EP2229639A1

EP2229639A1 - Method and system for providing location information

Info

Publication number: EP2229639A1
Application number: EP07845632A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Flaviu Vasile Cibu
Original assignee: Route 66 Switzerland GmbH
Current assignee: Route 66 Switzerland GmbH
Priority date: 2007-12-13
Filing date: 2007-12-13
Publication date: 2010-09-22
Also published as: WO2009073991A1

Abstract

For providing geographical location information to a user of a communication terminal (1), a structured description (21) of location related information is stored in a data file according to a defined description syntax. An object with a link to the structured description is inserted into a Web page (22) of a content server (2). Upon activating a graphical representation (222) of the link object, a plug-in module (11) extracts (S7) the link from the link object, retrieves (S8) the structured description (21) using the link, and transmits (S10) the structured description (21) to a geographical information server (3). Based on the structured description (21) and locally available geographic information, the geographical information server (3) generates and transmits to the communication terminal the geographical location information. Location-specific information of a Web page from a content server (2) can easily and efficiently be associated with related geographical location information from a geographical information server (3).

Description

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING LOCATION INFORMATION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a method and a system for providing location information. Specifically, the present invention relates to a method and a system for providing geographical location information to a user of a communication terminal.

Background of the Invention

With the global acceptance and use of the World Wide Web on the Internet, the exchange of geographical location information is gaining increasingly significance. There are various formats for the exchange of geographical location information. For example, the Keyhole Markup Language (KML) is an XML-based (Extended Markup Language) language schema for defining geographic annotations and visualizations on Web-based online maps. Specifically, KML makes it possible for users to display points of interest on Google Earth and Google Maps. The KML format is used for describing points of interest (name, description, and location), paths, and polygons. Nokia Corporation defined landmark objects for managing personal location information. A landmark object defines one specific geographical location and includes WGS84 coordinates (World Geodetic System, revision 1984). The Geography Mark-up Language (GML) is a XML grammar defined by the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) for describing geographical features. GML provides a very rich and extensive modeling language for geographic systems and an open format for geographic transactions on the Internet. The GPS Exchange Format (GPX) is a "light-weight" XML data format for exchanging GPS data (Global Positioning System) between applications and Web services on the Internet. As the exchange and delivery of geographical location information is becoming more and more important for GIS applications (Geographical Information System) on the Internet, users of the Internet also show an increased interest in communicating and exchanging geographical location information. Particularly, with the wide spread use of social networking sites and personalized Web pages, location-specific information is frequently placed on the Web for interested users, e.g. reports and pictures of vacations and trips to specific geographic locations. However, even if an interested user is provided with a GIS, it is not possible in an efficient way for the interested user to put the location-specific information in the context of his GIS and to obtain related geographical location information, for example, to view the respective geographic location on a map displayed by the GIS. On the other hand, for the user providing the location-specific information, there is no mechanism for enabling the interested user in an efficient fashion to obtain efficiently and easily the related geographical location information.

Summary of the Invention

It is an object of this invention to provide a method and a system for providing geographical location information to a user of a communication terminal, which method and system do not have at least some of the disadvantages from the prior art. In particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method and a system for providing in an efficient fashion, from a geographical information system to a user of a communication terminal, geographical location information related to location-specific information from a content server.

According to the present invention, these objects are achieved particularly through the features of the independent claims. In addition, further advantageous embodiments follow from the dependent claims and the description. According to the present invention, the above-mentioned objects are particularly achieved in that, for providing geographical location information to a user of a communication terminal, generated according to a defined description syntax is a data file comprising a structured description of location related information. For example, the structured description is defined in XML and stored on a content server. A link object is inserted into a Web page of the content server. For example, the Web page is defined in HTML and the link object is defined as an HTML object. The link object includes a link to the structured description. For example, the link is a URL (Uniform Resource Locator). Upon access of the Web page on the content server, e.g. by using a Web browser, a graphical representation of the link object is displayed on the communication terminal, e.g. by the Web browser. Upon activation of the graphical representation, the link is extracted from the link object, and the structured description is retrieved by the communication terminal using the link, e.g. via a telecommunications network from the content server. The structured description is transmitted from the communication terminal to a geographical information server, e.g. via the telecommunications network to a so called location-aware information server. Based on the structured description and geographic information available at the geographical information server, the geographical information server generates the geographical location information. Subsequently, the geographical location information is transmitted from the geographical information server to the communication terminal, e.g. via the telecommunications network. For example, the geographic information includes geographic map data, and the communication terminal displays geographic map data included in the geographical location information. Definition of the structured description according to a defined description syntax makes it possible to provide a portable and exchangeable description of location related information. By automatically accessing the structured description through a link and transmitting the structured description to the geographical information server, the user of a communication terminal can be provided efficiently by the geographical information server with geographical location information related to a Web page from a content server, e.g. to location-specific information obtained from the content server. Moreover, the Web page of the content server, i.e. the location-specific information on the content server, can easily and efficiently be associated with related geographical location information from the geographical information server, by generating and storing the structured description and inserting the link object on the respective Web page of the content server.

