SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DETERMINING RECOMMENDED MEDIA CONTENT FOR EXCHANGE BETWEEN VEHICLES

• US 20120317161A1
• Filed: 06/09/2011
• Published: 12/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Grimm, Donald K., BAI, FAN
• Granted Patent: US 8,682,956 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/201
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/435 Filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles

Abstract

An onboard computer system including instructions causing a processor to store a first-user media profile indicating media preferences of a user. The processor also determines that the vehicle is encountering a second vehicle and receives a second-user media profile. The processor also evaluates the profiles to determine whether the profiles bear a predetermined similarity and, in response to determining the similarity exists, identifies recommended media, based on characteristics of the profiles, and initiates provision of the recommended media to one of the users of the first vehicle and the user of the second vehicle.

Claims

1. An onboard computer system, for use in a first vehicle to determine recommended media, the onboard computer system comprising:

a computer processor;

a tangible computer-readable storage medium operatively connected to the processor and storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform acts including;

storing a first-user media profile in the storage medium, the first-user media profile indicating media preferences of a user of the first vehicle;

determining that the first vehicle is encountering a second vehicle based on signals received by way of a receiver of the vehicle;

receiving a second-user media profile from the second vehicle by way of the receiver, the second-user media profile being indicative of media preferences of a user of the second vehicle;

evaluating the first-user media profile and the second-user media profile to determine whether the first-user media profile and the second-user media profile bear at least a predetermined level of similarity to each other; and

in response to determining that the first-user media profile and the second-user media profile bear at least the predetermined level of similarity to each other;

identifying the recommended media based on characteristics of the first-user media profile and characteristics of the second-user media profile; and

initiating provision of the recommended media, from the onboard computer system to one of the user of the first vehicle and the user of the second vehicle.

2. The onboard computer system of claim 1, wherein the instructions cause the processor to, in response to determining that the first vehicle is encountering a second vehicle based on signals received by way of the receiver, initiate transmission of a media profile request to the second vehicle, by way of a transceiver of the vehicle, the media profile request requesting the second-user media profile.

3. The onboard computer system of claim 1, wherein the instructions cause the processor to:

in identifying the recommended media based on characteristics of the first-user media profile and characteristics of the second-user media profile, identify the recommended media for provision to the user of the second vehicle; and

in initiating provision of the recommended media, initiate transmission of the recommended media, from the onboard computer system, by way of the transmitter, to an onboard computer system of the second vehicle.

4. The onboard computer system of claim 3, wherein the instructions cause the processor to, in identifying the recommended media for the user of the second vehicle based on characteristics of the first-user media profile and characteristics of the second-user media profile, identify media that is not represented in the second-user media profile.

5. The onboard computer system of claim 1, wherein the instructions cause the processor to:

in identifying the recommended media based on characteristics of the first-user media profile and characteristics of the second-user media profile, identify the recommended media for provision to the user of the first vehicle; and

in initiating provision of the recommended media, initiate provision of the recommended media to the user of the first vehicle by way of a media system of the first vehicle.

6. The onboard computer system of claim 5, wherein the instructions cause the processor to, in identifying the recommended media for the user of the first vehicle based on characteristics of the first-user media profile and characteristics of the second-user media profile, identify media that is not represented in the first-user media profile.

7. The onboard computer system of claim 1, wherein:

the first-user media profile is configured as a first multi-dimensional vector;

the second-user media profile is configured as a second multi-dimensional state vector; and

the instructions causing the processor to evaluate the first-user media profile and the second-user media profile, cause the processor to compare the first multi-dimensional state vector and the second multi-dimensional state vector to each other.

8. The onboard computer system of claim 1, wherein the instructions cause the processor to develop the first-user media profile using historic actions of the first user.

9. The onboard computer system of claim 1, wherein the instructions cause the processor to receive the first-user media profile from an external source.

10. The onboard computer system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is an automobile, and the onboard computer system is a component of the automobile.

