LOCATION DATA PROCESSING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF IMPORTING LOCATION INFORMATION

• US 20100169003A1
• Filed: 06/04/2008
• Published: 07/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: TomTom International BV (TomTom NV)
• Original Assignee: TomTom International BV (TomTom NV)
• Inventors: Van Der Meer, Sander
• Application Number:
  US12/451,848
• Publication Number:
  US 20100169003A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/207
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries

Abstract

A location data processing apparatus includes a data enrichment module arranged to receive, when in use, content generated in response to a content request. The data enrichment module is arranged to embed location importation data in the content prior to presentation thereof. In at least one embodiment, the location importation data is organized in accordance with a data structure definition.

Claims

1. A location data processing apparatus comprising:

a data enrichment module arranged to receive, when in use, content generated in response to a content request;

wherein the data enrichment module is arranged to embed location importation data in the content prior to presentation thereof, the location importation data being organized in accordance with a data structure definition.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data enrichment module is arranged to analyze the content and identify candidate location information therein, the data enrichment module being further arranged to generate the location importation data from the candidate location information.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the data enrichment module is arranged to extract data from the candidate location information, the data corresponding to a number of fields of the data structure definition, and organize the extracted data in accordance with the data structure definition.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least part of the location importation data is encoded as a Uniform Resource Indicator (URI).

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data structure definition conforms to an Application Programming Interface (API) of a server.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data enrichment module is arranged to embed an object in the content associated with the location importation data, the object providing a visual indication of an existence of location information importable into a navigation apparatus and associated with a geographic location shown in the content.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the location importation data is compatible with an import process of at least one of a device management application and a navigation apparatus.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the location importation data comprises a request in accordance with a request/response communications protocol.

9. A client terminal apparatus comprising:

a processing resource arranged to support the location data processing apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims; and

a communications interface for communicating the content request to a content server;

wherein the processing resource is arranged to support a user interface for receiving information relating to the content request.

10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 9, further comprising:

a browser application supported by the user interface for providing a data collection interface for collecting the information relating to the content request;

wherein the browser application is arranged to present the content received as modified by the data enrichment module.

11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the data enrichment module is a browser plug-in.

12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the data enrichment module is arranged to receive identification information via an input device, the identification information identifying at least part of the content received and relating to a geographic location, the data enrichment module being arranged to generate the location importation data in respect of the part of the content received and in response to the provision of the identification information.

13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 9, further comprising:

a device management application for managing an externally connectable navigation device, the device management application being arranged to provide, when in use, a data collection interface for collecting the information relating to the content request;

wherein the device management application is arranged to present the content received as modified by the data enrichment module.

14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the device management application is arranged to determine whether a navigation device is coupled to the client terminal apparatus.

15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein the device management application is arranged to import at least part of the location importation data into the navigation device in response to the navigation device being detected as coupled to the client terminal apparatus.

16. An apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein the device management application is arranged to queue the at least part of the location importation data for subsequent importation into the navigation device in response to the navigation device being detected as disconnected from the client terminal apparatus.

17. An apparatus as claim 9, further comprising:

a navigation application of a navigation apparatus, the navigation application being arranged to provide, when in use, a data collection interface for collecting the information relating to the content request;

wherein the navigation application is arranged to present the content received as modified by the data enrichment module.

18. An apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the processing resource is arranged, via the user interface, to present a plurality of geographic locations and to permit a user to select more than one of the plurality of geographic locations to provide an indication of a set of points of interest.

19. An apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the location importation data identifies a server for converting the location importation data into an importable format organized in accordance with another data structure definition that can be used by the client terminal apparatus for importation.

20. An apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein the processing resource is arranged to communicate the selected more than one of the plurality of geographic locations to the server for processing and subsequent receipt of the location importation data corresponding to the set of points of interest.

21. An apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein location importation data is arranged so that a browser application opens a launch page in response to selection of the location importation data.

22. An apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the processing resource is arranged to communicate a request to a server in response to user-selection of the location importation data, the request being indicative of a request for wireless communication of information corresponding to at least part of the location importation data from the server to a navigation apparatus for importation into the navigation apparatus.

26. An apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the data enrichment module is arranged to receive identification information via an input device, the identification information identifying at least part of the content received and relating to a geographic location, the data enrichment module being arranged to generate the location importation data in respect of the part of the content received.

27. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the location importation data identifies a server for converting the location importation data into an importable format organized in accordance with another data structure definition that can be used by the client terminal apparatus for importation.

23. A method of importing location information into a navigation apparatus, the method comprising:

communicating a request for content from a client terminal to a server;

accessing and processing data in order to service the request for content, the content comprising candidate location information corresponding to a geographic location;

generating location importation data relating to the candidate location information, the location data being organized in accordance with a data structure definition; and

embedding the location importation data in the content.

24. A computer program element comprising computer program code segments to make a computer execute the method as claimed in claim 23.

25. A computer program element as claimed in claim 24, embodied on a computer readable medium.

28. A computer readable medium including program segments for, when executed on a computer device, causing the computer device to implement the method of claim 23.