KR20100009976A - Apparatus and method for providing information of distance to destination - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: An apparatus and a method for providing information of distance to destination are provided to find destination easily by receiving wireless signals transmitted from a wireless internet relay apparatus and providing information of distance to the destination. CONSTITUTION: An input unit(10) receives user commands. A wireless module(70) receives wireless signals. A controller(30) compares identification information included in signals received from a wireless module with the name of fixed destination. The controller computes distance to a transmitting unit according to the intensity of signals including identification information according to the name of the destination.

Description

Apparatus and Method for providing information of distance to destination}

The present invention relates to a destination distance guidance device and method, and more particularly, to a destination distance guidance device and method for receiving and guiding a wireless Internet signal transmitted from the destination to the remaining distance to the destination that is not retrieved from the navigation device will be.

The navigation device receives signals from the GPS satellites, calculates the location of the current device, and also retrieves the location of the destination from various stored information to guide the route between the two locations. Accordingly, the user of the navigation device is guided through a relatively specific and accurate route, so that the user can easily find a destination even on a transboundary road.

However, in order to provide an accurate route to the destination, the information stored in the navigation device must be very detailed. If the name of the destination to be visited in the navigation device is not registered, it is difficult to be informed of the route to the destination.

In particular, if you do not know the exact address of the destination and only have information about the destination name and the approximate location, or if you only have a brief map to the destination, you can use the navigation device to get to the vicinity of the destination. It was difficult to find the destination because it could not be provided.

In an area where buildings are concentrated in an urban area or in an area where various small and medium businesses are concentrated, such a situation occurs frequently because all companies are not registered in the navigation device.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to receive a radio signal transmitted from a wireless internet relay installed in a destination when it is difficult to determine the exact location of the destination near the destination. The present invention provides a destination distance guidance apparatus and method for guiding a destination distance determined according to signal strength, thereby making it easier to find a destination.

In addition, another object of the present invention, by detecting the strength of the radio signal to guide the distance to the destination and at the same time by providing a route guidance function provided by the conventional navigation device to the destination for the user to conveniently receive the route guidance It is to provide a distance guidance device and method.

According to a feature of the present invention for achieving the above object, the present invention includes an input unit for receiving a user command; A wireless module for receiving a radio signal; A control unit that reads the identification information included in the signal received from the wireless module and compares it with the set destination name, and calculates the distance from the transmission apparatus of the corresponding signal using the strength of the signal including the identification information corresponding to the destination name. It is configured to include.

The identification information may be SSID (Service Set IDentifier) information included in the header area of the radio signal packet.

In this case, the wireless module may be a wireless internet module.

The destination distance guide device may further include an output unit for guiding the distance calculated by the controller.

In addition, the destination distance guide device, GPS module for receiving a GPS signal from the satellite; The memory module may further include a memory unit configured to store location information, map information, name information, and the like, for use in route searching and route guidance, compared to a position vector calculated using the GPS signal received by the GPS module.

When the destination name input by the input unit is searched for in the name information stored in the memory unit, the controller may drive the GPS module to perform route search and route guidance to the destination based on the received GPS signal. Can be.

When the destination name input from the input unit is not found within the name information stored in the memory unit, the controller may drive the wireless module to guide distance to the destination based on the strength of the received radio signal. Can be.

The destination distance guide device may be a navigation terminal.

On the other hand, the present invention, (A) extracting the identification information contained in the received radio signal; (B) comparing the extracted identification information with the destination name; (C) measuring the strength of the radio signal including the identification information including the destination name; (D) calculating a distance from the transmitting apparatus to which the corresponding radio signal is transmitted using the measured strength of the signal; (E) guiding the calculated distance.

In this case, step (A) may be performed by extracting a SSID (Service Set IDentifier) included in the header area of the radio signal packet.

In this case, the wireless signal may be a wireless internet signal.

On the other hand, the present invention comprises the steps of: (a) inputting the first destination name searched in the previously stored name information; (b) inputting a second destination name not found in the previously stored name information; (c) comparing a location vector of the first destination with a current location vector calculated by a GPS signal to perform a path search and route guidance; (d) searching for a radio signal including identification information that matches the second destination name; (e) measuring the strength of the retrieved radio signal; (f) calculating a distance from a transmitting device that transmits the corresponding wireless signal using the measured strength of the signal; And (g) guiding the calculated distance.

