Abstract:
The present invention discloses an apparatus and a method of sharing data by an instant message. The electronic apparatus sends user ID information to an instant message platform through an instant message program to complete a logon procedure, such that the electronic apparatus can transmit position information or multimedia stream to a remote host logged on the instant message platform through an instant message network. A visual operation interface of the instant message program displays the positions of the electronic apparatus and a plurality of remote hosts on a map. Users can select one of the remote hosts as a target position for the navigation through the visual operation interface. The electronic apparatus sends a playing multimedia data in a stream format to at least one remote host through the instant message network, and plays the multimedia data at the remote host to achieve the instant multimedia sharing effect.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method of sharing data by an instant message, and more particularly to an apparatus and a method of sharing position information or multimedia stream by an instant message. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    At present, the application of a global positioning system (GPS) becomes increasingly popular, and many people rely on the global positioning system (GPS) to plan their driving routes and navigation paths to prevent getting lost and avoid traffics. However, the operating interface of a traditional global positioning system (GPS) is very complicated and generally requires a complicated operating procedure to complete setting a destination and a navigation path, and thus it takes some time for users to learn the operating procedure. In a traditional global positioning system (GPS), if a user needs to navigate an address other than those preinstalled into the system, such as a place for meeting a friend, and thus it is necessary to know the address where the friend is currently situated, and then the user has to input the address into the global positioning system (GPS), such that the global positioning system (GPS) can plan a route, and the aforementioned procedure requires the user to go through a series of steps. If the user is driving a car and needs to carry out these steps, it is definitely a challenge to the user. Therefore, finding a way of simplifying the operation procedure of a global positioning system (GPS) demands immediate attentions and feasible solutions. 
         [0005]    Instant message software including MSN, or Skype has become very popular, and most people have experience of using instant messages to talk with a friend at a remote end. In general, many people have a logon account of the instant message software and are familiar with the operating interface of the instant message software already. 
         [0006]    In addition, a user also can send a file to a friend at a remote end through the instant message software. However, the friend at a remote end must receive a complete file before the file can be opened or played, and users cannot share a certain pieces of the file with their friends at a remote end. 
         [0007]    In view of shortcomings of the prior art, the inventor of the present invention based on years of experience in the related industry to conduct extensive researches and experiments, and finally developed an apparatus and a method of sharing data by an instant message in accordance with the present invention to overcome the aforementioned shortcomings. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    Therefore, it is a primary objective of the present invention to provide an apparatus and a method of sharing data by an instant message for improving the convenience of sharing data. 
         [0009]    To achieve the foregoing objective, the invention provides a method of sharing position information between an electronic apparatus and a remote host, and the method comprises the steps of: transmitting a user ID information to an instant message platform through an instant message (IM) program to complete a logon procedure; transmitting data with a remote host logged on the instant message platform through an instant message network; obtaining a position information of the remote host, and transmitting a position information of an electronic apparatus of the user ID information through the instant message network to the remote host; receiving a position information of the remote host through the instant message network; and displaying the position information of a local host and the remote host on an electronic map screen. 
         [0010]    The present invention further provides an electronic apparatus that comprises a global positioning module, a processing unit and a display unit. The global positioning module is used to provide a position information of the electronic apparatus, and the processing unit executes an instant message program, and transmits a user ID information of the electronic apparatus to an instant message platform to complete a logon procedure. The position information and instant text messages are transmitted with a remote host logged on the instant message platform through the instant message network. The display unit is provided for displaying a visual operation interface of the instant message program, and the visual operation interface includes a text input area and a map display area, and the display unit displays the position information of the electronic apparatus and remote host on the map display area. 
         [0011]    A user also can select a remote host from the map display area as a destination, and the processing unit calculates a planned route between an electronic apparatus and the remote host, and generates a navigation message based on the position information of the electronic apparatus in the planned route, so that the user can continue gaining experience on operating the instant message program and use a simple and easy way to complete the setup of the route navigation. 
         [0012]    The present invention further provides a method of sharing multimedia data between an electronic apparatus and a remote host, and the method comprises the steps of: playing a multimedia file; transmitting a user ID information into an instant message platform to complete a logon procedure through an instant message program; transmitting data with a remote host logged on the instant message platform through an instant message network; receiving a trigger signal; converting data of the multimedia file at the time after a trigger signal shows up into a multimedia stream; transmitting the multimedia stream to the remote host through the instant message network; and playing the multimedia stream at the remote host. 
         [0013]    The present invention further provides an electronic apparatus that comprises a multimedia playing unit, a processing unit and a stream conversion unit. The processing unit is provided for executing an instant message program and transmitting a user ID information of the electronic apparatus to an instant message platform to complete a logon procedure, and data is transmitted with a remote host logged on the instant message platform through an instant message network. If the multimedia playing unit is playing a multimedia file and the processing unit has received a trigger signal, then the stream conversion unit will convert a data of the multimedia file at the time after a trigger signal shows up into a multimedia stream, and the multimedia stream is transmitted to the remote host through the instant message network. 
