Application program prediction method and mobile terminal

• US 7,574,661 B2
• Filed: 02/18/2004
• Issued: 08/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Matsuura, Satoshi, Naito, Eiichi, Ozawa, Jun, Kudo, Takahiro, Yoshioka, Mototaka, Yoshida, Hideyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Bashore, William L
• Assistant Examiner(s): KEATON, SHERROD L
• Application Number:
  US10/541,218
• Publication Number:
  US 20060156209A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,001 Days
• Field of Search: 715/745, 715/749, 455/68, 455/566, 455/414.2, 704/250, 719/318, 714/798, 701/207
• US Class Current: 715/745
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72451 according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72472 wherein the items are sorted according to specific criteria, e.g. frequency of use
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver

Abstract

A mobile terminal that appropriately predicts an application that a user is likely to use that includes: an input device that selects and executes any of two or more applications; a GPS reception unit; a behavior pattern extraction unit that creates a usage prediction rule of the application executed on the input device , in association with a usage location detected by the GPS reception unit; and an information display control unit that specifies, based on the usage prediction rule, an application corresponding to the current location detected by the GPS reception unit , and causes a display to display the specified application as a prediction result.

Claims

1. An application program prediction method by which a mobile terminal, having installed therein a plurality of application programs, predicts at least one application program that a user is likely to use, the application program prediction method comprising:

an application executing step of selecting and executing an application program installed in the mobile terminal;

a location detecting step of detecting a location where the mobile terminal exists when the application program is executed in the application executing step;

a usage history creating step of creating a usage history of the application program by storing the application program in association with the location of the mobile terminal when the application program is executed, the application program being executed in the application executing step, and the location of the mobile terminal being detected in the location detecting step; and

a predicting step of determining a predetermined location, searching for the location in the usage history, and presenting, as a prediction result, the application program associated with the location searched for in the usage history and the predetermined location,

wherein the predicting step includes;

a future location predicting step of predicting a future location of the mobile terminal;

a current application specifying step of specifying, based on the usage history, an application program corresponding to the future location predicted in the future location predicting step; and

a current application presenting step of presenting the application program specified in the specifying step, as a prediction result of an application program that the user is likely to use in the future, and

the future location predicting step includes;

a station specifying step of specifying a station where the mobile terminal currently exists through communication carried out between the mobile terminal and a device placed in the station; and

a retrieving step of retrieving, from a past route search result, an arrival station corresponding to a departure station that is the station specified in the station specifying step, and

the arrival station retrieved in the retrieving step is regarded as the future location of the mobile terminal.

2. The application program prediction method according to claim 1,

wherein the predicting step further includes:

a current location detecting step of detecting a current location of the mobile terminal;

a current application specifying step specifying, based on the usage history, an application program corresponding to the current location detected in the current location detecting step; and

a current application presenting step presenting the application program specified in the current application specifying step, as a prediction result of an application program that the user is likely to use currently.

3. The application program prediction method according to claim 2,

wherein in the usage history creating step, the usage history is created, the usage history including a name of the application program executed in the application executing step and a content for the application program inputted by a user'"'"'s operation,

in the current application specifying step, a content corresponding to the current location detected in the current location detecting step is further specified based on the usage history, and

in the current application presenting step, the content specified in the current application specifying step is further presented as a content of the application program that the user is likely to use currently.

4. The application program prediction method according to claim 3,

wherein in the current application specifying step, an e-mail is specified as an application program corresponding to the current location detected in the current location detecting step, and

in the current application presenting step, a prediction result is presented, the prediction result indicating that the e-mail is specified as the application program that the user is likely to use currently.

5. The application program prediction method according to claim 4,

wherein in the current application specifying step, a destination of the e-mail is specified as a content corresponding to the current location detected in the current location detecting step, and

in the current application presenting step, the destination is presented.

6. The application program prediction method according to claim 4,

wherein in the current application specifying step, a template of a text of the e-mail is specified as a content corresponding to the current location detected in the current location detecting step, and

in the current application presenting step, the template is presented.

