Automated touring information systems and methods

• US 6,401,032 B1
• Filed: 06/27/2000
• Issued: 06/04/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Derek R. Devries, Richard L. Jamison, Scott R. Jamison
• Original Assignee: Derek R. Devries, Richard L. Jamison, Scott R. Jamison
• Inventors: Jamison, Scott R., DeVries, Derek R., Jamison, Richard L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pipala, Edward
• Application Number:
  US09/605,033
• Time in Patent Office: 707 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 701/201, 701/206, 701/207, 701/208, 701/213, 701/300
• US Class Current: 701/207
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages

Abstract

An apparatus for automatically disseminating information corresponding to a location comprises a location identification device for providing a current location, a presentation device for presenting the information to a user, a controller operably connected to control the presentation device, and a storage device operably connected to the controller for storing the information and predefined location data linking the location to the information. In one embodiment, the controller may comprise a processor programmed to receive the current location from the location identification device and compare the current location with the predefined location data. The apparatus may further include a memory device containing data structures comprising the current location data corresponding to a current location, the predefined location data, a comparison module for reading the current location data and comparing the current location data with the predefined location data, and a presentation module for controlling the output of the information to the presentation device from the storage device.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a location identification device programmed to locate the apparatus;

a storage device storing a set of automatic, self-guiding, pre-recorded, touring descriptions, each corresponding to a site-of-interest, each site corresponding to at least one class of sites, the sites, classes, and touring descriptions being previously selected by an information supplier independent from a user and recorded in advance in a medium accessible to a user;

a controller configured to receive current location data reflecting a current location of the location identification device, receive a tolerance corresponding to the site, calculate a distance between the current location and the site, compare the distance to a tolerance to determine when the apparatus is within a triggering distance of the site, and automatically play back to a user the tour description corresponding to the site when the apparatus is within the triggering distance; and

the controller further configured to receive, from a user, a filter input to selectively prevent playback of tour descriptions corresponding to at least one of the group consisting of a at least one site-of-interest of the set and at least one class.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a presentation device for receiving and presenting the touring descriptions to a user in a usable form.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, the controller further comprising:

a memory device configured to store the tolerance corresponding to the triggering distance; and

a processor operably connected to the memory device and configured to calculate the distance between the current location and the site and compare the distance to the tolerance to determine when the apparatus is within the triggering distance of the site.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the processor is programmed to iterate, wherein iterating comprises receiving the current location data, calculating the distance between the current location and the site, and comparing the distance to the tolerance.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the storage device is selected from the group consisting of a linear electromagnetic medium, rotating electromagnetic medium, rotating laser readable medium, and a solid-state memory device.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the touring descriptions are structured in a format selected from the group consisting of an analog audio signal, a digital audio signal, an analog video signal, a digital video signal, a multimedia signal, and a character code signal.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the presentation device is selected from the group consisting of an audio speaker, a visual display, and a multimedia output device.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the location identification device comprises a receiver for receiving a signal from which the current location data is calculated.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the receiver comprises a global positioning system receiver, and the signal comprises a plurality of global positioning signals broadcast from a plurality of global positioning stations.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the location identification device is selected from the group consisting of an image recognition device, a motion sensor, and a bar code reader.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a user input device operably connected to the controller for receiving user inputs to control selection of portions of the touring descriptions for presentation on the presentation device.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the controller further comprises a processor programmed to process the user inputs to control the presentation device.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the location identification device further comprises a local broadcast signal receiver for receiving a locally broadcast signal from which the location corresponding thereto is determined.

10. The apparatus of claim,32, wherein the receiver further comprises a local broadcast signal receiver for receiving a locally broadcast signal corresponding to the location, and a selector for selectively activating the global positioning system receiver and the local broadcast signal receiver.

15. A method comprising:

storing a set of automatic, self-guiding, pre-recorded, touring descriptions, each corresponding to a site-of-interest, each site corresponding to at least one class of sites, the sites, classes, and touring descriptions being previously selected by an information supplier independent from a user and recorded in advance in a medium accessible to a user;

providing current location data corresponding to the current location of a user;

providing a tolerance corresponding to the site;

calculating a distance between the current location and the site;

comparing distance to the tolerance to determine when the apparatus is within a triggering distance of the site;

automatically playing back to a user the tour description corresponding to the site when the apparatus is within the triggering distance; and

enabling a user, by way of a user filter input, to selectively prevent playback of tour descriptions corresponding to at least one of the group consisting of a at least one site-of-interest of the set and at least one class of the classes.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising receiving and presenting the touring descriptions to a user in a usable form.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising providing a storage volume containing a plurality of information segments corresponding to the touring descriptions, and wherein the touring descriptions are selected from the information segments.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising automatically selecting the touring descriptions from the storage volume in accordance with a user moving toward an arbitrary selected site of the set.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein selecting the storage volume is selectable between manual and automatic execution thereof.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

providing a location identification device to provide the current location data; and

providing a presentation device to receive the touring descriptions and present them to a user in a usable form.

21. An apparatus comprising:

a location identification device for providing current location data pertaining to the apparatus, the location identification device comprising a local broadcast signal receiver for receiving a locally broadcast signal from which the current location of the apparatus is determined;

a storage device configured to store information corresponding to a site and link the site to the information pertaining thereto; and

a controller configured to control the dissemination of the information in accordance with the current location data.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising a presentation device for receiving the disseminated information and presenting the information to a user in a usable form.