Method for providing information in system including electronic device and information providing server, and electronic device thereof

Exemplary embodiments may disclose a method for providing information in a system including an electronic device and an information providing server and an electronic device. The information providing method includes transmitting location information of a region that a user wishes to search and a local information request signal to the information providing server, by the electronic device, searching local information of the region using at least one social network service of at least one user located in the region, by the information providing server, in response to the local information request signal, transmitting the searched local information to the electronic device, by the information providing server, and displaying a local information user interface (UI) using the local information received from the information providing server and a map of the region, by the electronic device.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority from Korean Patent Application No. 10-2013-0011262, filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on Jan. 31, 2013, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

Aspects of the exemplary embodiments relate to a method for providing information in a system including an electronic device and an information providing server and an electronic device thereof. More particularly, exemplary embodiments relate to a method for providing information in a system including an electronic device, which provides local information in real time using a social network service, and an information providing server and an electronic device thereof.

2. Description of the Related Art

In the related art, with the distribution of mobile devices (e.g., a smart phone, a tablet PC, etc.) and the establishment of network infrastructure, users may share their thoughts freely, without any limits of time and space. In particular, in the related art, as social network services, e.g., Twitter and Facebook have been developed, users are able to share their thoughts anywhere and anytime.

In the related art, people used to check local information of a specific area, such as weather information and traffic information, by looking at a specific homepage. In particular, local information, e.g., weather information and traffic information, is important information which needs to be provided in real time. However, weather information on a specific homepage in the related art is usually previously predicted information, instead of information which is updated in real time. Therefore, it is difficult for users to check current weather conditions, which are constantly changing.

Accordingly, a method for allowing users to check local information, such as weather information and traffic information, in real time is required.

SUMMARY

An aspect of the exemplary embodiments relates to an electronic device and a method for providing security to cloud data to prevent unauthorized access.

According to an aspect of the exemplary embodiments, a method for providing information in an information providing system including an electronic device and an information providing server includes transmitting location information of a region that a user wishes to search and a local information request signal to the information providing server, by the electronic device, searching local information of the region using at least one social network service of at least one user located in the region, by the information providing server, in response to the local information request signal, transmitting the searched local information to the electronic device, by the information providing server, and displaying a local information user interface (UI) using the local information received from the information providing server and a map of the region, by the electronic device.

The searching local information of the region may include searching at least one user located in the region based on the location information and searching the location information using at least one social network service of the at least one searched user.

The searching local information of the region may include searching the local information by searching whether there is a text related to the local information in response to text information in the at least one network service of the at least one user.

The searching local information of the region may include searching the local information by searching whether there is an image related to the local information in response to image data in the at least one network service of the at least one user.

In response to the local information being weather information, the searching local information of the region may include determining whether the image data is an external image, dividing the image data into a sky area and a ground area in response to determining that the image data is the external image, and searching color information and pattern information of the sky area in the weather information.

The local information UI may display an item corresponding to the local information on the map, and the displaying may include displaying a timeline UI with the local information of a selected region which corresponds to the item.

The local information may include at least one of weather information, performance information, festival information, restaurant information, tourist attraction information, and traffic information.

According to an aspect of the exemplary embodiments, an electronic device includes a communicator configured to communicate with an information providing server, an inputter configured to receive a user command, a displayer, and a controller which, in response to the user command requesting local information input through the inputter, transmits location information of a region that a user wishes to search and a local information request signal to the information providing server controls the communicator to receive the local information of the region searched in real time using at least one social network service, by the information providing server, in response to the local information request signal, and controls the displayer to display a local information user interface (UI) using the local information received from the information providing server and a map of the region.

The information providing server may search the local information by searching at least one user located in a region that the user wishes to search based on the location information, and searches the at least one social network service of the searched at least one user.

The information providing server may search the local information by searching whether there is a text related to the local information in response to text data in the at least one social network of at least one user located in the region.