         [0014]    To make it easier for our examiner to understand the technical characteristics and effects of the present invention, we use preferred embodiments together with the attached drawings for the detailed description of the present invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an apparatus provided for a user to share position information with a friend at a remote end by instant message in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  is a schematic view of a visual operation interface of an instant message program in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  is a flow chart of a method of sharing position information between a user and a friend at a remote end by instant message in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 4  is a block diagram of an apparatus provided for a user to share multimedia data with a friend at a remote end by instant message in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 5  is a schematic view of a video file in accordance with the present invention; and 
           [0020]      FIG. 6  is a flow chart of a method of sharing multimedia data with a friend at a remote end by instant message in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0021]    The method of sharing data by instant message and its electronic apparatus in accordance with the present invention will now be described in more detail hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings that show various embodiments of the invention, in which the same element illustrated in the following preferred embodiments is represented by the same numeral for simplicity. 
         [0022]    Referring to  FIG. 1  for a block diagram of an electronic apparatus provided for a user to share position information with a friend at a remote end by an instant message in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a computer device  1  of the embodiment comprises a global positioning module (GPS)  10 , a processing unit  11 , a display unit  12  and a memory unit  13 . The global positioning module  10  is provided for receiving at least four satellite positioning signals to calculate the position information of the computer device  1 . The processing unit  11  is provided for executing an instant message program  14  stored in the memory unit  13 , and transmitting a user ID information to an instant message platform  15  to complete a logon procedure. After the logon is completed, the instant message program  14  stores the current network connection related data including an IP address or a port ID of the computer device  1  in the instant message platform  15 , and the data is provided and read by the remote computer device. Similarly, if a friend of the user is using a computer device  16  logged on the instant message platform  15 , the computer device  1  will perform a node-to-node connection in the instant message network  151  to transmit position information and instant text messages according to the network connection related data of the computer device  16  stored in the instant message platform  15 . 
         [0023]    The display unit  12  is provided for displaying a visual operation interface  2  of the instant message program  14  as shown in  FIG. 2 , and the visual operation interface  2  includes a text input area  20 , a map display area  21  and a history message display area  22 , and the display unit  12  displays the position information of the computer device  1  at the map display area  21  and the position information of the computer operated by a friend within a predetermined range at a distance from the user. In  FIG. 2 , the friend a, friend c and friend h of the user have logged on the instant message platform  15 , and the global positioning modules have installed to the operating computer devices, and thus the friend a, friend c and friend h of the user can transmit position information with each other, and display the position information at the map display area  21 . Users can adjust the display scale of the map display area  21  according to actual requirements. 
         [0024]    The computer device  1  can include a navigation module, if needed, for calculating a planned route between a user and a friend at a remote end to carry out navigation, and the planned route is displayed at the map display area. F or instance, in  FIG. 2 , a user inputs texts at the text input area  20 , and makes a lunch appointment with a friend at 11:30 am through the instant text message, and then the user can touch the icon of friend a in the map display area  21 , and the navigation module will plan a better route  23  according to the user&#39;s current position information, the friend&#39;s current position information and the map database to, and display the better route  23  in a graphic mode at the map display area or all of the names of the roads along the better route  23  in a text mode. The navigation module will generate a navigation message, according to the route  23  and the position information of the computer device  1 , to guide a user to go to the position of friend a. Such the navigation message can include a left turn message, a right turn message, a front gate reminding message, a speed limit reminder message or a police detector position reminding message. In  FIG. 2 , if the navigation module determines that the position of the user has approached a turning corner position  231 , a left turn message will be generated and displayed on the display unit  12  or outputted by a speaker of the computer device to remind the user. 
         [0025]    In the foregoing process, a user can continue gaining experience on operating the instant message program and use a simple and easy way to complete the setup of a route navigation. 
         [0026]    Referring to  FIG. 3  for a flow chart of a method of sharing position information between an electronic apparatus and a remote host in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the method corresponds to the computer device  1  as shown in  FIG. 1  and comprises the step of: 
         [0027]    Step  30 : using a processing unit  11  to read an instant message program  14  from a memory unit  13  and executing the instant message program  14 , and displaying a visual operation interface  2  of the instant message program  14  at the display unit  12 , and transmitting a user ID information to an instant message platform  15  to complete a logon procedure, and uploading the current network connection related data of the computer device  1  to the instant message platform  15 ; 
         [0028]    Step  31 : downloading the network connection related data of a computer device operated by a friend at a remote end and logged on the instant message platform  15  from the instant message platform  15 , and performing a node-to-node connection in the instant message network  151  with a computer device operated by the friend at a remote end according to the network connection related data; 
         [0029]    Step  32 : using a global positioning module  10  to obtain the current position information of the computer device  1 ; 
         [0030]    Step  33 : transmitting the position information of the computer device  1  to the computer device operated by the friend at a remote end through the instant message network  151 ; 
         [0031]    Step  34 : receiving the position information of the computer device  16  operated by the friend at a remote end through the instant message network  151 ; 
         [0032]    Step  35 : displaying the position information of the computer devices operated by the user and the friend at a remote end at the map display area  21 . 
