CLOTHES AND ROUTE RECOMMENDATION BASED ON WEATHER FORECAST

Abstract

A method for providing recommendations to a user based on weather forecasts including obtaining a schedule of the user, said schedule including at least one destination; obtaining weather forecasts for the user's current position and for the at least one destination of the schedule of the user; determining a recommended set of clothes and equipment based on the weather forecasts for the user's current position and the at least one destination; obtaining the user's current set of clothes and equipment; determining a difference between the current set of clothes and equipment and the recommended set of clothes and equipment; and recommending, based on a determined difference, a change of clothes or equipment or a route between the user's current position and the at least one destination.

Claims

1. A method for providing recommendations to a user based on weather forecasts, wherein said method comprises: obtaining a schedule of the user, said schedule comprising at least one destination, obtaining weather forecasts for the user's current position and for the at least one destination of the schedule of the user, determining a recommended set of clothes and equipment based on the weather forecasts for the user's current position and the at least one destination, obtaining the user's current set of clothes and equipment, determining a difference between the current set of clothes and equipment and the recommended set of clothes and equipment, and recommending, based on a determined difference, a change of clothes or equipment or a route between the user's current position and the at least one destination.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising: obtaining required intermediate stops between the user's current position and the at least one destination, obtaining weather forecasts for any required intermediate stops, and determining a recommended set of clothes and equipment based on the weather forecasts for the user's current position, the at least one destination, and any required intermediate stops therebetween.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein said step of obtaining required intermediate stops between the user's current position and the at least one destination is a prediction based on current vehicle status and/or learned user behaviour.

4. A method according to claim 1, further comprising: predicting whether any intermediate stops between the user's current position and the at least one destination are required based on current vehicle status and/or learned user behaviour, determining a plurality of potential intermediate stops between the user's current position and the at least one destination, obtaining weather forecasts for said plurality of potential intermediate stops, determining a plurality of potential recommended sets of clothes and equipment based on the weather forecasts for said plurality of potential intermediate stops, recommending, based on a determined difference between the user's current set of clothes and equipment and the plurality of potential recommended sets of clothes and equipment, a route between the user's current position and the at least one destination including at least one intermediate stop chosen from said plurality of potential intermediate stops.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein said step of obtaining the user's current set of clothes and equipment is a prediction done using learned user behaviour in relation to obtained weather forecasts and/or said schedule of the user.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein said step of obtaining a schedule of the user is a prediction done by means of learned user behaviour.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein said step of obtaining a schedule of the user is done by means of accessing information from the user's email, phone, calendar and/or GPS.

8. A method according to claim 1, further comprising obtaining image data of the user and using said image data to determine the user's current set of clothes and equipment.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein said step of obtaining the user's current set of clothes and equipment is done using a sensor, such as a camera.

10. A system configured to perform the method according to claim 1.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured to be executed by one or more processors of a processing system, the one or more programs comprising instructions for performing the method according to claim 1.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0059] These and other features and advantages of the present invention will now be further clarified and described in more detail, with reference to the appended drawings showing different embodiments of a according to the present invention.

[0060] FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing of one embodiment of the system of the present invention,

[0061] FIG. 2 is a schematic drawing of another embodiment of the system of the present invention,

[0062] FIG. 3 is a schematic drawing of a vehicle in which the system of the present invention is implemented,

[0063] FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating one embodiment of the method of the present invention,

[0064] FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating another embodiment of the method of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0065] In the following detailed description, some embodiments of the present invention will be described. However, it is to be understood that features of the different embodiments are exchangeable between the embodiments and may be combined in different ways, unless anything else is specifically indicated. Even though in the following description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a more thorough understanding of the present invention, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well known constructions or functions are not described in detail, so as not to obscure the present invention.

[0066] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the steps, services and functions explained herein may be implemented using individual hardware circuitry, using software functioning in conjunction with a programmed microprocessor or general purpose computer, using one or more Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) and/or using one or more Digital Signal Processors (DSPs). It will also be appreciated that when the present disclosure is described in terms of a method, it may also be embodied in one or more processors and one or more memories coupled to the one or more processors, wherein the one or more memories store one or more programs that perform the steps, services and functions disclosed herein when executed by the one or more processors.

[0067] FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing of the system 100 of the second aspect of the present invention, which system is configured to perform the method 1 of the first aspect of the present invention. In the following, the present invention will be described from the perspective of the method 1 to be performed by the system 100 of the present invention.

[0068] The system 100 illustrated in the following figures may be implemented in a vehicle 200, as shown in FIG. 3.

