Patent Publication Number: US-2015066906-A1

Title: Method and system for providing location-based service using a server database

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority of Taiwanese Patent Application No. 102131253, filed on Aug. 30, 2013. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a method and a system for providing location-based service, more particularly to a method and a system for providing location-based service using a server database. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Owing to the rapid development of software and hardware associated with information technology, masses of multimedia files are thus generated and may be accessed with ease. For example, a smart phone or a tablet computer provided with an image capturing function and/or a video/audio recording function may be utilized easily to capture images and/or record videos and audios. 
     Due to generation of great numbers of multimedia files, how to sort masses of multimedia files has become an urgent issue that needs to be addressed. A common sorting method is to categorize the multimedia files according to key words. For example, a place name, such as Tamsui or Jiufen, may be utilized to categorize the multimedia files based on the place name for subsequent storage. Further, parts of the multimedia files belonging to the same category are processed to serve as web page contents, such that multimedia files associated with a specific place name may be readily browsed and shared. 
     However, it takes significant time and effort to manually categorize masses of multimedia files. Fortunately, an electronic device with positioning functionality has become more common in the market. When the electronic device having positioning functionality is used to capture images, to record videos/audios or to edit text, geographic location information, such as latitude and longitude information, of the electronic device is recorded in the aforementioned multimedia files. In this way, location-based service may thus be provided, and the multimedia files may be automatically sorted based on a place name. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a method for providing location-based service using a server database. 
     Accordingly, the method of the present invention is to be implemented by a system which includes a client electronic device that stores a multimedia file containing geographic location information, and a data server that includes a server database. The method comprises the steps of: 
     (A) during browsing of the multimedia file using the client electronic device, issuing, using the client electronic device, a database query to the data server to inquire whether the server database stores a place name corresponding to the geographic location information of the multimedia file; 
     (B) when a result of the database query is affirmative, transmitting, using the data server, the place name corresponding to the geographic location information of the multimedia file to the client electronic device for subsequent display of the place name on the client electronic device; 
     (C) when the result of the database query is negative, transmitting, using the data server, a prompt to the client electronic device for prompting input of a new place name corresponding to the geographic location information of the multimedia file; and 
     (D) in response to the input of the new place name, transmitting, using the client electronic device, the new place name and the geographic location information of the multimedia file to the data server for addition into the server database. 
     Moreover, another object of the present invention is to provide a system for providing location-based service using a server database. 
     Accordingly, the system of the present invention comprises a client electronic device, and a data server. The client electronic device stores a multimedia file containing geographic location information. The data server includes a server database. During browsing of the multimedia file using the client electronic device, the client electronic device is operable to issue a database query to the data server to inquire whether the server database stores a place name corresponding to the geographic location information of the multimedia file. When a result of the database query is affirmative, the data server is operable to transmit the place name corresponding to the geographic location information of the multimedia file to the client electronic device for subsequent display of the place name on the client electronic device. When the result of the database query is negative, the data server is operable to transmit a prompt to the client electronic device for prompting input of a new place name corresponding to the geographic location information of the multimedia file. In response to the input of the new place name, the client electronic device is operable to transmit the new place name and the geographic location information of the multimedia file to the data server for addition into the server database. 
     An effect of the present invention resides in that, by virtue of arrangement of the client electronic device and the data server and by virtue of the method for providing location-based service, a place name corresponding to the multimedia file may be provided for display, and the geographic location information and a place name corresponding to the geographic location information may be added into the server database of the data server. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram illustrating a preferred embodiment of a system for providing location-based service using a server database according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a flow chart illustrating a data collection procedure of a preferred embodiment of a method for providing location-based service using a server database according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a flow chart illustrating a data search procedure of the preferred embodiment of the method for providing location-based service according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates an operation interface of a client electronic device of the system of the preferred embodiment for input of a key word; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates an operation interface of the client electronic device for representing multimedia files corresponding to the key word in a dynamic folder; 
         FIG. 6  illustrates an operation interface for representing a dynamic web page corresponding to the key word; and 
         FIG. 7  illustrates an operation interface for representing updated contents of the dynamic web page corresponding to the key word. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a preferred embodiment of a method for providing location-based service using a server database is to be implemented by a system  1  as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     A preferred embodiment of the system  1  according to the present invention includes a plurality of client electronic devices  11  and a data server  12 . Each of the client electronic devices  11  stores at least one multimedia file  111  containing geographic location information, and includes a client database  112  storing a first table  113 . The data server  12  includes a server database  121  storing a second table  122 . The client electronic devices  11  communicate with the data server  12  via a network  4 . The multimedia file  111  stored in the client electronic device  11  is selected from an image file, a video file, an audio file, a text file and combinations thereof. The geographic location information contained in the multimedia file  111 , for instance, is latitude and longitude information. Each of the first table  113  and the second table  122  includes a column associated with geographic location information, a column associated with place name, and a column associated with file names. These columns are all null in an initial state. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 3 , the preferred embodiment of the method of the present invention includes a data collection procedure  2  and a data search procedure  3 . Referring to  FIG. 2 , the data collection procedure  2  includes the following steps. 
     In step  21 , the client electronic device  11  is used by a user for browsing of the at least one multimedia file  111 . 
     In step  22 , during browsing of the at least one multimedia file  111  using the client electronic device  11 , the client electronic device  11  is operable to inquire whether the first table  113  of the client database  112  stores a place name corresponding to the geographic location information of the multimedia file  111 . 
