System and method for obtaining, in a vehicle, information concerning points of interest

• US 8,892,351 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2007
• Issued: 11/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Motor Company
• Original Assignee: Ford Motor Company
• Inventors: Whitaker, Matthew, Kurecka, Christopher, Reyna, Emily, Srinivasan, Hari
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): MOYER, DALE S
• Application Number:
  US11/737,998
• Publication Number:
  US 20080262725A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,769 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.2, 455/411, 455/414.2, 455/421, 455/440, 455/456.1, 455/456.3, 455/456.4, 455/457, 701/208, 701/211, 701/215, 707/E17.018, 707/E17.11
• US Class Current: 701/408
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network

Abstract

To obtain point of interest information in a vicinity of a vehicle, the vehicle selects a reference point away from the current location of the vehicle. A region is formed, including the current location of the vehicle, based on the reference point. Points of interest falling within the region are communicated to the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for obtaining, in a vehicle, information concerning points of interest, the method comprising:

by at least one processor,

determining vehicle geographic coordinates defining a current location of the vehicle;

selecting reference geographic coordinates defining a reference point located a randomly selected distance away from the current location of the vehicle;

calculating, from the reference geographic coordinates, region geographic coordinates defining at least a portion of a boundary of a region including the current location of the vehicle;

requesting information regarding points of interest located within the region from a remote information provider, the request including the region geographic coordinates;

receiving information regarding points of interest located within the region from the remote information provider; and

presenting information regarding the points of interest located within the region to an occupant of the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the distance is less than a predefined limit.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the region is a geometric region.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the region is a square.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the region is a circle.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining a direction of travel of the vehicle and wherein the reference geographic coordinates are selected based on the direction of travel of the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the reference point is at the center of the region.

8. A system for obtaining, in a vehicle, information concerning points of interest, the system comprising:

a location module for determining vehicle geographic coordinates defining a current location of the vehicle;

a processing module for

randomly selecting reference geographic coordinates within a predefined range defining a reference point located a distance away from the current location of the vehicle, and

calculating, from the reference geographic coordinates, region geographic coordinates defining at least a portion of a boundary of a region including the current location of the vehicle,

a communication module for

requesting information regarding points of interest located within the region from a remote information provider, the request including the region geographic coordinates, and

receiving information regarding points of interest located within the region from the remote information provider; and

a display module for presenting information regarding the points of interest located within the region to an occupant of the vehicle.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the distance is a predefined distance.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the distance is less than a predefined limit.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein the processing module further determines a direction of travel of the vehicle and wherein the reference geographic coordinates are selected based on the direction of travel of the vehicle.