METHOD OF CALCULATING ROUTE, AND METHOD OR DEVICE FOR OBTAINING ROUTE

• US 20160216125A1
• Filed: 12/13/2013
• Published: 07/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: AHN, Hongbeom, CHOI, Jaehyuk
• Granted Patent: US 9,574,887 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3415 Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3438 Rendez-vous, i.e. searching a destination where several users can meet, and the routes to this destination for these users; Ride sharing, i.e. searching a route such that at least two users can share a vehicle for at least part of the route
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3492 employing speed data or traffic data, e.g. real-time or historical traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/047 Optimisation of routes or paths, e.g. travelling salesman problem
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096811 where the route is computed offboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096844 where the complete route is dynamically recomputed based on new data

Abstract

A method of determining whether there is a need to re-calculate a trip route including a departure point and a destination by using traffic information according to an embodiment of the present invention is provided. The method is performed by a server and includes: receiving the current position from a terminal when the terminal moves a specific distance from a previously reported position; obtaining the current position of a third party when the destination is the position of the third party defined as the identifier (ID) of the third party; and determining whether there is a need to re-calculate the route according to a specific condition based on the obtained current position of the third party, wherein the specific condition is (1) when the third party moves a distance equal to or greater than a predetermined value from the previously reported position or (2) when the third party moves a distance equal to or greater than a predefined value from the previously reported position and the distance between the current position of the terminal and the current position of the third party is shorter than a critical value, and if one of the specific conditions is satisfied, it may be determined that there is a need to re-calculate the route.

Claims

1. A method of, at a server, determining whether re-calculation of a route for a trip identified by a departure point and a destination is required using traffic information, the method comprising:

receiving a current location of a terminal from the terminal when the terminal moves from a previously reported location by a specific distance;

acquiring a current location of a third party when the destination is a location of the third party defined by an identifier (ID) of the third party; and

determining whether re-calculation of the route is required according to specific conditions based on the acquired current location of the third party,

wherein the specific conditions include;

(1) the third party moves from a previously reported location by a predetermined distance or more, or

(2) the third party does not move from the previously reported location by the predetermined distance or more and a distance between the current location of the terminal and the current location of the third party is less than a threshold value, and

wherein, if one of the specific conditions is satisfied, a determination is made that re-calculation of the route is required.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising, if the determination is made that re-calculation of the route is required, transmitting the acquired current location of the third party and updated traffic information of an ongoing route to the terminal.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the terminal is configured to re-calculate the route based on the acquired current location of the third party and the updated traffic information for the ongoing route.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

if the current location of the terminal is received from the terminal,

requesting location information of the third party to a location server; and

receiving the location information of the third party from the location server in response to the request.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising, if the determination is made that re-calculation of the route is not required, waiting until the terminal moves from the current location of the terminal by the specific distance.

6. A method of, at a terminal, determining whether re-calculation of a trip route identified by a departure point and a destination is required using traffic information, the method comprising:

transmitting a current location of the terminal to a server when the terminal moves from a previously reported location by a specific distance; and

receiving a current location of a third party and updated traffic information of an ongoing route from the server, when the destination is a location of the third party defined by an identifier (ID) of the third party and a determination is made that re-calculation of the route is required according to specific conditions based on the current location of the third party,

wherein the specific conditions include;

(1) the third party moves from a previously reported location by a predetermined distance or more, or

(2) the third party does not move from the previously reported location by the predetermined distance or more and a distance between the current location of the terminal and the current location of the third party is less than a threshold value, and

wherein, if one of the specific conditions is satisfied, a determination is made that re-calculation of the route is required.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising re-calculating the route based on the received current location of the third party and the updated traffic information of the ongoing route.

8. The method according to claim 6, further comprising waiting until the terminal moves from the current location by the specific location, if the determination is made that re-calculation of the route is not required.

13. The server according to claim 8, wherein, if the determination is made that re-calculation of the route is not required, the processor is configured to wait until the terminal moves from the current location of the terminal by the specific distance.

9. A server configured to determine whether re-calculation of a trip route identified by a departure point and a destination is required using traffic information, the server comprising:

a transceiver configured to communicate with a terminal; and

a processor configured to provide traffic information of a route received from the terminal,

wherein the processor is configured to;

receive a current location of the terminal from the terminal when the terminal moves from a previously reported location by a specific distance,

acquire a current location of a third party when the destination is a location of the third party defined by an identifier (ID) of the third party; and

determine whether re-calculation of the route is required according to specific conditions based on the acquired current location of the third party,

wherein the specific conditions include;

(1) the third party moves from a previously reported location by a predetermined distance or more, or

(2) the third party does not move from the previously reported location by the predetermined distance or more and a distance between the current location of the terminal and the current location of the third party is less than a threshold value, and

wherein, if one of the specific conditions is satisfied, a determination is made that re-routing is required.

10. The server according to claim 9, wherein, if the determination is made that re-calculation of the route is required, the processor is configured to transmit the acquired current location of the third party and updated traffic information of an ongoing route to the terminal.

11. The server according to claim 10, wherein the terminal is configured to re-calculate the route based on the acquired current location of the third party and the updated traffic information of the ongoing route.

12. The server according to claim 9, wherein, if the current location of the terminal is received from the terminal,

the processor is configured to request location information of the third party to a location server and to receive the location information of the third party from the location server in response to the request.

14. A terminal configured to determine whether re-calculation of a trip route identified by a departure point and a destination is required using traffic information, the terminal comprising:

a transceiver configured to communicate with a server; and

a processor configured to calculate a route based on traffic information of a route received from the server and/or a location of a destination,

wherein the processor is configured to;

transmit a current location of the terminal to the server when the terminal moves from a previously reported location by a specific distance, and

receive a current location of a third party and updated traffic information of an ongoing route from the server, when the destination is a location of the third party defined by an identifier (ID) of the third party and a determination is made that re-calculation of the route is required according to specific conditions based on an ongoing location of the third party,

wherein the specific conditions include;

(1) the third party moves from a previously reported location by a predetermined distance or more, or

(2) the third party does not move from the previously reported location by the predetermined distance or more and a distance between the current location of the terminal and the current location of the third party is less than a threshold value,

wherein, if one of the specific conditions is satisfied, a determination is made that re-calculation of the route is required.

15. The terminal according to claim 14, wherein the processor is configured to re-calculate the route based on the received current location of the third party and the updated traffic information of the ongoing route.

16. The terminal according to claim 14, wherein the processor is configured to wait until the terminal moves from the current location by the specific location, if the determination is made that re-calculation of the route is not required.