     In step  23 , when a result of the inquiry made in step  22  is affirmative, the client electronic device  11  is operable to display the place name found in step  22 . In this way, the user is able to make confirmation as to whether the place name displayed on the client electronic device  11  is correct. 
     In step  25 , after display of the place name on the client electronic device  11  and the confirmation by the user of the client electronic device  11  that the place name displayed on the client electronic device  11  is correct, the client electronic device  11  is operable to add a file name of the multimedia file  111  into a field of the first table  113  of the client database  112  which corresponds to a field that stores the geographic location information contained in the multimedia file  111  and a field that stores the place name corresponding to the geographic location information. The client electronic device  11  is further operable to transmit the multimedia file  111  to the data server  12  for storage in the data server  12 . 
     In step  26 , after display of the place name on the client electronic device  11  and the confirmation by the user of the client electronic device  11  that the place name displayed on the client electronic device  11  is incorrect, the client electronic device  11  is used by the user to input a revised place name. The client electronic device  11  is operable to add the file name of the multimedia file  111 , the geographic location information contained in the multimedia file  111 , and the revised place name corresponding to the geographic location information of the multimedia file  111  into the first table  113  of the client database  112  of the client electronic device  11 . The client electronic device  11  is further operable to transmit the file name of the multimedia file  111 , the geographic location information contained in the multimedia file  111 , and the revised place name corresponding to the geographic location information of the multimedia file  111  to the data server  12  for addition into the second table  122  of the server database  121  of the data server  12 . Further, the client electronic device  11  is operable to transmit the multimedia file  111  to the data server  12  for storage in the data server  12 . 
     In step  24 , when a result of the inquiry made in step  22  is negative, the client electronic device  11  is operable to issue a database query to the data server  12  to inquire whether the second table  122  of the server database  121  stores a place name corresponding to the geographic location information of the multimedia file  111 . 
     In step  27 , when a result of the database query issued in step  24  is affirmative, the data server  12  is operable to transmit the place name corresponding to the geographic location information of the multimedia file  111  to the client electronic device  11  for subsequent display of the place name on the client electronic device  11 . In this way, the user is able to make confirmation as to whether the place name displayed on the client electronic device  11  is correct. 
     In step  29 , after display of the place name on the client electronic device  11  and the confirmation by the user of the client electronic device  11  that the place name displayed on the client electronic device  11  is correct, the client electronic device  11  is operable to add the file name of the multimedia file  111 , the geographic location information contained in the multimedia file ill, and the place name corresponding to the geographic location information of the multimedia file  111  into the first table  113  of the client database  112  of the client electronic device  11 . The client electronic device  11  is further operable to transmit the file name of the multimedia file  111 , the geographic location information contained in the multimedia file  111 , and the place name corresponding to the geographic location information of the multimedia file  111  to the data server  121  for addition into the second table  122  of the server database  121  of the data server  12 . Further, the client electronic device  11  is operable to transmit the multimedia file  111  to the data server  12  for storage in the data server  12 . 
     In step  291 , after display of the place name on the client electronic device  11  and the confirmation by the user of the client electronic device  11  that the place name displayed on the client electronic device  11  is incorrect, the client electronic device  11  is used by the user to input a revised place name. The client electronic device  11  is operable to add a file name of the multimedia file  111 , the geographic location information contained in the multimedia file  111 , and the revised place name corresponding to the geographic location information of the multimedia file  111  into the first table  113  of the client database  112  of the client electronic device  12 . The client electronic device  12  is further operable to transmit the file name of the multimedia file  111 , the geographic location information contained in the multimedia file  111 , and the revised place name corresponding to the geographic location information of the multimedia file  111  to the data server  12  for addition into the second table  122  of the server database  121  of the data server  12 . Further, the client electronic device  11  is operable to transmit the multimedia file  111  to the data server  12  for storage in the data server  12 . 
     In step  28 , when the result of the database query issued in step  24  is negative, the data server  12  is operable to transmit a prompt to the client electronic device  11  for prompting input of a new place name corresponding to the geographic location information of the multimedia file  111 . In this way, the client electronic device  11  may be used by the user to input the new place name corresponding to the geographic location information. In response to the input of the new place name, the client electronic device  11  is operable to add the file name of the multimedia file  111 , the geographic location information contained in the multimedia file  111 , and the new place name corresponding to the geographic location information of the multimedia file  111  into the first table  113  of the client database  112  of the client electronic device  11 . Moreover, in response to the input of the new place name, the client electronic device  11  is further operable to transmit the file name of the multimedia file  111 , the geographic location information of the multimedia file  111 , and the new place name corresponding to the geographic location information of the multimedia file  111  to the data server  12  for addition into the second table  122  of the server database  121 . Further, the client electronic device  11  is operable to transmit the multimedia file  111  to the data server  12  for storage in the data server  12 . 
     Specifically, an exemplary implementation of step  22 , in which the client electronic device  11  inquires whether the first table  113  of the client database  112  stores the place name corresponding to the geographic location information of the multimedia file  111 , is provided hereinafter. In this implementation, the geographic location information is represented by the latitude and longitude. A WGS84 ellipsoidal distance between the geographic location information of the multimedia file  111  and each entry of geometric location information stored in the first table  113  of the client database  112  is calculated. When a smallest one of the WGS84 ellipsoidal distances thus calculated is smaller than a predetermined threshold, the first table  113  stores a place name corresponding to the geographic location information of the multimedia file  111 . For instance, Table 1 below is given as an example of the first table  113 . It is assumed that the geographic location information of the multimedia file  111  is represented by 25.018726 degrees north latitude and 121.943615 degrees east longitude, and the predetermined threshold is 1000 meters. Referring to Table 1, only two entries of geographic location information in the first and second rows satisfy the aforementioned predetermined threshold. Each of the WGS84 ellipsoidal distance between the geographic location information of the multimedia file  111  and a respective one of the two entries of geographic location information in the first and second rows of the Table 1 is 110.118095 meters and 168.612 meters, respectively. Therefore, the place name corresponding to the geographic location information of the multimedia file  111  is a place name in the first row of the Table 1, i.e., Fulong. Similarly, in step  24 , the aforementioned process may be utilized to inquire whether the second table  122  of the server database  121  stores the place name corresponding to the geographic location information of the multimedia file  111 . 
     
