Apparatus and method for generating sketch map information in portable terminal

• US 8,818,724 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2013
• Issued: 08/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Choi, Woo-Jun
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli, Michael J
• Application Number:
  US14/066,453
• Publication Number:
  US 20140058663A1
• Time in Patent Office: 301 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/517
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3626 Details of the output of route guidance instructions traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3893 Transmission of map data from distributed sources, e.g. from roadside stations

Abstract

Provided is an apparatus and method for generating a sketch map in a portable terminal. The apparatus includes a sketch map generating unit. The sketch map generating unit collects information about route points of the portable terminal by using location information, generates a sketch map message including the route information, and shares the generated sketch map message with another user.

Claims

1. A method of operating an electronic device, the method comprising:

setting a selection range for route points to be marked in a sketch map;

periodically detecting a location of the electronic device;

storing the detected locations of the electronic device;

selecting the route points corresponding to the selection range among the stored locations of the electronic device;

generating the sketch map including the selected route points; and

transmitting the generated sketch map to another electronic device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the route points comprises:

selecting a plurality of the route points corresponding to the selection range among the stored locations of the electronic device; and

selecting some of the plurality of route points to be marked in the sketch map among the selected route points.

3. The method of claim 2, the route points are selected if a detected location is above a threshold range from a previous location of the electronic device which is included as a previous route point in the sketch map.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein selecting the route points comprises if the detected location is above the threshold range, selecting a new route point of the detected location to include in the sketch map.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the selection of some of the plurality of route points to be marked is performed using a descending order of distance between selected route points or distance from a destination.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the generated sketch map.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein periodically detecting the location of the electronic device is performed at a regular interval.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

counting a number if the location is within a threshold range; and

wherein the detecting the location of the electronic device is performed until the counted number reaches a predetermined number.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the route points in the sketch map are displayed in a touch screen of the electronic device.

10. A method of operating an electronic device, the method comprising:

displaying a selection range for route points to be marked in a sketch map;

storing locations of the electronic device detected periodically;

selecting the route points corresponding to the selection range among the stored locations of the electronic device;

generating the sketch map including the selected route points; and

transmitting the generated sketch map to another electronic device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein a selection of some of the route points to be marked is performed using a descending order of distance between selected route points or distance from a destination.

12. An electronic device for generating a sketch map, the electronic device comprising:

a control unit configured to set a selection range for route points to be marked in a sketch map, periodically detect a location of the electronic device, store the detected locations of the electronic device, select the route points corresponding to the selection range among the stored locations of the electronic device, and generate the sketch map including the selected route points; and

a communication unit configured to transmit the generated sketch map to another electronic device.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the control unit is configured to select a plurality of the route points corresponding to the selection range among the stored locations of the electronic device and select some of the plurality of route points to be marked in the sketch map among the selected route points.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the control unit is configured to select the route points if a detected location is above a threshold range from a previous location of the electronic device which is included as a previous route point in the sketch map.

15. The device of claim 13, wherein the control unit is configured to select some of the plurality of route points to be marked using a descending order of distance between selected route points or distance from a destination.

16. The device of claim 12, wherein if the detected location is above the threshold range, the control unit is configured to select a new route point of the detected location in the sketch map.

17. The device of claim 12, further comprising:

a memory unit configured to store the generated sketch map.

18. The device of claim 12, wherein the control unit is configured to detect the location of the electronic device at a regular interval.

19. The device of claim 12, wherein if the location is within a threshold range, the control unit is further configured to count a number and continue to detect the location of the electronic device until the counted number reaches a predetermined number.

20. The device of claim 12, wherein the control unit is configured to display the route points in the sketch map in a touch screen of the electronic device.