Method and system for dynamically personalizing transportation in a vehicle

• US 6,882,290 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2002
• Issued: 04/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mobile Knowledge, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Mobile Knowledge, Inc.
• Inventors: Levy, David, French, Kevin, Coleridge, Chris, Panther, Gyles, Gray, Travis, Kinsella, Peter, Chawner, Michael, Schenkel, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C.
• Application Number:
  US10/323,945
• Publication Number:
  US 20040119589A1
• Time in Patent Office: 851 Days
• Field of Search: 340/988, 340/905, 340/990, 340/995.1, 340/539.1, 340/539.13, 340/539.11, 340/539.16, 340/539.17, 340/989, 340/995.16, 340/691.6, 340/405.5, 340/825.28, 340/825.29, 705 5- 6, 705/14, 705/417, 701200-225, 707/3, 707/10
• US Class Current: 340/988
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/025 Coordination of plural reservations, e.g. plural trip segments, transportation combined with accommodation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0265 Vehicular advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0284 Time or distance, e.g. usage of parking meters or taximeters
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

A method for dynamically personalizing transportation in a vehicle comprises the steps of providing a vehicle including a messaging device for displaying messages, providing a central dispatch system for managing passenger allocation to the vehicle, receiving passenger specific information at the dispatch system, providing data relating to the passenger specific information from the dispatch system to the messaging device, and selecting and displaying a message based on the data for display. Further, a method is disclosed in which messages depending on passenger specific information, and messages independent form passenger specific information are selected and displayed. The messaging device is in communication with a video display unit or with a printing device for displaying messages received.

Claims

1. A method for dynamically personalizing transportation in a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a vehicle comprising;

a messaging device for displaying messages, for storing messages, and for storing information relating to messages displayed, and

a wireless communication device for receiving and sending messages, the wireless communication device in communication with the messaging device;

providing a dispatch system for managing passenger allocation to the vehicle, the dispatch system in communication with the wireless communication device;

providing a data storage medium in communication with the dispatch system;

receiving passenger specific information at the dispatch system;

providing data relating to the passenger specific information from the dispatch system to the messaging device via wireless communication and the wireless communication device;

selecting at least a message based on the data for display on the messaging device; and

displaying the at least a message on the messaging device;

wherein the data comprises an advertising selection vector, and wherein the at least a message is selected according to the advertising selection vector;

and further comprising the steps of;

providing a GPS communication device in communication with the wireless communication device,

sending messages from the wireless communication device to the passenger destination, the messages reflecting changes of current passenger location affecting passenger destination specifics;

the changes determined by the GPS communication device;

sending messages relating to passenger destination specifics from the passenger destination to the wireless communication device; and

displaying the messages relating to passenger destination specifics on the messaging device.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the data includes passenger destination information.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein in the step of selecting at least a message, a selection is made from a plurality of messages each stored in association with content data for use in selecting between the plurality of messages in dependence upon passenger destination information.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the at least a message comprises an approximate cost of a trip from a start to a destination based on the destination information.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein in the step of selecting at least a message, a selection is made from a plurality of messages each stored in association with content data for use in selecting between the plurality of messages in dependence upon passenger specific information.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the plurality of messages is provided by at least a message provider and comprising the step of:

collecting statistic information regarding display of a message from the plurality of messages.

7. A method according to claim 6, comprising the step of providing the statistic information regarding the display of a message to the at least a message provider providing the message.

8. A method according to claim 5, wherein the plurality of messages is provided by at least a message provider and comprise at least an advertisement.

9. A method according to claim 5, wherein the plurality of messages is provided by at least a message provider including a real time content provider, and wherein the plurality of messages comprises messages relating to real time content.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the at least a message displayed comprises specific information relating to a current trip undertaken with the vehicle.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the at least a message comprises a distance traveled during the current trip.

12. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

determining passenger history data based on the passenger specific information provided to the dispatch system;

storing the passenger history data within the dispatch system; and

providing the passenger history data from the dispatch system to the messaging device.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the step of selecting at least a message is based on the passenger history.

14. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

providing at least a message relating to vehicle specific information to the messaging device; and

displaying the at least a message on the messaging device.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the vehicle specific information relates to personal characteristics of a driver of said vehicle.

16. A method according to claim 14, wherein the vehicle specific information relates to a phase of a journey currently undertaken by said vehicle.

17. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of selecting at least a message is based on information obtained by the GPS communication device.

18. A method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of:

displaying on the messaging device information relating to the current journey undertaken, the information determined by the GPS communication device.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein the information relating to the current journey comprises map information of a surrounding area.

20. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of displaying the at least a message is subject to the consent of a passenger of the vehicle.

21. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

adjusting the messaging device for viewing the messages displayed on the messaging device,

wherein the messaging device comprises a passenger seat display, the passenger seat display for displaying the at least a message, the passenger seat display comprising an adjustable video display unit mounted to a floor section of the vehicle, the video display unit adjustably mounted for aligning a normal direction vector of the video display unit with a direction of view of a passenger positioned in a passenger seat.

22. A method for dynamically personalizing transportation in a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a vehicle comprising a messaging device for displaying messages, for storing messages, and for storing information relating to messages displayed;

providing passenger specific information to the messaging device;

selecting at least a message based on the passenger specific information for display on the messaging device;

selecting at least another message independent from the the passenger specific information, and

displaying the at least a message and the at least another message on the messaging device;

and further comprising the steps of;

providing an advertising selection vector; and

selecting at least a message according to the advertising selection vector;

providing a GPS communication device and a wireless communication device, the wireless communication device in communication with the messaging device; and

sending messages from and receiving messages at the wireless communication device, the messages relating to the at least a message displayed on the messaging device;

sending messages from the wireless communication device to the passenger destination, the messages reflecting changes of current passenger location affecting passenger destination specifics;

the changes determined by the GPS communication device;

sending messages relating to passenger destination specifics from the passenger destination to the wireless communication device; and

displaying the messages relating to passenger destination specifics on the messaging device.

23. A method according to claim 22, wherein in the step of selecting at least a message a selection is made from a plurality of messages each relating to different passenger specific information and each stored within the messaging device.

24. A method according to claim 23, wherein the passenger specific information comprises personal characteristics of a passenger.

25. A method according to claim 23, wherein the plurality of messages is provided by at least a message provider.

26. A method according to claim 25, further comprising the step of:

collecting statistic information regarding display of a message from the plurality of messages.

27. A method according to claim 26, wherein the statistic information regarding the display of a message is provided to the at least a message provider providing the message.

28. A method according to claim 25, wherein the at least a message provider comprises an advertisement provider, and wherein the plurality of messages comprises advertisements.

29. A method according to claim 25, wherein the at least a message provider comprises a real time content provider, and wherein the plurality of messages comprises messages relating to real time content.

30. A method according to claim 23, wherein the passenger specific information comprises a passenger destination.

31. A method according to claim 30, wherein the at least a message displayed on the at least a messaging device comprises information relating to the passenger destination.

32. A method according to claim 22, wherein the step of selecting at least a message is based on information obtained by the GPS communication device.

33. A method according to claim 22;

further comprising the step of;

displaying on the messaging device information relating to the current journey undertaken, the information determined by the GPS communication device.

34. A method according to claim 33, wherein the information relating to the current journey comprises map information of a surrounding area.

35. A method according to claim 23, further comprising the steps of:

providing at least a message relating to vehicle specific information to the messaging device; and

displaying the at least a message on the messaging device.

36. A method according to claim 35, wherein the vehicle specific information relates to personal characteristics of a driver of said vehicle.

37. A method according to claim 23, further comprising the steps of:

providing a printing device in communication with the messaging device;

providing a message from the messaging device to the printing device, and

printing the message provided from the messaging device to the printing device on the printing device.

38. A method according to claim 22, wherein the at least another message displayed comprises specific information relating to a current trip undertaken with the vehicle.

39. A method according to claim 38, wherein the at least another message comprises a distance traveled during the current trip.

40. A method according to claim 39, wherein the at least another message comprises an approximate cost related to the distance traveled during the current trip.

41. A method according to claim 22, wherein the at least another message is selected by a passenger of the vehicle, the at least another message selected in dependence on the at least a message.

42. A method according to claim 22, further comprising the steps of:

establishing a passenger history based on the passenger specific information provided to the messaging device; and

storing the passenger history within the messaging device.

43. A method according to claim 42, wherein in the step of storing the passenger history is stored within a storage medium internal to the messaging device.

44. A method according to claim 42, wherein in the step of storing the passenger history is stored within a storage medium external to the messaging device.

45. A method according to claim 42, wherein the step of selecting at least a message is based on the passenger history.

46. A method according to claim 22, wherein the step of displaying the at least a message is subject to the consent of a passenger of the vehicle.

47. A method according to claim 22, further comprising the step of:

adjusting the messaging device for viewing the messages displayed on the messaging device,

wherein the messaging device comprises a passenger seat display, the passenger seat display for displaying the at least a message, the passenger seat display comprising an adjustable video display unit mounted to a floor section of the vehicle, the video display unit adjustably mounted for aligning a normal direction vector of the video display unit with a direction of view of a passenger positioned in a passenger seat.

50. A method according to claim 44, wherein the at least a message comprises an approximate cost of a trip from a start to a destination based on the destination information.

