DATA ACQUISITION APPARATUS, DATA ACQUISITION SYSTEM AND METHOD OF ACQUIRING DATA

• US 20110131243A1
• Filed: 11/06/2008
• Published: 06/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TomTom Navigation B.V (TomTom NV)
• Original Assignee: TomTom Navigation B.V (TomTom NV)
• Inventors: Thomassen, Erik, De Haas, Teun, Aben, Sjoerd
• Granted Patent: US 10,247,570 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/771
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3611 using character input or menus, e.g. menus of POIs character input methods in general G06F3/0233
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3679 Retrieval, searching and output of POI information, e.g. hotels, restaurants, shops, filling stations, parking facilities G01C21/3611 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries

Abstract

A data acquisition apparatus includes a processing resource operably coupled to an input unit and an output unit. The processing resource is arranged to provide an execution environment for supporting a user interface. An enquiry module is provided and supported by the execution environment. In at least one embodiment, the apparatus also includes a communications unit operably coupled to the processing resource for supporting communications over a communications network. The enquiry module is arranged to generate a search query relating to a point of interest and receive search results in response thereto via the communications unit, the enquiry module also being arranged to use the search results to derive data associated with the point of interest.

Claims

1. A data acquisition apparatus comprising:

a processing resource operably coupled to an input unit and an output unit, the processing resource being arranged to provide an execution environment for supporting a user interface;

an enquiry module supported by the execution environment; and

a communications unit operably coupled to the processing resource for supporting communications over a communications network;

wherein

the enquiry module is arranged to generate a search query relating to a point of interest and receive search results in response thereto via the communications unit, the enquiry module also being arranged to use the search results to derive data associated with the point of interest.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data associated with the point of interest is temporal data.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the enquiry module is arranged to access content identified in the search results and derive the data from the accessed content.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the enquiry module comprises a parser arranged to derive at least in part the data associated with the point of interest.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the parser is arranged to derive the data from the accessed content.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein a search result of the search results identifies a web page comprising the content.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the search query is directed to a web search engine.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the enquiry module is arranged to analyse a property of a file comprising the content and determine in response to the analysis whether the content is unlikely to comprise the data sought in relation to the point of interest.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the parser is arranged to analyse a page title associated with the web page and determine in response to the analysis whether the content is unlikely to comprise the data sought in relation to the point of interest.

10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the parser is arranged to analyse a tag of the web page and determine in response to the analysis whether the content is unlikely to comprise the data sought in relation to the point of interest.

11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the enquiry module is arranged to disregard the search result in response to the content being determined as unlikely to comprise the data sought in relation to the point of interest.

12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the enquiry module is arranged to disregard a search result associated with the content in response to the content being determined as unlikely to comprise the data sought in relation to the point of interest.

13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the determination is made with respect to a keyword.

14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the enquiry module is arranged to structure the derived temporal data in accordance with a data structure for subsequent use in relation to a temporal calculation.

15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the enquiry module supports web searching so as to provide a user with the search results and receive an identity of a selected search result selected by the user for parsing, the search results comprising the selected search result.

16. An apparatus as claimed in claim 15, further comprising a web search module arranged to support the web searching and permit the user to provide a search term to be submitted in order to obtain the search results.

17. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the enquiry module is arranged to investigate each of a plurality of the search results in order to derive the data sought in relation to the point of interest.

18. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the temporal data is associated with a period of time constituting a period when the point of interest is open.

19. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the enquiry module is arranged to access customary temporal information associated with the point of interest and to derive the data sought in relation to the point of interest from the customary temporal information.

20. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the enquiry module is arranged to analyse location data and associated temporal data in order to verify the data derived in relation to the point of interest.

21. A data acquisition system comprising:

a server apparatus comprising the data acquisition apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims; and

a navigation apparatus;

wherein

the navigation apparatus is arranged to query the server apparatus via the communications network in order to obtain the data sought in relation to the point of interest.

22. A navigation apparatus comprising the data acquisition apparatus as claimed in claim 1.

23. A server apparatus comprising the data acquisition apparatus as claimed in claim 1.

24. A method of acquiring data in relation to a point of interest, the method comprising:

providing an execution environment for supporting a user interface, the execution environment supporting an enquiry module;

the enquiry module generating a search query;

communicating the search query relating to a point of interest over a communications network;

the enquiry module receiving search results in response thereto via the communications network; and

the enquiry module using the search results to derive data associated with a point of interest.

25. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer program code to, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to execute the method as claimed in claim 24.