System And Method For Selectively Filtering And Providing Event Program Information

• US 20080300775A1
• Filed: 05/31/2007
• Published: 12/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Habaguchi, Masayuki
• Granted Patent: US 7,668,653 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/116
• 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: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for communicating filtered event program information and broadcasting user searchable event program information to vehicles. For example, there is provided a system for broadcasting event program information to at least one vehicle that is filtered according to the vehicle'"'"'s current location. In one embodiment, the system comprises one or more antennas, a broadcast receiver unit having a data filter, and a navigational device that displays event program information by venue within a set distance from the vehicle'"'"'s current location. The display further comprises multi-leveled sub-menus that provide a user with a variety of movie related information such as screening times, cast listings, movie reviews, movie trailers, etc. The system further comprises a memory buffer unit in the receiver unit that stores the vehicle'"'"'s last reported location data and cross-referenced databases of movie program information periodically updated so as to minimize bandwidth requirements of the system.

Claims

1. A method for providing updated event information to a user of a vehicle, comprising:

determining a geographic position of the vehicle;

storing position data regarding the determined geographic position in a memory prior to a vehicle deactivation;

retrieving the position data from the memory after a vehicle reactivation;

receiving event information updates from a remote location;

filtering the received event information updates to discard updates regarding events occurring farther than a predetermined distance from the determined geographic position of the vehicle;

generating the updated event information from the filtered event information updates; and

displaying the updated event information to the user.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing preliminary event information in the memory prior to the vehicle deactivation.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein generating the updated event information comprises updating the preliminary event information with the filtered event information updates.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein updating the preliminary event information with the filtered event information updates comprises changing a first portion of the preliminary event information while leaving a second portion of the preliminary event information unchanged.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining geographic position of the vehicle comprises utilizing a Global Positioning System.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein storing position data in a memory comprises storing the position data in a memory buffer.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein storing position data prior to a vehicle deactivation comprises storing the position data before vehicle'"'"'s ignition is turned off.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein retrieving the position data after a vehicle reactivation comprises retrieving the position data after vehicle'"'"'s ignition is turned on.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein retrieving the position data after a vehicle reactivation comprises retrieving the position data after vehicle'"'"'s receiver is reactivated.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving event information updates from a remote location comprises receiving broadcast information updates.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein receiving broadcast information updates comprises receiving the broadcast information updates via a satellite radio broadcast system.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the updated event information comprises displaying movie information.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing at least a portion of the updated event information as an audible message via a vehicle audio system.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the audible message comprises spoken words.

15. A system for providing updated event information to a user of a vehicle, comprising:

a navigation unit for determining a geographic position of the vehicle;

a receiver for receiving event information updates from a remote location;

a memory unit;

a processor unit operatively coupled to the navigation, receiver, and memory units, wherein the processor unit is programmed to;

store position data regarding the determined geographic position in the memory unit prior to a vehicle deactivation;

retrieve the position data from the memory unit after a vehicle reactivation;

filter the received event information updates to discard updates regarding events occurring farther than a predetermined distance from the determined geographic position of the vehicle; and

generate the updated event information from the filtered event information updates.

16. The system as recited in claim 15, further comprising a display unit for displaying the updated event information to the user.

17. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the processor unit stores preliminary event information in the memory unit prior to the vehicle deactivation.

18. The system as recited in claim 17, wherein the processor unit generates the updated event information by updating the preliminary event information with the filtered event information updates.

19. The system as recited in claim 18, wherein the processor unit changes a first portion of the preliminary event information while leaving a second portion of the preliminary event information unchanged.

20. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the navigation unit comprises a Global Positioning System receiver.

21. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the processor stores the position data in the memory unit before vehicle'"'"'s ignition is turned off.

22. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the processor unit retrieves the position data after vehicle'"'"'s ignition is turned on.

23. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the processor unit retrieves the position data after the receiver unit is reactivated.

24. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the receiver unit receives broadcast information updates.

25. The system as recited in claim 24, wherein the receiver receives the broadcast information updates via a satellite radio broadcast system.

26. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the updated event information comprises movie information.

27. The system as recited in claim 15, further comprising an audio unit for providing the updated event information as an audible message for the user.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the audible message comprises spoken words.

29. A system for providing event information to a user of a vehicle, comprising:

a navigation unit for determining a geographic position of the vehicle;

a receiver for receiving the event information;

a memory unit;

a processor unit operatively coupled to the navigation, receiver, and memory units, wherein the processor unit;

stores position data regarding the determined geographic position in the memory unit prior to a vehicle deactivation;

retrieves the position data from the memory unit after a vehicle reactivation; and

filters the received event information to discard information regarding events occurring farther than a predetermined distance from the determined geographic position of the vehicle.

30. The system as recited in claim 29, wherein the processor unit stores preliminary event information prior to the vehicle deactivation, the preliminary event information comprising a first portion and a second portion.

31. The system as recited in claim 30, wherein first portion is updated more frequently than the second portion.

32. The system as recited in claim 31, wherein the event information comprises movie information, the first portion comprises movie times, and the second portion comprises move titles.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the second portion further comprises at least one of movie reviews;

movie synopsis;

movie trailers;

cast member listings; and

movie promotional art.

34. The system as recited in claim 31, wherein the processor unit uses the filtered event information to update the first portion.

35. The system as recited in claim 34, wherein the processor unit uses the filtered event information to update the second portion.

36. The system as recited in claim 29, further comprising a display unit for displaying the event information for the user.

37. A method for providing event information to a user of a vehicle, comprising:

determining a geographic position of the vehicle;

storing position data regarding the determined geographic position in a memory prior to a vehicle deactivation;

retrieving the position data from the memory after a vehicle reactivation;

receiving event information from a remote location; and

filtering the received event information to discard information regarding events occurring farther than a predetermined distance from the determined geographic position of the vehicle.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising storing preliminary event information prior to the vehicle deactivation, the preliminary event information comprising a first portion and a second portion.

39. The method of claim 38, further comprising using the filtered event information to update the first portion.

40. The method of claim 38, further comprising using the filtered event information to update the second portion.