Public transportation interactive geographical advertisement system having world wide web access

• US 7,227,475 B1
• Filed: 04/13/2005
• Issued: 06/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Surf On Wheels, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Giorgio Provenzano, Vincenzo Dibello
• Inventors: Provenzano, Giorgio, DiBello, Vincenzo
• Primary Examiner(s): SWARTHOUT, BRENT
• Application Number:
  US11/105,726
• Time in Patent Office: 783 Days
• Field of Search: 340/995.12, 340/995.13, 340/995.24, 340/995.19, 340/995.27, 701/207, 701/208, 701/211, 701/213
• US Class Current: 340/995.24
• 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

Abstract

A information providing system for use in a vehicle. The system includes a processor having a global positioning system (GPS) incorporated therein positioned at a predetermined location within said vehicle. A passenger interface is positioned within the vehicle and connected to the processor for controlling the processor. A service provider is located remotely from the vehicle for storing and selectively distributing content to the processor. A communication network connects the service provider to the processor. The GPS obtains information regarding a geographic location of the vehicle and provides the information to the service provider for analysis thereof. The service provider parses the stored content and distributes geographically pertinent content to the processor for display on the passenger interface.

Claims

1. A information providing system for use in a fleet of public transportation vehicles comprising:

a. a processor having a global positioning system (GPS) incorporated therein positioned at a predetermined location within each said vehicle;

b. a passenger interface positioned fixed within each said vehicle and connected to said processor for controlling said processor;

c. a service provider located remotely from said vehicles for distributing content to each said processor;

d. a remote server storing a database containing geographic based information;

e. a communication network for connecting said service provider to each said processor;

wherein said GPS obtains information regarding a current geographic location of each said vehicle and provides said information to said service provider for analysis thereof, said service provider accessing said remote server to retrieve information based on the geographic location of a processor in a particular vehicle and distributing geographically pertinent content to said processor for display on each said passenger interface for access by a passenger;

f. said system being simultaneously in use in a plurality of different vehicles, said service provider being able to receive and respond to a plurality of information requests from a plurality of passengers in different vehicles in different locations; and

g. each said passenger being able to access said geographical pertinent content without accessing the internet directly; and

h. an external communication network communicating with each vehicle for directly connecting a processor and passenger interface to the internet for data retrieval therefrom, each of the remote server and service provider connected to one another as well as the external communication network by the internet.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said content is information representing at least one of merchants, service providers, news, sports scores, traffic information, events within a geographical area of each said vehicle.

3. The system as recited in claim 2, wherein said content is stored according to the geographic location of the origin thereof for indexing by said service provider for use in distributing said content.

4. The system as recited in claim 3, wherein said content includes advertising content provided by at least one merchant intended for display to user within a predetermined distance from said merchant and information content.

5. The system as recited in claim 4, wherein said service provider utilizes said GPS information to selectively determine whether said vehicle is positioned within said predetermined distance.

6. The system as recited in claim 5, wherein upon receiving said GPS information, said service provider further comprises a plurality of predetermined rules for selecting said content from said stored content.

7. The system as recited in claim 6, wherein said predetermined rules include at least one of random display of content, pre-programmed display of content, further geographical identification of a user and a user defined content rule.

8. The system as recited in claim 7, in which each vehicle has a payment mechanism wherein said payment mechanism is able to receive at least one of a credit card number, a debit card, a phone card and a pre-paid computer access card obtained from said service provider allowing a passenger to pay for internet access or obtain other services requiring payment.

9. The system as recited in claim 8, wherein said processor is able to capture web browsing information and transit said web browsing information via said communication network to said service provider.

10. The system as recited in claim 9, wherein said passenger interface includes a display and a tactile mechanism.

11. The system as recited in claim 10, wherein said display is a touch screen display for allowing a user to control said processor.

12. The system as recited in claim 10, wherein said tactile mechanism is at least one of a keyboard, a keypad and a mouse.

13. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein said passenger interface is positioned on a rear side of a seat positioned in front of the user.

14. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein said vehicle includes at least one of a automobile, train, bus, monorail, airplane, trolley, and boat.

15. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein said communication network is at least one of the internet and a satellite communication network.

16. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein said processor further comprises a software module able to translate between a plurality of different languages.