Methods and apparatus for providing securities and stock quotations to an occupant of a vehicle

• US 6,018,293 A
• Filed: 02/26/1999
• Issued: 01/25/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Property Development Associates of Connecticut Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Intellectual Property Development Associates of Connecticut Incorporated
• Inventors: Smith, Harry F.
• Primary Examiner(s): POPE, DARYL C
• Application Number:
  US09/258,983
• Time in Patent Office: 333 Days
• Field of Search: 340/438, 340/439, 320/2, 320/21, 320/17, 320/18, 320/31, 324/434
• US Class Current: 340/438
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/70 Interactions with external data bases, e.g. traffic centres
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/62 in response to charging parameters, e.g. current, voltage or electrical charge
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/665 Methods related to measuring, billing or payment
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/68 Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/127 Shopping or accessing services according to a time-limitation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 15/00 Coin-freed apparatus with meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 15/003 for electricity
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 15/12 in which metering is on a time basis
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/00 Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/16 for devices exhibiting advertisements, announcements, pictures or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 5/18 specially adapted for controlling several coin-freed apparatus from one place
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/02 Devices for alarm or indication, e.g. when empty; Advertising arrangements in coin-freed apparatus alarms or warning devices indicating the interruption of flow to be metered G07F15/10
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 : Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/14 : Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/955 : including electronic identifier or coding means

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for inputting messages and other infotion, such as advertisements, to a vehicle while the vehicle is coupled to a local station, such as a recharging station or a refueling station. The messages can be selected in accordance with information received from the vehicle, including information that selectively identifies one, some, or all of: (a) a characteristic of an occupant of the vehicle (e.g., name, account number, address, etc.); (b) a characteristic of the vehicle (e.g., make, model, year, class, registration number, marker number, odometer reading, owner, etc.); (c) a destination of the vehicle (entered through a data entry console and optionally stored within a vehicle memory); and (d) any other characteristic of interest.

Claims

1. A method for providing a stock market quotation to an occupant of a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

activating a user interface within the vehicle for initiating a request for a stock market quotation;

transmitting the request from the vehicle, via a data communications interface with a dispenser of a vehicular energy source, to a computer that is bidirectionally coupled to a data communication network;

transferring the request from the computer to a source of stock market quotations, the transferred request being routed over the data communication network;

fulfilling the request at the source of stock market quotations and transferring the requested stock market quotation back to the computer, the requested stock market quotation being routed over the data communication network;

transmitting the requested stock market quotation from the computer to the vehicle;

receiving the requested stock market quotation in the vehicle and storing the received requested stock market quotation within a memory device of the vehicle; and

presenting the stock market quotation, that is stored in the memory device of the vehicle, within the vehicle in a human perceptible format.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting the request comprises an initial step of bidirectionally coupling the vehicle to the dispenser of a vehicular energy source, the dispenser being bidirectionally coupled to the computer.

3. A method as in claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting the request comprises an initial step of bidirectionally coupling the vehicle to the dispenser of a vehicular energy source, the dispenser comprising the computer.

4. A method as in claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting the request comprises an initial step of bidirectionally coupling the vehicle to a vehicle fuel dispenser, the fuel dispenser being bidirectionally coupled to the computer.

5. A method as in claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting the request comprises an initial step of bidirectionally coupling the vehicle to a vehicle fuel dispenser, the fuel dispenser comprising the computer.

6. A method as in claim 1, wherein the step of transferring the request includes a step of transferring additional information to the computer, the transferred additional information comprising a portion that contains at least an identification of a person initiating the request.

7. A method as in claim 1, wherein the step of receiving and storing further comprises a step of transmitting an acknowledgement signal to the computer.

8. A method as in claim 1, wherein the step of presenting includes a step of displaying the stock market quotation within the vehicle.

9. A method as in claim 1, wherein the step of presenting includes a step of printing the stock market quotation within the vehicle.

10. A method as in claim 1, wherein the step of presenting includes a step of synthesizing a voice for articulating the stock market quotation within the vehicle.

11. A method as in claim 1, wherein the step of activating includes a step of entering an identification of a stock for which a quotation is desired, and wherein the transmitted request is comprised of the identification of the stock.

12. A method as in claim 1, wherein the step of activating includes a step of entering a ticker symbol of a stock, and wherein the transmitted request is comprised of the ticker symbol of the stock.

13. A method as in claim 1, wherein the step of activating includes a step of retrieving a stored list comprised of at least one ticker symbol identifying at least one stock, and wherein the transmitted request is comprised of the at least one ticker symbol identifying the at least one stock.

14. A method as in claim 1, wherein the step of activating includes a step of identifying a stored list comprised of at least one ticker symbol identifying at least one stock, and wherein the transmitted request is comprised of the at least one ticker symbol identifying the at least one stock.

15. A method as in claim 1, wherein the step of activating includes a step of identifying a file stored in a memory, the file comprising a stored list comprised of at least one ticker symbol identifying at least one stock.

16. A method as in claim 1, wherein the step of activating includes a step of identifying a file stored in a memory device that is external to the vehicle, the file comprising a stored list comprised of at least one ticker symbol identifying at least one stock.