7. The application program prediction method according to claim 1,

wherein in the usage history creating step, the usage history is created, the usage history including a name of the application program executed in the application executing step and a content for the application program inputted by a user'"'"'s operation,

in the specifying step, a content corresponding to the future location predicted in the future location predicting step is further specified based on the usage history, and

in the presenting step, the content specified in the specifying step is further presented as a content of the application program that the user is likely to use in the future.

8. The application program prediction method according to claim 7, further comprising:

a power detecting step of detecting a remaining amount of power of the mobile terminal;

a calculating step of calculating an amount of power which is to be consumed when the application program and the content specified in the specifying step are used; and

a message presenting step of presenting a message prompting to charge when the remaining amount of power detected in the power detecting step is smaller than the amount of power consumption calculated in the calculating step.

9. The application program prediction method according to claim 8, further comprising:

a sending step of sending current location information indicating a current location of the mobile terminal to a predetermined apparatus via a communication network;

an obtaining step of obtaining, from the predetermined apparatus, charging place information indicating a place where the mobile terminal can be charged, in the vicinity of the location indicated in the current location information; and

a charging place presenting step of presenting the charging place based on the charging place information obtained in the obtaining step.

10. The application program prediction method according to claim 7,

wherein the content is distribution data to be distributed via a communication network, and

the application program prediction method further comprises:

a judging step of judging whether or not the mobile terminal holds a latest version of the distribution data specified in the specifying step; and

a presenting step of presenting a message for notifying that the mobile terminal does not hold the latest version of the distribution data, when it is judged in the judging step that the mobile terminal does not hold the latest version.

11. The application program prediction method according to claim 10, further comprising:

a sending step of sending current location information indicating a current location of the mobile terminal to a predetermined apparatus via a communication network;

an obtaining step of obtaining, from the predetermined apparatus, obtainment place information indicating a data obtainment place where the mobile terminal can obtain the latest version of the distribution data, in the vicinity of the location indicated in the current location information; and

an obtainment place presenting step of presenting the data obtainment place based on the obtainment place information obtained in the obtaining step.

12. The application program prediction method according to claim 1, further comprising:

a mode setting step of setting an operation mode of the mobile terminal;

a setting location detecting step of detecting a location of the mobile terminal where the operation mode is set in the mode setting step;

a setting history creating step of creating a setting history of the operation mode set in the mode setting step, in association with the location detected in the setting location detecting step; and

a mode predicting step of specifying an operation mode corresponding to a current location of the mobile terminal based on the setting history, and presenting the set operation mode as a prediction result.

13. A mobile terminal that predicts at least one application program that a user is likely to use from among a plurality of pre-installed application programs, the mobile terminal comprising:

an application execution unit operable to select and execute an application program installed in the mobile terminal;

a location detection unit operable to detect a location where the mobile terminal exists when the application program is executed by said application execution unit;

a usage history creation unit operable to create a usage history of the application program by storing the application program in association with the location of the mobile terminal when the application program is executed, the application program being executed said application executing unit, and the location of the mobile terminal being detected by said location detecting unit; and

a prediction unit operable to determine a predetermined location, searching for the location in the usage history, and presenting, as a prediction result, the application program associated with the location searched for in the usage history and the predetermined location,

wherein the predicting unit includes a future location prediction unit operable to predict a future location of the mobile terminal, a specification unit operable to specify, based on the usage history, an application program corresponding to the location predicted by said future location predicting unit, and a presentation unit operable to present the application program specified by said specification unit, as a prediction result of an application program that the user is likely to use in the future, and

said future location prediction unit includes;

a station specification unit operable to specify a station where the mobile terminal currently exists, through communication carried out between the mobile terminal and a device placed in the station; and

a retrieving unit operable to retrieve, from a past route search result, an arrival station corresponding to a departure station that is the station specified by said station specification unit; and

the arrival station retrieved by said retrieving unit is regarded as the future location of the mobile terminal.