In this case, step (c) and step (d) may be performed simultaneously.

Also, steps (d) to (g) may be performed when it is determined that the distance between the location vector of the first destination and the current location vector is less than or equal to a predetermined distance during the step (c).

Steps (d) to (g) may be performed when a second destination distance guidance command is input from the user during the step (c).

As described in detail above, according to the destination distance guide apparatus and method according to the present invention, the following effects can be expected.

That is, when it is difficult to determine the exact location of the destination in the vicinity of the destination, by receiving a wireless signal transmitted from the wireless Internet relay installed in the destination to guide the destination distance determined according to the signal strength to make it easier to find the destination There is an advantage.

In addition, according to the destination distance guide apparatus and method according to the present invention by detecting the strength of the radio signal using a single navigation device to guide the distance to the destination and at the same time by providing a route guidance function provided by the conventional navigation device There is an advantage that the user can conveniently receive the route guidance.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, the configuration of the destination distance guide device according to the present invention as described above will be described in detail.

1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a destination distance guide apparatus according to a specific embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the destination distance guide apparatus 100 according to a specific embodiment of the present invention is first provided with an input unit 10. The input unit 10 includes one or more input buttons or a touch pad.

The user inputs various commands to the destination distance guide device 100 through the input unit 10. In addition, the user may input the name of the destination to go to.

Here, the destination distance guide device 100 may be a terminal for guiding a location of a destination like a navigation device.

The destination distance guide device 100 is provided with a GPS module 20. The GPS module 20 receives RF signals received from a plurality of GPS satellites.

In addition, the destination distance guide device 100 is provided with a control unit 30, the control unit processes a signal from a plurality of satellites received by the GPS module 20 to the current location of the destination distance guide device 100 Calculate the position coordinate. The controller 30 is responsible for the overall control of the destination distance guide device 100 according to a command input through the input unit 10.

In addition, the controller 30 calculates the current position coordinates using the GPS satellite signals received from the GPS module 20, and various information necessary for performing a route search to a destination using the calculated current position coordinates are provided. The memory unit 40 to be stored is provided.

The information stored in the memory unit 40 may be map information, address information, address that may be a destination, name information, location coordinate information corresponding thereto, and additional information to be provided with the route guidance.

In addition, the controller 30 accesses the memory unit 40 to read the above information, retrieves the location coordinates of the destination, and compares the location coordinates with the current location coordinates to perform a route search.

As such, the destination distance guide apparatus 100 includes a video output unit 50 and an audio output unit 60 to guide the user to the route searched by the controller 30.

The video output unit 50 displays various data including map information on a guided route. To this end, the video output unit 50 may be provided as an LCD monitor or the like. In order to use the video output unit 50 as an input unit, the video output unit 50 may be configured as a touch screen. A user interface for displaying various menus on a touch screen may be provided for convenience of input of the touch screen.

The audio output unit 60 may be a normal speaker means, and outputs information such as various distances, directions, and the like related to the route to be guided.

Meanwhile, the destination distance guide apparatus 100 may be provided with a wireless internet module 70. The wireless internet module 70 may be a Wi-Fi module or a Wibro module.

The wireless internet module 70 includes an RF module so that the destination distance guide apparatus 100 can access the internet network, and processes a signal to be input and output from the RF module according to a communication standard commonly used in the wireless internet network.

In addition, in the present invention, the wireless Internet module 70 receives all signals received from various access points (hereinafter, referred to as 'AP') for relaying the wireless internet module 70 to the Internet network. In this case, the AP is used as a term that includes all the relay devices connecting the wireless Internet terminals to the Internet network.

The controller 30 scans header areas of all packets received by the wireless Internet module 70. Accordingly, the identification information included in the header area of the packet is read. For example, the identification information may be SSID (Service Set IDentifier) information, which is information included for identification of each signal in every packet transmitted from a wireless Internet terminal or a relay device.

At this time, most of the SSID is set to match the company name. Therefore, the controller 10 determines whether there is identification information that matches the destination name among the read identification information.

However, before the controller 30 compares the destination name with the identification information included in the packet received from the AP, the controller 30 first compares the destination name with name information stored in the memory unit 40 to match. First, it is judged whether or not information is retrieved.

Then, it is determined whether coordinate information corresponding to the matching name information is stored in the memory unit 40.

