Context-sensitive navigational aid

• US 8,755,968 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2008
• Issued: 06/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Inspired Possibilities, LLC
• Original Assignee: Mark Gottlieb
• Inventors: Gottlieb, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Danneman, Paul
• Application Number:
  US12/081,836
• Publication Number:
  US 20090265099A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,247 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3682 output of POI information on a road map G01C21/3614, G01C21/3685 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence

Abstract

A navigational aid including an intelligent display mode and a communication system communicates with a vehicle'"'"'s sensor system and/or historical- or time-based information to reduce the number of businesses that are displayed on the map by filtering out unneeded or less preferred services. When the vehicle'"'"'s fuel level sensor detects that the fuel tank is almost empty, a message can be sent from the sensor system to the navigational aid such that the navigational aid can then begin showing a visual indication (e.g., text or graphical information such as an icon) of the location of fuel stations on the screen. Additionally, the location receiver indicates to the filter when the navigational aid is close to the programmed destination. At that point, the filter can be informed that it should start showing garages or areas where the vehicle can be parked without having cluttered the screen with parking garages that were not close to the destination. Similarly, when in need of other services (e.g., hotel or restaurant services), the navigational aid can display preferred brands (while omitting non-preferred brands) and make reservations when a communication system is included which is capable of communicating with the service provider. Additionally, prices or relative prices for the services may also be indicated.

Claims

1. A navigational aid, comprising:

a location receiver for detecting a current location;

a database of locations of businesses of interest;

a screen for selectively displaying a destination selected by a user and at least one of the businesses of interest on a map; and

a context-sensitive filter for selecting which businesses stored in the database and located in locations shown on the map are displayed on the map and which businesses stored in the database and located in locations shown on the map are not displayed, wherein the context sensitive filter receives a distance to the destination and selectively displays businesses such that businesses displayed on the map comprise parking locations when the distance to the destination is below a threshold and businesses not displayed on the map comprise parking locations when the distance to the destination is above the threshold.

2. The navigational aid as claimed in claim 1, wherein the navigational aid is integrated into a cellular phone.

3. The navigational aid as claimed in claim 1, wherein the location receiver comprises a GPS receiver.

4. The navigational aid as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a wireless receiver for information from a sensor of a vehicle.

5. The navigational aid as claimed in claim 4, wherein the wireless receiver receives a fuel level status of a vehicle, wherein the context sensitive filter selectively displays businesses such that businesses displayed on the map comprise fuel stations when the fuel level status of the vehicle is below a threshold and businesses not displayed on the map comprise fuel stations when the fuel level status of the vehicle is above the threshold.

6. The navigational aid as claimed in claim 5, wherein the context sensitive filter comprises an interface for receiving historical location information indicating a preferred type of fuel station, wherein the fuel stations displayed on the map are fuel stations of the preferred brand when the fuel level status of the vehicle is below the threshold and fuel stations not displayed on the map are fuel stations not of the preferred brand when the fuel level status of the vehicle is below the threshold.

7. The navigational aid as claimed in claim 4, wherein the wireless receiver comprises at least one of a WiFi transceiver and a WiMax transceiver.

8. The navigational aid as claimed in claim 4, wherein the wireless receiver comprises a BlueTooth transceiver for communicating with a cellular phone in the vehicle.

9. The navigational aid as claimed in claim 4, wherein the wireless receiver receives an indication of an abnormal status in a vehicle, wherein the context sensitive filter selectively displays businesses such that businesses displayed on the map comprise businesses that can correct the abnormal status when the abnormal status is detected and businesses not displayed on the map comprise businesses that can correct the abnormal status when the abnormal status is not detected.

10. The navigational aid as claimed in claim 9, wherein the abnormal status is at least one of a low oil pressure, a low radiator fluid level and a high engine temperature.

11. The navigational aid as claimed in claim 1, wherein the context sensitive filter further displays an indication of price of the displayed parking locations.

12. The navigational aid as claimed in claim 1, wherein the context sensitive filter receives rating information, wherein the context sensitive filter selectively displays businesses such that businesses displayed on the map comprise businesses having a rating at least as high as a threshold and businesses not displayed on the map comprise businesses having a rating lower than the threshold.

13. The navigational aid as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an interactive information system for wirelessly receiving information relating to costs of services provided by businesses of interest stored in the database.

14. The navigational aid as claimed in claim 13, wherein the interactive information system comprises at least one of an AM receiver, an FM receiver, a cordless phone receiver, a GSM receiver, a GPRS receiver, a WiFi receiver, a WiMax receiver, a ZigBee receiver, a 3G receiver and a 4G receiver.

15. The navigational aid as claimed in claim 13, wherein the interactive information system wirelessly receives information relating to costs of services provided by businesses of interest stored in the database from a service consolidator.

16. The navigational aid as claimed in claim 13, wherein the interactive information system further comprises a wireless transmitter for accepting an offer for at least one service from at least one businesses of interest stored in the database at the corresponding received cost of service.

17. The navigational aid as claimed in claim 16, wherein the service comprises at least one of a hotel reservation and a restaurant reservation.

