Group interaction system for interaction with other vehicles of a group

• US 20040148090A1
• Filed: 01/15/2003
• Published: 07/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Infotechnology Center Co., Ltd. (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Infotechnology Center Co., Ltd. (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Melen, Roger D.
• Granted Patent: US 6,868,333 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/200
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3667 Display of a road map G01C21/3614 takes precedence; guidance using 3D or perspective road maps G01C21/3635
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/161 Decentralised systems, e.g. inter-vehicle communication
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/44 Star or tree networks

Abstract

The group interaction system comprises a plurality of vehicle navigation systems that are capable of communicating with one another, displaying the location of other vehicle navigation systems in a group, and receiving selection of certain vehicle navigation systems in the group and selection of an application for interaction among the selected vehicle navigation systems. A group of vehicle navigation systems to interact with is established. One or more of other vehicle navigation systems to interact with the vehicle navigation system. An application is also selected on the vehicle navigation system for interaction with the selected other vehicle navigation systems. In response, the vehicle navigation system runs the selected application with respect to the selected other navigation systems.

Claims

1. A vehicle navigation system capable of interacting with a plurality of other vehicle navigation systems of a group, the vehicle navigation system comprising:

a memory device including a group data module, a group establishment module, and an applications module, the group data module having information regarding members of the group, the group establishment module having an application for establishing the group, and the applications module having at least an application for interaction with selected members of the group; and

a processor coupled to the memory device for running the application for establishing the group and the application for interaction with selected members of the group.

2. The vehicle navigation system of claim 1, wherein the applications module further has a global position system application for determining locations of the members of the group.

3. A vehicle network server for use in a group interaction system for interaction among a plurality of vehicle navigation systems, the vehicle network server comprising:

a memory device including a group data module, a group establishment module, and an applications module, the group data module having information regarding members of the group, the group establishment module having an application for establishing the group, and the applications module having at least an application for interaction with selected members of the group; and

a processor coupled to the memory device for running the application for establishing the group and the application for interaction with selected members of the group.

4. A vehicle navigation system in a first vehicle and capable of interacting with a plurality of other vehicle navigation systems of a group, the vehicle navigation system comprising:

a global positioning system (GPS) module receiving a GPS signal and determining a location of the first vehicle based upon the GPS signal;

a wireless communications module for communicating with the other vehicle navigation systems of the group and receiving location information corresponding to second vehicles in which the other vehicle navigation systems are placed from the other vehicle navigation systems;

a display device coupled to the GPS module and the wireless communications module and displaying the location of the first vehicle and the second vehicles on a map and a list of one or more applications;

a touch sensitive screen coupled to the display device and capable of receiving input commands corresponding to a selection of one or more of the second vehicles on the map and a selection of one of the applications; and

a processor coupled to the touch sensitive screen for running the selected application with respect to the other vehicle navigation systems in the selected second vehicles.

5. The vehicle navigation system of claim 4, further comprising a memory device storing the map, the applications and identification information corresponding to the other vehicle navigation systems in the second vehicles.

6. The vehicle navigation system of claim 5, wherein the identification information is a cellular telephone number corresponding to each of the other vehicle navigation systems in the second vehicles or a vehicle identification number corresponding to each of the second vehicles.

7. The vehicle navigation system of claim 5, wherein the vehicle navigation system is communicatively coupled to a vehicle network server via the wireless communications module and the vehicle navigation system receives the identification information corresponding to the other vehicle navigation systems in the second vehicles from the vehicle network server.

8. The vehicle navigation system of claim 5, wherein the vehicle navigation system receives the identification information corresponding to the other vehicle navigation systems in the second vehicles by receiving input to the vehicle navigation system on the touch sensitive screen.

9. The vehicle navigation system of claim 4, wherein the wireless communications module is a cellular telephone interface.

10. The vehicle navigation system of claim 4, wherein the selected application is a cellular telephone application and the processor enables establishment of a cellular telephone call between the vehicle navigation system in the first vehicle and the selected vehicle navigation systems in the second vehicle.