         [0033]    The computer device operated by the friend at a remote end is preferably a handheld computer device or an automobile computer device. 
         [0034]    Referring to  FIG. 4  for a block diagram of an apparatus provided for a user to share multimedia data with a friend at a remote end by an instant message in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a user can use the electronic apparatus to share multimedia data with a friend at a remote end by the instant message. In  FIG. 4 , the computer device  4  is an embodiment of an electronic apparatus of the present invention and comprises a multimedia playing unit  40 , a processing unit  11 , a display unit  12 , a memory unit  13  and a stream conversion unit  47 . The multimedia playing unit  40  is provided for playing a multimedia file or a stream data, and the multimedia file can be a video file, an animation file or an audio file. The processing unit  11  is provided for reading an instant message program  14  from the memory unit  13  and executing the instant message program  14 . A user ID information then is transmitted to an instant message platform  15  to complete a logon procedure. After the logon is completed, the instant message program  14  will store the current network connection related data such as an IP address or a port ID of the computer device  4  in the instant message platform  15  and provide the network connection related data to be read by another computer device at a remote end. Similarly, if a friend of the user is using a computer device  46  logged on the instant message platform  15 , the computer device  4  will perform a node-to-node connection with a computer device  46  in an instant message network  151  for data transmissions according to the network connection related data of the computer device  46  stored in the instant message platform  15 . 
         [0035]    If the multimedia playing unit  40  is playing a video file as shown in  FIG. 5  and the video file  50  is composed of a plurality of frames (such as frames  511 ,  512 ,  513 ,  514 ), then the multimedia playing unit  40  will play the video file  50  in a speed of 15˜30 frames per second to display the frames on the display unit  12 . After the user views the frame  512  and shares the following video data with friends, a trigger signal can be generated by using a mouse to click a predetermined button of an interface of the multimedia playing unit  40 . After the processing unit  11  receives the trigger signal, a stream conversion unit  47  is driven to convert the video data of the video file  50  after a point of the time  52  into video stream, and the multimedia stream is transmitted to the computer device  46  through the instant message network  151 . The computer device  46  identifies the format of the received video stream to determine which application program can play such video stream and remind the user. Since the video stream has the instant play characteristic, therefore the computer device  46  can play the received video stream while receiving the video stream. With the aforementioned process, friends at a remote end can view the video stream that follows the frame  512  together. If the bandwidth of the network is broad enough, then the friends at a remote end and the user can view the video data that follows the frame  512  simultaneously. 
         [0036]    Referring to  FIG. 6  for a flow chart of a method of sharing multimedia data between an electronic apparatus and a remote host in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the method corresponds to the computer device  4  as shown in  FIG. 4 , and the method comprises the steps of: 
         [0037]    Step  60 : using a multimedia playing unit  40  to play a multimedia file, and displaying the multimedia file on a display unit  12 ; 
         [0038]    Step  61 : using a processing unit  11  to read an instant message program  14  from a memory unit  13 , and transmitting a user ID information to an instant message platform  15  to complete a logon procedure, and uploading the current network connection related data of a computer device  1  to the instant message platform  15 ; 
         [0039]    Step  62 : downloading the network connection related data of a computer device  46  logged on the instant message platform  15  from the instant message platform  15 , and performing a node-to-node connection of a computer device  46  operated by a friend at a remote end in the instant message network  151  according to the network connection related data; 
         [0040]    Step  63 : generating a trigger signal, if the multimedia playing unit  40  needs to play a screen to be shared with the friend at a remote end; 
         [0041]    Step  64 : driving the stream conversion unit  47  to convert video data of a video file  50  at the time after a trigger signal shows up into a video stream, if the processing unit  11  has received the trigger signal; 
         [0042]    Step  65 : transmitting the video stream to the computer device  46  through the instant message network  151 ; 
         [0043]    Step  66 : receiving a video stream while playing the received video stream in the computer device  46  operated by the friend at a remote end. 
         [0044]    In Step  66 , the format of a received video stream will be identified if the computer device  46  has received a video stream, to determine which application program can play such video stream and remind the user. 
         [0045]    While the invention has been described by means of specific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention set forth in the claims.