       
         
           
               
               
               
               
               
             
               
                   
                 TABLE 1 
               
               
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                   
                 Geographic Location  
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                   
                 Information 
                 Place Name 
                 File Name 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
            
               
                   
                 1 st  row 
                 25.019277° N,  
                 Fulong 
                 XX 
               
               
                   
                   
                 121.944527° E 
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 2 nd  row 
                 25.017212° N,  
                 Fulong 
                 YY 
               
               
                   
                   
                 121.943784° E 
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 3 rd  row 
                 21.931959° N,  
                 Kenting 
                 AA 
               
               
                   
                   
                 120.824936° E 
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 4 th  row 
                 22.002438° N,  
                 Kenting 
                 BB 
               
               
                   
                   
                 120.743289° E 
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 5 th  row 
                 NULL 
                 NULL 
                 NULL 
               
               
                   
                 6 th  row 
                 NULL 
                 NULL 
                 NULL 
               
               
                   
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     It is noted that even though the server database  121  in the initial state does not store place names such that the user is frequently prompted to input anew place name in an early operation stage of the system  1 , the server database  121  may store plenty of place names for supporting the location-based service after the data collection procedure  2  has been executed for a period of time by the different client electronic devices  11  which are consistently operated by different users. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the data search procedure  3  includes the following steps. 
     In step  31 , the client electronic device  11  is used by the user for issuing a database search query associated with a search for a queried place name to the data server  12 . 
     In step  32 , in response to receipt by the data server  12  of the database search query associated with the search for the queried place name and received from the client electronic device  11 , the data server  12  is operable to search the second table  122  of the server database  121  for at least one file name that corresponds to the queried place name. 
     In step  33 , the data server  12  is operable to transmit to the client electronic device  11  browsing information of at least one multimedia file  111  that is stored in the data server  12  and that has the file name found in step  32 . 
     In step  34 , the client electronic device  11  is operable to display the browsing information of the at least one multimedia file  111  transmitted by and received from the data server  12  in a form of a dynamic folder or a dynamic web page, i.e., a server dynamic folder or a server dynamic web page. 
     Moreover, in a configuration of an embodiment of the data search procedure  3 , aside from performing the aforementioned steps  31  to  34 , the client electronic device  11  is further operable to search the first table  113  of the client database  112  for at least one file name that corresponds to the queried place name. Subsequently, the client electronic device  11  generates a client dynamic folder or a client dynamic web page for representing browsing information of at least one multimedia file  111  that is stored in the client electronic device  11  and that has the file name found thereby. The client electronic device  11  may be operated by the user to switch between the client dynamic folder, the client dynamic web page, the server dynamic folder and the server dynamic web page for browsing. 
     Referring to Table 2, the first table  113  of the client database  112  and the second table  122  of the server database  121  may be implemented as exemplified in Table 2. That is to say, the first and second table  113  and  122  may further include a column associated with titles and a column associated with text contents. In this way, in step  28  of the data collection procedure  2 , the prompt transmitted by the data server  12  to the client electronic device  11  is further adapted for prompting input of a new title and new text contents, such that aside from input of the new place name corresponding to the geographic location information of the multimedia file  111 , the client electronic device  11  may be further used by the user for input of the new title and new text contents. Accordingly, when performing the data search procedure  3 , data which are stored in the columns associated with the place names, the titles and the text contents may be inspected and compared with a key word, such that the key word is not limited to the queried place name. The user is able to utilize the client electronic device  11  to browse an identical multimedia file that is associated with more than one key word and that is stored in the data server  12  or the client electronic device  11 . For example, both “Fulong” and “music festival” may serve as key words for searching for the multimedia file  111  that has the file name of “XX”. 
     