The information providing server may search the local information by searching whether there is an image related to the local information in response to image data in the at least one social network of at least one user located in the region.

In response to the local information being weather information, the information providing server may determine whether the image data is an external image, and divides the image data into a sky area and a ground area in response to determining that the image data is the external image, extract the weather information based on color information and pattern information of the sky area, and transmit the extracted weather information to the electronic device.

The local information UI may display an item corresponding to the local information on the map, and the controller may control the displayer to sequentially display a timeline UI with the local information of a selected region which corresponds to the item.

The local information may include at least one of weather information, performance information, festival information, restaurant information, tourist attraction information, and traffic information.

According to an aspect of the exemplary embodiments, a method for providing information in a system including an electronic device and an information providing server includes transmitting a user written question to the information providing server to request local information, by the electronic device, analyzing location information of a region and the local information that a user wishes to search, by the information providing server, extracting at least one respondent user to the user written question by searching user information of other pre-registered users, by the information providing server, transmitting the user written question to at least one other electronic device which corresponds to the at least one extracted respondent user, by the information providing server, and receiving a response to the user written question by the at least one extracted respondent user from the at least one other electronic device, by the at least one other electronic device.

The method may include comparing the location information of the region that the user wishes to search with current location information of the at least one other electronic device, by the at least one other electronic device, and displaying the user written question in response to the at least one other electronic device being located in the region that the user wishes to search, by the at least one other electronic device.

The user information may be pre-registered in a server by the user and the other pre-registered users, or pre-generated based on usage information of the at least one electronic device of the user and the other pre-registered users.

The extracting may include extracting the at least one respondent user by comparing the location information with the information regarding a user location where the pre-registered other users are frequently located, extracting the at least one respondent user by comparing question type information with the information regarding an interested question of the pre-registered other users, and extracting the at least one respondent by analyzing a response pattern of the pre-registered other users.

The method may further include displaying the response to the user written question on an area on a map where the at least one extracted user who provides the response is currently located.

According to an aspect of an exemplary embodiment, a method for providing information in an electronic device includes transmitting location information of a region that a user wishes to search and a local information request signal to an information providing server; receiving searched local information from the information providing server; and displaying a local information user interface (UI) using the searched local information received from the information providing server and a map of the region. The searched local information from the information providing server may include local information of the region provided by at least one user located in the region.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

It should be observed that the method steps and system components have been represented by related art symbols in the figure. Therefore, only specific details are shown, which are relevant for an understanding of the present disclosure. Further, details that may be readily apparent to a person of ordinary skill in the art may not have been disclosed. In the present disclosure, relational terms such as first, second, etc., may be used to distinguish one entity from another entity, without necessarily implying any actual relationship or order between such entities.

FIG. 1is a view illustrating an information providing system according to an exemplary embodiment. As illustrated inFIG. 1, an information providing system comprises an electronic device100, an information providing server200, and a plurality of other electronic devices300-1,300-2,300-3, which provide local information. In this case, the electronic device100may be mobile terminal devices, e.g., a smart phone and a tablet PC. However, the electronic device is only an example. Further, the electronic device may be another electronic device, e.g., a smart TV, a desktop PC, and a notebook PC.

According to an exemplary embodiment, when a user command to search local information is input, the electronic device100transmits location information of a region that a user wishes to search, along with a local information request signal to the information providing server200. In this case, the local information may include information, such as weather information and traffic information, which needs to be provided in real time. However, the local information disclosed is only an example. The local information may also include various information, such as performance information, festival information, restaurant information, tourist destination information, emotion sharing information, etc.

