SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR RECEIVING INFORMATION IN A VEHICLE

• US 20070268156A1
• Filed: 05/17/2006
• Published: 11/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Motor Company
• Original Assignee: Ford Motor Company
• Inventors: Hider, Mounir, Santos, Sergio
• Granted Patent: US 7,619,507 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/905
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09675 where a selection from the received information takes place in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/57 for mobile receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/70 characterised in that receivers can be addressed
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/53 of destinations

Abstract

Aspects of the invention provide a system and method for receiving information in a vehicle. Information pertaining to the vehicle'"'"'s driver may be stored. Information pertaining to the vehicle'"'"'s driver may be made audile through the vehicle'"'"'s radio system.

Claims

1. A method for receiving information in a vehicle comprising:

storing information about a user-defined criteria;

receiving a broadcast signal containing information;

processing the signal to determine whether at least a portion of the information pertains to the user-defined criteria; and

automatically generating an audible signal when at least a portion of the information pertains to the user-defined criteria.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving a user input signal in response to the audible signal.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the audible signal is an audible alert signal and the method further comprises generating an audible information signal containing at least a portion of the information pertaining to the user-defined criteria.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the audible signal is an audible alert signal and the method further comprises storing at least a portion of the information pertaining to the user-defined criteria and generating an audible information signal containing the stored information.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the audible information signal is a voice signal.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing at least a portion of the information pertaining to the user-defined criteria.

7. A method for receiving event information in a vehicle comprising:

storing information about an identification number unique to the vehicle;

receiving a broadcast signal containing information about a user-defined geographic region;

receiving a broadcast signal containing event information including a geographic location associated with an event;

processing the signal containing the event information to determine whether at least a portion of the event information pertains to the user-defined geographic region;

storing at least a portion of the event information pertaining to the user-defined geographic region; and

automatically generating an audible signal when at least a portion of the event information pertains to the user-defined geographic region.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the audible signal is an audible alert signal and the method further comprises, after the step of automatically generating an audible signal, receiving a user input signal in response to the audible signal.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising, after the step of receiving a user input signal, generating an audible information signal containing the stored event information.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising, after the step of receiving a user input signal, generating an audible information signal containing the event information pertaining to the user-defined geographic region.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the audible signal is an audible alert signal and the method further comprises, after the step of automatically generating an audible signal, automatically generating an audible information signal containing the stored event information.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the audible information signal is a voice signal.

13. The method of claim 7 wherein the broadcast signal containing the information about the user-defined geographic region includes a broadcast identification number, the method further comprising processing the signal containing the information about the user-defined geographic region to determine whether the broadcast identification number matches the identification number unique to the vehicle thereby determining whether the information about the user-defined geographic region pertains to the vehicle and storing the information about the user-defined geographic region when the broadcast identification number matches the identification number unique to the vehicle.

14. The method of claim 7 wherein the information about the user-defined geographic region includes a user-defined zip code and wherein the event information includes a zip code associated with the event.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of processing the signal containing the event information to determine whether at least a portion of the event information pertains to the user-defined geographic region includes determining whether the zip code associated with the event is located within a predetermined radius of the user-defined zip code.

16. The method of claim 7 wherein the information about the user-defined geographic region includes a user-defined zip code and wherein the event information includes a latitude and a longitude associated with the event.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising converting the latitude and the longitude associated with the event into a zip code associated with the event and wherein the step of processing the signal containing the event information to determine whether at least a portion of the event information pertains to the user-defined geographic region includes determining whether the zip code associated with the event is located within a predetermined radius of the user-defined zip code.

18. A system for receiving event information in a vehicle comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a broadcast signal containing event information including a geographic location associated with an event;

a processor configured to

store information about an identification number unique to the vehicle;

store information about a user-defined geographic region;

process the broadcast signal to determine whether at least a portion of the event information pertains to the user-defined geographic region;

store at least a portion of the event information pertaining to the user-defined geographic region; and

automatically generate a signal capable of being made audible when at least a portion of the event information pertains to the user-defined geographic region.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the receiver is further configured to receive a broadcast signal containing information about a user-defined geographic region including a broadcast identification number and wherein the processor is further configured to

process the signal containing the information about the user-defined geographic region to determine whether the identification number unique to the vehicle matches the broadcast identification number thereby determining whether the information about the user-defined geographic region pertains to the vehicle;

and

store the information about the user-defined geographic region when the identification number unique to the vehicle matches the broadcast identification number.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the signal capable of being made audible is an alert signal and the processor is further configured to automatically generate an information signal containing the stored event information, and further wherein the information signal is capable of being made audible.