[0069] The method 1 comprises obtaining a schedule 11 of the user through a schedule module 111. The schedule 901 obtained thereby comprises a record of a series of items such as destinations, people, meetings or activities. The items in the series are arranged according to a system, such as a chronological listing of places to be, or having each one of the items be provided together with a time at which that item should occur. The schedule module 111 obtains the schedule 901 by accessing information held by or associated with the user's email, phone, calendar and/or GPS. Furthermore, any required intermediate stops between the user's current position 902 and the at least one destination may also be obtained by the schedule module 111, as will be described in greater detail in relation to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0070] Having obtained the schedule 901 of the user, a weather forecast module 113 then obtains the weather forecast 13 for the user's current position 902, any required intermediate stops, and the at least one destination of the schedule 901 by accessing a weather forecasting system 905 provided remotely of the vehicle. This allows the system 100 to provide a user with recommendations based not only on the weather forecast 905 at the current position 902, the route, and/or the destination, but based on the weather forecast 905 for the entire journey.

[0071] The obtained schedule 901 and weather forecasts 905 are then used to determine a recommended set of clothes and equipment 15 that corresponds to, i.e. provides a good fit with, the requirements posed by the forecasted weather 905 at the user's current position 902, any intermediate stops, and the at least one destination. This step is performed by a clothes and equipment recommendation module 115 which outputs, at an output, a signal indicative of a recommended set of clothes and equipment 115a.

[0072] In addition to this, the user's current set of clothes and equipment 906 is obtained 17 by means of a clothes and equipment module 117. The clothes and equipment module 117 according to this embodiment of the present invention comprises a camera 117a used to register the user's current set of clothes and equipment 906 using image recognition or computer vision methods. The camera 117a may for example be provided in a handheld device of the user, or as an indoor security camera configured to be connected to the system of the present invention.

[0073] Using the obtained current set of clothes and equipment 906 of the user and the recommended set of clothes and equipment 115a, a difference determination module 119 determines a difference 19 therebetween. The difference determined measures parameters such as rain protection, warmth, wind protection, coverage of the clothes and equipment. Thus, the system 100 and method 1 of the present invention may determine whether the user should change his or her clothes or equipment in order to increase or decrease any one of these parameters.

[0074] Upon determining a difference between the current set of clothes and equipment 906 and the recommended set of clothes and equipment 115a, a change of clothes or equipment is recommended 21 in order to better meet the requirements posed by the weather conditions at user's current position 902, at any intermediate stops required, and at the at least one destination. Additionally or alternatively, a route between the user's current position 902 and the at least one destination is recommended 21 that allows a user to avoid areas where the weather forecast 905 is such that the user's current set of clothes and equipment 906 does not meet the requirements posed thereby. An output 121a indicative of such a recommendation is then generated at an output of a control module 121 of the system. This output 121a may then be used to display the recommendation on a user interface 201 of the vehicle 200 in which the system 100 is implemented.

[0075] For example, it may be determined that the user has clothes and equipment 906 that provide little rain protection but are warm, while the weather forecast 905 for the user's current position 902, for any intermediate stops, and for the at least one destination is rain and high temperature, i.e. rain protection and cool clothes are recommended. In that case, the user may be recommended, by means of the system 100 generating an output 121a indicative of a recommendation, to change his or her clothes and equipment 906 to something cooler that also provides better rain protection.

[0076] FIG. 2 is a schematic drawing of an embodiment of the method 1 and system 100 of the first and second aspect of the present invention. The system 100 of FIG. 2 is configured to perform one embodiment of the method 1 of the first aspect of the present invention.

[0077] In addition to the steps and modules presented in relation to FIG. 1, the system 100 illustrated in FIG. 2 comprises a GPS module 123 used to determine the user's current position 902 and relate this to the schedule module 111 and weather forecast module 113.

[0078] The system 100 further comprises a vehicle status module 125 used to obtain 25 vehicle status 907, such as such as remaining range, fuel level, remaining charge of a battery, and/or average fuel consumption of the vehicle 200 in which the system 100 is implemented.