When location information of a region that a user wishes to search and a local information request signal are received from the electronic device100, the information providing server200searches location information of the region that the user wishes to search using a social network service of users in the region that the user wishes to search. In particular, the information providing server200may search users who are currently located in the region that the user wishes to search, according to the location information received from the electronic device100and location information of other electronic devices300-1,300-2,300-3(e.g., GPS information). In addition, the information providing server200may search location information by extracting contents related to the location information from social network services of users who are currently located in the region that the user wishes to search. For example, if a user of the electronic device100requests weather information of region A, the information providing server200may search weather information of region A by searching users in region A, and determining whether there is text or an image related to weather in social network services of the users in region A.

Meanwhile, the information providing server200may receive social network service information from a plurality of other electronic devices300-1,300-2,300-3, and store the information in order to obtain social network service information of users who are currently located in the region that the user wishes to search.

In addition, the information providing server200transmits the searched local information to the electronic device100.

When the local information is received from the information providing server200, the electronic device100may display a local information user interface (UI) using the local information received from the information providing server200and a pre-stored map. In this case, the local information UI may display on a map an item corresponding to local information of the region that the user wishes to search. When the item is selected, the electronic device100may display a timeline UI which shows the location information of the region that the user wishes to search sequentially.

Accordingly, the user may check the local information of the region that the user wishes to search, through the local information UI, on a real time basis.

According to another exemplary embodiment, the electronic device100transmits a question prepared by a user to request local information to an information providing server.

When the question requesting location information is received, the information providing server200analyzes location information and location information of the region that the user wishes to search from the question. Specifically, the information providing server200analyzes the question to identify the region which the user wishes to search and the local information which the user requests. For example, if the question “What is the traffic like in region B?” is received, the information providing server200may extract “region B” from the question as location information of the region that the user wishes to search, and may extract “traffic information” as local information that the user requests.

In addition, the information proving server200extracts a respondent for the question by searching user information of other pre-registered users. For example, if the local information that a user requests is food information, the information providing server200may extract respondent users who are interested in food, among other users. In another exemplary embodiment, if the local information that a user requests is traffic or weather information, the information providing server200may extract users whose house or office are located in the region or who frequently visit the region that the user wishes to search as respondents, among other users.

Meanwhile, the user information may be registered in an information providing server300by an existing user, or may be analyzed according to the user information of other users using the electronic device300, and then registered in the information providing server200. For example, the information providing server200may store an address, a company address, and a field of interest, which are pre-registered as user information by users. In addition, the other electronic device300may obtain user information by analyzing a movement path using GPS information of other electronic devices300that are used by other users, analyzing a search word used most frequently by users, or analyzing a web site which is visited most frequently by users, and transmit the obtained user information to the information providing server200. For example, when a search word, which is used most frequently by users is related to food, or a web site visited most frequently by users is related to food, the electronic device100may obtain ‘food’ which is the field of interest of the user as user information, and transmit the information regarding the field of interest to the information providing server200.

The information providing server200transmits a question to other electronic devices300-1,300-2,300-3, corresponding to the extracted respondents.

Subsequently, other electronic devices300-1,300-2,300-3compare location information of the region that the user wishes to search and the current location information of other electronic devices300-1,300-2,300-3. Specifically, other electronic devices300-1,300-2,300-3may compare location information of the region that the user wishes to search, which is received from the information providing server200, and the location information (for example, GPS information) of other electronic devices300-1,300-2,300-3, which is collected in real time.

In addition, a question may be displayed only on other electronic devices, which are located in the region that the user wishes to search (or other electronic devices which are located within a predetermined distance in the region that he user wishes to search). For example, if the region that the user wishes to search is Region A, a question may be displayed only on other electronic devices located in Region A, among other electronic devices300-1,300-2,300-3. Since the information regarding where other electronic devices are currently located is private, there may be an issue if an information providing server collects this information. Thus, whether other electronic devices are currently located in the region that the user wishes to search may be determined by other electronic devices.

In addition, when a response to the question is made by one or more users, at least one other electronic device300transmits the response to the electronic device100.

The electronic device100receives a response to the question from one or more respondents. In this case, the electronic device100may display a response to the question on a map, regarding the region that the user wishes to search.

