WO2000049369A1

WO2000049369A1 - Method and arrangement for retrieving data

Info

Publication number: WO2000049369A1
Application number: PCT/DE2000/000400
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hans-Georg Baumgarten; Birgit Kreller
Original assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
Priority date: 1999-02-15
Filing date: 2000-02-10
Publication date: 2000-08-24
Also published as: JP2002537593A; EP1153268A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for retrieving data. A first computer is coupled to a second computer via a communications link. Location information of the second computer is determined. Data being relevant for the location information is retrieved from the first computer by means of the second computer.

Description

description

Method and arrangement for data retrieval

The invention relates to a method and an arrangement for retrieving data.

Data retrieval is known from the use of a computer network, e.g. the internet. Due to the abundance of data in the computer network, the search for the actually interesting and relevant data is usually extremely difficult. In particular, if the user does not know the actual filter during the search, it is difficult for him to obtain a suitable search result.

The object of the invention is to provide a possibility for data retrieval, where location information helps with a specific query of the data, a user not necessarily having to know the corresponding location information.

This object is achieved in accordance with the features of the independent claims. Further developments of the invention also result from the dependent claims.

To achieve the object, a method for data retrieval is specified, in which a first computer is coupled to a second computer via a communication link. Location information of the second computer is determined. The second computer uses the second computer to call up data which are relevant with regard to the location information.

The first computer can serve as a data server that keeps the location-related data available to the second computer. Optionally, a location of the second can automatically Computer are determined and this location is communicated to the first computer in the request of the second computer based on a location attribute. The evaluation of the location on the first computer means that the result of the query, that is to say the data transmitted to the second computer, is relevant to the second computer with regard to its location information.

Alternatively, the location information can also be specified. Relevant location information can thus already be called up for a location of interest without the second computer actually having to be located at this location.

Furthermore, the location information can be in a computer network consisting of several first computers, e.g. the Internet, or specifically requested from a very specific first computer (data server).

The location information can be determined in particular via a satellite navigation system (Global Positioning System, GPS) or a cell-oriented communication network (e.g. DECT or GSM radio network).

A further development is that the second computer is a mobile unit, in particular in a vehicle. If the second computer is in motion, the retrieved data can be dynamically adapted to changing location information. E.g. it is possible to determine the current location of the second computer at predetermined times and to send a query to the first computer with this location information. The retrieved data can update the previously retrieved data.

A decisive advantage is that the query with the automatically determined location information for the

Users can be offered numerous regional services without having to worry about their position. There are A variety of possible services that can be offered to the user with particular relevance to his location (or the location of the mobile second computer that the user is carrying), the following facilities may be mentioned here by way of example: hotels, restaurants, ATMs, travel agencies. Furthermore, information about regional events, the traffic situation around the user or tourist information about nearby cities and / or sights can be kept ready. In particular, it should be pointed out that the user does not even have to know his whereabouts and is nevertheless offered the nearest destinations.

The query is not limited to a special service, but can, enriched with the attribute of

Location information, cross-network and / or cross-service: On the one hand, a search on the Internet based on the location information can provide the desired information regarding nearby sights, but the traffic information can be retrieved from a central traffic computer (the attribute of the location information being used as a filter for the flood) possible information serves).

It should be expressly pointed out again that a determination of the location information for the second computer can in particular have three different modes:

• absolute location: based on global navigation, e.g. using GPS;

Relative location: within a radio network, e.g. m a cluster of a DECT or GSM network;

• Predefined: no automatic location determination depending on the actual location of the second computer, but specification of the desired location for use as a targeted filter (attribute: location information at Query in the computer network and / or with a single data server).

When determining the location, it makes sense to call up the data from the first computer that has a predetermined distance from the location information determined on the second computer with regard to a desired filter (for example hotels), for example: "All hotels are at a distance of five kilometers from the current position ". With this request, a search can be initiated via a suitable interface on the first computer and / or a computer network of several first computers. The result of the search is displayed to the user on the second computer. There he can further specify the search if necessary or request additional information about the data found. It is also possible to change the search services or computers / computer networks in order to obtain a different result. The combination of several search services ensures a particularly satisfactory result in practice.

It should also be pointed out that the second computer can have a program that processes independently retrieved data and / or initiates suitable queries with one or more computers and presents the processed result to the user. In this case, the logic of the search engine m moves to the second computer. Here too, a combination of logic in the second computer and logic in the first computer can lead to a particularly good search result.

The mobile unit can be in particular:

A mobile computer, e.g. a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), a notebook or a radio telephone with an extended range of functions; A navigation computer in a vehicle;

• a measuring computer in mobile use. Another embodiment is that the retrieved data has local information (additional location information) that is used to determine a path from the location information to the local information.

