Method and apparatus for locating facilities through an automotive computing system

• US 6,505,165 B1
• Filed: 01/28/1999
• Issued: 01/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Berstis, Viktors, Lisle, Linda Arnold
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hayes, John W.
• Application Number:
  US09/239,331
• Time in Patent Office: 1,440 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/6, 705/26, 705/43, 701/23, 701/25, 701/26, 701/200, 701/201, 701/202, 701/208, 701/209, 701/211, 701/213, 340/988, 340/990, 340/995, 340/996
• US Class Current: 705/6
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/025 Coordination of plural reservations, e.g. plural trip segments, transportation combined with accommodation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1085 involving automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages

Abstract

A method and apparatus in a distributed data processing system for locating a facility from a plurality of facilities. Data is collected from the plurality of facilities. The collected data is compared with current data regarding the facilities. Changes present between the collected data and the current data are identified. The current data is updated using the changes. Responsive to a request from a mobile computing system for a location of a facility, a response is sent to the mobile computing system based on the current data and the request.

Claims

1. A method in a distributed data processing system for locating a facility from a plurality of facilities, the method comprising the computer implemented steps of:

receiving data from the plurality of facilities in which the plurality of facilities is a plurality of automatic teller machines, wherein the data is collected data and wherein the collected data includes an availability of cash at each of the plurality of automatic teller machines;

comparing the collected data with current data regarding facilities;

identifying changes present between the collected data and the current data;

updating the current data using the changes; and

responsive to a request from a mobile computing system for a location of a facility, sending a response to the mobile computing system based on current data and the request.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving data includes receiving status information from each of the plurality of automatic teller machines.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of sending a response comprises:

identifying the driver originating the request;

responsive to identifying the driver, obtaining driver preferences regarding automatic teller machine for the driver; and

identifying a automatic teller machine from the plurality of automatic teller machines using the driver preferences and the current data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile computing system is located in an automobile.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the current data is stored in a storage device.

6. A method in a distributed data processing system for locating a facility from a plurality of facilities, the method comprising the computer implemented steps of:

receiving data from the plurality of facilities in which the plurality of facilities is a plurality of automatic teller machines, wherein the data is collected data and wherein the collected data includes an indication of whether an automatic teller machine within the plurality of automatic teller machines is operational;

comparing the collected data with current data regarding facilities;

identifying changes present between the collected data and the current data;

updating the current data using the changes; and

responsive to a request from a mobile computing system for a location of a facility, sending a response to the mobile computing system based on current data and the request.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of receiving data includes receiving status information from each of the plurality of automatic teller machines.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of sending a response comprises:

identifying the driver originating the request;

responsive to identifying the driver, obtaining driver preferences regarding automatic teller machine for the driver; and

identifying a automatic teller machine from the plurality of automatic teller machines using the driver preferences and the current data.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the mobile computing system is located in an automobile.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the current data is stored in a storage device.

11. The data processing system for locating an automatic teller machine from a plurality of automatic teller machines, the data processing system comprising:

receiving means for collecting data from the plurality of automatic teller machines in which the data is collected data and wherein the collected data includes an availability of cash at each of the plurality of automatic teller machines;

comprising means for comparing the collected data with current data regarding the plurality of automatic teller machines;

identifying means for identifying changes present between the collected data and the current data;

updating means for updating the current data using the changes; and

sending means, reponsive to a request from a mobile computing system for a lacation of a automatic teller machine, for sending a response to the mobile computing system based on the current data and the request.

12. The data processing system of claim 11, wherein receiving data includes receiving status information from each of the plurality of automatic teller machines.

13. The data processing system of claim 11, wherein sending a response comprises;

first identifying means for identifying the driver originating the request;

obtaining means, responsive to identifying the driver, for obtaining driver preference regarding automatic teller machine for the driver; and

second identifying means for identifying a automatic teller machine from the plurality of automatic teller machines using the driver preferences and the current data.

14. The data processing system of claim 11, wherein the mobile computing system is located in an automobile.

15. The data processing system of claim 11, wherein the current data is stored in a storage device.

16. A data processing system for locating a facility from a plurality of facilities, the data processing system comprising:

receiving means for collecting data from the plurality of facilities in which the data is collected data, wherein the collected data includes an indication of whether an automatic teller machine within a plurality of automatic teller machines is operational;

comparing means for comparing the collected data with current data regarding the facilities;

identifying means for identifying changes present between the collected data and the current data;

updating means for updating the current data using the changes; and

location of a facility, for sending a response to the mobile computing system based on the current data and the request.

17. The processing data processing system of claim 16, wherein receiving data includes receiving status information from each of the plurality of automatic teller machines.

18. The data processing system of claim 16, wherein sending a response comprises:

first identifying means for identifying the driver originating the request;

obtaining means, responsive to identifying the driver, for obtaining driver preferences regarding automatic teller machine for the driver; and

second identifying means for identifying a automatic teller machine from the plurality of automatic teller machines using the driver preferences and the current data.

19. The data processing system of claim 16, wherein the mobile computing system is located in an automobile.

20. The data processing system of claim 16, wherein the current data is stored in a storage device.

21. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for locating a facility from a plurality of facilities, the computer program product comprising;

first instructions for receiving data from the plurality of facilities in which the plurality of facilities is a plurality of automatic teller machines, wherein the data is collected data and wherein the collected data includes an availability of cash at each of the plurality of automatic teller machines;

second instructions for comparing the collected data with current data regarding facilities;

third instructions for identifying changes present between the collected data and the current data;

fourth instructions for updating the current data using the changes; and

fifth instructions, responsive to a request from a mobile computing system for a location of a facility, for sending a response to the mobile computing system based on current data and the request.

22. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for locating a facility from a plurality of facilities, the computer program product comprising:

first instructions for receiving data from the plurality of facilities in which the plurality of facilities is a plurality of automatic teller machines, wherein the data is collected data and wherein the collected data includes an indication of whether an automatic teller machine within the plurality of automatic teller machines is operational;

second instructions for comparing the collected data with current data regarding facilities;

third instructions for identifying changes present between the collected data and the current data;

fourth instructions for updating the current data using the changes; and

fifth instructions, responsive to a request from a mobile computing system for a location of a facility, for sending a response to the mobile computing system based on current data and the request.

23. A data processing system for locating a facility from a plurality of facilities, the data processing system comprising:

a bus system;

a communications unit connected to the bus system;

a memory connected to the bus system, wherein the memory includes a set of instructions; and

a processing unit connected to the bus system, wherein the processing unit executes the set of instructions to receive data from the plurality of facilities in which the plurality of facilities is a plurality of automatic teller machines, wherein the data is collected data and wherein the collected data includes an availability of cash at each of the plurality of automatic teller machines;

compare the collected data with current data regarding facilities;

identify changes present between the collected data and the current data;

update the current data using the changes; and

send a response to a mobile computing system based on current data and in response to a request from the mobile computing system for a location of a facility.

24. A data processing system for locating a facility from a plurality of facilities, the data processing system comprising:

a bus system;

a communications unit connected to the bus system;

a memory connected to the bus system, wherein the memory includes a set of instructions; and

a processing unit connected to the bus system, wherein the processing unit executes the set of instructions to receive data from the plurality of facilities in which the plurality of facilities is a plurality of automatic teller machines, wherein the data is collected data and wherein the collected data includes an indication of whether an automatic teller machine within the plurality of automatic teller machines is operational;

compare the collected data with current data regarding facilities;

identify changes present between the collected data and the current data;

update the current data using the changes; and

send a response to a mobile computing system based on current data and in response to a request from the mobile computing system for a location of a facility.