System for broadcasting local information

• US 9,135,819 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2008
• Issued: 09/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dioptas Holding AG
• Original Assignee: Dioptas Holding AG
• Inventors: Villa, Amanda Lucia
• Primary Examiner(s): Issing, Gregory C
• Application Number:
  US12/035,010
• Publication Number:
  US 20080204314A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,763 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357.09, 342/357.34, 455/456.3, 340/995.12
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3661 Guidance output on an external device, e.g. car radio
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/51 Relative positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09675 where a selection from the received information takes place in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096783 where the origin of the information is a roadside individual element
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096822 where the segments of the route are transmitted to the vehicle at different locations and times
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096855 where the output is provided in a suitable form to the driver details on I/O arrangements for onboard navigation computers G01C21/36
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/62 for transportation systems, e.g. in vehicles

Abstract

System for broadcasting local information, related to the area where a vehicle (V), e.g. an automobile, is actually located or moving through, having: a GPS (1) that identifies the area where the vehicle is moving through, a GPRS transmission means (2) for transmitting the said local information from an external, remote station to a CPU (3) located in the vehicle and for managing the information related to the data from the positioning system and the local information. The system has a storage device (4, 5) for the local information, located within the vehicle, and an FM broadcasting device (6), also located within the vehicle, adapted to broadcast the said local information to a reproducing means (7), that can be the radio system of an automobile. The said local information is selected from the stored information in the storage device (4, 5), according at least to the identified area and is updated, on a time basis, with local information emitted from an external updating emitter. As the local information is updated on the information means on a time basis (not necessarily periodically), the system allows obviating the need for 1) streaming information in a continuous manner; and 2) having a whole network at disposal, which prejudices the efficiency and the perceived quality of the service.

Claims

1. A system for accessing and providing local information to a user relating to an area where a vehicle is actually located or moving through, the system comprising first and second groups of components, wherein:

A. the first group of components is located inside the vehicle and comprises;

a receiver configured to receive local information from an emitter;

a storage device configured to store local information received from the emitter about where the vehicle is located, wherein the local information is updated on a recurrent time basis with local information received from the emitter;

a GPS positioning system configured to identify the current geographic area where the vehicle is located or moving through;

a processor configured to;

manage data being processed;

select local information from the storage device relating to the current geographic area where the user is moving through;

determine, in terms of the speed of the vehicle and a map of GPS coordinates, the location of the subsequent geographic area and the remaining time to enter the subsequent geographic area; and

switch local information in the storage device relating to the current geographic area to local information relating to a subsequent geographic area that has different information to be transmitted to the user, as a function of the determined location of the subsequent geographic area and the remaining time to enter the subsequent geographic area; and

a broadcasting device which receives a signal comprising selected local information from the processor and transmits the signal to a reproducing device as an audio signal; and

B. the second group of components is located externally to the vehicle and comprises;

a server which is in communications with the processor and which selects local information that is to be transmitted to the receiver; and

the emitter which communicates with the server and which transfers to the receiver packs of local information codified and classified according to X, Y, Z GPS coordinates.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle is an automobile.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the signal is an RF, FM, FM Digital, Bluetooth, or IR signal.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the broadcasting device transmits the signal to the reproducing device.

5. The system according to claim 2, wherein the reproducing device is a radio system of the automobile.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system identifies a new area that the vehicle is going to or about to enter.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system plays information related to the current geographic area until the system receives new positioning signals.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the local information stored in the storage device is classified in at least two categories, and the local information is selected on a category basis.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the categories are selected from the group consisting of tourist-related information, traffic-related information, and weather-related information.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the local information stored in the storage device is classified in at least three levels, and the broadcasted local information is selected on a level basis selected from the group consisting of area-related level, point-related level and time-related level.

11. A method for providing and accessing local information to a user related to an area where a vehicle is actually located or moving through, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing inside the vehicle a first group of components comprising;

a receiver configured to receive local information from an emitter;

a storage device configured to store local information received from the emitter about where the vehicle is located, wherein the local information is updated on a recurrent time basis with local information received from the emitter;

a GPS positioning system configured to identify the current geographic area where the vehicle is located or moving through;

a processor configured to;

manage data being processed;

select local information from the storage device relating to the current geographic area where the user is moving through;

determine, in terms of the speed of the vehicle and a map of GPS coordinates, the location of the subsequent geographic area and the remaining time to enter the subsequent geographic area; and

switch local information in the storage device relating to the current geographic area to local information relating to a subsequent geographic area that has different information to be transmitted to the user, as a function of the determined location of the subsequent geographic area and the remaining time to enter the subsequent geographic area; and

a broadcasting device which receives a signal comprising selected local information from the processor and transmits the signal to a reproducing device as an audio signal;

(b) providing a link from the first group of components to a second group of components which is located externally to the vehicle and which comprises;

a server which is in communications with the processor and which selects local information that is to be transmitted to the receiver; and

the emitter which communicates with the server and which transfers to the receiver packs of local information codified and classified according to X, Y, Z GPS coordinates;

(c) using the speed of the vehicle and a map of GPS coordinates, determining whether the vehicle is moving through the current geographic area or is about to enter the subsequent geographical area;

(d1) if the vehicle is moving through the current geographical area, retrieving, from the storage device, local information relating to the current geographical area;

(d2) if the vehicle is about to enter a subsequent geographical area, determining the remaining time to enter the subsequent geographical area and retrieving, from the storage device, local information relating to the subsequent geographical area;

(e) broadcasting retrieved local information to the user on the reproducing device located in the vehicle; and

(f) updating the local information stored on the storage device on a time basis with local information received from the emitter.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the vehicle is a motor vehicle.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the signal is an RF, FM, FM Digital, Bluetooth, or IR signal.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein the broadcasting device transmits the signal to the reproducing device.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein the reproducing device is a radio system of the automobile.

16. The method according to claim 11, wherein the system identifies a new area that the vehicle is going to or about to enter.

17. The method according to claim 11, wherein the system plays information related to the current geographic area until the system receives new positioning signals.

18. The method according to claim 11, wherein the local information stored in the storage device is classified in at least two categories, and the local information is selected on a category basis.

19. The method according to claim 11, wherein the local information stored in the storage device is classified in at least three levels, and the broadcasted local information is selected on a level basis selected from the group consisting of area-related level, point-related level and time-related level.