       
         
           
               
               
               
               
               
               
             
               
                 TABLE 2 
               
               
                   
               
               
                   
                 Geographic  
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 Location  
                 Place  
                 File  
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 Information 
                 Name 
                 Name 
                 Title 
                 Text Contents 
               
               
                   
               
             
            
               
                 1 st  row 
                 25.019277° N,  
                 Fulong 
                 XX 
                 Fulong  
                 Bands perform  
               
               
                   
                 121.944527° E 
                   
                   
                 2013  
                 excellent 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 music  
                   
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 festival 
                   
               
               
                 2 nd  row 
                 25.017212° N,  
                 Fulong 
                 YY 
                 Fulong  
                 Sunset with  
               
               
                   
                 121.943784° E 
                   
                   
                 sunset 
                 family  
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 (2013/07/01) 
               
               
                 3 rd  row 
                 21.931959° N,  
                 Kenting 
                 AA 
                 South  
                 Beautiful  
               
               
                   
                 120.824936° E 
                   
                   
                 Taiwan  
                 beach 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 touring 
                   
               
               
                 4 th  row 
                 22.002438° N,  
                 Kenting 
                 BB 
                 Cape  
                 Aga&#39;s House 
               
               
                   
                 120.743289° E 
                   
                   
                 No. 7 
                   
               
               
                 5 th  row 
                 NULL 
                 NULL 
                 NULL 
                 NULL 
                 NULL 
               
               
                 6 th  row 
                 NULL 
                 NULL 
                 NULL 
                 NULL 
                 NULL 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     Specifically, contents in the server dynamic folder or the server dynamic web page are automatically updated by the data server  12  according to data updates in the server database  121  and increased numbers of multimedia files in the data server  12 . Furthermore, an identical key word used for search at different time points may result in different server dynamic folders or server dynamic web pages. For example, referring to  FIG. 4 , a key word “Cape no. 7” (a movie name) is inputted via the client electronic device  11  for search at a first time point. Subsequently, a server dynamic folder representing a plurality of multimedia files  111  is generated as shown in  FIG. 5 , and a server dynamic web page representing one of the multimedia files  111  is generated as shown in  FIG. 6 . The server dynamic web page contains an image file  111 , a title “cape no. 7” corresponding to the image file  111 , and text contents “Aga&#39;s House” (a movie landmark) corresponding to the image file  111 . At a second time point, as best shown in  FIG. 7 , since text contents corresponding to the image file  111  have been revised, a new server web page which contains the image file  111  and new text contents different from “Aga&#39;s House” is generated as a result of automatic updates by the data server  12  or as a result of input via the client electronic device  11  of the key word “Cape no. 7” for conducting a new search. Similarly, an identical key word used to search the client database  112  at different time points may result in different client dynamic folders or client dynamic web pages displayed on the client electronic device  11 . 
     To sum up, the method and system for providing location-based service using a server database according to the present invention may enable a plurality of users to jointly establish data in the server database  121 , and enable each of the users to singly establish data in the client database  112  of a respective one of the client electronic devices  11 . Furthermore, the data search procedure  3  may be used to search the data server  12  or the client electronic device  11  for multimedia data corresponding to the key word, and the multimedia data thus found may be displayed on the client electronic device  11  in a form of the server dynamic folder, the server dynamic web page, the client dynamic folder or the client dynamic web page. 
     While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.