Abstract:
A mobile terminal executes a navigation function by receiving Transport Protocol Experts Group (TPEG) traffic information through a Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB) network. This DMB-based mobile terminal receives and decodes TPEG data at a separate second processor different from a conventional first processor. Further, the DMB-based mobile terminal may execute a calculation of an optimum route at the second processor. The terminal and a related method reduce the processing load of the first processor, which causes a decrease in the response time to a user&#39;s navigation request and improves a user&#39;s convenience.

Description:
PRIORITY  
       [0001]     This U.S. non-provisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 from Korean Patent Application No. 2006-26888, which was filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on Mar. 24, 2006, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates generally to Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB)-based navigation technology and, more particularly, to a mobile terminal and a method for executing a navigation function while receiving Transport Protocol Experts Group (TPEG) traffic information through a DMB network.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0005]     DMB technology, which combines broadcasting with communication, has recently become popular in the art of wireless telecommunications. The DMB technology modulates various multimedia signals such as voices and images in a digital manner, and offers the multimedia digital signals to portable or car-equipped receivers, thus often referred to as “a TV in hands”. The current DMB service is based on a digital audio broadcasting (DAB) technology which was previously developed for digital radio, and expands in a multimedia broadcasting area which enables transmission of motion pictures and various data related to such topics as weather, news, stock and traffic. Particularly, even while a user is in motion, the DMB service enables the user to enjoy high-quality broadcasting comparable to that from a compact disc (CD) or a digital video disc (DVD) through a portable or car-equipped terminal. In this manner, DMB technology is a next generation broadcasting technology.  
         [0006]     There has also been developed a next generation navigation service employing a TPEG technology, which allows transmission of real-time traffic information as a DMB data service along with DMB signals. TPEG is well known as an international standard protocol for transmission of traffic or travel information through digital media.  
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a conventional mobile terminal for DMB-based navigation. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the conventional mobile terminal  10  includes a processor  11  for executing a navigation application, a display output unit  12 , a data input unit  13 , a position determination unit  14 , a memory unit  15 , a TPEG receiving unit  16 , a TPEG decoding unit  17  and an optimum route calculation unit  18 .  
         [0008]     The processor  11  controls the operation of a variety of components in the terminal  10 . The display output unit  12  provides visual information such as map data on a screen. The data input unit  13  receives user&#39;s operation as input signals. The position determination unit  14  determines a user&#39;s current position by using a global positioning system (GPS) as is well known in the art. The memory unit  15  saves various data including map data, TPEG data and input data by a user. The TPEG receiving unit  16  receives TPEG data from among DMB data. The TPEG decoding unit  17  decodes the received TPEG data. The optimum route calculation unit  18  calculates an optimum route by using the TPEG data.  
         [0009]      FIG. 2  illustrates a conventional method for executing navigation using the terminal in  FIG. 1 . Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , at the outset of navigation, the TPEG receiving unit  16  receives real-time DMB data repeatedly transmitted (S 11 ), and then determines whether the received DMB data is TPEG data (S 12 ). If the received DMB data is not TPEG data, then steps S 11  and S 12  are repeated. If the received DMB data is TPEG data, the TPEG receiving unit  16  transmits the TPEG data to the processor  11  (S 13 ), which determines whether to finish the navigation (S 14 ). If the determination is “yes”, the navigation ends. If the determination is “no”, then steps S 11  to S 14  are repeated.  
         [0010]     As discussed above, the processor  11  receives the TPEG data sent by the TPEG receiving unit  16  (S 15 ). Then the TPEG decoding unit  17  decodes the received TPEG data (S 16 ), and the memory unit  15  stores the decoded TPEG data (S 17 ).  
         [0011]     At the outset of the navigation, the processor  11  processes a user&#39;s input transmitted from the data input unit  13  or executes a route guiding operation (S 18 ). Additionally, the processor  11  determines whether to calculate an optimum route (S 19 ). If the determination is “yes”, the optimum route calculation unit  18  executes the calculation by using the TPEG data stored in the memory unit  15  (S 20 ). After the calculation, or if the determination is “no”, the processor  11  determines whether to finish the navigation (S 21 ). If the determination is “yes”, the navigation ends. If the determination is “no”, then steps S 18  to S 21  are repeated.  
         [0012]     As discussed above, the conventional mobile terminal and the related navigation method use only one processor  11  for executing the navigation application. This processor  11  performs a variety of functions such as TPEG data reception, periodic decoding and storing of TPEG data, user input processing, route guidance and calculation of the optimum route.  
