VEHICLE-TO-VEHICLE INSTANT MESSAGING WITH LOCATIVE ADDRESSING

• US 20070162550A1
• Filed: 12/13/2006
• Published: 07/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Outland Research LLC
• Original Assignee: Outland Research LLC
• Inventors: Rosenberg, Louis B.
• Application Number:
  US11/610,494
• Publication Number:
  US 20070162550A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication

Abstract

An automobile-to-automobile instant-messaging system that enables a user of a first automobile to selectively send a communicative message to a user of a second automobile, the communicative message being addressed to the second automobile based at least in part upon its location with respect to the first automobile. In some embodiments the message is addressed also based upon the road and/or direction of travel of the second automobile. In an example embodiment, the system comprises a locative server in wireless communication with processors of each of the first and second automobiles, the locative server repeatedly receiving locative data from each automobile indicating its substantially current geospatial location; and wherein messaging data is sent to the second automobile that originates from the first automobile, the sending of the messaging data being dependent at least in part upon a determined spatial proximity between the first automobile and the second automobile.

Claims

1. An automobile-to-automobile instant-messaging system comprising:

a first automobile and a second automobile, each automobile comprising

a vehicle chassis for transporting a user on a road of travel,

a messaging user interface for enabling the user to selectively indicate message-sending intentions,

a messaging display for selectively displaying a message to the user in at least one of an audio or visual form,

one or more locative sensors for determining a substantially current geospatial location and direction of travel of the automobile,

a wireless communication link for transmitting locative data and message data from the automobile to a locative server, and

a processor operationally connected to the messaging user interface, the one or more locative sensors, and the wireless communication link, the processor running messaging routines; and

the locative server comprising one or more processors, the locative server in wireless communication with each of said first and second automobiles, the locative server repeatedly receiving and storing locative information from each of said first and second automobiles indicating the substantially current geospatial location of that automobile;

wherein the message is routed to the second automobile from the first automobile dependent at least in part upon a detected interaction between the user of said first automobile and the messaging user interface of the first automobile and a determined spatial proximity between the first automobile and the second automobile.

2. The automobile-to-automobile instant messaging system of claim 1 wherein the message is routed dependent at least in part upon a determination that the first automobile and the second automobile are traveling upon the same road of travel.

3. The automobile-to-automobile instant messaging system of claim 1 wherein the message is routed dependent at least in part upon a determination that the first automobile and the second automobile are traveling in the same general direction upon a common road of travel.

4. The automobile-to-automobile instant messaging system of claim 1 wherein the message is routed dependent at least in part upon a determination that the first automobile and the second automobile are traveling in the same lane.

5. The automobile-to-automobile instant messaging system of claim 1 wherein the message is routed dependent at least in part upon a determination that the first automobile is traveling behind the second automobile.

6. The automobile-to-automobile instant messaging system of claim 5 wherein the detected interaction with the messaging user interface of the first automobile indicates that the user of the first automobile wishes to send the message to a vehicle traveling in front of the first automobile.

7. The automobile-to-automobile instant messaging system of claim 1 wherein the message is routed dependent at least in part upon a determination that the first automobile is traveling in front of the second automobile.

8. The automobile-to-automobile instant messaging system of claim 7 wherein the detected interaction with the messaging user interface of the first automobile indicates that the user of the first automobile wishes to send the message to a vehicle traveling behind the first automobile.

9. The automobile-to-automobile instant messaging system of claim 1 wherein the messaging display of the second automobile outputs an alert sound to the user of the second automobile in response to receiving the routed message.

10. The automobile-to-automobile instant messaging system of claim 9 wherein the alert sound is displayed using spatial audio techniques such that it sounds to the user of the second automobile like it is coming from the general direction of the first automobile.

11. The automobile-to-automobile instant messaging system of claim 9 wherein the alert sound emulates the sound of a car horn.

