Method and system for determining place for appointment using navigation system

• US 7,606,661 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2006
• Issued: 10/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kwak, Min-Hyo
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli; Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US11/434,532
• Publication Number:
  US 20060271279A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,254 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/209
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3423 Multimodal routing, i.e. combining two or more modes of transportation, where the modes can be any of, e.g. driving, walking, cycling, public transport
• 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 21/3438 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

Abstract

A navigation terminal for calculating a route or a route information server sets multiple proposed locations for an appointment according to various conditions or options provided by a user for the determination of an appropriate location for the appointment between multiple parties. The navigation terminal or the route information server calculates an optimal route to each proposed location from each party'"'"'s origin and extracts an optimum level of each calculated route to finally determine the most appropriate location for the appointment. The navigation terminal or the route information server automatically sets a location most appropriate and convenient to all parties of appointment, thereby enhancing convenience and effective time management.

Claims

1. A method for determining a location for an appointment using a navigation system, comprising the steps of:

inputting appointment location options corresponding to at least two parties for an appointment;

setting a plurality of proposed locations according to the inputted options;

calculating an optimal route to each proposed location from an origin of each party according to the appointment location option corresponding to each party;

determining how each optimal route complies with the appointment location option corresponding to each party to extract an optimum level of each optimal route; and

extracting the optimum levels of the optimal routes to each proposed location and comparing all the extracted optimum levels to determine a final location for the appointment.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising sending, to each party, information on the final location for the appointment and an optimal route calculated in relation to the final location.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising registering the final location for the appointment in a schedule management program of a corresponding date of appointment according to a user'"'"'s request.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising registering the final location for the appointment and a final optimal route to the final location in a schedule management program of a corresponding date of appointment according to a user'"'"'s request.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said appointment location options are used to determine the final location and calculate the proposed locations and are set to a number corresponding to an amount of the parties.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said appointment location options include an origin option, a means of travel option and location selection options for each party.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein said means of travel option defines a means of travel that will be used by each party and includes a car, bus, subway, walking and bicycle.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein said location selection options include a distance preference, a travel time preference, a place preference, a most appropriate place preference, an appointment place limitation and a weight setting.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein said distance preference is an option to give preference to the shortest distance and calculate a shortest-distance route to each proposed location for the appointment.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein said travel time preference is an option to give preference to a shortest travel time and calculate a route to each proposed location for the appointment which can be reached in the shortest travel time.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein said place preference is an option to give preference to a specific category of locations to determine a location for the appointment.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein said specific category of locations includes theaters, restaurants, amusement parks, squares, subway stations and shopping malls.

13. The method according to claim 8, wherein said most appropriate place preference is an option to determine the most appropriate place to meet in consideration of factors including distance, travel time and place.

14. The method according to claim 8, wherein said appointment place limitation is an option to limit a location for the appointment to a specific region.

15. The method according to claim 8, wherein said weight setting is an option to give more weight to a selected factor as compared to the other factors in the location selection options.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein said weight setting includes a weight-to-place setting for determining whether a frequently used location of appointment is included in the proposed locations for the appointment and for giving more weight to the frequently used place as compared to the proposed locations.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein said weight setting includes a weight-to-person setting for giving more weight to a selected one of the parties for the appointment and to the appointment location option corresponding to the selected party so that a convenient location for the specific party can be set as the final location for the appointment.

18. The method according to claim 8, wherein said location selection option is set by selectively setting at least one of the distance preference, travel time preference, location preference, most appropriate location preference, appointment location limitation and weight setting included in the location selection option according to a user'"'"'s request.

19. A navigation terminal in a navigation system, comprising:

a route calculator for calculating a route from an origin to a destination using a route option applied to an entire travel route between the origin and the destination and a subregion route option applied to a selected subregion in the travel route; and

a location setting unit for controlling the operation of the route calculator to set a plurality of proposed locations according to appointment location options inputted by a user for two or more parties for an appointment, calculate an optimal route to each proposed location from each party'"'"'s origin, extract an optimum level of each calculated optimal route showing how each optimal route complies with the appointment location options, extract optimum levels of optimal routes to each location, and compare all the extracted optimum levels to determine a final location for the appointment.

20. The navigation terminal according to claim 19, further comprising a schedule management unit for registering the final location for the appointment and an optimal route to the final location in a schedule management program of a corresponding date of appointment according to the user'"'"'s request.

21. The navigation terminal according to claim 19, wherein said location setting unit sends information on the final location for the appointment and an optimal route to the final location to each party.

22. A method for determining a location for an appointment using a navigation system, which comprises the steps of:

inputting appointment location options corresponding to at least two parties for an appointment in a communication terminal and sending the input options from the communication terminal;

setting a plurality of proposed locations in a route information server according to the appointment location options from the communication terminal;

calculating an optimal route to each proposed location from an origin of each party in the route information server according to the appointment location option corresponding to each party;

determining how each optimal route complies with the appointment location option corresponding to each party to extract an optimum level of each optimal route in the route information server;

extracting the optimum levels of the optimal routes to each proposed location and comparing all the extracted optimum levels in the route information sewer to determine a final location for the appointment; and

sending information on the final location for the appointment and an optimal route calculated in relation to the final location to each party from the route information server.

23. The method according to claim 22, further comprising registering the final location for the appointment and the optimal route to the final location in a schedule management program of a corresponding date of appointment according to a user'"'"'s request.

24. A navigation system for setting a location for an appointment, comprising:

a communication terminal for inputting appointment location options corresponding to at least two parties for an appointment, sending the inputted options and receiving information on a final location for the appointment and an optimal route for each party to reach the final location; and

a route information server for setting a plurality of proposed locations according to the appointment location options received from the communication terminal, calculating an optimal route to each proposed location from each party'"'"'s origin, extracting an optimum level of each calculated optimal route showing how each optimal route complies with the appointment location options, extracting optimum levels of optimal routes to each proposed location, comparing all the extracted optimum levels to determine a final location for the appointment, and sending information on the final location for the appointment and a calculated optimal route to the final location to each party.

25. The system according to claim 24, wherein said communication terminal receives the information on the final location for the appointment and the calculated optimal route to the final location from the route information server and registers the received information in a schedule management program of a corresponding date of appointment according to a user'"'"'s request.