Accordingly, the user may be provided with local information of the region that the user wishes to search, from other users located in the region.

Hereinafter, an exemplary embodiment will be explained, where the electronic device100displays a local information UI is displayed based on local information received from the information providing server200.

FIG. 2is a sequence view provided to explain a method for providing information in an information providing system according to an exemplary embodiment.

First, the information providing server200collects social network service information from other electronic devices300(S205). In this case, the social network service may be Twitter, Facebook, foursquire, instagram, etc. However, other social network services may be included in the exemplary embodiment. In particular, the information providing server200may collect social network service information from other electronic devices300in real time.

The electronic device100receives a local information request (S210). In this case, the electronic device100may receive information regarding a region and location information, which a user wishes to search. For example, the electronic device100may receive “Hwagok-dong, Gangseo-gu, Seoul” as information regarding a region that a user wishes to search, and may receive “weather information” as local information that a user wishes to search.

In addition, the electronic device100transmits the input location information and local information request signal to the information providing server200(S220).

The information providing server200searches other users located in the region that the user wishes to search based on the location information (S230). Specifically, if the region that the user wishes to search is “Hwagok-dong, Gangseo-gu, Seoul”, the information providing server200may search other users currently located in “Hwagok-dong, Gangseo-gu, Seoul” using location information (e.g., GPS information) included in metadata of social network service information, received from other electronic device100.

In addition, the information providing server200searches local information using a social network service of other users, located in the region that the user wishes to search (S240), which will be explained in detail with reference toFIG. 3.

FIG. 3is a flowchart provided to explain a method that an information providing server employs to search local information, using a social network service according to an exemplary embodiment.

First, the information providing server200analyzes a social network service in order to determine whether text data or image data exists in collected social network services (S241).

Subsequently, the information providing server200determines whether text data exists in the collected social network services (S242).

When there is text data (S242-Y), the information providing server200searches to determine whether there is content related to local information in the text data (S243). For example, if the location information that a user wishes to search is weather information, the information providing server200may search whether there is a content related to weather information (for example, “rain”, “snow”, “wind”, and so on) in the text data.

Subsequently, the information providing server200extracts texts related to the local information (S244). For example, the information providing server200may extract texts such as “rain”, “snow”, “wind”, “cold”, “hot”, etc., which are texts related to weather information, from the text data.

The information providing server200categorizes and stores the extracted texts (S245). For example, the information providing server200may categorize social network services, including “rain” and “umbrella” from among the text data under “rain”, as weather information.

However, when there is no text data in the social network services (S242-N), the information providing server200determines whether there is image data (S246).

Subsequently, the information providing server200searches whether there is a content related to local information in image data. For example, if local information that a user wishes to search is weather information, the information providing server200may separate the image data into a ground area and a sky area based on pattern and color information of the image data. Afterwards, the information providing server200may search a content related to weather information by analyzing the color and pattern of the sky area. For example, if the color of the sky area is blue, or snows are scatter in the sky area, the information providing server200may search a content related to weather information.

Subsequently, the information providing server200extracts an image related to local information (S248). In other words, the information providing server200may extract image data related to weather information, among a plurality of image data.

The information providing server200categorizes and stores corresponding image data (S249). For example, the information providing server200may categorize and store social network services, including image data where there are snows in a sky area under a “snow” item, as weather information.

Referring back toFIG. 2, the information providing server200transmits the searched local information as described inFIG. 3to the electronic device100(S250). In this case, the information providing server200may directly transmit social network service information as local information, and transmit a categorized content. For example, the information providing server200may directly transmit to the electronic device100a comment of a social network service, “it snows in Gangseo-gu”, and transmit “snow” as weather information in “Gangseo-gu” to the electronic device100.