If the controller 30 determines that name information corresponding to the destination name is not found in the memory unit 40 or name information corresponding to the destination name is found, the corresponding coordinate information is stored in the memory. When not stored in the unit 40, the controller 30 compares the identification information included in the packet received from the AP with the destination name information.

When a signal including identification information that matches the destination name is found as a result of the comparison of the controller 30, the controller 30 or the wireless internet module 70 measures the reception sensitivity or the signal strength of the corresponding signal. . In this case, the signal strength may be a RSSI value (Received Signal Strength Indication).

When the signal strength of the signal including the identification information matching the destination name is measured, the controller 30 calculates the distance of the AP transmitting the signal by substituting the measured signal strength into a predetermined function.

The controller 10 may display the calculated distance value as a numerical value on the video output unit 50 or voice guide the audio output unit 60.

Alternatively, the controller 10 may display the signal strength on the video output unit 50 in a specific shape such as a graph or may guide the signal output period of the audio output unit 60 by varying the period.

Hereinafter, a method for guiding a destination distance according to the present invention will be described step by step with reference to the accompanying drawings.

2 is a flowchart illustrating a destination distance guide method step by step according to a specific embodiment of the present invention, Figure 3 is a flowchart showing a destination distance guide method step by step according to another embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 2, the method for guiding a destination distance according to a specific embodiment of the present invention first detects SSID information included in a header area of each packet with respect to wireless Internet signals received by the wireless Internet module 70. It starts from the step (S110).

At this time, the SSID information is identification information included in the header area of all packets transmitted from the AP connecting the wireless Internet terminal to the Internet network.

Therefore, in step S120, the SSIDs detected in step 110 are compared with destination names set in the destination distance guide apparatus 100, respectively.

If there is an SSID determined to match the destination name in step 120, the controller 30 measures the reception sensitivity or signal strength of the received wireless Internet signal including the corresponding SSID (S130).

The signal strength may be an RSSI value.

The distance from the AP transmitting the corresponding signal is calculated using the reception sensitivity or the signal strength measured in operation 130 (S140).

Subsequently, the step of guiding the distance to the AP that transmits the corresponding signal is performed according to the execution result of step 140 (S150).

The guided distance is not necessarily an absolute value but may be a relative value. In other words, when the signal strength is determined to be gradually weakened, it may be determined that the distance is also relatively far away, and thus this may be represented by a graph or the like rather than an accurate value.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step 120 that the packet including the SSID corresponding to the destination name is not received, the signal is continuously received and the destination name is compared with the identification information.

When a preset condition is completed, such as when the distance guidance function of the destination distance guide device 100 is released or a packet including the SSID corresponding to the destination name is not received such that a predetermined time elapses (S160), the wireless Internet module The driving of 70 is stopped and the distance guide function is stopped.

Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 3, another embodiment of the present invention starts from step S200 in which a first destination and a second destination are set.

In this case, another embodiment of the present invention provides a path search and guidance function of a conventional navigation device using the GPS module 20 and a destination distance guidance function by signal strength using the wireless Internet module 70 in parallel. Yes.

The first and second destinations set in step 200 may not necessarily be set all at once, and the second destination may be set later.

Here, the first destination is destination information to be used for the route search of a typical navigation device using the GPS module 20, and the second destination is information to be used for guiding a destination distance by signal strength using the wireless Internet module 70. .

The user first searches for the destination name to be actually visited through the input unit 10, and if no matching name is found in the name information stored in the memory unit 40, another place around the destination to be visited. Among the names, a place to be searched within the name information stored in the memory unit 40 is set as the first destination, and a destination name to be actually visited is set as the second destination.

When the destination setting is completed, the GPS module 20 receives a signal from a GPS satellite, and the controller 30 processes the received signal to calculate a current position coordinate. Thereafter, a route search and a route guide are performed in a general navigation device using the calculated current position coordinates, various information stored in the memory unit 40, and first set destination information (S220).

When it is determined in step 220 that the vehicle has moved to the vicinity of the set first destination by moving along the searched and guided path, that is, when the distance between the two is calculated by comparing the current location coordinates with the location coordinates of the first destination. If it is determined that the set distance or less (S240), the controller 30 drives the wireless Internet module 70 (S260).