In a preferred embodiment a plug-in module is stored in the communication terminal. The link object includes a reference to the plug-in module. Activation of the graphical representation of the link object causes the plug-in module to extract the link from the link object, retrieve the structured description using the link, and transmit the structured description to the geographical information server. Using a plug-in module for extracting the link, retrieving the structured description, and transmitting the structured description to the geographical information server, makes it possible to provide from the geographical information server geographical location information related to a Web page of the content server, i.e. to location-specific information obtained from the content server, without having to make any changes to the Web browser used for accessing the content server.

Preferably, the structured description includes coordinates of one or more geographic locations, and the geographical location information includes geographic map data associated with the one or more geographic locations. Thus, geographic map data from a geographical information server can be associated with the Web page of the content server, i.e. with location-specific information obtained from the content server, and automatically retrieved and provided to the user of the communication terminal.

In an embodiment, the structured description includes a reference to a specific syntax schema, and the geographical information server processes the structured description using the syntax schema defined by the reference. Using the syntax schema referenced by the structured description makes it possible to support different releases and/or versions of the syntax schema.

Preferably, the structured description includes one or more elements, each element including a respective element type and element information related to the element type. For example, the element type is a location, a route, an area, a person, an event, or a warning. Accordingly, the element information includes a location defined by geographic coordinates, a path defined by a sequence of locations (positions), and/or a polygon defined by a sequence of locations (positions). Thus, the syntax schema for the structured description enables a unified model for defining portable and exchangeable location information including a plurality of different location facets such as a location comprising a location defined by geographic coordinates, a route comprising a path defined by a sequence of locations, an area comprising a polygon defined by a sequence of locations, a person associated with (a list of) one or more locations, paths and/or polygons, an event related to (a list of) one or more locations, paths and/or polygons, and/or a warning associated with (a list of) one or more locations, paths and/or polygons.

In addition to a computer-implemented method and system for providing geographical location information to a user of a communication terminal, the present invention also relates to a computer program product including computer program code means for controlling one or more processors of the communication terminal, particularly, a computer program product including a computer readable medium containing therein the computer program code means.

Brief Description of the Drawings The present invention will be explained in more detail, by way of example, with reference to the drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a block diagram illustrating schematically an exemplary configuration of a system for practicing embodiments of the present invention, said configuration comprising a communication terminal and a content server, the content server comprising a structured description and a Web page with a link object, and the communication terminal comprising a plug-in module.

Figure 2 shows a flow diagram illustrating an example of a sequence of steps executed according to the present invention.

Figure 3 shows a block diagram illustrating an example of data exchange and steps executed according to the present invention.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments

In Figure 1 , reference numeral 1 refers to a communication terminal having a communication module for communicating with a content server 2 and a geographical information server 3 via telecommunications network 4. Preferably, the communication module is configured to communicate via the Internet (Internet Protocol) using a transfer protocol such as HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol). For example, communication terminal 1 is a mobile communication terminal, such as a mobile radio telephone, a navigation device, a PDA (personal digital assistant) or laptop computer, or a fixed communication terminal such as a stationary personal computer. The communication terminal 1 includes a display 13 and operating elements 14, e.g. a keyboard, a touch screen and/or a pointing device such as a computer mouse. For example, telecommunications network 4 includes a fixed network and/or a mobile radio network such as a GSM-network (Global System for Mobile Communication), a UMTS-network (Universal Mobile Telephone System) or another mobile radio telephone system, or a WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network). As illustrated schematically in Figure 1 , communication terminal 1 further includes a conventional Web browser module, e.g. Internet Explorer by Microsoft or Firefox by the Mozilla Foundation, for accessing Web pages 22, e.g. HTML Web pages, on the content server 2, as well as a plug-in module 11. Preferably, plug-in module 11 is implemented as a programmed software module stored in communication terminal 1 for controlling one or more processors of the communication terminal 1.

The content server 2 and the geographical information server 3 each comprise one or more computers with one or more processors. The content server 2 and the geographical information server 3 are connected to telecommunications network 4 for data communication with communication terminal 1.