11. A computer-implemented method for recommending information to a user of a vehicle, the method comprising:

a tangible onboard computer of a first vehicle storing a first-user media profile in a storage medium of the first vehicle, the first-user media profile indicating media preferences of a user of the first vehicle;

the onboard computer of the first vehicle determining that the first vehicle is encountering a second vehicle based on signals received by way of the receiver;

the onboard computer of the first vehicle receiving a second-user media profile from the second vehicle by way of the receiver, the second-user media profile being indicative of media preferences of a user of the second vehicle;

evaluating the first-user media profile and the second-user media profile to determine whether the first-user media profile and the second-user media profile bear at least a predetermined level of similarity to each other; and

in response to determining that the first-user media profile and the second-user media profile bear at least the predetermined level of similarity to each other;

identifying the recommended media based on characteristics of the first-user media profile and characteristics of the second-user media profile; and

initiating provision of the recommended media to one of the user of the first vehicle and the user of the second vehicle.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, further comprising, in response to determining that the first vehicle is encountering a second vehicle based on signals received by way of the receiver, initiating transmission of a media profile request to the second vehicle, by way of the transceiver, the media profile request requesting the second-user media profile.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein:

identifying the recommended media based on characteristics of the first-user media profile and characteristics of the second-user media profile includes identifying the recommended media for provision to the user of the second vehicle; and

initiating provision of the recommended media includes initiating transmission of the recommended media, from the onboard computer, by way of the transmitter, to an onboard computer system of the second vehicle.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, wherein identifying the recommended media for the user of the second vehicle based on characteristics of the first-user media profile and characteristics of the second-user media profile includes identifying media that is not represented in the second-user media profile.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein:

identifying the recommended media based on characteristics of the first-user media profile and characteristics of the second-user media profile includes identifying the recommended media for provision to the user of the first vehicle; and

initiating provision of the recommended media includes initiating provision of the recommended media to the user of the first vehicle by way of a media system of the first vehicle.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein identifying the recommended media for the user of the first vehicle based on characteristics of the first-user media profile and characteristics of the second-user media profile includes identifying media that is not represented in the first-user media profile.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein:

the first-user media profile is configured as a first multi-dimensional vector;

the second-user media profile is configured as a second multi-dimensional state vector; and

the instructions causing the processor to evaluate the first-user media profile and the second-user media profile, cause the processor to compare the first multi-dimensional state vector and the second multi-dimensional state vector to each other.

18. A computer-implemented method for recommending media to a user of a vehicle, the method comprising a computer-processor, executing computer-readable instructions stored in a tangible storage medium at least:

determining that a first vehicle and a second vehicle are proximate to each other;

obtaining a first-user media profile, the first-user media profile indicating media preferences of a user of the first vehicle;

storing the first-user media profile in a storage medium;

obtaining a second-user media profile, the second-user media profile indicating media preferences of a user of the second vehicle;

storing the second-user media profile in the storage medium;

evaluating the first-user media profile and the second-user media profile to determine whether the first-user media profile and the second-user media profile bear at least a predetermined level of similarity to each other; and

in response to determining that the first-user media profile and the second-user media profile bear at least the predetermined level of similarity to each other;

identifying the recommended media based on characteristics of the first-user media profile and characteristics of the second-user media profile; and

initiating provision of the recommended media to one of the user of the first vehicle and the user of the second vehicle.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 18, wherein the computer-processor, executing the computer-readable instructions stored in the tangible storage medium:

determines that three or more vehicles, including the first vehicle and the second vehicle, are proximate to each other;

obtains a user media profile corresponding to respective users of each of the three or more vehicles, including the first-user media profile and the second-user media profile; and

evaluates the user media profiles corresponding to the users of the three or more vehicles to determine whether any of the user media profiles bear at least a predetermined level of similarity to any other of the media profiles.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 18, wherein (a) identifying the recommended media and (b) initiating provision of the recommended media include at least one of:

(i) (a) identifying first recommended media, for the user of the first vehicle, being media represented by the second-user media profile that is not represented by the first-user media profile and (b) initiating provision of the first recommended media to the user of the first vehicle; and

(ii) (a) identifying second recommended media, for the user of the second vehicle, being media represented by the first-user media profile that is not represented by the second-user media profile and (b) initiating provision of the second recommended media to the user of the second vehicle.