         [0013]     TPEG data includes real-time traffic information including link ID information about roads in a target area for service and speed information about each link. Such real-time traffic information is renewed continuously at regular intervals. Real-time receiving and decoding of TPEG data may cause an excessive processing load of the processor that executes the navigation application.  
         [0014]     Furthermore, to perform the route guidance for a user, the processor determines the user&#39;s current position in a GPS cycle, updates the map data on the current position and changes a user interface (UI) by altering a voice or a graphic display. In addition, at a user&#39;s request the processor calculates the optimum using TPEG data. The processor is therefore heavily burdened with an excessive processing load.  
         [0015]     Accordingly, the conventional mobile terminal and the related navigation method has drawbacks of, for example, an unfavorable time delay in response to user&#39;s navigation requests such as the route guiding operation and the optimum route calculation, as well as user&#39;s inconvenience incurred by the delayed response.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0016]     The present invention discloses a mobile terminal and a method for executing a DMB-based navigation, which decrease a response time to a user&#39;s navigation request and improve a user&#39;s convenience by reducing a processing load of a processor that executes a navigation application.  
         [0017]     According to the present invention, a DMB-based navigation mobile terminal includes a data input unit that receives input signals through user&#39;s operation, a position determination unit that determines a user&#39;s current position, a memory unit that stores map data, and a first processor that processes the input signals and controls a route guiding operation. The terminal further includes a TPEG receiving unit that receives TPEG data, a TPEG decoding unit that decodes the TPEG data, a second processor that controls the receiving of the TPEG data and the decoding of the TPEG data, and a display output unit that exhibits the user&#39;s current position and the map data under the control of the first controller.  
         [0018]     The terminal of the present invention further includes an optimum route calculation unit that is controlled by the first processor and calculates an optimum route by using the decoded TPEG data. Alternatively, the terminal further includes an optimum route calculation unit that is controlled by the second processor and calculates an optimum route by using the decoded TPEG data.  
         [0019]     The terminal of the invention further includes a common memory unit that transmits data between the first processor and the second processor. In the terminal, the first processor may have a Wireless Internet Platform for Interoperability (WIPI) platform or a Binary Runtime Environment for Wireless (BREW) platform.  
         [0020]     In the terminal, the memory unit stores the decoded TPEG data. The terminal further includes a second memory unit that stores the decoded TPEG data and is controlled by the second processor.  
         [0021]     According to the present invention, a first embodiment of a method for executing a navigation using a DMB-based navigation mobile terminal having a first processor and a second processor is disclosed. The method includes receiving DMB data and determining whether the DMB data is TPEG data under the control of the second processor. The method further includes decoding the TPEG data under the control of the second processor, processing a user&#39;s input or executing a route guiding operation under the control of the first processor, determining at the first processor whether there is a request for an optimum route calculation, and executing the optimum route calculation under the control of the first processor by using the decoded TPEG data.  
         [0022]     The method of the present invention further includes, after decoding TPEG data, transmitting the decoded TPEG data to the first processor, and storing the decoded TPEG data in a memory unit under the control of the first processor.  
         [0023]     According to the present invention, a second embodiment of a method for executing a navigation using a DMB-based navigation mobile terminal having a first processor and a second processor is disclosed. This method includes receiving DMB data and determining whether the DMB data is TPEG data under the control of the second processor. This method further includes decoding the TPEG data under the control of the second processor, processing a user&#39;s input or executing a route guiding operation under the control of the first processor, determining at the first processor whether there is a request for an optimum route calculation, transmitting the request for the optimum route calculation from the first processor to the second processor, and executing the optimum route calculation under the control of the second processor by using the decoded TPEG data.  
         [0024]     This method of the present invention further includes, after decoding the TPEG data, storing the decoded TPEG data in a memory unit under the control of the second processor. Alternatively, this method further includes, after decoding the TPEG data, transmitting the decoded TPEG data to the first processor, and storing the decoded TPEG data in a memory unit under the control of the first processor.  
         [0025]     This method of the present invention further includes, after executing the optimum route calculation, transmitting results of the optimum route calculation to the first processor. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0026]     The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:  
         [0027]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a conventional mobile terminal capable of a DMB-based navigation;  
         [0028]      FIG. 2  is a flow diagram illustrating a conventional method for executing a navigation using the terminal in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0029]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a DMB-based navigation mobile terminal in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0030]      FIG. 4  is a flow diagram showing a method for executing a navigation using the terminal in  FIG. 3 ;  
         [0031]      FIG. 5  is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a DMB-based navigation mobile terminal in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0032]      FIG. 6  is a flow diagram illustrating a method for executing a navigation using the terminal in  FIG. 5 .  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0033]     Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the preferred embodiments set forth herein. Rather, the principles and features of this invention may be employed in numerous embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.  
