SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING DIGITAL MAP, ROUTING, OR NAVIGATION INFORMATION WITH NEED-BASED ROUTING

• US 20100057337A1
• Filed: 09/02/2008
• Published: 03/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Tele Atlas North America (TomTom NV)
• Original Assignee: Tele Atlas North America (TomTom NV)
• Inventors: Fuchs, Gil
• Application Number:
  US12/203,061
• Publication Number:
  US 20100057337A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/200
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3484 Personalized, e.g. from learned user behaviour or user-defined profiles
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A system and method for providing digital map or navigation information with need-based routing. In accordance with an embodiment, the system disclosed herein provides a means for suppliers, such as suppliers or retailers of goods and services, to provide information about the availability of those goods and services. When a user interacts with the system and a need is determined, the system can offer information, such as directing the user to an appropriate supplier, including where appropriate a map and/or route to the supplier. In accordance with an embodiment the system can take into account the user'"'"'s location, and/or the supplier'"'"'s locations, and/or a cost associated with an item, and/or other geographic and non-geographic information that can be stored and retrieved from a digital map or a supplier.

Claims

25-1. The system of claim 1, wherein said attributes information comprises information on an available size of the product of interest.

34. A method for need-based routing, comprising the steps of:

providing a computing device capable of receiving and recording user needs, said computing device being further capable of determining a location of interest, said device being further capable of transmitting said user needs and said location of interest;

providing a needs-based routing logic capable of receiving said user needs and said location, wherein said needs-based routing logic comprises a database, wherein said database comprises needs-satisfaction information, including availability of goods and services at different suppliers, that is used by said needs-based routing logic translate a need to an offered product or service and to compute a set of one or more top locations most likely to satisfy said user need-based on said user needs and said location, said needs-based routing logic being further capable of transmitting to said computing device said set of one or more top locations; and

wherein said computing device is further capable of receiving and recording said set of one or more top locations.

35. A computer readable medium including computer readable instructions stored thereon which when read and executed by a computer cause the computer to perform the steps of:

providing a computing device capable of receiving and recording user needs, said computing device being further capable of determining a location of interest, said device being further capable of transmitting said user needs and said location of interest;

providing a needs-based routing logic capable of receiving said user needs and said location, wherein said needs-based routing logic comprises a database, wherein said database comprises needs-satisfaction information, including availability of goods and services at different suppliers, that is used by said needs-based routing logic to translate a need to an offered product or service and compute a set of one or more top locations most likely to satisfy said user need-based on said user needs and said location, said needs-based routing logic being further capable of transmitting to said computing device said set of one or more top locations; and

wherein said computing device is further capable of receiving and recording said set of one or more top locations.