14. The mobile terminal according to claim 13,

wherein said prediction unit further includes:

a current location detection unit operable to detect a current location of the mobile terminal;

a current application specification unit operable to specify, based on the usage history, an application program corresponding to the location detected by said current location detection unit; and

a current application presentation unit operable to present the application program specified by said specification unit, as a prediction result of an application program that the user is likely to use currently.

15. The mobile terminal according to claim 14,

wherein said usage history creation unit is operable to create the usage history that includes a name of the application program executed by said application execution unit and a content for the application program inputted by a user'"'"'s operation,

said current application specification unit is further operable to specify, based on the usage history, a content corresponding to the location detected by said current location detection unit, and

said current application presentation unit is further operable to present the content specified by said specification unit, as a content of the application program that the user is likely to use currently.

16. The mobile terminal according to claim 13, further comprising:

a mode setting unit operable to set an operation mode of the mobile terminal;

a setting location detection unit operable to detect a location of the mobile terminal where the operation mode is set by said mode setting unit;

a setting history creation unit operable to create a setting history of the operation mode set by said mode setting unit, in association with the location detected by said location detection unit; and

a mode prediction unit operable to specify an operation mode corresponding to a current location of the mobile terminal based on the setting history, and to present the operation mode as a prediction result.

17. A program used for a mobile terminal having installed therein a plurality of application programs, the program causing the mobile terminal to execute a method of predicting at least one application program that a user is likely to use, the method comprising:

an application executing step of selecting and executing an application program installed on the mobile terminal;

a location detecting step of detecting a location where the mobile terminal exists when the application program is executed in the application executing step;

a usage history creating step of creating a usage history of the application program by storing the application program in association with the location of the mobile terminal when the application program is executed, the application program being executed in the application executing step, and the location of the mobile terminal being detected in the location detecting; and

a predicting step of determining a predetermined location, searching for the location in the usage history, and presenting, as a prediction result, the application program associated with the location searched for in the usage history and the predetermined location,

wherein the predicting step includes;

a future location predicting step of predicting a future location of the mobile terminal;

a current application specifying step of specifying, based on the usage history, an application program corresponding to the future location predicted in the future location predicting step; and

a current application presenting step of presenting the -application program specified in the specifying step, as a prediction result of an application program that the user is likely to use in the future; and

the future location predicting step includes;

a station specifying step of specifying a station where the mobile terminal currently exists, through communication carried out between the mobile terminal and a device placed in the station;

a retrieving step of retrieving, from a past route search result, an arrival station corresponding to a departure station that is the station specified in the station specifying step; and

the arrival station retrieved in the retrieving step is regarded as the future location of the mobile terminal.

18. An application program prediction method by which a mobile terminal, having installed therein a plurality of application programs, predicts at least one application program that a user is likely to use, the application program prediction method comprising:

an application executing step of selecting an application program from the plurality of application programs installed in the mobile terminal, and executing the selected program;

a location detecting step of detecting step of detecting a location where the mobile terminal exists when then application program is executed in the application executing step;

a usage history creating step of creating a usage history of the application program by storing the application program in association with the location of the mobile terminal when the application program is executed, the application program being executed in the application executing step, and the location of the mobile terminal being detected in the location detecting step; and

a predicting step of determining a predetermined location, searching the usage history for the location, and presenting, as a prediction result, the application program associated with the searched location in the usage history and the predetermined location,

wherein the predicting step includes;

a future location predicting step of predicting a future location of the mobile terminal;

a current application specifying step of specifying, based on the usage history, an application program corresponding to the future location predicted in the future location predicting step; and

a current application presenting step of presenting the application program specified in the specifying step, as a prediction result of an application program that the user is likely to use in the future,

the future location predicting step includes;

a route specifying step of specifying a route on which the station where the mobile terminal currently exists in located, through communication carried out between the mobile terminal and a device placed in the station; and

a retrieving step of retrieving, from a past e-mail history, a station which is located on the route specified in the station specifying step, and

the station retrieved in the retrieving step is regarded as the future location of the mobile terminal.

