images including voice.

5. The voice-based supplementary information service provision system according to claim 1, wherein the mobile communication terminal transmits a name of the destination and location information to the road search server.

6. The voice-based supplementary information service provision system according to claim 1, wherein the mobile communication terminal comprises:

a GPS reception unit for receiving GPS radio waves, including the location information about the mobile communication terminal, from the GPS satellite;

an instruction input unit for receiving instructions and a destination name required to request the road guidance service for the destination, desired by the user of the mobile communication terminal, and the supplementary information service;

a radio communication unit for communicating with the mobile communication network in a wireless manner to request and be provided with service desired by the user of the mobile communication terminal;

an output unit for outputting the road map data and the supplementary information data, provided to the mobile communication terminal, in one or more formats selected from among text, images, voice, text including voice, text including images, and images including voice;

a map matching unit for comparing the road map data, included in the supplementary information data, with current location data, which is verified using the location information received from the GPS reception unit, and determining whether the mobile communication terminal is deviating from a route;

a program unit for performing road guidance through cooperation between the road map data, included in the supplementary information-added data, and the map matching unit, and determining whether the supplementary information data is included in the supplementary information-added data;

a voice guidance DB for storing voice data required to support guidance of roads in voice format;

a road DB for storing the road map data and the supplementary information data; and

a processing unit for controlling overall operation of the mobile communication terminal, processing the location information received from the GPS reception unit, verifying the supplementary information-added data, provided by the road search server and the information provision server, searching the voice guidance DB and the road DB for required data, and transmitting found data to the output unit.

7. The voice-based supplementary information service provision system according to claim 6, wherein the radio communication unit transmits request signals for the road guidance service and supplementary information service desired by the user of the mobile communication terminal to the road search server through the mobile communication network, and receives the supplementary information-added data, generated by the information provision server, through the mobile communication network.

8. The voice-based supplementary information service provision system according to claim 1, wherein the road search server transmits the road map data to the information provision server through the relay server if it is determined that the request for the supplementary information service from the mobile communication terminal exists.

9. The voice-based supplementary information service provision system according to claim 1, wherein the information provision server comprises:

a server interface unit for transmitting or receiving data to or from the relay server in conjunction with the relay server;

a road map data management unit for parsing and analyzing the road map data, received from the road search server, and including the supplementary information data, provided by the content registration server, in a data area of the road map data, using distances traveled until subsequent road map data is provided, or playing periods of supplementary information data, with each other, thus reconstructing the supplementary information-added data; and

a DB management unit for analyzing the road map data received from the road search server, determining whether the supplementary information service is requested by the mobile communication terminal, searching the content registration server for the supplementary information data requested by the mobile communication terminal, and transmitting found supplementary information data to the road map data management unit.

10. The voice-based supplementary information service provision system according to claim 1, wherein the content registration server generates the supplementary information data in which content for the supplementary information service is converted into one or more formats selected from among text, images, voice, text including voice, text including images, and images including voice.

11. The voice-based supplementary information service provision system according to claim 1, wherein the content registration server comprises:

a Content Provider (CP) authentication management unit for managing authentication related to authorization for the content provision server to upload content for the supplementary information service;

a content management unit for determining whether the content uploaded by the content provision server has been successfully uploaded;

a voice conversion unit for converting the content registered by the content provision server into a voice file playable on the mobile communication terminal; and

a DB management unit for performing a function of registering, revising or deleting supplementary information data stored in the content provision server in conjunction with the content provision server.

12. The voice-based supplementary information service provision system according to claim 11, wherein the voice conversion unit converts the content registered by the content provision server into Enhanced Variable Rate Codec (EVRC) format.

13. The voice-based supplementary information service provision system according to claim 1, wherein the relay server is operated so that, if the request for the supplementary information service from the mobile communication terminal exists in the road map data as a result of determination of the user management server, the relay server transmits the road map data to the information provision server.

14. The voice-based supplementary information service provision system according to claim 1, wherein the relay server is operated so that, if the request for the supplementary information service from the mobile communication terminal does not exist in the road map data as a result of determination of the user management server, the relay server transmits the road map data to the mobile communication terminal through the mobile communication network.

15. A method of providing voice-based supplementary information service to a mobile communication terminal being provided with road guidance service, using road map data in a system including a content registration server, at least one GPS satellite, a mobile communication terminal, a mobile communication network, a relay server, a road search server, a user management server and an information provision server, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) the content registration server storing supplementary information data;

(b) the mobile communication terminal requesting road guidance service, including supplementary information service, from the road search server;

(c) the road search server generating road map data for the mobile communication terminal;

(d) receiving the road map data from the road search server, and requesting the user management server to determine whether a request for the supplementary information service exists in the road map data;

(e) if it is determined that a request for the supplementary information service from the mobile communication terminal exists at step (d), transmitting the road map data to the information provision server;

(f) analyzing the road map data and reconstructing an area of the supplementary information data within a data area of the road map data;

(g) searching the content registration server for supplementary information data corresponding to supplementary information service requested by the mobile communication terminal, and extracting the supplementary information data; and

(h) generating supplementary information-added road map data, in which the supplementary information data is included in the road map data, and transmitting the supplementary information-added road map data to the mobile communication terminal.

16. The voice-based supplementary information service provision method according to claim 15, wherein step (a) is performed so that the content registration server receives content for the supplementary information service from the content provision server for providing supplementary information service, converts the content into the supplementary information data that is voice-based data, and stores the supplementary information data.

17. The voice-based supplementary information service provision method according to claim 15, wherein step (b) is performed so that the mobile communication terminal transmits location information about the mobile communication terminal, received from the GPS satellite, and a name of a destination to which the mobile communication terminal will move.

18. The voice-based supplementary information service provision method according to claim 15, wherein step (c) is performed to generate road map data, including a travel route to a destination of the mobile communication terminal, using location information and a name of a destination that are received from the mobile communication terminal.

19. The voice-based supplementary information service provision method according to claim 15, wherein step (d) is performed so that, if it is determined that a request for the supplementary information service from the mobile communication terminal does not exist, the road map data is transmitted to the mobile communication terminal.

20. The voice-based supplementary information service provision method according to claim 15, wherein the supplementary information service includes a notification item, such as a notification related to service desired by the user of the mobile communication terminal or advertisement of the content provision server, weather information about a destination desired by the user and a travel route, news information, such as the latest news or follow-up reports, stock information about stock items selected by the user, nearby region information about regions within a radius of several km set by the user, or destination tour information about sightseeing places within a radius of several km from the destination set by the user.

21. The voice-based supplementary information service provision method according to claim 15, wherein the supplementary information service is provided in one or more formats selected from among text, images, voice, text including voice, text including images, and images including voice.

22. The voice-based supplementary information service provision method according to claim 15, wherein the road guidance service provides a travel route to the destination, desired by the user of the mobile communication terminal, in one or more formats selected from among text, images, voice, text including voice, text including images, and images including voice.