Vehicle telematics radio operable for providing and disabling driving directions to pre-selected destinations

• US 20030109263A1
• Filed: 12/12/2001
• Published: 06/12/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Incorporated (Visteon Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Incorporated (Visteon Corporation)
• Inventors: Huang, Xiaopei, Sziraki, David
• Granted Patent: US 6,912,396 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network

Abstract

A vehicle telematics radio operable for providing and disabling driving directions to pre-selected destinations includes a receiver, memory, a processor, and an interface. The memory stores the location of at least one pre-selected destination. The interface receives a request from a vehicle operator for the driving directions to a desired pre-selected destination. The receiver receives a position signal indicative of the current location of the vehicle. The processor determines the driving directions from the current location of the vehicle to the pre-selected destination based on the position signal and map information. The interface then provides the operator with the driving directions to the desired pre-selected destination. In special situations such as when either the vehicle or telematics radio is stolen or missing, the telematics radio may be disabled from providing driving directions in response to receiving a deactivation signal.

Claims

1. A telematics radio for providing driving directions to an operator of a vehicle, the telematics radio comprising:

a receiver operable for receiving a position signal indicative of the current location of the vehicle;

memory operable for storing the location of at least one pre-selected destination;

a processor operable for determining driving directions from the current location of the vehicle to each pre-selected destination based on the position signal and map information; and

an interface operable for receiving a request from the operator for the driving directions to a desired pre-selected destination, the interface further operable for providing the operator with the driving directions to the desired pre-selected destination.

2. The telematics radio of claim 1 wherein:

the interface is further operable to be disabled from providing driving directions in response to receiving an interface deactivation signal.

3. The telematics radio of claim 1 wherein:

the interface includes at least one button, wherein the interface is operable with the memory for associating each of the at least one pre-selected destination with a respective button.

4. The telematics radio of claim 3 wherein:

the interface is operable for receiving a request from the operator for the driving directions to a desired pre-selected destination in response to the operator pressing the respective button associated with the desired pre-selected destination.

5. The telematics radio of claim 4 wherein:

the interface is further operable to be disabled from providing driving directions to a desired pre-selected destination when the operator presses the respective button associated with the desired pre-selected destination in response to receiving the interface deactivation signal.

6. The telematics radio of claim 3 wherein:

the at least one button includes a HOME button, wherein the interface is operable with the memory for associating the HOME button with a home address of the operator.

7. The telematics radio of claim 6 wherein:

the interface is further operable to be disabled from providing driving directions to the home address of the operator when the operator presses the HOME button in response to receiving the interface deactivation signal.

8. The telematics radio of claim 2 wherein:

the interface is further operable to be disabled from providing driving directions in response to receiving an interface deactivation signal from the receiver.

9. The telematics radio of claim 8 wherein:

the receiver is operable for wirelessly receiving the interface deactivation signal from a service provider.

10. The telematics radio of claim 8 wherein:

the receiver is operable for wirelessly receiving the interface deactivation signal directly from an owner of the vehicle.

11. The telematics radio of claim 2 wherein:

the interface is operable for receiving the interface deactivation signal in response to a vehicle anti-theft mechanism being triggered.

12. The telematics radio of claim 2 wherein:

the interface is operable for receiving the interface deactivation signal in response to an anti-theft mechanism of the telematics radio being triggered.

13. A method for providing driving directions to an operator of a vehicle, the method comprising:

storing the location of at least one pre-selected destination;

receiving a request from the operator for the driving directions to a desired pre-selected destination;

receiving a position signal indicative of the current location of the vehicle;

determining driving directions from the current location of the vehicle to the desired pre-selected destination based on the position signal and map information; and

providing the operator with the driving directions to the desired pre-selected destination.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

disabling the step of providing the operator with the driving directions in response to a deactivation signal being received.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein:

storing the location of at least one pre-selected destination includes associating a respective button with each of the at least one pre-selected destination.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein:

receiving a request includes pressing the respective button associated with the desired pre-selected destination.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein:

storing the location of at least one pre-selected destination includes associating a HOME button with a home address of the operator.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein:

disabling includes disabling the step of providing the operator with the driving directions in response to a deactivation signal being wirelessly received from a service provider.

19. The method of claim 14 wherein:

disabling includes disabling the step of providing the operator with the driving directions in response to a deactivation signal being wirelessly received from an owner of the vehicle.

20. The method of claim 14 wherein:

disabling includes disabling the step of providing the operator with the driving directions in response to a deactivation signal generated in response to a vehicle anti-theft mechanism being triggered.