In addition, the information providing server200may transmit not only local information, which is searched using social network services, but also location information, which is obtained by using other methods. For example, if local information that a user wishes to search is weather information, the information providing server200may transmit weather information obtained from the National Weather Service, image data photographed by CCTV, and location information which is searched by using social network services.

Subsequently, the electronic device100displays a local information UI by using the received local information and a map (S260). In this case, the local information UI includes an item representing local information at an area where other users are currently located on the map. For example, as illustrated inFIG. 4, if the local information which a user wishes to search is “weather information in Hwagok-dong, Gangseo-gu, Seoul”, the electronic device100may display a local information UI. In this case, the item displayed on the local information UI may include items400-1,400-2,400-3,400-4corresponding to the weather information received from the National Weather Service, items410-1,410-2,410-3,410-4,410-5corresponding to the social network services including weather information, and items420-1,420-2corresponding to the weather information obtained by CCTV.

If one of the items displayed on the local information UI is selected, the electronic device100may display a timeline UI which sequentially displays local information of the region of the selected item. For example, as illustrated inFIG. 5, if one of the items corresponding to the social network services including weather information is selected, the electronic device may display a timeline UI510, which sequentially displays location information of the region corresponding to the selected item.

As described above, local information, which is searched using social network service information of other users, is provided through a local information UI. Thus, a user may check local information of a region that the user wishes to search in real time.

Hereinafter, with reference toFIGS. 6 and 7, an exemplary embodiment where local information is received directly from other users, as the information providing server200transmits a question requesting for local information to other users in the corresponding region, will be explained.

FIG. 6is a sequence view provided to explain a method for providing information in an information providing system, according to another exemplary embodiment.

First, the information providing server200receives user information from electronic devices100,300(Step S605). In this case, the user information may include an address of the user, company, field of interest, hobby, and movement path, and the user information may be input directly from the user, or may be obtained by the electronic devices100,300through electronic device usage information of users. For example, the electronic devices100,300may obtain user information by analyzing a movement path using GPS information of electronic devices of users, analyzing a search word which is frequently used by users, analyzing application usage information of the electronic devices100,300, or analyzing a web site which is visited frequently by users, and transmit the obtained user information to the information providing server200. For example, if a search word frequently used by users relates to food, or a web site frequently visited by users relates to food, the electronic device100may obtain ‘food’ which is the field of interest of the user as user information, and transmit the information regarding the field of interest to the information providing server200.

The electronic device100writes a question regarding local information by a user input (S610). In this case, the question regarding local information may be a general assertive sentence, or may be an interrogative sentence such as “How is the traffic condition in Olympic-daegyo?”.

Subsequently, the electronic device100transmits the question to the information providing server200(S620).

The information providing server200analyzes location information and local information of the region that a user wishes to search from the question (S630). In particular, the information providing server200may analyze location information and local information of the region that a user wishes to search by analyzing a text. For example, if a question, “How is the traffic condition in Olympic-daegyo?” is received, the information providing server200may analyze the text to extract location information of the region that the user wishes to search through the text of “Olympic-daegyo”, and extract the traffic information as local information that the user wishes to search through the text of “traffic”. If a question does not include location information of the region that the user wishes to search, the information providing server200may determine that the current location information of the electronic device100is the location information of the region that the user wishes to search.

Subsequently, the information providing server200extracts a respondent using pre-registered user information (S640). In particular, the information providing server200may extract a respondent to the user question by comparing pre-registered user information with location information and local information. In particular, the information providing server200may extract a respondent by comparing location information of the region that a user wishes to search with information where other pre-registered users are located frequently. For example, the information providing server200may compare location information of the region that a user wishes to search with an address, a company and movement path of pre-registered users in order to extract other users having the same address, a company and movement path as the region that the respondent user wishes to search. In addition, the information providing server200may extract a respondent by comparing question type information with information regarding an interested question of pre-registered users. For example, if the question type information of local information is “traffic information”, the information providing server200may extract other respondent users whose registered question of interest is “traffic” and “car”, among other users. In addition, the information providing server200may extract a respondent by analyzing a response pattern of other users. For example, if a question is transmitted at the close time of office hours, the information providing server200may extract other respondent users who frequently respond at the close time of office hours.