11. The vehicle navigation system of claim 4, wherein the locations of the first vehicle and the second vehicles are indicated on the display device as icons on the map and one or more of the second vehicles are selected for interaction by touching the corresponding icons as the input commands to the touch sensitive screen.

12. A vehicle network server for use in a group interaction system for interaction among a plurality of vehicle navigation systems in a plurality of corresponding vehicles of a group, the vehicle network server comprising:

a wireless communications module for communicating with the vehicle navigation systems of the group and receiving from a first vehicle navigation system a selection of one or more second vehicle navigation systems and a selection of an application for interaction among the first vehicle navigation system and the selected second vehicle navigation systems;

a processor coupled to the wireless communications module for running the selected application with respect to the first vehicle navigation system and the selected second vehicle navigation systems.

13. The vehicle network server of claim 12, further comprising a memory device storing identification information of the group, the identification information being downloaded to the plurality of navigation systems via the wireless communications module.

14. The vehicle network server of claim 13, wherein the identification information is a cellular telephone number corresponding to each of the first and second vehicle navigation systems or a vehicle identification number corresponding to vehicles in which the first and second vehicle navigation systems are placed.

15. The vehicle network server of claim 13, further comprising a data communications module coupled to the wireless communications module, the identification information being downloaded from an external source to the vehicle network server via the data communications module.

16. The vehicle network server of claim 12, wherein the wireless communications module is a cellular telephone interface.

17. The vehicle network server of claim 12, wherein the selected application is a cellular telephone application and the processor enables establishment of a cellular telephone call between the first vehicle navigation system and the selected second vehicle navigation systems.

18. In a first vehicle navigation system, a method of interacting with a second vehicle navigation system, the method comprising:

establishing a group including the first vehicle navigation system and the second vehicle navigation system;

receiving information regarding the locations of the first vehicle navigation system and the second vehicle navigation system;

displaying the locations of the first and second vehicle navigation system;

receiving selection of the second vehicle navigation system;

receiving selection of an application; and

running the application with respect to the first vehicle navigation system and the selected second vehicle navigation system.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein establishing a group comprises:

receiving identification information corresponding to the first vehicle navigation system and the second vehicle navigation system;

establishing communication with the second vehicle navigation system based upon the identification information and requesting the second vehicle navigation system for permission to be added to the group; and

adding to the group the second vehicle navigation system giving permission.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the identification information is a cellular telephone number corresponding to each of the first and second vehicle navigation system.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein establishing a group comprises receiving identification information corresponding to the first vehicle navigation system and the second vehicle navigation system from a vehicle network server communicatively coupled to the first vehicle navigation system.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein running the application comprises:

establishing communication with a vehicle network server communicatively coupled to the first and the second vehicle navigation system, the vehicle network server storing the selected application and capable of running the application; and

transmitting the selection of the application and the selection of the second vehicle navigation system to the vehicle network server.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the selected application is a cellular telephone application and running the application comprises establishing a cellular telephone call between the first vehicle navigation system and the selected second vehicle navigation system.

24. A vehicle navigation system in a first vehicle and capable of interacting with another vehicle navigation system of a group, the vehicle navigation system comprising:

global positioning system (GPS) means for receiving a GPS signal and determining a location of the first vehicle based upon the GPS signal;

communication means for communicating with the another vehicle navigation system of the group and receiving location information of the another vehicle navigation systems;

output means coupled to the GPS means and the communications means for outputting the location of the vehicle navigation system and the another vehicle navigation system and a list of one or more applications;

input means coupled to the output means for receiving input commands corresponding to a selection of the another vehicle navigation system and a selection of one of the applications; and

processor means coupled to the input means for running the selected application with respect to the another vehicle navigation system.

25. A method of establishing a group of vehicle navigation systems for interaction with selected ones of the vehicle navigation systems, the method comprising:

receiving from a first vehicle navigation system identification information corresponding to a second vehicle navigation system;

establishing communication with the second vehicle navigation system based upon the identification information and requesting the second vehicle navigation system for permission to be added to the group; and

adding to the group the second vehicle navigation system giving permission.