17. A method as in claim 1, wherein the step of activating includes a step of providing information for enabling the same or another computer that is coupled to the data communication network to retrieve a stored list comprised of at least one ticker symbol identifying at least one stock.

18. A method as in claim 1, and further comprising steps of:

transmitting a promotional message to the vehicle;

receiving the promotional message in the vehicle and storing the received promotional message within the memory device of the vehicle; and

presenting the promotional message, that is stored in the memory device of the vehicle, within the vehicle in a human perceptible format.

19. A system for providing securities quotations to occupants of vehicles, comprising in combination:

a computer operable for obtaining quotations of identified securities, said computer being bidirectionally coupled to a data communication network;

a dispenser of a vehicular energy source, said dispenser comprising a first data interface, said dispenser being bidirectionally coupled to said data communication network;

a vehicle comprising a second data interface for being bidirectionally coupled to said first data interface of said dispenser; and

a control unit for transferring information from said vehicle to said computer via said first data interface, said second data interface, said dispenser and said data communication network, the transferred information comprising information for use in identifying at least one security for which a quotation is desired;

wherein

said computer is responsive to the information for obtaining a quotation for the identified at least one security and for transmitting the obtained quotation towards said dispenser over said data communication network so that said quotation can be presented to the occupant of said vehicle.

20. A system as in claim 19, wherein said vehicle further comprise s a memory for storing a received quotation, and a user interface for presenting the stored quotation.

21. A system as in claim 19, and further comprising a display device for displaying the quotation with at least one of said vehicle or said dispenser.

22. A system as in claim 19, and further comprising a printer device for printing the quotation with at least one of said vehicle or said dispenser.

23. A system as in claim 19, wherein said first and second data interfaces are each comprised of an optical connector means.

24. A system as in claim 19, wherein said first and second data interfaces are each comprised of an RF connector means.

25. A system as in claim 19, wherein said first and second data interfaces are each comprised of an electrical connector means.

26. A system as in claim 19, wherein said first and second data interfaces are each comprised of at least one of a wireless connector means or a wired connector means.

27. A system as in claim 19, and further comprising a voice synthesizer for presenting the quotation in an audio format.

28. A method for providing a quotation of a security to an occupant of a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

coupling the vehicle to a dispenser of a vehicular energy source, the dispenser being bidirectionally coupled to a data communication network;

initiating a request for a quotation of a security;

transmitting the request from the dispenser to a computer that is also bidirectionally coupled to the data communication network;

fulfilling the request at the computer and transferring the requested quotation to the dispenser over the data communication network;

receiving the requested quotation; and

presenting the received quotation in a human perceptible format.

29. A method as in claim 28, wherein the step of presenting includes a step of at least one of displaying or printing the quotation within the vehicle.

30. A method as in claim 28, wherein the step of presenting includes a step of electronically synthesizing a voice for articulating the quotation within the vehicle.

31. A method as in claim 28, wherein the step of presenting the quotation is executed by the dispenser.

32. A method as in claim 28, wherein the step of initiating includes a step of entering an identification of the security, and wherein the transmitted request is comprised of the identification of the security.

33. A method as in claim 28, wherein the step of initiating includes a step of entering an identification of the security, and wherein the transmitted request is comprised of the identification of the security.

34. A method as in claim 28, wherein the step of initiating includes a step of retrieving a stored list comprised of an identification of at least one security, and wherein the transmitted request is comprised of the identification of the at least one security.

35. A method as in claim 28, wherein the step of initiating includes a step of specifying an identity of a stored list comprised of an identification of at least one security, and wherein the transmitted request is comprised of the identification of the at least one security.

36. A method as in claim 28, wherein the step of initiating includes a step of specifying an identity of a file stored in a memory, the file comprising a list comprised of an identification of at least one security.

37. A method as in claim 28, wherein the step of initiating includes a step of specifying an identity of a file stored in a memory, wherein the memory that stores the file is located external to the vehicle, the file comprising a list comprised of an identification of at least one security.

38. A method as in claim 28, wherein the step of initiating includes a step of providing information for enabling the same or another computer that is coupled to the data communication network to retrieve from a memory device a stored list comprised of an identification of at least one security.

39. A method as in claim 28, and further comprising steps of:

transmitting a promotional message to the vehicle;

receiving the promotional message; and

presenting the promotional message within the vehicle in a human perceptible format.

40. A method for providing a quotation to an occupant of a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

initiating a request for a quotation with an input user interface of the vehicle;

transmitting the request from the vehicle, via a data communications interface with a dispenser of a vehicular energy source, to a computer that is bidirectionally coupled to a data communication network;

transferring the request from the computer to a source of quotations, the transferred request being routed over the data communication network;

fulfilling the request at the source of quotations and transferring the requested quotation back to the computer, the requested quotation being routed over the data communication network;

transmitting the requested quotation from the computer to the vehicle;

receiving the requested quotation in the vehicle and storing the received requested quotation within a memory of the vehicle; and

presenting the stored quotation to an occupant of the vehicle by operating an electronic voice generator.

41. A method as in claim 40, wherein the step of transmitting the request comprises an initial step of bidirectionally coupling the vehicle to the dispenser of a vehicular energy source, the dispenser being bidirectionally coupled to the computer through a data link, and where the request is transmitted from the vehicle to the computer through the dispenser.