Patent Publication Number: US-2010114861-A1

Title: System and method for information acquisition

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to a system and a method for automatic acquisition of information. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Mobile terminals are in widespread daily use. When a user of a mobile terminal arrives in an unknown location, acquisition of associated local information such as weather forecasts, customs, events recently, and others through the mobile terminal can be difficult and complicated. 
     What is needed, therefore, is a system and a method for automatic acquisition of information. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of a system for information acquisition. 
         FIG. 2  is a flowchart of a method for information acquisition. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , an information acquisition system  1  includes a GPS receiver  10 , a search module  30  connected to the GPS receiver  10 , a configuration module  70  connected to the search module  30 , and a display module  50 . The search module  30  is connected to an information center  90  through the Internet  20 . 
     The GPS receiver  10  determines a current location of the user. The configuration module  70  sets items requested by the user. The search module  30  seeks the information associated with the current location according to the requested items set in the configuration module  70 , and the search module  30  includes an information requesting sub-module  31  and an information receiving sub-module  33 . The display module  50  displays the associated information located by the search module  30 . The associated information for various locations is stored in the information center  90 , including weather forecasts, cultural information, events, visitor comments, and others. The request items in the configuration module  70  can be selected from a request item menu including request items of weather forecasts, cultural information, events, visitor comments, and others. The information center  90  includes a request receiving module  91 , an information seeking module  93 , and an information sending module  95 . 
     The information acquisition system  1  is applicable in a mobile phone or car. Request items are entered in the configuration module  70 . Request item categories can be preset such that the user always request weather data for example. Then, upon arrival in a new location, the GPS receiver  10  of the information acquisition system  1  determines the current location and transmits the result to the search module  30 . The information requesting sub-module  31  of the search module  30  transmits corresponding request information to the information center  90  through the Internet  20  according to the request items in the configuration module  70  and the current location. When the request receiving module  91  receives the request information, the information seeking module  93  seeks the information associated with the current location in the information center  90 , and the information sending module  95  transmits the results to the information receiving sub-module  33  through the Internet  20 . The information receiving sub-module  33  transmits the associated information to the display module  50 . The display module  50  displays the information associated with the current location, thereby conveniently acquiring the associated information. For example, to obtain a weather forecast and/or visitor comments for the current location, the information center  90  locates and sends the corresponding information. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , a flowchart of a method for information acquisition includes the following steps: 
     In step S 01 , the request items are preset in the configuration module  70 ;
 
In step S 02 , the current location is determined via the GPS receiver  10 ;
 
In step S 03 , the request information is sent to the information center  90  through the Internet  20  by the information requesting sub-module  31  of the search module  30  according to the request items in the configuration module  70  and the current location;
 
In step S 04 , information associated with the current location is sought by the information seeking module  93  of the information center  90  when the request receiving module  91  receives the request information;
 
In step S 05 , the associated information is transmitted to the information receiving sub-module  33  of the search module  30  through the Internet  20  by the information sending module  95  of the information center  90 ;
 
In step S 06 , the associated information is transmitted to the display module  50  by the information receiving sub-module  33 , and the associated information is displayed on the display module  50 .
 
     It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages have been set forth in the foregoing description of preferred embodiments, together with details of the structures and functions of the preferred embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.