An example is the search for a cinema closest to the current location information. The data retrieved provides the nearest cinema with address. However, it may fall difficult to determine the way there. The route can be determined automatically by the

Location information is used as a starting point and the local information as a destination. Now, for example, a shortest or a fastest route can be determined using a navigation system.

It is also a development that the local information is determined indirectly on the basis of the data retrieved. In this case, the data retrieved could include a user group. If the addresses of these users are not included in the retrieved data, they can be queried via an address database (e.g. by searching for names). Once the address has been found, the current location information can serve as the starting point and the determined address of a user in the group can serve as the destination for a route determination.

The route is preferably determined dynamically, since the position of the second computer (and thus the location information) can change at predetermined times.

To solve the problem, an arrangement for retrieving data is also given: a) in which a first computer is coupled to a second computer via a communication link; b) in which location information of the second computer can be determined; c) in which, based on the second computer, data which are relevant with regard to the location information can be called up by the first computer.

This arrangement is particularly suitable for carrying out the method according to the invention or one of its developments explained above.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention are illustrated and explained below with reference to the drawing.

Show it

Fig.l is a sketch showing a block diagram with computers for data retrieval;

2 shows a processor unit which can be used as a first computer or as a second computer.

1 shows a sketch with several computers, from which a mobile computer 101 can call up data. The mobile computer 101 (second computer in the above embodiments) calls data from at least one first computer (m FIG. 1 computer 102 or computer network 103 with the computers 104, 105 and 106) via a radio interface or a landline connection (see connections 107 and 108) from. The data are relevant with regard to location information determined by the mobile computer 101 (see attributes 109 and 110). As a result of the query provided with the location information, the computers (102 or 104 to 106) deliver data which have a certain relevance with regard to the location information. The location information is determined automatically by the mobile computer 101: the position can be determined absolutely by means of satellite navigation, the position becomes relative

Position in a radio network determined by the location information of the current cell. Alternatively, the Location information can be specified manually. The location information is taken into account transparently on the computers 102 or 104 to 106, ie the "location information" attribute is used by the mobile computer when querying as a special filter. How the attribute was assigned a value is irrelevant for the computers 102, 104, 105 and 106 (transparent service).

A processor unit PRZE is shown in FIG. The processor unit PRZE comprises a processor CPU, one

Memory SPE and an input / output interface IOS, which is used in different ways via an interface IFC: output is displayed on a monitor MON and / or output on a printer PRT via a graphic interface. An entry is made using a mouse MAS or a keyboard TAST. The processor unit PRZE also has a data bus BUS, which ensures the connection of a memory MEM, the processor CPU and the input / output interface IOS. Furthermore, additional components can be connected to the data bus BUS, e.g. additional memory, data storage (hard disk) or scanner.

Claims

claims

1. Method for retrieving data, a) in which a first computer is coupled to a second computer via a communication link; b) in which a location information of the second computer is determined; c) in which, on the basis of the second computer, data which are relevant with regard to the location information are called up by the first computer; d) in which the location information provided for the second computer on the first computer dynamically adapts to the location of the second computer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the location information is determined via a satellite navigation system (GPS).

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the location information is obtained via a cell-oriented communication network.

4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, in which when the data is retrieved, in particular for

Data relevant to location information are kept ready by the first computer.

5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second computer is a mobile unit.

6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, in which those data are relevant as with regard to the location information that could be important for a predetermined radius to the location of the second computer.

. Method according to one of the preceding claims, in which in particular the following data are retrieved: a) hotel information; b) rental car; c) city guide; d) regional events; e) traffic information; f) travel agencies; g) ATMs.

8. The method according to any one of claims 3 to 7, in which m are provided to the communication network service providers who offer relevant data to the second computer taking into account the location information.

9. The method according to any one of claims 3 to 8, in which a plurality of first computers are provided which are connected to one another via a network.

10. The method according to one of the preceding claims, a) in which the data are provided with an attribute “location information” and b) in which the data is retrieved by determining on the first computer those data which are less than a predetermined location information Distance.

11. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, in which a local information of the retrieved data is used to determine a path from the location information to the local information.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the local formation is determined indirectly on the basis of the retrieved data.

3. Arrangement for calling up data, a) in which a first computer is coupled to a second computer via a communication link; b) in which location information of the second computer can be determined; c) in which, based on the second computer, data which are relevant with regard to the location information can be called up by the first computer. d) in which the location information available for the second computer on the first computer dynamically adapts to the location of the second computer.