In this case, the wireless internet module 70 may be in a standby mode or a power-off state before the controller 30 is driven, and may be driven according to a command of the controller 30 to prevent unnecessary power consumption.

In operation 260, the wireless Internet module 70, which is started to drive, reads the header area of the received wireless Internet signal, reads identification information of each signal, compares the identification information with the second destination name, and matches the identification information. If present, the signal strength or reception sensitivity of the signal including the identification information is measured. And using the measured value to guide the absolute or relative distance to the second destination (S1000) is performed.

Here, the series of processes included in step 1000 are the same as steps 110 through 160 described with reference to FIG. 2.

In this case, the process of setting the second destination may be performed before or after step 260 instead of step 200.

In addition, the route guidance function of the general navigation using the GPS module 20 and the destination distance guidance function using the wireless internet module 70 may be sequentially provided as described with reference to FIG. 3. The route guidance function of the general navigation using 20 and the destination distance guidance function using the wireless internet module 70 may be simultaneously provided.

The rights of the present invention are not limited to the embodiments described above, but are defined by the claims, and those skilled in the art can make various modifications and adaptations within the scope of the claims. It is self-evident.

1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a destination distance guide apparatus according to a specific embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a flowchart illustrating a destination distance guide method according to a specific embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a flowchart illustrating a method for guiding a destination distance according to another embodiment of the present invention.

** Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings **

100: destination street guidance device

10: input unit 20: GPS module

30: control unit 40: memory unit

50: video output unit 60: audio output unit

70: wireless internet module

Claims (15)

An input unit for receiving a user command; A wireless module for receiving a radio signal; A control unit that reads the identification information included in the signal received from the wireless module and compares it with the set destination name, and calculates the distance from the transmission apparatus of the corresponding signal using the strength of the signal including the identification information corresponding to the destination name. Destination distance guide device, characterized in that configured to include. The method of claim 1, The identification information, And a destination set identifier (SSID) included in a header area of a radio signal packet. The method according to claim 1 or 2, The wireless module, Destination distance guide device characterized in that the wireless Internet module. The method of claim 1, The destination distance guide device, And an output unit for guiding the distance calculated by the controller. The method of claim 4, wherein The destination distance guide device, A GPS module for receiving GPS signals from satellites; A destination distance further comprising a memory unit for storing location information, map information, name information, and the like, for use in route searching and route guidance, compared to a position vector calculated using the GPS signal received by the GPS module. Guide device. The method of claim 5, The control unit, When the destination name input from the input unit is searched within the name information stored in the memory unit, the destination distance is characterized by performing a route search and route guidance to the destination based on the received GPS signal by driving the GPS module. Guide device. The method of claim 5, The control unit, If the destination name input by the input unit is not found within the name information stored in the memory unit, the distance to the destination based on the strength of the received radio signal by driving the wireless module to guide the distance to the destination Guide device. The method of claim 5, The destination distance guide device, Destination distance guide device, characterized in that the navigation terminal. (A) extracting identification information included in the received radio signal; (B) comparing the extracted identification information with the destination name; (C) measuring the strength of the radio signal including the identification information including the destination name; (D) calculating a distance from the transmitting device to which the corresponding radio signal is transmitted using the measured signal strength; And (E) guiding the calculated distance. The method of claim 9, Step (A) is And extracting the SSID (Service Set IDentifier) included in the header area of the radio signal packet. The method of claim 9 or 10, The radio signal is, Destination street guidance method characterized in that the wireless Internet signal. (a) inputting a first destination name searched for in the previously stored name information; (b) inputting a second destination name not found in the previously stored name information; (c) comparing a location vector of the first destination with a current location vector calculated by a GPS signal to perform a path search and route guidance; (d) searching for a radio signal including identification information that matches the second destination name; (e) measuring the strength of the retrieved radio signal; (f) calculating a distance from a transmitting device that transmits the corresponding wireless signal using the measured strength of the signal; And and (g) guiding the computed distances. The method of claim 12, Wherein (c) and step (d) is carried out at the same time characterized in that the destination distance guidance method. The method of claim 12, Step (d) to (g) is. And if it is determined that the distance between the location vector of the first destination and the current location vector is less than or equal to a predetermined distance during the step (c), the destination distance guide method. The method of claim 12, Step (d) to (g) is, And a second destination distance guidance command is input from the user during the step (c).

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