Method and apparatus for estimating and displaying destination and recording medium using the same

• US 9,134,134 B2
• Filed: 02/08/2013
• Issued: 09/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Original Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Inventors: Wang, John C., Cheng, Chi-Chen, Chin, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Shafi, Muhammad
• Application Number:
  US13/762,386
• Publication Number:
  US 20130218452A1
• Time in Patent Office: 949 Days
• Field of Search: 701400-541, 340988-996
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• 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: G01C 21/3617 using user history, behaviour, conditions or preferences, e.g. predicted or inferred from previous use or current movement
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/367 Details, e.g. road map scale, orientation, zooming, illumination, level of detail, scrolling of road map or positioning of current position marker
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3694 Output thereof on a road map

Abstract

A method, an apparatus, and a recording medium for estimating and displaying a destination are provided. In the method, a plurality of places frequently visited by a user is set first. Then, a current location of the electronic apparatus is continuously detected by using a positioning module, and a distance between the current location and each of the places is calculated. Whether the distance between the current location and each of the places increases is determined. When the distance increases, the corresponding place is removed and the remaining places are displayed.

Claims

1. A method for estimating and displaying a destination, adapted for an electronic apparatus to estimate the destination the user intends to go, comprising:

setting by a setting module a plurality of first places comprising a first possible place, a second possible place, and a third possible place frequently visited by a user;

continuously detecting by a positioning module a current location of the electronic apparatus by using a positioning module, and calculating a first distance between the current location and the first possible place, a second distance between the current location and the second possible place, and a third distance between the current location and the third possible place;

determining by a determination module whether the first distance, the second distance, and the third distance increase;

adjusting by an estimation module a scale of an electronic map to generate a first reduced electronic map by removing the first possible place from the electronic map to display the second possible place and the third possible place in response to determining that the first distance increases, the second distance and the third distance do not increase, wherein a display range of the first reduced electronic map is less than that of the electronic map and is adapted to cover the current location, the second possible place, and the third possible place; and

adjusting by an estimation module a scale of the first reduced electronic map to generate a second reduced electronic map by removing the second possible place from the first reduced electronic map to set and display the third possible place as an estimated destination in response to determining that the second distance increases and the third distance does not increase, wherein a display range of the second reduced electronic map is less than that of the first reduced electronic map and is adapted to cover the current location and the third possible place;

retrieving, by a traffic information retrieving module, a real-time traffic information of a plurality of roads passed by in traveling from the current location to each of the first places;

marking, by the estimation module, a traffic condition of each of the roads on the electronic map according to the real-time traffic information; and

displaying, by a display apparatus, the distance between the current location and each of the first places and the time required in traveling to each of the first places, wherein the display range of the first reduced electronic map is a minimum range covering the current location, the second possible place, and the third possible place.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of determining whether the first distance, the second distance, and the third distance increase comprises:

determining whether the distance between the current location and each of the first possible place, the second possible place, and the third possible place increases within a preset time period.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of setting the first places comprising the first possible place, the second possible place, and the third possible place frequently visited by the user comprises:

retrieving a history of positioning executed by the electronic apparatus to search for a plurality of second places appeared in the history; and

accumulating an appearance number of times of each of the second places, so as to set the second places having the appearance number of times sorted ahead as the first places frequently visited by the user.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of setting the first places comprising the first possible place, the second possible place, and the third possible place frequently visited by the user comprises:

accessing a calendar stored in the electronic apparatus to search for a plurality of third places appeared in a plurality of events recorded in the calendar; and

accumulating an appearance number of times of each of the third places, so as to set the third places having the appearance number of times sorted ahead as the first places frequently visited by the user.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of determining whether first distance, the second distance, and the third distance increase comprises:

determining whether an increment of the distance between the current location and each of the first possible place, the second possible place, and the third possible place is over a threshold.

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

calculating a moving speed of the electronic apparatus; and

estimating a time required in traveling from the current location to each of the first places according to the moving speed.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the display range of the second reduced electronic map is a minimum range covering the current location and the third possible place.

