System and method for providing information to travelers

• US 20060184313A1
• Filed: 02/11/2005
• Published: 08/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aptiv Technologies AG (Aptiv PLC)
• Original Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Inventors: Butler, Raymond O. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 7,623,966 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/200
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3679 Retrieval, searching and output of POI information, e.g. hotels, restaurants, shops, filling stations, parking facilities G01C21/3611 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing “point of interest” information to travelers. Large databases can be populated with information relating to a wide variety of different “points of interest.” Individual users can use the system to automatically focus on information that is likely to be interesting to the user, while ignoring information that is unlikely to be interest to the user. The position of the user can influence which “points of interest” on the database are selectively identified by the system.

Claims

1. A mobile system for accessing information about a point of interest, comprising:

a position device, said position device providing for identifying a position;

a data source device, said data source device providing for;

a plurality of points of interest;

a plurality of point attributes, said plurality of point attributes including a plurality of locations;

wherein each said point of interest is associated with at least one said point attribute; and

an access device, said access device providing for;

receiving said position from said position device, wherein said position is a passive trigger;

selectively identifying at least one said point of interest using said position; and

communicating at least one said point attribute associated with said point of interest.

2. The mobile system of claim 1, wherein said position device is a global positioning system (GPS) and wherein said position includes a plurality of coordinates.

3. The mobile system of claim 1, wherein said system is housed in a vehicle.

4. The mobile system of claim 3, wherein said vehicle does not include said data source device.

5. The mobile system of claim 1, wherein the selectively identifying of at least one said point of interest is influenced by at least one of:

(a) a distance between said position and at least one said location associated with at least one said selectively identified point of interest;

(b) a user profile;

(c) a history record;

(d) a range of interest;

(e) a category of interest;

(f) a plurality of operating hours;

(g) a user query received through said access device; and

(h) a subscription agreement.

6. The mobile system of claim 1, wherein said data source device is a stand alone memory unit.

7. The mobile system of claim 1, wherein said position device is located on a vehicle, wherein said access device is located on said vehicle, and wherein said data source device is not located on said vehicle.

8. The mobile system of claim 1, wherein said access device includes at least one of:

(a) a laptop computer;

(b) a notebook computer;

(c) a personal digital assistant (PDA); and

(d) a navigation application.

9. The mobile system of claim 1, wherein said points of interest do not include a hotel, a restaurant, and a service station.

10. A mobile system for accessing information about a point of interest, comprising:

a position device, said position device providing for the identification of a position and a heading;

a data source device, said data source device providing for;

a plurality of points of interest;

a plurality of point attributes, said plurality of point attributes including a plurality of locations;

wherein each said point is associated with at least two said point attributes, including at least one said location;

an access device, said access device providing for;

receiving said position and said heading from said position device, wherein said position is a passive trigger;

capturing a user request;

selectively identifying at least one said point of interest using said position, said heading, and said user request; and

displaying at least one said point attribute associated with said point of interest.

11. The mobile system of claim 10, further comprising a data supplier interface, said data supplier interface providing for adding and updating at least one said point of interest.

12. The mobile system of claim 11, wherein said data supplier interface is a website, wherein said data source device is a server supporting said website, and wherein said access device is located within a vehicle.

13. The mobile system of claim 10, wherein the selectively identifying of at least one said point of interest is influenced by at least one of:

(a) a distance between said position and at least one said location associated with at least one said selectively identified point of interest;

(b) a user profile;

(c) a history record;

(d) a range of interest;

(e) a category of interest;

(f) a plurality of operating hours; and

(h) a subscription agreement.

14. The mobile system of claim 10, wherein said access device is located within a vehicle and wherein said data source device is updated while the vehicle is moving.

15. A method for providing information to travelers, comprising:

receiving a plurality of points of interest from a plurality of data suppliers, wherein each said point is associated with a location and a description, wherein said location and said description for each said point is received through a network interface;

storing a plurality of automated operating rules, wherein at least one automated operating rule is associated with a trigger;

accepting a query from a user;

selectively identifying one or more said points of interest, wherein said query and said operating rules influence the selectively identification of one more said points; and

providing at least one location and at least one said description to the user.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein an access device used to submit said query automatically embeds a plurality of coordinates with said query.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising modifying a user profile, wherein said user profile further influences the selective identification of said point of interest.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the access device used to submit said query and provide said location and said description to the user is embedded in a vehicle.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein said operating rules provide for at least one of:

(a) a distance between said position and at least one said location associated with at least one said selectively identified point of interest;

(b) a user profile;

(c) a history record;

(d) a range of interest;

(e) a category of interest;

(f) a plurality of operating hours; and

(h) a subscription agreement.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein a stand-alone memory unit stores all said points of interest.