METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DECIDING A TRAVELING DIRECTION IN A SPACE

• US 20090129300A1
• Filed: 12/20/2007
• Published: 05/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Institute For Information Industry
• Original Assignee: Institute For Information Industry
• Inventors: Lai, Hung-Ren
• Granted Patent: US 7,994,938 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/310
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/14 indicating individual free spaces in parking areas

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for deciding a traveling direction in a space are provided. After receiving a starting signal from a mobile apparatus, a network node of a network apparatus generates a request signal and sends it to a processing apparatus. Then the processing apparatus decides the traveling direction and sends a direction signal comprising the traveling direction to the nearest network node to instruct a moving apparatus to move. The method, and apparatus are more convenient and more cost-effective system than those in the prior art.

Claims

1. A method for deciding a traveling direction in a space, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving a starting signal from a mobile apparatus by a first network node in a plurality of network nodes, wherein each of the network nodes respectively corresponds to a position in the space;

(b) generating a request signal in response to the starting signal by the first network node, the request signal including an identification code of the first network node;

(c) transmitting the request signal to a processing apparatus by the first network node; and

(d) receiving an indication signal from the processing apparatus by one of the network nodes, wherein the indication signal includes the traveling direction so that the mobile apparatus is able to move in accordance with the traveling direction.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

(e) indicating the mobile apparatus to move to a specific position of the positions in accordance with the traveling direction.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step (e) indicates the traveling direction by one of a displaying method, a broadcasting method, and the combination thereof.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of:

transmitting an acknowledgement signal by the network node corresponding to the specific position to inform the processing apparatus that the mobile apparatus has moved to the specific position.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

transmitting a trigger signal by the first network node, wherein the step (a) is executed in response to the trigger signal.

6. A method for deciding a traveling direction in a space, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving a request signal from a first network node in a plurality of network nodes, the request signal including an identification code of the first network node;

(b) deciding the traveling direction according to the identification code of the first network node and a plurality of monitor messages, wherein each of the monitor messages corresponds to a position in the space, and each of the monitor messages indicates a usage status of the corresponding position;

(c) generating an indication signal according to the identification code of the first network node and the traveling direction; and

(d) transmitting the indication signal to one of the network nodes to indicate a mobile apparatus to move in accordance with the traveling direction.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the request signal further comprises a code of the mobile apparatus, and the method further comprises the step of:

recording that an identification code of the network node that is closet to the mobile apparatus corresponds to the code.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the step (b) comprises the steps of:

determining that the request signal comprises a searching request;

reading the monitor messages in response to the searching request; and

deciding the traveling direction according to the usage status and the identification code of the first network node.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the request signal further comprises a code of the mobile apparatus, each of the monitor messages corresponding to a mobile apparatus code, and the step (b) comprises the steps of:

determining that the request signal does not comprise a searching request;

deciding the position that corresponds to the monitor message having the code to be a specific position; and

deciding the traveling direction according to the specific position and the identification code of the first network node.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein each of the network nodes respectively corresponds to one of the positions, and the method further comprises the steps of:

receiving a plurality of update signals, each of the update signals comprises an identification code of one of the network nodes and a usage status of the corresponding position; and

updating the corresponding monitor messages according to each of the update signals.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of:

transmitting the monitor messages to the network nodes with an indication function.

12. A network apparatus for deciding a traveling direction in a space, comprising:

a plurality of network nodes, each of the network nodes corresponding to a position in the space, and each of the network nodes comprising;

a signal generator; and

a receiving/transmitting interface;

wherein the receiving/transmitting interface of a first network node of the network nodes is configured for receiving a starting signal from a mobile apparatus, the receiving/transmitting interface of the first network node is configured for transmitting a request signal to a processing apparatus in response to the starting signal, the request signal comprises an identification code of the first network node, and the receiving/transmitting interface of one of the network nodes is configured for receiving an indication signal from the processing apparatus, wherein the indication signal comprises the traveling direction.

13. The network apparatus of claim 12, wherein the network node that receives the indication signal further comprises:

an indicator for indicating the mobile apparatus to move to a specific position of the positions in accordance with the traveling direction.

14. The network apparatus of claim 13, wherein the indicator is one of a display apparatus, a broadcast apparatus, and the combination thereof.

15. The network apparatus of claim 13, wherein the receiving/transmitting interface of the network node corresponding to the specific position is further configured for transmitting an acknowledgement signal to inform the processing apparatus that the mobile apparatus has moved to the specific position.

16. The network apparatus of claim 12, wherein the receiving/transmitting interface of the first network node is further configured for transmitting a trigger signal, so that the receiving/transmitting interface of the first network node receives the starting signal from the mobile apparatus in response to the trigger signal.

17. A processing apparatus for deciding a traveling direction in a space, comprising:

a storage apparatus, being configured for storing a plurality of monitor messages, each of the monitor messages corresponding to a position in the space, each of the monitor message indicating a usage status of a corresponding position;

a receiving/transmitting interface, being configured for receiving a request signal from a first network node in a plurality of network nodes, the request signal comprising an identification code of the first network node, being configured for transmitting an indication signal to one of the network nodes to indicate a mobile apparatus to move in accordance with the traveling direction, and the indication signal comprising the traveling direction; and

a processor, being configured for deciding the traveling direction according to the identification code of the first network node and the monitor messages, and being configured for generating the indication signal in accordance with the identification code of the first network node and the traveling direction.

18. The processing apparatus of claim 17, wherein the request signal further comprises a code of the mobile apparatus, and the processor is further configured for recording an identification code of the network node that is closest to the mobile apparatus corresponding to the code.

19. The processing apparatus of claim 17, wherein the processor is further configured for determining that the request signal comprises a searching request, for reading a plurality of monitor messages in response to the searching request, and for deciding the traveling direction according to the usage status and the identification code of the first network node.

20. The processing apparatus of claim 17, wherein the request signal further comprises a code of the mobile apparatus, the processor further determines that the request signal does not comprise a searching request, decides the position that corresponds to the monitor message having the code to be a specific position, and decides the traveling direction according to the specific position and the identification code of the first network node.

21. The processing apparatus of claim 17, wherein each of the network nodes respectively corresponds to one of the positions, the receiving/transmitting interface is further configured for receiving a plurality of update signals, each of the update signals comprises an identification code of one of the network nodes and a usage status of the corresponding position, and the processor is further configured for updating the corresponding monitor message according to each of the update signals.

22. The processing apparatus of claim 21, wherein the receiving/transmitting interface is further configured for transmitting the monitor messages to the network nodes with an indication function.