The geographical information server 3 includes a data store, e.g. a database, comprising geographical information 31, particularly geographical map data suited for presentation on a display 13. In addition to providing geographical map data related to specific geographical locations, the geographical information server 3 may be configured to provide further location aware services, for example, location aware information services which provide information for a specific geographical location such as information about shops, restaurants, hotels, public transportation, climate, and current or expected weather.

Reference numeral 5 refers to a schema server. Schema server 5 comprises one or ore computers and a data store with different versions of syntax schemas 51 , e.g. XML schemas. Schema server 5 is configured to respond to requests from remote computers for a specific syntax schema 51 by transmitting the referenced syntax schema 51 via telecommunications network 4 to the requesting computer. Content server 2 includes a data store with at least one data file comprising a structured description 21 of location related information according to a defined description syntax. Preferably, the structured description 21 is defined in XML according to a description syntax defined by one of the syntax schemas 51. Preferably, the structured description 21 includes a reference to the specific syntax schema 51 used for the structured description 21. For example, the reference includes a URL or URI (Uniform Resource Identifier) to the respective syntax schema 51. The structured description 21 includes one or more content elements, each element including an element type and element information related to the respective element type. For example, the element types include simple location, route, area, person, event, and warning. As listed in Table 1 , the element information includes accordingly a location (position) defined by geographic coordinates, a path defined by a sequence of locations (positions, points), or a polygon defined by a sequence of locations (positions).

Table 1

The structured description 21 includes at least one set of coordinates defining a geographic location (position, point).

For example, the syntax schema allows a simple location to be defined using further data fields such as name, address, category, contact, location, description, view, and/or time - thus, the location can be placed also in time. The syntax schema allows an area to be defined using further data fields such as name, color, description, polygon, view, and time. An area can also be placed in time.

A route or path is defined as a list of points (waypoints), e.g. WGS84 points, or locations that contain positions, e.g. WGS84 positions. Location related information defined as a route or path can be imported to a GIS application as a navigable route. The syntax schema allows a route or path to be defined using further data fields such as name, color, description, travel time, waypoints, and time. The route can also be placed in time, e.g. the "Silk Route" can be defined and associated with a specific epoch.

The syntax schema allows an event to be defined using further data fields such as name, location, one or more URI, view, and description. By combining time and location information, the event type is suited well for posting on the Internet news related to specific locations, for example a public meeting.

The syntax schema allows a person to be defined in relation to a specific location using further data fields such as title, first name, middle name, last name, locations, contact, and description. Location related information defined as a person enables users to communicate contact information of specific persons.

The syntax schema allows a warning to be defined using further data fields such as name, description, speed, alarm-radius, locations, view, and time. The warning can also be placed in time. Location related information defined as a warning enables users to communicate warning information with regards to specific locations or areas.

In the following paragraphs, the functionality of the plug-in module 11 and the data exchange between communication terminal 1 , content server 2, and geographical information server 3 are described with reference to Figures 2 and 3.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<lnk:document xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.66.com/link66/1/0 link66.xsd" xmlns:lnk=''http://_\ΛΛΛW.66.com/link66/1/0" xm!ns:xsi='^lhttp://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"> <lnk:link66> <lnk:location>

<lnk:name>ROUTE 66</lnk:name> <lnk:category> <lnk:business> <lnk:facility/> </lnk:business> </lnk:category> <lnk:address>

<lnk:street>Gheorghe l_azar</lnk:street> <lnk:numbeP"2</lnk:number> <lnk:settlemeπt>

<lnk:name>Brasov</lnk:name> <lnk:type>bigCity</lnk:type> <lnk:postal-code>500000</lnk:postal-code> <lnk:detail>

<lnk:county>Brasov</lnk:county> <lnk:country code="ron">Romania</lnk:country> </lnk:detail> </lnk:settlement> </lnk:address> <lnk:detail> <lnk:position>

<lnk:latitude>45.65115</lnk:latitude> <lnk:longitude>25.604855</lnk:longitude> <lnk:altitude>3.14159E0</lnk:altitude> </lnk:position>

<lnk:description>GIS company</lnk:description> <lnk:contact> <lnk:phones>

<lnk:phone mobile="false">+40-0269-475523</lnk:phone> </lnk:phones> <lnk:uris>

<lnk:uri>http://www.66.com</lnk:uri> </lnk:uris> </lnk:contact> <lnk:view>

<lnk:image src="http://www.route66.ro/route66/images/website/sediu.jpg"x/lnk:image> </lnk:view> </lnk:detail> </lnk:location> </ink:link66> </lnk:document>

Table 2

In Figure 2, box 6 refers to preparatory steps SO, S1 and S2. In step SO, the plug-in module 11 is stored in the communication terminal 1. For example, the plug-in module is loaded from a server via telecommunications network 4.