48. A method for dynamically personalizing transportation in a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a vehicle comprising;

a messaging device for storing messages, for selecting messages, and for storing information relating to messages selected,

selecting at least a message with the messaging device;

providing a printing device in communication with the messaging device;

providing the at least a message from the messaging device to the printing device, and

printing the at least a message provided from the messaging device to the printing device

on the printing device;

wherein the plurality of messages are provided by at least a

message provider and comprise at least an advertisement;

further comprising the steps of;

providing a GPS communication device in communication with the wireless communication device,

sending messages from the wireless communication device to the passenger destination;

the messages reflecting changes of current passenger location affecting passenger destination specifics;

the changes determined by the GPS communication device;

sending messages relating to passenger destination specifics from the passenger destination to the wireless communication device; and

displaying the messages relating to passenger destination specifics on the messaging device.

49. A method according to claim 48, wherein in the step of selecting at least a message, a selection is made from a plurality of messages each stored in association with content data for use in selecting between the plurality of messages in dependence upon passenger destination information.

51. A method according to claim 48, wherein in the step of selecting at least a message, a selection is made from a plurality of messages each stored in association with content data for use in selecting between the plurality of messages in dependence upon passenger specific information.

52. A method according to claim 51, further comprising the steps of:

providing an advertising selection vector; and

selecting at least a message according to the advertising selection vector.

53. A method according to claim 51, wherein the plurality of messages is provided by at least a message provider and comprising the step of:

collecting statistic information regarding selection of a message from the plurality of messages.

54. A method according to claim 53 comprising the step of providing the statistic information regarding the selection of a message to the at least a message provider providing the message.

55. A method according to claim 51, wherein the plurality of messages is provided by at least a message provider including a real time content provider, and wherein the plurality of messages comprises messages relating to real time content.

56. A method according to claim 48, wherein the at least a message printed comprises specific information relating to a current trip undertaken with the vehicle.

57. A method according to claim 56, wherein the at least a message comprises a distance traveled during the current trip.

58. A method according to claim 48, wherein the step of selecting at least a message is based on information obtained by the GPS communication device.

59. A method according to claim 48;

further comprising the step of;

displaying on the messaging device information relating to the current journey undertaken, the information determined by the GPS communication device.

60. A method according to claim 59, wherein the information relating to the current journey comprises map information of a surrounding area.

61. A method according to claim 48, wherein the step of printing the at least a message is subject to the consent of a passenger of the vehicle.

62. A system for personalizing transportation in a vehicle, the system comprising:

a vehicle comprising a messaging device for storing, selecting, and displaying messages, and a wireless communication device, the wireless communication device in communication with the messaging device;

a central message management system comprising central administration software and central database software, the central message management system for storing messages and providing at least a message to the messaging device;

a dispatch system for sending information to the messaging device, the dispatch system in communication with the wireless communication device, the information for selecting messages to be displayed on the messaging device, and for providing real time content to the messaging device;

wherein the messages displayed include advertisements; and

a GPS communication device in communication with the wireless communication device for determining changes of current passenger location affecting passenger destination specifics;

wherein during use, a message reflecting the determined changes of current passenger location is sent from the wireless communication device to the passenger destination, and a message relating to destination specifics is sent from the passenger destination to the wireless communication device for display by the messaging device.

63. A system according to claim 62, wherein the messaging device comprises an adjustable video display unit mounted to a floor section of the vehicle, the video display unit adjustably mounted for aligning a normal direction vector of the video display unit with a direction of view of a passenger positioned in a passenger seat, the video display unit comprising a screen for displaying a video.

64. A system according to claim 63, wherein the video display unit is an interactive video display unit comprising at least an interaction button for interaction with the messaging device for selecting messages to be displayed on said messaging device.

65. A system according to claim 63, wherein the video display unit is an interactive video display unit comprising a card sweeping device for retrieving information from a magnetic card and transmitting the information to the wireless communication device.

66. A system according to claim 63, wherein the messaging device comprises a printing device for printing messages to be displayed on the messaging device.

67. A system according to claim 62, wherein the central database software comprises software for managing a plurality of advertisements, the advertisements provided by a central advertising site.

68. A system according to claim 62, wherein the central administration software comprises software for composing a multi media reel for being displayed on the messaging system, the multi media reel comprising advertisements stored by the central database software, the advertisements arranged in a loop structure determining the display of the advertisements.

69. A system according to claim 68, wherein the loop structure relates to a display of advertisements in relation to a time of day.

70. A system according to claim 68, wherein the loop structure relates to a display of advertisements in relation to a location of the vehicle.

71. A system according to claim 62, wherein the central message management system comprises a device for providing at least a message to the messaging device using wireless communication.

72. A system according to claim 62, wherein the central message management system comprises a device for providing at least a message to the messaging device using a compact flash card.