         [0034]     It is noted that well-known structures and processes are not described or illustrated in detail for the sake of clarity and conciseness.  
         [0035]      FIG. 3  illustrates, in a block diagram, a configuration of a DMB-based navigation mobile terminal in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0036]     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the DMB-based navigation mobile terminal  20  includes a processor  21   a  for executing a navigation application (hereinafter, first processor) and a processor  21   b  for processing DMB data (hereinafter, second processor). The terminal  20  further includes a display output unit  22 , a data input unit  23 , a position determination unit  24 , a memory unit  25 , a TPEG receiving unit  26 , a TPEG decoding unit  27 , an optimum route calculation unit  28  and a common memory unit  29 .  
         [0037]     The first processor  21   a  and the second processor  21   b  control the operation of a variety of components in the terminal  20 . Particularly, the first processor  21   a  controls the processing of a user&#39;s input, the execution of a route guiding operation and the calculation of an optimum route. The second processor  21   b  controls the reception and decoding of TPEG data. Since the second processor  21   b  separately executes the decoding of the TPEG data, it is possible to reduce a processing load of the first processor  21   a.  A WIPI platform or a BREW platform as well known in the art may be equipped with the first processor  21   a.    
         [0038]     The display output unit  22  provides visual information, such as map data, a user&#39;s current position and an optimum route, on a screen under the control of the first processor  21   a.    
         [0039]     The data input unit  23  receives input signals through user&#39;s operation such as a navigation request and then sends the input signals to the first processor  21   a.  The user&#39;s navigation request may be a request for an ordinary route guiding or a request for an optimum route using traffic information in the TPEG data.  
         [0040]     The position determination unit  24  determines the user&#39;s current position by using a GPS as well known in the art and then transmits it to the first processor  21   a.  The user&#39;s current position, together with the map data, is displayed on the display output unit  22 .  
         [0041]     The memory unit  25  saves and manages various data such as map data for the route guiding, TPEG data for calculation of the optimum route and the user&#39;s input data.  
         [0042]     The TPEG receiving unit  26  receives repeatedly transmitted real-time DMB data and then determines whether the received DMB data is TPEG data. The received TPEG data is sent to the TPEG decoding unit  17  under the control of the second processor  21   b.  The TPEG receiving unit  26  may be an independent unit or alternatively be a DMB middleware existing in the second processor  21   b.    
         [0043]     The TPEG decoding unit  27  decodes the received TPEG data under the control of the second processor  21   b.  The TPEG decoding unit  27  may be a TPEG decoding task existing in the second processor  21   b.    
         [0044]     The optimum route calculation unit  28  is controlled by the first processor  21   a  and calculates an optimum route by using the decoded TPEG data at a user&#39;s request. The optimum route calculation unit  28  may be an optimum route calculating task existing in the first processor  21   a.    
         [0045]     The common memory unit  29  transmits data, such as the decoded TPEG data, between the first and second processors  21   a  and  21   b.    
         [0046]      FIG. 4  is a flow diagram showing a method for executing a navigation using the terminal in  FIG. 3 .  
         [0047]     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , at the outset of the navigation, the TPEG receiving unit  26  receives the repeatedly transmitted real-time DMB data under the control of the second processor  21   b  (S 31 ). The TPEG receiving unit  26  determines whether the received DMB data is TPEG data (S 32 ). If the received DMB data is not TPEG data, then steps S 31  and S 32  are repeated.  
         [0048]     If the received DMB data are TPEG data, the TPEG decoding unit  27  decodes the TPEG data under the control of the second processor  21   b  (S 33 ), and then transmits the decoded TPEG data to the first processor  21   a  through the common memory unit  29  (S 34 ). The second processor  21   b  determines whether to finish the navigation (S 35 ). If the decision is “yes”, the navigation ends. If the decision is “no”, then steps S 31  to S 35  are repeated.  
         [0049]     After receiving the TPEG data in step S 34  (S 36 ), the first processor  21   a  stores the received TPEG data in the memory unit  25  (S 37 ).  
         [0050]     At the outset of the navigation, the first processor  21   a  processes a user&#39;s input transmitted by the data input unit  23 , or executes a route guiding operation while displaying the user&#39;s current position and map data on the display output unit  22  (S 38 ). Additionally, the first processor  21   a  determines whether a request for the calculation of the optimum route is inputted from the data input unit  23  (S 39 ).  