Subsequently, the information providing server200transmits a question corresponding to the extracted respondent to other electronic device300(S650).

The other electronic device300determines whether the current location is the region that the user wishes to search (S660). In particular, as the region where the electronic device100is currently located is information which is private, the information is not selected by the information providing server200. Instead, the electronic device100may directly compare location information of the region that a user wishes to search, which is received from the information providing server200with its current location information (e.g., GPS information) in order to determine whether the other electronic device300is located in the region that the user wishes to search.

If the other electronic device300is located in the region that the user wishes to search, the electronic device300displays a question (S670). If the other electronic device300is not located in the region that the user wishes to search, the other electronic device300may not display a question.

In addition, the electronic device300writes a response to the question by a user input (S680).

Subsequently, the other electronic device300transmits a response to the question to the electronic device100(S690). In this case, it is only an exemplary embodiment that the other electronic device300directly transmits a response to the question to the electronic device100. The other electronic device300may transmit a response to the question to the information providing server200, and the information providing server200may transmit the response to the question to the electronic device100.

The electronic device100displays the response to the question on a map (S695). Specifically, as shown inFIG. 7, if the question is “How is the traffic condition in Olympic-daegyo?”, the electronic device100may display responses710,720,730,740,750, which are transmitted from the corresponding other electronic device300on an area where the at least one other electronic device300is located on the map.

As described above, if a user writes a question regarding local information, other users located in the corresponding region may transmit a response to the question right away. Thus, the user may obtain the local information in real time.

Hereinafter, the configuration of the electronic device100and the information providing server200will be explained in greater detail with reference toFIGS. 8 and 9.

FIG. 8is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an electronic device according to an exemplary embodiment. As illustrated inFIG. 8, the electronic device100comprises a communication unit110, an input unit120, a display unit130, and a controller140.

FIG. 2illustrates various components of the electronic device100based on the assumption that the electronic device100is an apparatus having an information providing function using social network services. Accordingly, depending on exemplary embodiments, some of the components illustrated inFIG. 2may be omitted or changed, or other components may be added.

The communication unit110is a component which communicates with various types of external devices (e.g., the information providing server200and other electronic devices300-1,300-2,300-3) according to various types of communication methods. In particular, the communication unit110may include various communication chips such as WiFi chip, Bluetooth chip, NFC chip, wireless communication chip, etc. In this case, the WiFi chip, the Bluetooth chip, and the NFC chip perform communication according to a WiFi method, a Bluetooth method, and an NFC method respectively. The NFC chip refers to a chip which operates according to an NFC method using 13.56 MHz among various RF-ID frequency bands, such as 135 kHz, 13.56 MHz, 433 MHz, 860-960 MHz, 2.45 GHz, etc. When the WiFi chip or the Bluetooth chip is used, various connection information, e.g., SSID, session key, etc., is received/transmitted in advance so that various information can be received/transmitted after communication is established using the connection information. The wireless communication chip refers to a chip which performs communication according to various communication standards such as IEEE, Zigbee, 3G (3rd Generation), 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project), LTE (Long Term Evolution), and so on. However, exemplary embodiments are not limited. The communication unit110may include a processor, a hardware module, or a circuit for performing the respective functions.

The input unit120may receive a user command to control overall operations of the electronic device100. In particular, the input unit120may receive a question regarding local information of the region that a user wishes to search, and a response to the question. In this case, the input unit120may be realized as a touch screen. However, this is only an example. The input unit120may also be realized as other input apparatuses which can control the electronic device100, e.g., a motion input unit, a voice input unit, a digital pen, a mouse, etc. However, exemplary embodiments are not limited. The input unit120may include a processor, a hardware module, or a circuit for performing the respective functions.

