Combination reservation and navigation system and method

• US 7,966,215 B1
• Filed: 09/08/1999
• Issued: 06/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kaschke, Kevin D., Nabilsi, Muna, Walsh, Patrick Jay, Myers, Theodore James
• Primary Examiner(s): RINES, ROBERT D
• Application Number:
  US09/391,427
• Time in Patent Office: 4,304 Days
• Field of Search: 705/5
• US Class Current: 705/13
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096811 where the route is computed offboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096838 where the user preferences are taken into account or the user selects one route out of a plurality

Abstract

A combination reservation and navigation system includes a reservation communication device and a customer communication device. The reservation communication device provides the reservation information to various customer communication devices associated with customers responsive to organizing the reservation information. The reservation communication device receives customer information, including a request for a reservation for the parking space, from the customer communication device. The reservation communication device transmits electronic navigation information to the customer communication device associated with the customer over a communication link responsive to the customer making the reservation. The electronic navigation information assists the customer in traveling from a customer geographic location to a business geographic location of the parking space reserved by the customer.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

accessing reservation information representing a good or a service that may be reserved by customers from one of a plurality of businesses;

making a request for a reservation of the good or the service responsive to the step of accessing the reservation information;

receiving confirmation information, representing that the reservation has been made for the good or the service associated with one of the plurality of businesses, responsive to the step of making the request; and

receiving electronic navigation information from a reservation communication device over a communication link responsive to the step of receiving the confirmation information, wherein the electronic navigation information comprises directions to assist a customer in traveling from a customer geographic location to a business geographic location of the good or the service reserved by the customer, wherein the customer geographic location is automatically determined for the customer by a location-determining device in response to receipt of the confirmation information.

2. A method according to claim 1 further comprising the steps of transmitting a payment to one of the reservation communication device and a business communication device for the good or the service associated with the reservation responsive to the step of making the request for the reservation;

and

receiving receipt information representing that the payment has been received by the one of the reservation communication device and the business communication device responsive to the step of transmitting the payment.

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

transmitting a request for the electronic navigation information responsive to the step of receiving the confirmation information.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein customer information includes a customer profile representing preferences of the customer for the good or the service desired by the customer.

5. A method according to claim 1:

wherein the steps of accessing the reservation information, making the request and receiving the confirmation information are performed by a fixed customer communication device, and

wherein the step of receiving the electronic navigation information is performed by a mobile customer communication device.

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

communicating the confirmation information to the one of the plurality of businesses located at the business geographic location responsive to the customer arriving at the business geographic location.

7. A method according to claim 6 wherein the confirmation information is communicated to a business communication device, associated with the one of the plurality of businesses, at the business geographic location over a radio frequency communication link responsive to the customer communication device being proximate to the business communication device.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

receiving second electronic navigation information, wherein the second electronic navigation information assists the customer in traveling from the business geographic location to a second business geographic location of a second good or service reserved by the customer.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

prior to traveling to the business geographic location, accessing second reservation information representing a second good or service that may be reserved by customers from a second business of the plurality of businesses;

making a second request for a second reservation of the second good or service responsive to the step of accessing the second reservation information; and

receiving second confirmation information, representing that the second reservation has been made for the second good or service associated with the second business, responsive to the step of making the second request.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic navigation information comprises at least one of an e-text direction and a highlighted map travel path.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of selecting a route type from a plurality of route types associated with the electronic navigation information, wherein the plurality of route types includes at least one of the quickest route and the shortest route.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of determining the customer geographic location by at least one of global positioning system locating or 911 cellular service locating.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the reservation communication device may change an offer or counteroffer based on time of day, week, or year.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the reservation communication device may change an offer or counteroffer based on volume of sales of the product or the service.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the reservation communication device may change an offer or counteroffer based on a special promotion.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the good or the service comprises a transportation event.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the transportation event comprises at least one of an airplane, a boat, and a bus.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the good or the service comprises an entertainment event.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the entertainment event comprises at least one of a musical concert, a sporting event, and live theater.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the good or the service comprises an accommodation event.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the accommodation event comprises at least one of a restaurant and a hotel.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the reservation communication device comprises at least one of a telephone, a radio, a pager, and a personal digital assistant.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the reservation communication device comprises a computer.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the reservation communication device comprises cable television.