         [0051]     When there is a request for the calculation, the optimum route calculation unit  28  executes a calculation of the optimum route under the control of the first processor  21   a  by using the TPEG data stored in the memory unit  25  (S 40 ). The first processor  21   a  exhibits calculation results on the display output unit  22 . After the calculation, or when there is no request for the calculation, the first processor  21   a  determines whether to finish the navigation (S 41 ). If the decision is “yes”, the navigation ends. If the decision is “no”, then steps S 38  to S 41  are repeated.  
         [0052]      FIG. 5  illustrates a configuration of a DMB-based navigation mobile terminal in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0053]     In  FIG. 5 , an optimum route calculation unit  38  is controlled by a second processor  31   b,  instead of a first processor  31   a.  This is one of the distinctions between the second embodiment and the above-discussed first embodiment. The terminal  30  further includes a second memory unit  35   b  controlled by the second processor  31   b  as well as a first memory unit  35   a  controlled by the first processor  31   a.  However, the terminal  30  may have only the first memory unit  31   a  without the second memory unit  31   b.    
         [0054]     An optimum route calculation unit  38  calculates an optimum route at a user&#39;s request by using the TPEG data decoded in a TPEG decoding unit  37 . The optimum route calculation unit  38  may be an optimum route calculating task existing in the second processor  31   b.    
         [0055]     While the first memory unit  35   a  stores and manages the map data for the route guiding and the user&#39;s input data, the second memory unit  35   b  stores and manages TPEG data for the optimum route calculation.  
         [0056]     Other elements of the DMB-based navigation mobile terminal  30  that are not discussed here are the same as those of the first embodiment discussed above.  
         [0057]      FIG. 6  illustrates a method for executing a navigation using the terminal in  FIG. 5 .  
         [0058]     Referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , at the outset of the navigation, the TPEG receiving unit  36  receives the real-time DMB data under the control of the second processor  31   b  (S 51 ). The TPEG receiving unit  36  determines whether the received DMB data is TPEG data (S 52 ). If the received DMB data are not TPEG data, then steps S 51  and S 52  are repeated.  
         [0059]     If the received DMB data is TPEG data, the TPEG decoding unit  37  decodes the TPEG data under the control of the second processor  31   b  (S 53 ). The second memory unit  35   b  stores the decoded TPEG data (S 54 ). When there is no second memory unit  35   b,  the decoded TPEG data may be transmitted to the first processor  31   a  through the common memory unit  39  and then stored in the first memory unit  35   a.  The second processor  31   b  determines whether to finish the navigation (S 55 ). If the decision is “yes”, the navigation ends. If the decision is “no”, then steps S 51  to S 55  are repeated.  
         [0060]     At the outset of the navigation, the first processor  31   a  processes a user&#39;s input transmitted by the data input unit  33 , or executes a route guiding operation while exhibiting the user&#39;s current position and the map data on the display output unit  32  (S 56 ). The first processor  31   a  determines whether a request for the calculation of the optimum route is inputted from the data input unit  33  (S 57 ).  
         [0061]     When there is a request for the calculation, the first processor  31   a  requests the optimum route calculation to the second processor  31   b  (S 58 ). The second processor  31   b  waits for the request for the optimum route calculation (S 59 ). Once having received the request, the second processor  31   b  controls the optimum route calculation unit  38 . Under the control of the second processor  31   b,  the optimum route calculation unit  38  executes a calculation of the optimum route by using the TPEG data stored in the second memory unit  35   b  (S 60 ).  
         [0062]     The second processor  31   b  transmits calculation results of the optimum route to the first processor  31   a  through the common memory unit  39  (S 61 ). The first processor  31   a  receives the calculation results (S 62 ) and displays them on the display output unit  32 . After receiving the calculation results, or when there is no request for the calculation at step S 57 , the first processor  31   a  determines whether to finish the navigation (S 63 ). If the decision is “yes”, the navigation ends. If the decision is “no”, then steps S 58  to S 63  are repeated.  
         [0063]     As discussed above, in the mobile terminal and the method for DMB-based navigation according to the present invention, the receiving and decoding of the TPEG data, with higher processing load, are executed in the separate processor for processing the DMB data. Additionally, the optimum route calculation may be executed in the separate DMB data processor. Accordingly, the present invention may reduce the processing load of the existing processor for executing the navigation application. Also, the present invention may decrease a response time to a user&#39;s navigation request and improve a user&#39;s convenience.  
         [0064]     While this invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.