Method and device for location detection for a scheduling program

• US 6,842,696 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2002
• Issued: 01/11/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Silvester, Kelan C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli, Michael J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gibson, Eric M.
• Application Number:
  US10/187,651
• Publication Number:
  US 20040002813A1
• Time in Patent Office: 925 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 701/201, 701/207, 701/208, 701/211, 701/212, 701/214, 701/213, 701/209, 340/988, 340/990, 340/995.1, 340/995.18, 340/995.24, 340/995
• US Class Current: 701/213
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/343 Calculating itineraries, i.e. routes leading from a starting point to a series of categorical destinations using a global route restraint, round trips, touristic trips travelling salesman problem G06Q10/04; optimisation of routes G06Q10/047
• 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: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting

Abstract

A method and device are provided to determine a location corresponding to an entry in a database stored in an electronic device; determine a current position of the electronic device; obtain navigational information from the current position to the location; and provide the navigational information to a user.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining a location corresponding to an entry in a database stored in an electronic device, wherein determining the location is performed upon detection of an idle state of an operating system for the electronic device;

determining a current position of the electronic device;

obtaining navigational information from the current position to the location; and

providing the navigational information to a user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the database comprises an address database;

and determining the location comprises searching the address database for an address corresponding to a name in the entry.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the location comprises determining if the entry includes a task indicating a location at which the task can be performed.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising mapping key words to tasks that can be performed at defined locations.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein determining if the entry includes a task indicating a location at which the task can be performed comprises searching the entry for a keyword from the list.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the current position comprises receiving a Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) signal;

and calculating the current position based on the Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) signal.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the current position comprises selecting a current position based on assumed locations or a list of default locations.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the navigational information comprises querying a map database for the navigational information.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the database comprises a schedule and the entry is a next-scheduled entry in the schedule.

10. A device comprising:

a location-determining unit to determine a location associated with an entry in a database, upon detection of an idle state of an operating system for the device;

a position detection unit to detect a current position of the device;

a navigational unit to determine navigational information from the current position to the location; and

an output unit to output the navigational information to a person.

11. The device of claim 10, further comprising a connection mechanism to connect the device to a host computer system.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein the database comprises a schedule and the entry is a next-scheduled entry in the schedule.

13. The device of claim 10, wherein the entry comprises a name, and the location-determining unit determines the location by searching an address database for a location corresponding to the name.

14. The device of claim 10, wherein the location-determining unit comprises a list of keywords corresponding to locations at which defined tasks can be performed.

15. The device of claim 10, wherein the entry comprises a task, and the location-determining unit determines the location by searching the entry for words that match keywords in the list.

16. The device of claim 10, wherein the position detection unit detects the current position by receiving a Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) signal;

and calculating the current position based on the Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) signal.

17. The device of claim 10, wherein the navigational unit determines the navigational information by querying a map database for the navigational information.

18. The device of claim 10, wherein the map database is stored on a remote computer.

19. Apparatus comprising:

a processing system; and

a memory coupled to the processing system, the memory storing instructions which when executed by the processing system cause the processing system to perform a method comprising;

determining a location corresponding to an entry in a database stored in an electronic device, wherein determining the location is performed upon detection of an idle state of an operating system for the processing system;

determining a current position of the electronic device;

obtaining navigational information to the location from the current position; and

providing the navigational information to a user.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the database comprises an address database and determining the location comprises searching the address database for an address corresponding to a name in the entry.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein determining the location comprises identifying a word in the entry that indicates a location at which a task in the entry can be performed;

and searching a map database for an address corresponding to the word.

22. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a sequence of instructions which when executed by a processing system, cause the processing system to perform a method comprising:

determining a location corresponding to an entry in a user'"'"'s schedule, wherein determining the location is performed upon detection of an idle state of an operating system for the processing system;

determining a current position of the electronic device;

obtaining navigational information to the location from the current position; and

providing the navigational information to a user.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the database comprises an address database and determining the location comprises searching an address database for an address corresponding to a name in the entry.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein determining the location comprises determining if the entry includes a task;

and searching a map database for an address corresponding to a location at which the task can be performed.

25. An electronic device comprising:

means for determining a location associated with an entry in a database stored in the electronic device, upon detection of an idle state of an operating system for the electronic device;

means for detecting a current position of the electronic device;

means for determining navigational information from the current position to the location; and

means for outputting the navigational information to a user.

26. The device of claim 25, further comprising means for connecting the device to a host computer system.

27. The device of claim 25, further comprising means for obtaining the schedule.