Technique for effective communications with, and provision of global positioning system (GPS) based advertising information to, automobiles

• US 20060116800A1
• Filed: 01/05/2006
• Published: 06/01/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1998
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: American Calcar, Inc.
• Original Assignee: American Calcar, Inc.
• Inventors: Obradovich, Michael L., White, Philip E.
• Application Number:
  US11/326,781
• Publication Number:
  US 20060116800A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• 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: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/137 the indicator being in the form of a map
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1845 broadcast or multicast in a specific location, e.g. geocast protocols for adapting network applications to user terminal location H04L67/52; services specially adapted for wireless communication networks making use of the location of users or terminals H04W4/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1895 for short real-time information, e.g. alarms, notifications, alerts, updates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/222 using geographical location information, e.g. messages transmitted or received in proximity of a certain spot or area
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/53 using third party service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 : Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/44 : for communication between vehicles and infrastructures, e.g. vehicle-to-cloud [V2C] or vehicle-to-home [V2H]

Abstract

In an automobile, communications to and from the automobile are in the form of messages. Such messages are referred to as “electronic car-mail” or “C-mail” messages as each message has a destination or origination address which includes an identifier, e.g., a vehicle identification number (VIN), identifying the automobile. The messages may be delivered to the automobile from a remote server through a communications network, e.g., the Internet. One such message may contain a recall notice to the automobile. Another message may contain just-in-time map information for navigation, depending on the current location of the automobile. Yet another message may contain advertising information concerning selected entities, e.g., restaurants, gas stations, department stores, etc., also depending on the current location of the automobile. The messages transmitted from the automobile to the remote server may contain, e.g., GPS information identifying the location of the automobile, dynamic data furnished by sensors in the automobile for analysis, an odometer reading and a speedometer reading for records, etc.

Claims

1-60. -60. (canceled)

61. A method of navigation for use in a vehicle, comprising:

sensing a current location of the vehicle;

defining a coverage area in relation to the sensed location of the vehicle;

receiving a request for a route to a destination;

planning the route in response to the request;

receiving a selection of a category of point of interest;

showing, on a display, the planned route and one or more indicators indicating locations of one or more points of interest in the category in the coverage area;

receiving a selection of one of the one or more indicators; and

providing, near the selected indicator on the display, information about a point of interest whose location is indicated by the selected indicator.

62. The method of claim 61 wherein the information includes textual information.

63. The method of claim 61 wherein the information identifies the point of interest.

64. The method of claim 61 wherein the selection of one of the one or more indicators is achieved by touching the indicator on the display.

65. The method of claim 61 wherein the category includes restaurants.

66. The method of claim 61 wherein the category includes vehicle service providers.

67. The method of claim 61 wherein the sensed location of the vehicle is represented by global positioning system (GPS) data.

68. The method of claim 61 wherein the one or more indicators incorporate logos associated with the one or more points of interest, respectively.

69. A method of navigation for use in a vehicle, comprising:

sensing a current location of the vehicle;

defining a coverage area in relation to the sensed location of the vehicle;

receiving a selection of a category of point of interest;

showing, on a display, one or more indicators representing one or more points of interest in the category in the coverage area;

receiving a selection of one of the one or more indicators;

providing information concerning a point of interest represented by the selected indicator; and

providing a selectable option to establish a communication connection with the point of interest represented by the selected indicator.

70. The method of claim 69 wherein the information identifies the point of interest.

71. The method of claim 69 wherein the information includes audio information.

72. The method of claim 71 wherein the audio information comprises an advertisement.

73. The method of claim 69 wherein the point of interest includes a product or service provider.

74. The method of claim 73 wherein the information includes a description of at least one product or service provided by the product or service provider.

75. The method of claim 74 wherein the description is presented in the form of a menu.

76. The method of claim 75 wherein a product or service is ordered from the menu through the communication connection after the option is selected.

77. The method of claim 76 wherein the product or service provider includes a restaurant, and the ordered product or service concerns food.

78. The method of claim 69 further comprising receiving data from the point of interest represented by the selected indicator.

79. The method of claim 78 wherein the data comprises video data.

80. The method of claim 79 wherein the video data includes one or more images of the point of interest.

81. The method of claim 69 wherein the one or more indicators incorporate logos associated with the one or more points of interest, respectively.

82. A navigation system for use in a vehicle, comprising:

a detecting device for sensing a current location of the vehicle;

a mechanism for defining a coverage area in relation to the sensed location of the vehicle, a selection of a category of point of interest being received;

an interface for receiving a request for a route to a destination;

a processor configured to plan the route in response to the request;

a display for showing thereon the planned route and one or more indicators indicating locations of one or more points of interest in the category in the coverage area, a selection of one of the one or more indicators being received; and

an output device for providing, near the selected indicator on the display, information about a point of interest whose location is indicated by the selected indicator.

83. The system of claim 82 wherein the information includes textual information.

84. The system of claim 82 wherein the information identifies the point of interest.

85. The system of claim 82 wherein the selection of one of the one or more indicators is achieved by touching the indicator on the display.

86. The system of claim 82 wherein the category includes restaurants.

87. The system of claim 82 wherein the category includes vehicle service providers.

88. The system of claim 82 wherein the sensed location of the vehicle is represented by GPS data.

89. The system of claim 82 wherein the one or more indicators incorporate logos associated with the one or more points of interest, respectively.

90. A navigation system for use in a vehicle, comprising:

a detecting device for sensing a current location of the vehicle;

a mechanism for defining a coverage area in relation to the sensed location of the vehicle;

an interface for receiving a selection of a category of point of interest;

a display for showing thereon one or more indicators representing one or more points of interest in the category in the coverage area, a selection of one of the one or more indicators being received;

an output device for providing information concerning a point of interest represented by the selected indicator; and

a processor configured to provide a selectable option to establish a communication connection with the point of interest represented by the selected indicator.

91. The system of claim 90 wherein the information identifies the point of interest.

92. The system of claim 90 wherein the information includes audio information.

93. The system of claim 92 wherein the audio information comprises an advertisement.

94. The system of claim 90 wherein the point of interest includes a product or service provider.

95. The system of claim 94 wherein the information includes a description of at least one product or service provided by the product or service provider.

96. The system of claim 95 wherein the description is presented in the form of a menu.

97. The system of claim 96 wherein a product or service is ordered from the menu through the communication connection after the option is selected.

98. The system of claim 97 wherein the product or service provider includes a restaurant, and the ordered product or service concerns food.

99. The system of claim 90 wherein data is received from the point of interest represented by the selected indicator.

100. The system of claim 99 wherein the data comprises video data.

101. The system of claim 100 wherein the video data includes one or more images of the point of interest.

102. The system of claim 90 wherein the one or more indicators incorporate logos associated with the one or more points of interest, respectively