12. The automobile-to-automobile instant messaging system of claim 1 wherein the messaging display of the second automobile outputs visual information indicating the relative location of the first automobile in response to receiving the routed message.

13. The automobile-to-automobile instant messaging system of claim 1 wherein the messaging display of the second automobile outputs descriptive information relating to at least one of the make, model, and color of the first automobile in response to receiving the routed message.

14. The automobile-to-automobile instant messaging system of claim 1 wherein the messaging display of the second automobile outputs information indicating that a user of the first automobile believes the second automobile is at least one of too close, has its brights on, has its blinker on, has a tail light out, and is moving too slowly.

15. The automobile-to-automobile instant messaging system of claim 1 wherein the messaging display of the second automobile outputs information indicating that the user of the first automobile desires to pass the second automobile.

16. An automobile-to-automobile instant-messaging system comprising:

a locative server in wireless communication with processors of each of a first automobile and a second automobile, the locative server repeatedly receiving locative data from each of said first and second automobiles, the locative data indicating the substantially current geospatial location of the respective automobiles;

wherein messaging data is sent to the second automobile that originates from the first automobile, the messaging data being sent dependent at least in part upon a determined spatial proximity between the first automobile and the second automobile; and

a user interface in the first automobile adapted to receive a user interaction indicating the user'"'"'s desire to send the messaging data to another automobile in the local vicinity of the first automobile.

17. The automobile-to-automobile instant messaging system of claim 16 wherein the messaging data is sent dependent at least in part upon a determination that the first automobile and the second automobile are traveling upon the same road of travel.

18. The automobile-to-automobile instant messaging system of claim 16 wherein the messaging data is sent dependent at least in part upon a determination that the first automobile and the second automobile are traveling in the same road direction.

19. The automobile-to-automobile instant messaging system of claim 16 wherein the messaging data is sent dependent at least in part upon a determination that the first automobile is traveling behind the second automobile.

20. The automobile-to-automobile instant messaging system of claim 16 wherein a display of the second automobile outputs an alert sound to the user of the second automobile in response to receiving the messaging data.

21. The automobile-to-automobile instant messaging system of claim 20 wherein the alert sound is displayed using spatial audio techniques such that it sounds to the user of the second automobile like it is coming from the direction of the first automobile.

22. The automobile-to-automobile instant messaging system of claim 20 wherein the alert sound emulates the sound of a car horn.

23. The automobile-to-automobile instant messaging system of claim 16 wherein a display of the second automobile outputs information indicating the relative location of the first automobile in response to receiving the messaging data.

24. The automobile-to-automobile instant messaging system of claim 16 wherein a display of the second automobile outputs information relating to at least one of the make, model, and color of the first automobile in response to receiving the messaging data.

25. The automobile-to-automobile instant messaging system of claim 16 wherein a display of the second automobile outputs information indicating that the user of the first automobile believes the second automobile is at least one of too close, has its brights on, has its blinker on, has a tail light out, and is moving too slowly.

26. The automobile-to-automobile instant messaging system of claim 16 wherein a display of the second automobile outputs information in response to receiving the messaging data, the information indicating that the user of the first automobile desires to pass the second automobile.

27. A method for automobile-to-automobile instant-messaging comprising:

sending a message to a second automobile in response to a user request imparted upon a messaging user interface of a first automobile, the sending being dependent at least in part upon a determined spatial proximity between the second automobile and the first automobile, and a determined common direction of road travel of the second automobile and the first automobile.

28. The method of automobile-to-automobile instant messaging of claim 27 wherein the sending of the message to the second automobile is further dependent at least in part upon a determination that the first automobile is traveling behind the second automobile.

29. The method of automobile-to-automobile instant messaging of claim 27 wherein the second automobile outputs an alert sound to the user of the second automobile in response to receiving the message.

30. The method of automobile-to-automobile instant messaging of claim 27 wherein a display of the second automobile outputs information indicating the relative location of the first automobile in response to receiving the message.