25. A method, comprising:

accessing reservation information representing a good or a service that may be reserved by customers from one of a plurality of businesses;

making a request for a reservation of the good or the service responsive to the step of accessing the reservation information;

receiving confirmation information, representing that the reservation has been made for the good or the service associated with one of the plurality of businesses, responsive to the step of making the request;

transmitting a request for electronic navigation information responsive to the step of receiving the confirmation information, wherein the electronic navigation information comprises directions to assist a customer in traveling from a customer geographic location to a business geographic location of the good or the service reserved by the customer, wherein the customer geographic location is automatically determined for the customer by a location-determining device in response to receipt of the confirmation information;

receiving the electronic navigation information from a reservation communication device over a communication link responsive to the step of transmitting the request for the electronic navigation information; and

communicating the confirmation information to the one of the plurality of businesses located at the business geographic location of the good or the service reserved by the customer responsive to the customer arriving at the business geographic location.

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

transmitting a payment to one of the reservation communication device and a business communication device for the good or the service associated with the reservation responsive to the step of making the request for the reservation; and

receiving receipt information representing that the payment has been received by the one of the reservation communication device and the business communication device responsive to the step of transmitting the payment.

27. A method according to claim 25 wherein customer information includes a customer profile representing preferences of the customer for the good or the service desired by the customer.

28. A method according to claim 25:

wherein the steps of accessing the reservation information, making the request and receiving the confirmation information are performed by a fixed customer communication device, and

wherein the step of receiving the electronic navigation information is performed by a mobile customer communication device.

29. A method according to claim 25 wherein the confirmation information is communicated to a business communication device, associated with the one of the plurality of businesses, at the business geographic location over a radio frequency communication link responsive to the customer communication device, associated with the customer, being proximate to the business communication device.

30. A customer communication device, comprising:

a first communication interface adapted to communicate customer information, including reservation information and electronic navigation information, between the customer communication device and a reservation communication device, wherein the reservation information represents a good or a service that may be reserved by customers from one of a plurality of businesses, and wherein the electronic navigation information comprises directions to assist a customer in traveling from a customer geographic location to a business geographic location of the good or the service reserved by the customer, wherein the customer geographic location is automatically determined for the customer by a location-determining device in response to receipt of the confirmation information;

a memory unit coupled to the first communication interface and adapted to store the customer information received via the first communication interface; and

a controller coupled to the first communication interface and the memory unit and adapted to perform the steps of;

accessing the reservation information via the first communication interface;

making a request for a reservation of the good or the service via the first communication interface responsive to the step of accessing the reservation information;

receiving confirmation information, representing that the reservation has been made for the good or the service associated with one of the plurality of businesses, via the first communication interface responsive to the step of negotiating; and

receiving electronic navigation information from the reservation communication device over a communication channel via the first communication interface responsive to the step of receiving the confirmation information.

31. A customer communication device according to claim 30 further comprising:

a second communication interface coupled to the controller and the memory unit and adapted to transmit the confirmation information from the customer communication device to a business communication device, associated with the one of the plurality of businesses, at the business geographic location responsive to the customer communication device being proximate to the business communication device.

32. A customer communication device according to claim 31 wherein the second communication interface further comprises:

a radio frequency communication interface adapted to transmit the confirmation information over a radio frequency communication channel responsive to the customer communication device being proximate to the business communication device.

33. A customer communication device according to claim 30 further comprising:

a location-determining device coupled to the controller and adapted to determine the customer geographic location associated with the customer communication device.

34. A customer communication device according to claim 30 wherein the first communication interface further comprises at least one of a wireline communication interface, a coaxial cable communication interface and a radio frequency communication interface.

35. A customer communication device according to claim 32 wherein the radio frequency communication interface is adapted to communicate packet data signals.