Abstract:
A location context managing method applied to an electronic device having at least one sensor, including: receiving positioning information from a plurality of positioning sources; receiving a value from the sensor; choosing a scenario from a scenario table based on the value received from the sensor and the positioning information received from the plurality of positioning sources, and calculating a location of the electronic device according to the scenario, wherein the scenario table lists a plurality of scenarios, each decides which positioning information from the plurality positioning sources to be adopted for the location calculation.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application No. 62/218,581, filed on Sep. 15, 2015 and incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to a positioning method, and more particularly, to a context managing method and an electronic device. 
         [0003]    Traditionally, an electronic device such as a smart phone utilizes radio signals (e.g. Global Positioning System (GPS), Wireless Fidelity (WiFi), or a Bluetooth (BT)) for positioning. However, if only one single positioning method is applied for positioning, the current absolute position and continuous track data will no longer be recorded when the radio signals strength are not good enough. For example, when the user is driving/walking in an underground parking lot, the radio signals may be very weak or may be lost. In addition, constantly searching for radio signals (e.g. GPS signal or WiFi signal) for positioning causes considerable power consumption. 
         [0004]    Therefore, a method capable of detecting the context of the user to selectively turn off the positioning source to save power and/or capable of utilizing multiple positioning sources at the same time for positioning is desirable. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    One of the objectives of the present invention is to provide a location context managing method to detect a context of a user for positioning and an electronic device. 
         [0006]    According to an embodiment of the present invention, a location context managing method applied to an electronic device having at least one sensor is disclosed, wherein the method comprises: receiving positioning information from a plurality of positioning sources; receiving a value from the sensor; choosing a scenario from a scenario table based on the value received from the sensor and the positioning information received from the plurality of positioning sources, and calculating a location of the electronic device according to the scenario, wherein the scenario table lists a plurality of scenarios, each decides which positioning information from the plurality positioning sources to be adopted for the location calculation. 
         [0007]    According to an embodiment of the present invention, an electronic device having at least one sensor is disclosed, wherein the electronic device comprises: a storage device, arranged to store a program code; and a processor, arranged to execute the program code. When loaded and executed by the processor, the program code instructs the processor to execute following steps: receiving positioning information from a plurality of positioning sources; 
         [0000]    receiving a value from the sensor; choosing a scenario from a scenario table based on the value received from the sensor and the positioning information received from the plurality of positioning sources, and calculating a location of the electronic device according to the scenario, wherein the scenario table lists a plurality of scenarios, each decides which positioning information from the plurality positioning sources to be adopted for the location calculation. 
         [0008]    These and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment that is illustrated in the various figures and drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a diagram illustrating a location context managing system applied to an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a diagram illustrating a route according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart illustrating the operation of a context managing system in different contexts according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a diagram illustrating an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0013]    Certain terms are used throughout the description and following claims to refer to particular components. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, manufacturers may refer to a component by different names. This document does not intend to distinguish between components that differ in name but not function. In the following description and in the claims, the terms “include” and “comprise” are used in an open-ended fashion, and thus should not be interpreted as a close-ended term such as “consist of”. Also, the term “couple” is intended to mean either an indirect or direct electrical connection. Accordingly, if one device is coupled to another device, that connection may be through a direct electrical connection, or through an indirect electrical connection via other devices and connections. 
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is a diagram illustrating a location context managing system  100  applied to an electronic device  10  according to an embodiment of the present invention. The electronic device  10  is equipped with positioning capability. For example, the electronic device  10  may be a portable navigation device such as a mobile phone or a tablet. For another example, the electronic device  10  may be a part of a car navigation system. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the electronic device  10  includes a location context managing system  100  and a plurality of positioning sources, wherein the context manager system  100  includes a context managing module  101 , a calculation module  102  and a calibration module  103 , and the plurality of positioning sources include a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver (e.g., a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver), a Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) device, a Near-Field Communication (NFC) device, a Bluetooth (BT) device, a map and a plurality of sensors S 1  to Sn. The plurality of sensors S 1  to Sn include, not a limitation, an accelerometer, a magnetic sensor, a gyroscope, a pressure sensor, etc. It should be noted that the plurality of sensors S 1  to Sn can be the sensors installed in the electronic device  10  or the ones connected to the electronic device  10  in a wired manner or a wireless manner. For example, the plurality of sensors S 1  to Sn may include an odometer sensor connected to the electronic device  10  wirelessly or by-wired, and arranged to measure the moving distance or the orientation of the car. Those skilled in the art should understand the functions of the plurality of positioning sources, the detailed description of the plurality of positioning sources is thus omitted here due to the highlight of the present invention should focus on the positioning method. 
         [0015]    The location context managing module  101 , calculation module  102  and calibration module  103  of the location context managing system  100  may be software modules. The context managing module  101  is arranged to receive positioning information of the plurality of positioning sources and selectively turnoff the positioning sources, wherein the positioning information of the plurality of positioning sources are varied according to the context of the user of the electronic device  10 . For example, the positioning information of the GNSS receiver is referred to the signal strength received by the GNSS receiver. If the user of the electronic device  10  drives a car into an underground parking lot from outdoor, the strength of the satellite signal received by the GNSS receiver becomes weaker. When the strength of the satellite signal received by the GNSS receivers is smaller than a predetermined value, the location context managing module  101  can turn off the GNSS receiver to save power. In this way, the context managing module  101  prevents the GNSS receiver from keeping searching for the satellite signal even when the strength of the satellite signal is way too small. For another example, the positioning information of the pressure sensor is referred to the pressure measured by the pressure sensor. If the user takes an elevator from the underground parking lot to high floor office, the pressure measured by the pressure sensor becomes smaller. For yet another example, the state of the map is referred to the accuracy. 
         [0016]    The calculation module  102  is arranged to calculate a location of the electronic device  10  according to the positioning information of the plurality of positioning sources which varied with the scenarios. Because the location is calculated based on multiple positioning sources, the accuracy can be greatly improved. The calibration module  103  is arranged to calibrate the plurality of positioning sources according to the location calculated by the calculation module  102 . It should be noted that the calibration module  103  may be optional depending upon actual design considerations. 
         [0017]      FIG. 2  is a diagram illustrating a route according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 2 , it is assumed that the user is driving outdoor at the first place. At this moment, the position of the user can be located by the GNSS signal. Also, because of driving outdoor, the strength of the Wi-Fi signal is smaller than the predetermined value, the context managing module  101  turns off the Wi-Fi device for saving power. Next, following the route  1  shown in  FIG. 2 , the user drives into an underground parking lot from outdoor. The context managing module  101  checks the positioning information of the GNSS receiver and finds out the strength of the signal received by the GNSS receiver is smaller than the predetermined value, the context manager module  101  thus turns off the GNSS receiver. Next, following the route  2  shown in  FIG. 2 , the user drives in the underground parking lot. At this moment, the calculation module  102  calculates the track of the user by automobile dead-reckoning method according to one or more of the plurality of sensors S 1  to Sn. Then, following the route  3  shown in  FIG. 2 , the user walks in the underground parking lot. At this moment, the calculation module  102  calculates the track of the user by pedestrian dead-reckoning method according to one or more of the plurality of sensors S 1  to Sn. Then, the user enters the elevator. At this moment, the calculation module  102  calculates the track of the user according to one or more of the plurality of sensors S 1  to Sn and also utilizes the map to accurately position the user. Finally, the user walks out the elevator and enters the office. At this moment, the calculation module  101  calculates the track of the user according to the signal received by the Wi-Fi device. When the user needs to find the car parked in the underground parking lot, the electronic device  10  can retrace the track to inform the user of the parking position of the car. 
         [0018]    Table 1 shown below illustrates scores of the positioning sources in different contexts according to an embodiment of the present invention. The scores shown in the table 1 represent the dependency of the positioning information of the plurality of sources in the specific context. For example, when the user drives outdoor, the GNSS signal scores 2 points due to the strongest dependency. In addition, the Wi-Fi device is unable to receive any Wi-Fi signal when the user drives outdoor, the Wi-fi device thus scores 0 points. At this case, the context manager module  101  turns off the Wi-Fi device to save more power. It should be noted that Table 1 is only for illustrative purpose, and the score of the positioning source only represents the dependency of the positioning source to indicate how important the positioning source is in the specific context for positioning, not an actual score. 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
             