In step S1 , according to a description syntax defined by a syntax schema 51 , a user providing location-specific information on a Web page 22 of content server 2, generates a structured description 21 of some location related information, e.g. a simple location, a route, an area, a person, an event, or a warning. Preferably, the structured description is generated by an XML editor or a description generator configured to request and receive from the user the location-specific information content (e.g. name, address, category, contact, position, description), and to generate automatically the structured description 21 according to the syntax schema 51. The structured description 21 is stored on content server 2 or on a dedicated description server. An example of a structured description of a simple location is shown in Table 2.

...at this location:

</body> </html> Table 3

In step S2, the user providing the location-specific information inserts a link object into the Web page 22. The link object includes a link, e.g. a URL, to the structured description 21 generated and stored in step S1 , e.g. "http://my. webpage.net/vacation2007.link66". The link object further includes a reference to the plug-in module 11 , e.g. "application/link66;link66". Moreover, the link object includes data regarding the graphical representation of the link object on the Web page 22. Table 3 illustrates an example of a link object inserted as an HTML object into an HTML Web page.

In step S3, using the Web browser 12, the interested user of communication terminal 1 accesses the Web page 22 at the content server 2 via telecommunications network 4.

In step S4, content server 2 receives and processes the request for Web page 22, and returns the (HTML) code of Web page 22 to the communication terminal 1.

In step S5, Web page 22 is shown by the Web browser 12 on display 13 of communication terminal 1. As is illustrated in Figure 3, the loaded Web page 22 is shown by the Web browser 12 with a graphical representation 222 of the link object.

In step S6, using operating elements 14, the user of communication terminal 1 selects and activates the graphical representation 222 of the link object, e.g. by maneuvering a pointer over and clicking on the graphical representation 222.

In Figure 2, box 7 refers to steps S7, S8, S10 performed by the plug-in module 11.

In step S7, responsive to activation of the graphical representation 222 of the link object, the plug-in module 11 extracts from the link object the link to the structured description 21.

Subsequently, in step S8, using the retrieved link, the plug-in module 11 retrieves from the content server 2 the structured description 21 associated with the link object. In step S9, the content server 2 receives the read request from the plug-in module 11 and transmits the respective structured description 21 via telecommunications network 4 to the communication terminal 1.

In step S10, the plug-in module 11 receives the structured description 21 from the content server 2 and transmits it via telecommunications network 4 to the geographical information server 3.

In step S11 , the geographical information server 3 receives the structured description 21 from the communications terminal 1. The geographical information server 3 checks whether the syntax schema referenced by the structured description 21 is stored at the geographical information server 3. If this is not the case, the geographical information server 3 retrieves the respective syntax schema 51 from schema server 5.

In step S12, the geographical information server 3 processes the structured description 21 using the referenced syntax schema. In other words, using the proper syntax schema, the geographical information server 3 retrieves from the structured description 21 the location-specific information content, particularly, the geographical position coordinates defining a simple location, a route or an area. Subsequently, using the location-specific information content from the structured description 21 and the geographic information 31 , the geographical information server 3 generates geographical location information to be returned as output 8 to the communication terminal 1. For example, the geographical information server 3 determines map data related to the coordinates of the simple location, route, area, person, event, or warning defined by the structured description 21; specifically, map data related to a geographical area including these coordinates, e.g. highlighting the respective location, route or area. Preferably, the geographical location information is provided as an image data file, a Web page, or a (displayable) window. The generated geographical location information is transmitted from the geographical information server 3 to the communication terminal 1 via telecommunication network 4.

In step 13, the geographical location information is received at the communication terminal 1 , stored, and shown on display 13 of the communication terminal.

It should be noted that, in the description, the computer program code has been associated with specific functional modules and the sequence of the steps has been presented in a specific order, one skilled in the art will understand, however, that the computer program code may be structured differently and that the order of at least some of the steps could be altered, without deviating from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A method of providing geographical location information to a user of a communication terminal (1), the method comprising:

generating (S1 ) a structured description (21 ) of location related information in a data file according to a defined description syntax (51 );

inserting (S2) a link object into a Web page (22) of a content server (2), the link object including a link to the structured description (21);

displaying (S5) on the communication terminal (1) a graphical representation (222) of the link object, upon access of the Web page (22) on the content server (2);

extracting (S7) the link from the link object, upon activation of the graphical representation (222), and retrieving (S8) the structured description (21 ) by the communication terminal (1 ) using the link;

transmitting (S10) the structured description (21) from the communication terminal (1 ) to a geographical information server (3);

generating (S12) the geographical location information at the geographical information server (3) based on the structured description (21 ) and geographic information available at the geographical information server (3); and

transmitting the geographical location information from the geographical information server (3) to the communication terminal (1).