18. A navigational aid comprising:

a location receiver for detecting a current location;

a database of locations of businesses of interest;

a screen for selectively displaying at least one of the businesses of interest on a map; and

a context-sensitive filter for selecting which businesses stored in the database and located in locations shown on the map are displayed on the map and which businesses stored in the database and located in locations shown on the map are not displayed, wherein the context sensitive filter receives historical location information, wherein the context sensitive filter selectively displays businesses such that businesses displayed on the map comprise businesses of the same brand as were stopped at previously and businesses not displayed on the map comprise businesses not of the same brand as were stopped at previously.

19. The navigational aid as claimed in claim 18, wherein the businesses are at least one of a restaurant, a fuel station, a bank and a hotel.

20. The navigational aid as claimed in claim 18, wherein the navigational aid is integrated into a cellular phone.

21. The navigational aid as claimed in claim 18, wherein the location receiver comprises a GPS receiver.

22. The navigational aid as claimed in claim 18, further comprising a wireless receiver for information from a sensor of a vehicle.

23. The navigational aid as claimed in claim 22, wherein the wireless receiver receives a fuel level status of a vehicle, wherein the context sensitive filter selectively displays businesses such that businesses displayed on the map comprise fuel stations when the fuel level status of the vehicle is below a threshold and businesses not displayed on the map comprise fuel stations when the fuel level status of the vehicle is above the threshold.

24. The navigational aid as claimed in claim 22, wherein the wireless receiver comprises at least one of (1) a WiFi transceiver, (2) a WiMax transceiver and a BlueTooth transceiver for communicating with a cellular phone in the vehicle.

25. The navigational aid as claimed in claim 22, wherein the wireless receiver receives an indication of an abnormal status in a vehicle, wherein the context sensitive filter selectively displays businesses such that businesses displayed on the map comprise businesses that can correct the abnormal status when the abnormal status is detected and businesses not displayed on the map comprise businesses that can correct the abnormal status when the abnormal status is not detected.

26. The navigational aid as claimed in claim 25, wherein the abnormal status is at least one of a low oil pressure, a low radiator fluid level and a high engine temperature.

27. The navigational aid as claimed in claim 18, wherein the context sensitive filter receives rating information, wherein the context sensitive filter selectively displays businesses such that businesses displayed on the map comprise businesses having a rating at least as high as a threshold and businesses not displayed on the map comprise businesses having a rating lower than the threshold.

28. A navigational aid comprising:

a location receiver for detecting a current location;

a database of locations of businesses of interest;

a screen for selectively displaying on a map at least one of the businesses of interest of a service type selected by a user; and

a context-sensitive filter selectively displaying on the map businesses of the selected service type stored in the database and located in locations shown on the map, wherein the context sensitive filter receives a distance to at least one preferred brand of business of the selected service type and displays the distance to the at least one preferred brand of business of the selected service type in addition to the businesses of the selected service type located in locations shown on the map, even though the at least one preferred brand of business of the selected service type is not shown on the map.

29. The navigational aid as claimed in claim 28, further comprising a receiver for receiving an indication of which user is using the navigational aid,

wherein the context sensitive filter receives historical location information specific to the user,

wherein the context sensitive filter selectively displays businesses such that businesses displayed on the map comprise businesses of the same brand as were stopped at previously by the user and businesses not displayed on the map comprise businesses not of the same brand as were stopped at previously by the user.

30. The navigational aid as claimed in claim 28, wherein the navigational aid is integrated into a cellular phone.

31. The navigational aid as claimed in claim 28, wherein the location receiver comprises a GPS receiver.

32. The navigational aid as claimed in claim 28, further comprising a wireless receiver for information from a sensor of a vehicle.

33. The navigational aid as claimed in claim 32, wherein the wireless receiver receives a fuel level status of a vehicle, wherein the context sensitive filter selectively displays businesses such that businesses displayed on the map comprise fuel stations when the fuel level status of the vehicle is below a threshold and businesses not displayed on the map comprise fuel stations when the fuel level status of the vehicle is above the threshold.

34. The navigational aid as claimed in claim 32, wherein the wireless receiver comprises at least one of (1) a WiFi transceiver, (2) a WiMax transceiver and a BlueTooth transceiver for communicating with a cellular phone in the vehicle.

35. The navigational aid as claimed in claim 32, wherein the wireless receiver receives an indication of an abnormal status in a vehicle, wherein the context sensitive filter selectively displays businesses such that businesses displayed on the map comprise businesses that can correct the abnormal status when the abnormal status is detected and businesses not displayed on the map comprise businesses that can correct the abnormal status when the abnormal status is not detected.

36. The navigational aid as claimed in claim 35, wherein the abnormal status is at least one of a low oil pressure, a low radiator fluid level and a high engine temperature.

37. The navigational aid as claimed in claim 28, wherein the context sensitive filter receives rating information, wherein the context sensitive filter selectively displays businesses such that businesses displayed on the map comprise businesses having a rating at least as high as a threshold and businesses not displayed on the map comprise businesses having a rating lower than the threshold.