8. An apparatus for estimating and displaying a destination, adapted to estimate the destination the user intends to go, comprising:

a setting module, configured to set a plurality of first places comprising a first possible place, a second possible place, and a third possible place frequently visited by a user;

a calculation module, configured to continuously detect a current location of the electronic apparatus by using a positioning module, and calculate a first distance between the current location and the first possible place, a second distance between the current location and the second possible place, and a third distance between the current location and the third possible place;

a determination module, configured to determine whether first distance, the second distance, and the third distance increase; and

an estimation module, configured to adjust a scale of an electronic map to generate a first reduced electronic map by removing the first possible place from the electronic map to display the second possible place and the third possible place in response to determining that the first distance increases, the second distance and the third distance do not increase, and to adjust a scale of the first reduced electronic map to generate a second reduced electronic map by removing the second possible place from the first reduced electronic map to set and display the third possible place as an estimated destination in response to determining that the second distance increases and the third distance does not increase,

wherein a display range of the first reduced electronic map is less than that of the electronic map and is adapted to cover the current location, the second possible place, and the third possible place, and

wherein a display range of the second reduced electronic map is less than that of the first reduced electronic map and is adapted to cover the current location and the third possible place;

a traffic information retrieving module, configured to retrieve a real-time traffic information of a plurality of roads passed by in traveling from the current location to each of the first places, and accordingly mark a traffic condition on the roads in the electronic map; and

a display apparatus, configured to display the distance between the current location and each of the first places and the time required in traveling to each of the first places, wherein the display range of the first reduced electronic map is a minimum range covering the current location, the second possible place, and the third possible place.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein

the determination module determines whether the distance between the current location and each of first possible place, the second possible place, and the third possible place increases within a preset time.

10. The apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:

a history recording module, configured to record a history of positioning executed by the electronic apparatus, wherein the setting module searches for a plurality of second places appeared in the history, and accumulates an appearance number of times of each of the second places, so as to set the second places having the appearance number of times sorted ahead as the first places frequently visited by the user.

11. The apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:

a calendar module, configured to store a calendar, wherein the setting module searches for a plurality of third places appeared in a plurality of events recorded in the calendar and sets the same as the first places frequently visited by the user.

12. The apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:

an input module, configured to receive at least one fourth place manually input by a user, wherein the setting module sets the at least one fourth place as the first places frequently visited by the user.

13. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein

the determination module determines whether an increment of the distance between the current location and each of the first possible place, the second possible place, and the third possible place is over a threshold.

14. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein

the calculation module further calculates a moving speed of the electronic apparatus and estimates a time required in traveling from the current location to each of the first places according to the moving speed;

and

the estimation module further displays the distance between the current location and each of the first places and the time required in traveling to each of the first places.

15. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the display range of the second reduced electronic map is a minimum range covering the current location and the third possible place.

16. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein when the third place is the only first place is left after removal, the estimation module confirms the third place as a destination, and accordingly plans and displays a route from the current location to the destination.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium, configured to store a computer program, which is loaded in an electronic apparatus to execute following steps:

setting by a setting module a plurality of first places comprising a first possible place, a second possible place, and a third possible place frequently visited by a user;

continuously detecting by a positioning module a current location of the electronic apparatus by using a positioning module, and calculating a first distance between the current location and the first possible place, a second distance between the current location and the second possible place, and a third distance between the current location and the third possible place;

determining by a determination module whether the first distance, the second distance, and the third distance increase;

adjusting by an estimation module a scale of an electronic map to generate a first reduced electronic map by removing the first place from the electronic map to display the second possible place and the third possible place in response to determining that the first distance increases, the second distance and the third distance do not increase, wherein a display range of the first reduced electronic map is less than that of the electronic map and is adapted to cover the current location, the second possible place, and the third possible place; and

adjusting by an estimation module the scale of the first reduced electronic map to generate a second reduced electronic map by removing the second possible place from the first reduced electronic map to set and display the third possible place as a destination in response to determining that the second distance increases and the third distance does not increase, wherein a display range of the second reduced electronic map is less than that of the first reduced electronic map and is adapted to cover the current location and the third possible place;

retrieving, by a traffic information retrieving module, a real-time traffic information of a plurality of roads passed by in traveling from the current location to each of the first places;

marking, by the estimation module, a traffic condition of each of the roads on the electronic map according to the real-time traffic information; and

displaying, by a display apparatus, the distance between the current location and each of the first places and the time required in traveling to each of the first places, wherein the display range of the first reduced electronic map is a minimum range covering the current location, the second possible place, and the third possible place.