The display unit130outputs image data under the control of the controller140. In particular, as illustrated inFIG. 3, the display unit130may display a local information UI. As illustrated inFIG. 4, the display unit130may also display a timeline UI. In addition, the display unit130may display a map including a response to the question as illustrated inFIG. 7. However, exemplary embodiments are not limited. The display unit130may include a processor, a hardware module, or a circuit for performing the respective functions.

The controller140controls overall operations of the electronic device100according to a user command input to the input unit120.

In particular, according to an exemplary embodiment, when a user command requesting local information is input through the input unit120, the controller140may control the communication unit110to transmit location information of the region that a user wishes to search and a local information request signal to the information providing server. In addition, the controller140may control the communication unit110to receive local information of the region that the user wishes to search, which the information providing server200searches in real time using social network services in response to the local information request signal, from the information providing server200. Further, the controller140may control the display unit130to display a local information UI using the local information received from the information providing server200, and a map of the region that the user wishes to search.

In another exemplary embodiment, if a question requesting local information is input through the input unit120, the controller140may control the communication unit110to transmit the question to the information providing server200. Subsequently, the information providing server200may extract a respondent by analyzing the question, and transmitting the question to the extracted respondent. If the extracted respondent transmits a response to the question, the controller140may control the display unit130to display the response to the question on an area on the map where the respondent is currently located.

FIG. 9is a block diagram illustrating configuration of the information providing server200according to an exemplary embodiment. As illustrated inFIG. 9, the information providing server200comprises a communication unit210, a storage220, and a controller230.

The communication unit210performs communication with various electronic devices100,300-1,300-2,300-3according to various types of communication methods. In particular, the communication unit210may perform communication with the electronic devices using various communication methods, such as WiFi communication method, Bluetooth communication method, wireless communication method, etc. However, exemplary embodiments are not limited. The communication unit210may include a processor, a hardware module, or a circuit for performing the respective functions.

The storage230stores various programs and modules to drive the information providing server200. In addition, the storage230may store database regarding user information, and may receive and store social network service information of users in real time.

The controller220controls overall operations of the information providing server200.

In particular, if location information of the region that a user wishes to search and a local information request signal are transmitted from the electronic device100in an exemplary embodiment, the controller220may search users who are located in the region where the user wishes to search, based on the location information of the region that the user wishes to search. In addition, the controller220may search local information using social network services of the users who are located in the region that the user wishes to search. Since this operation has been explained in detail with reference toFIGS. 3 and 4, further description will not be provided. The controller220may control the communication unit210to transmit the searched local information to the electronic device100.

In another exemplary embodiment, if the electronic device100transmits a question regarding local information, the controller220may analyze location information and local information of the region that a user wishes to search from the question. Subsequently, the controller220may extract a respondent by comparing pre-registered user information with the analyzed location information and local information of the region that the user wishes to search. The controller220may control the communication unit210to transmit the question to the other electronic device300, corresponding to the extracted respondent.

As described above, the electronic device100and the information providing server200allow a user to check local information, such as weather information and traffic information, which needs to be provided in real time.

Meanwhile, a program code for performing the above-mentioned information providing method according to various exemplary embodiments may be stored in various types of recording media which can be readable by a terminal, such as Random Access Memory (RAM), flash memory, Read Only Memory (ROM), Erasable Programmable ROM (EPROM), Electronically Erasable and Programmable ROM (EEPROM), register, hard disk, removable disk, memory card, USB memory, CD-ROM, etc.

In the preceding specification, the present disclosure and its advantages have been described with reference to specific embodiments. However, it will be apparent to a person of ordinary skill in the art that various modifications and changes can be made, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, as set forth in the claims below. Accordingly, the specification and figures are to be regarded as illustrative examples of the present disclosure, rather than restrictive. All such possible modifications are intended to be included within the scope of present disclosure.