[0079] Furthermore, the system 100 comprises a user behaviour module 127 that is trained on past user behaviour 909, i.e. patterns of behaviour obtained from observing actual user behaviour in different scenarios and the output thereof. Using the obtained vehicle status 907 and the output of the user behaviour module 127, the schedule module 111 predicts 11b whether any intermediate stops between the user's current position 902 and the at least one destination are required. In one embodiment, the schedule module 111 first predicts 11b whether any intermediate stops between the user's current position 902 and the at least one destination are needed, after which the schedule module 111 determines a plurality of potential intermediate stops 11c for future evaluation by the system 100. Thus, the intermediate stop that is best suited, in terms of weather and the effects thereof, for the user's current set of clothes and equipment 906 may be chosen. This is done by having a weather forecast module 113 obtain the weather forecasts 905 for each one of the plurality of intermediate stops, potential or required, the output of which is used to determine a recommended set of clothes and equipment 115a for each intermediate stop. Thus, an output 121a indicative of a suggested route may be generated at the control module 121 of the system 100, for use in displaying the recommendation to a user of the vehicle 200 on a user interface 201 provided therein.

[0080] Additionally, the clothes and equipment module 117 of one embodiment of the present invention uses the output of the user behaviour module 127, the schedule module 111, the GPS module 123, and/or the weather forecast module 113 to predict the current set of clothes and equipment 906 of the user. For example, the clothes and equipment module 117 may predict that if the weather is warm, the user is at his or her summerhouse, and is scheduled to go to the beach, a predicted set of clothes and equipment 906 may be swimwear and a towel, should this also align with the output of the user behaviour module 127.

[0081] Similarly, the schedule module 111 of one embodiment of the present invention uses the output of the user behaviour module 127, vehicle status module 125, the GPS module 123, and/or the weather forecast module 113 to predict the schedule 901 of the user. For example, the schedule module 111 may predict that if the fuel is running out, and the user's current position 902 is far away from a position that the user behaviour module identifies as a likely destination for that day, the schedule module 111 may predict that the user will first go to a gas station or charging station, after which the user will continue travel towards the predicted destination for that day.

[0082] The predictions above may alternatively be performed by the user behaviour module 127, or by any other module connected thereto, using inputs as discussed above.

[0083] FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of a vehicle 200 in which a system 100 according to the present invention is implemented. The vehicle 200 comprises a processing unit 203, a memory unit 205, a user interface 201, and a perception unit 207. The memory unit 205 is a computer-readable storage medium storing a program configured to be executed by the processing unit 203, wherein the program comprises instructions for performing the method 1 of the present invention. The user interface 201 is configured to display a recommendation based on an output 121a generated by the control module 121 of the system 100 of the present invention, and the perception unit 207 comprises modules of the system 100 associated with perception of the external world and the vehicle 200 itself.

[0084] FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating one embodiment of the method 1 of the first aspect of the present invention. The illustrated method 1 may be realized by a system 100 as described in relation to any of the figures above.

[0085] The method 1 comprises the step of obtaining a schedule of the user 11, obtaining required intermediate stops 11a, obtaining weather forecasts 13 for the user's current position and for the at least one destination of the schedule of the user, determining a recommended set of clothes and equipment 15 based on the weather forecasts for the user's current position and the at least one destination, obtaining image data of the user 17a, obtaining the user's current set of clothes and equipment 17, determining a difference 19 between the current set of clothes and equipment and the recommended set of clothes and equipment, and recommending 21, based on a determined difference, a change of clothes or equipment or a route between the user's current position and the at least one destination.

[0086] FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating another embodiment of the method 1 of the present invention.

[0087] The method 1 of FIG. 5 comprises the step of obtaining a schedule of the user 11, obtaining vehicle status 25, predicting 11b whether any intermediate stops between the user's current position and the at least one destination are required based on current vehicle status and/or learned user behaviour, determining a plurality of potential intermediate stops 11c between the user's current position and the at least one destination, obtaining weather forecasts 13 for said plurality of potential intermediate stops, determining a plurality of potential recommended sets of clothes and equipment 15 based on the weather forecasts for said plurality of potential intermediate stops, obtaining the user's current set of clothes and equipment 17, determining a difference 19 between the current set of clothes and equipment and the plurality of potential recommended sets of clothes and equipment, and recommending 21, based on a determined difference between the user's current set of clothes and equipment and the plurality of potential recommended sets of clothes and equipment, a route between the user's current position and the at least one destination including at least one intermediate stop chosen from said plurality of potential intermediate stops.

[0088] The person skilled in the art realizes that the present invention by no means is limited to the embodiments described above. The features of the described embodiments may be combined in different ways, and many modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the appended claims. In the claims, any reference signs placed between parentheses shall not be construed as limiting to the claim. The word “comprising” does not exclude the presence of other elements or steps than those listed in the claim. The word “a” or “an” preceding an element does not exclude the presence of a plurality of such elements.