19. The application program prediction method according to claim 18, further comprising:

a mail communicating step of receiving an e-mail as text information via a network; and

a destination candidate storing step of determining the station indicated by the text information obtained in the mail communicating step to be a destination candidate where the user is likely to go,

wherein, in the route specifying step, the route is specified when the mobile terminal passes through a ticket gate, and

in the retrieving step, the station which is located on the route is retrieved, based on a reception time of the e-mail, from the text information stored in the storage unit in the destination candidate storing step.

20. The application program prediction method according to claim 19,

wherein, in the retrieving step, the station which is located on the route is retrieved using a station related to a facility retrieved.

21. The application program prediction method according to claim 19,

wherein, in the future location prediction step,

a passage time at which the mobile terminal passed through the ticket gate is detected, and

in the case where a plurality of stations located on the route are retrieved in the retrieving step, the plurality of stations are displayed, as future locations of the mobile terminal, in order of closeness of reception times of e-mails respectively corresponding to the plurality of stations with respect to the passage time of the mobile terminal.

22. A mobile terminal that predicts an at least one application program that a user is likely to use from among a plurality of pre-installed applications programs, the mobile terminal comprising:

an application execution unit operable to select and execute an application program installed in the mobile terminal;

a location detection unit operable to detect a location where the mobile terminal exists when the application program is executed by said application execution unit;

a usage history creation unit operable to create a usage history of the application program by storing the application program in association with the location of the mobile terminal when the application program is executed, the application program being executed by said application executing unit, and the location of the mobile terminal being detected by said location detecting unit; and

a prediction unit operable to determine a predetermined location, searching for the location in the usage history, and presenting, as a prediction result, the application program associated with the location searched for in the usage history and the predetermined location,

wherein said prediction unit includes;

a future location prediction unit operable to predict a future location of the mobile terminal;

a current application specification unit operable to specify, based on the usage history, an application program corresponding to the location predicted by said future location prediction unit; and

a current application presentation unit operable to present the application program specified by said specification unit, as a prediction result of an application program that the user is likely to use in the future,

said future location predicting step includes;

a route specification unit operable to specify a route on which the station where the mobile terminal currently exists is located through communication carried out between the mobile terminal and a device placed in the station; and

a retrieving unit operable to retrieve, from a past e-mail history, a station which is located on the route specified by said station specification unit, and

the station retrieved by said retrieving unit is regarded as the future location of the mobile terminal.

23. A program used for a mobile terminal having installed therein a plurality of application programs, the program causing the mobile terminal to execute a method of predicting at least one application program that a user is likely to use, the method comprising:

an application executing step of selecting and executing an application program installed on the mobile terminal;

a location detecting step of detecting a location where the mobile terminal exists when the application program is executed in the application executing step;

a usage history creating step of creating a usage history of the application program by storing the application program in association with the location of the mobile terminal when the application program is executed, the application program being executed in the application executing step, and the location of the mobile terminal being detected in the location detecting step; and

a predicting step of determining a predetermined location, searching for the location in the usage history, and presenting, as a prediction result, the application program associated with the location searched for in the usage history and the predetermined location,

wherein the predicting step includes;

a future location predicting step of predicting a future location of the mobile terminal;

a current application specifying step of specifying, based on the usage history, an application program corresponding to the future location predicted in the future location predicting step; and

a current application presenting step of presenting the application program specified in the specifying step, as a prediction result of an application program that the user is likely to use in the future,

the future location predicting step includes;

a station specifying step of specifying a station where the mobile terminal currently exists, through communication carried out between the mobile terminal and a device placed in the station; and

a retrieving step of retrieving, from a past e-mail history, a station which is located on the route and is the station specified in the station specifying step, and

the station retrieved in the retrieving step is regarded as the future location of the mobile terminal.