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises storing (SO) a plug-in module (11 ) in the communication terminal (1 ); the link object includes a reference to the plug-in module (11 ); and activation of the graphical representation (222) causes the plug-in module (11) to extract (S7) the link from the link object, retrieve (S8) the structured description (21) using the link, and transmit (S10) the structured description (21) to the geographical information server (3).

3. The method of one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the structured description (21) includes coordinates of one or more geographic locations; and the geographical location information includes geographic map data associated with the one or more geographic locations.

4. The method of one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the structured description (21 ) includes a reference to a specific syntax schema; and the geographical information server (3) processes (S11) the structured description (21 ) using the syntax schema defined by the reference.

5. The method of one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the structured description (21) includes one or more elements, each element including a respective element type and element information related to the element type, the element type being one of location, route, area, person, event, and warning, and the element information including one of a location defined by geographic coordinates, a path defined by a sequence of locations, and a polygon defined by a sequence of locations.

6. The method of one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the structured description (21) is defined in XML; the structured description (21) is stored on the content server (2); the Web page (22) is defined in HTML; the link object is defined as an HTML object; the Web page (22) is accessed by the communication terminal (1) using a Web browser (12); the graphical representation (222) of the link object is displayed by the Web browser (12); the geographic information includes geographic map data; and the communication terminal (1) displays geographic map data included in the geographical location information.

7. A system for providing geographical location information to a user of a communication terminal (1), the system comprising:

a data file including a structured description (21) of location related information according to a defined description syntax;

a Web page (22) on a content server (2), the Web page (22) including a link object with a link to the structured description (21);

a Web browser (12) in the communication terminal (1) configured to display on the communication terminal (1) a graphical representation

(222) of the link object, upon access of the Web page (22) on the content server (2); and

a plug-in module (11) in the communication terminal (1) configured to extract the link from the link object, upon activation of the graphical representation (222) by the user, to retrieve the structured description (21) using the link, to transmit the structured description (21) to a geographical information server (3), and to receive from the geographical information server (3) geographical location information generated by the geographical information server (3) based on the structured description (21 ) and geographic information available at the geographical information server (3).

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the structured description (21) includes coordinates of one or more geographic locations; and the geographical information server (3) is configured to include in the geographical location information geographic map data associated with the one or more geographic locations.

9. The system of one of claims 7 or 8, wherein the structured description (21 ) includes a reference to a specific syntax schema; and the geographical information server (3) is configured to process the structured description (21) using the syntax schema defined by the reference.

10. The system of one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the structured description (21 ) includes one or more elements, each element including a respective element type and element information related to the element type, the element type being one of location, route, area, person, event, and warning, and the element information including one of a location defined by geographic coordinates, a path defined by a sequence of locations, and a polygon defined by a sequence of locations.

11. The system of one of claims 7 to 10, wherein the data file including the structured description (21 ) is stored on the content server (2); the communication terminal (1) is configured to retrieve the structured description (21) from the content server (2) via a telecommunications network (4); the communication terminal (1 ) is configured to transmit the structured description (21 ) to and receive the geographical location information from the geographical information server (3) via a telecommunications network (4); the structured description (21) is defined in XML; the Web page (22) is defined in HTML; the link object is defined as an HTML object; and the plug-in module (11) is configured to display on the communication terminal (1) geographic map data included in the geographical location information.

12. A computer program product comprising computer program code means for controlling one or more processors of a communication terminal (1) configured to access a Web page (22) on a content server (2), such that the communication terminal (1 ), responsive to activation of a graphical representation (222) of an object included on the Web page (22), extracts (S7) a link from the object;

retrieves (S8) a structured description (21) using the link, the structured description (21) specifying location related information according to a defined description syntax in a data file;

transmits (S10) the structured description (21 ) to a geographical information server (3); and

receives (S13) from the geographical information server (3) geographical location information, generated by the geographical information server (3) based on the structured description (21 ) and geographic information available at the geographical information server (3).

13. The computer program product of claim 12 comprising further computer program code means for controlling the processors of the communication terminal (1), such that the communication terminal (1), responsive to activation of the graphical representation (222) in a Web browser (12), extracts the link from an HTML object included on the Web page (22) defined in HTML, retrieves the structured description (21 ) defined in XML from the content server (2), and displays geographic map data included in the geographical location information.