METHOD FOR PROVIDING ROUTE INFORMATION AND THE SYSTEM THEREOF

• US 20110153192A1
• Filed: 12/21/2009
• Published: 06/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Entertainment Machine Operator
• Original Assignee: Entertainment Machine Operator
• Inventors: Lin, Bing-Jin
• Granted Patent: US 8,483,962 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/201
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals

Abstract

A method for providing route information and the system thereof are provided. The method includes receiving a route acquisition command including a GPS coordinate of a client device, searching for at least one service unit in a predefined range of the GPS coordinate, determining a suitable service unit from the at least one service unit for the client device, and sending matching route information to the client device and the suitable service unit.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for providing route information, comprising:

receiving a route acquisition command comprising a Geo Positioning System (GPS) coordinate of a client device;

searching for at least one service unit in a predefined range of the GPS coordinate;

determining a suitable service unit from the at least one service unit for the client device; and

sending matching route information to the client device and the suitable service unit, the matching route information determined according to a location of the suitable service unit, a location of the client device, and a suitable route between the client device and the suitable service unit.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one service unit periodically sends update messages, the update messages comprising a service status and a GPS coordinate of the at least one service unit.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the step of determining the suitable service unit comprises:

locating the service units capable of providing driving services within the predefined range of the GPS coordinate of the client device; and

calculating a distance between the located service units and the client device.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the distance is calculated based on GPS coordinates of the located service units and the GPS coordinate of the client device, and traffic regulations.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the client device and the at least one service unit are devices of members of an online community.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the matching route information comprises an estimated pick-up time and the GPS coordinate of the client device, and an identification of the at least one service unit.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

periodically transmitting the GPS coordinates of the client device to a database upon activation of a route-tracking function by the client device.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

periodically transmitting the GPS coordinates of the at least one service unit to a database upon activation of a route-tracking function by the at least one service unit.

9. A system for providing route information, comprising:

an input module to receive a route acquisition command indicative of a GPS coordinate of a client device, and to search for at least one service unit in a predefined range of the GPS coordinate of the client device;

a determination module to determine a suitable service unit from the at least one service unit for the client device; and

a message module to send a matching route information to the client device and the suitable service unit, the matching route information determined according to a location of the suitable service unit, a location of the client device, and a suitable route between the client device and the suitable service unit; and

a processor to execute the input module, the determination module and the message module.

10. The system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the input module is configured for periodically receiving update messages from a plurality of service units, the update messages comprising a service status and a GPS coordinate of the at least one service unit.

11. The system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the determination module is configured for locating the service units capable of providing services within the predefined range of the GPS coordinate of the client device and calculating a distance between the located service units and the client device.

12. The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the distance is calculated based on GPS coordinates of the located service units and the GPS coordinate of the client device, and traffic regulations.

13. The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the client device and the service unit are devices of members of an online community.

14. The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the matching route information comprises an estimated pick-up time and the GPS coordinate of the client device, and the identification of the at least one service unit.

15. The system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the system further comprises a route-tracking module configured for recording a route path of the client device upon activation of a route-tracking function by the client device.

16. The system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the system further comprises a route-tracking module configured for recording a route path of the suitable service unit upon activation of a route-tracking function by the suitable service unit.

17. A computer-readable medium for providing route information, the computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by an electronic device, cause the electronic device to:

receive a route acquisition command comprising a Geo Positioning System (GPS) coordinate of a client device;

searching for at least one service unit in a predefined range of the GPS coordinate;

determine a suitable service unit from the at least one service unit for the client device; and

send matching route information to the client device and the suitable service unit, the matching route information determined according to a location of the suitable service unit, a location of the client device, and a suitable route between the client device and the suitable service unit.

18. The computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 17, wherein the at least one service unit periodically sends update messages, the update messages comprising a service status and a GPS coordinate of the at least one service unit.

19. The computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 18, wherein the step of determining the suitable service unit comprises:

locating the service units capable of providing driving services within the predefined range of the GPS coordinate of the client device; and

calculating a distance between the located service units and the client device.

20. The computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 19, wherein the distance is calculated based on GPS coordinates of the located service units and the GPS coordinate of the client device, and traffic regulations.