Method and Apparatus for Preferential Determination and Display of Points of Interest

• US 20110004523A1
• Filed: 07/06/2009
• Published: 01/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Pierucci, Joe Phillip, Giuli, Thomas J., Prasad, Krishnaswamy Venkatesh
• Application Number:
  US12/498,004
• Publication Number:
  US 20110004523A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.58
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/36 Input/output arrangements for on-board computers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location

Abstract

A method and apparatus for preferential determination and display of points of interest are provided. The points of interest can be determined based on a variety of non-proximity based factors, including, but not limited to, time of day, temperature, etc. The automatically determined points of interest can then be displayed for a user on a display associated with a vehicle-based computing system. Advertisements may also be selected and displayed based on incoming signals, and points of interest associated with displayed advertisements may be displayed.

Claims

1. A vehicle-based computing system comprising:

a vehicle-based processor, to control a monitoring system;

one or more storage locations to store data for use by the processor;

wherein the processor is operable to execute one or more routines, the execution of the one or more routines resulting in the processor;

automatically selecting one or more non-proximity based factors for consideration in determining one or more points of interest (POIs) for display;

evaluating the selected one or more factors;

determining one or more POIs to display based at least in part on the evaluating the selected one or more factors; and

displaying one or more of the one or more POIs identified by the determining.

2. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the one or more non-proximity based factors includes a time of day.

3. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the one or more non-proximity based factors includes an outside temperature.

4. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the one or more non-proximity based factors includes a fuel level.

5. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the one or more non-proximity based factors includes an icy condition.

6. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the one or more non-proximity based factors includes a tire pressure level.

7. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the one or more non-proximity based factors includes an oil level.

8. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the one or more non-proximity based factors includes a wellness monitor state.

9. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the one or more factors to be selected are determined by a user.

10. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the execution of the one or more routines further resulting in the processor:

weighing or ranking the selected one or more factors against each other; and

wherein the determining further includes determining one or more POIs to display based at least in part on a comparison between weighted or ranked factors.

11. The computing system of claim 10, wherein the weighting or ranking of the one or more factors is user determined.

12. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the determining further includes determining one or more POIs to display based at least in part on proximity to a location.

13. The computing system of claim 12, wherein a value used for the proximity varies by factor.

14. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the execution of the one or more routines further resulting in the processor:

selecting a predetermined number of POIs to be displayed for one or more of the one or more selected factors.

15. The computing system of claim 14, wherein the predetermined number of POIs varies between at least two of the one or more selected factors.

16. A vehicle-based computing system comprising:

a vehicle-based processor, to control a monitoring system;

one or more storage locations to store data for use by the processor;

wherein the processor is operable to interpret a signal associated with an incoming radio frequency signal as an advertisement signal;

wherein the processor is further operable to check a database to see if there is a stored advertisement associated with the advertisement signal; and

wherein the processor is further operable to retrieve the advertisement associated with the advertisement signal and instruct display of the advertisement on a display.

17. The vehicle-based computing system of claim 16, wherein the processor is further operable to instruct display of one or more point of interest (POI) selections associated with the advertisement.

18. The vehicle-based computing system of claim 17, wherein the POI selections include at least one of:

a POI near the user, a POI along a predetermined route, or a POI at a predetermined destination.

19. The vehicle-based computing system of claim 18, wherein the POI selections correspond to an advertising business providing the advertisement.

20. The vehicle-based computing system of claim 19, wherein the database is stored in at least one of the storage locations.

21. The vehicle-based computing system of claim 19, wherein the database is stored remotely.

22. A computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor of a machine reading the computer readable storage medium, cause the processor to:

automatically select one or more non-proximity based factors for consideration in determining one or more points of interest (POIs) for display;

evaluate the selected one or more factors;

determine one or more POIs to display based at least in part on the evaluation of the selected one or more factors; and

display one or more of the one or more POIs.

23. A vehicle-based computing system comprising:

a vehicle-based processor, to control the monitoring system;

one or more storage locations to store data for use by the processor;

wherein the processor is operable to interpret a signal associated with an incoming radio frequency signal as an advertisement signal; and

wherein the processor is operable to instruct display of one or more point of interest (POI) selections associated with the advertisement.