               
               
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
                 TABLE 1 
               
             
             
               
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 context 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 Driving 
                 Underground 
                 Underground 
                   
                 Office 
               
               
                 Source 
                 outdoor 
                 driving 
                 walking 
                 elevator 
                 walking 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 GNSS 
                 2 
                 0 
                 0 
                 0 
                 0 
               
               
                 Sensor 
                 1 
                 1 
                 2 
                 1 
                 1 
               
               
                 WiFi 
                 0 
                 1 
                 0 
                 0 
                 2 
               
               
                 Map 
                 0 
                 1 
                 1 
                 2 
                 0 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0019]    In different contexts, the context manager module  101  can still utilize multiple positioning sources for positioning, such that the accuracy can be greatly improved. Also, by turning off the positioning source which has the poorest dependency for positioning, the power consumption can be reduced. 
         [0020]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the context manager system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Provided that the result is substantially the same, the steps are not required to be executed in the exact order shown in  FIG. 3 , the operation may be briefly summarized by following steps. 
         [0000]    Step  300 : receive positioning information from a plurality of positioning sources.
 
Step  302 : receive a value from the sensor.
 
Step  304 : choose a scenario from a scenario table based on the value received from the sensor and the positioning information received from the plurality of positioning sources.
 
Step  306 : calculate a location of the electronic device according to the scenario.
 
         [0021]    As a person skilled in the art can readily understand details of each step shown in  FIG. 3  after reading above paragraphs directed to the context manager system  100  shown in  FIG. 1 , further description is omitted here for brevity. 
         [0022]      FIG. 4  is a diagram illustrating an electronic device  400  according to an embodiment of the present invention. The location context managing system.  100 ≅can be implemented using the electronic device  400 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , the electronic device  400  includes a storage device  401  and a processor  402 . For example, the storage device  401  may be a memory device. The storage device  401  is arranged to store a program code PROG including software modules such as the aforementioned context managing module  101 , calculation module  102  and calibration module  103 . When the program code PROG is loaded and executed by the processor  402 , the processor  402  executes the steps shown in  FIG. 3 . Those skilled in the art can readily understand details of the operation of the electronic device  400  after reading above paragraphs, further description is omitted here for brevity. 
         [0023]    Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device and method may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claims.