Directed user-based dynamic advertising

• US 6,542,822 B1
• Filed: 07/24/2001
• Issued: 04/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Froeberg, Peter L.
• Primary Examiner(s): ARTHUR JEANGLAUDE, GERTRUDE
• Application Number:
  US09/912,847
• Time in Patent Office: 616 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 701/201, 701/207, 701/208, 701/210, 701/211, 701/213, 701/214, 701/220, 701/224, 701/300, 340/988, 340/990, 340/995, 731/78.R, 342/357.1, 342/457, 342/357.02, 342/357.06, 342/357.08
• US Class Current: 701/213
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/28 with correlation of data from several navigational instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages

Abstract

A method and system for dynamically communicating content to an occupant of a moving vehicle according to the location and direction of travel of the vehicle. Multiple items of content are loaded onto the vehicle and updated at periodic intervals. Position information (such as Global Positioning System information) is used to determine the location of the vehicle. The direction of travel of the vehicle can also be determined from the position information. Using the vehicle'"'"'s position and direction of travel as well as other factors such as the time of day, a particular item of content can be selected and communicated to an occupant of the vehicle.

Claims

1. In a mobile vehicle, an apparatus for dynamically communicating content according to location-based information, said apparatus comprising:

a position determination system adapted to determine a position of said vehicle and a direction of travel of said vehicle;

a controller coupled to said position determination system;

a memory unit coupled to said controller, said memory unit adapted to store multiple items of content on board said vehicle; and

a user interface coupled to said storage unit, said user interface adapted to communicate an item of content to an occupant of said vehicle;

wherein said controller selects said item of content from said multiple items of content according to said position and said direction of travel and wherein said item of content is associated with a location that is closer to said position and said direction of travel relative to others of said multiple items of content.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising:

a receiver coupled to said position determination system and adapted to receive transmitted position information used by said position determination system to determine said position and said direction of travel.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said position information is Global Positioning System (GPS) information.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said position determination system comprises:

a digital compass adapted to determine said direction of travel using said GPS information; and

a satellite positioning system adapted to determine said position using said GPS information.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said item of content is also selected according to a time of day.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said position and direction of travel are correlated to geographical information in a database, wherein said item of content is also selected according to said geographical information.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said multiple items of content stored on board said vehicle are user-specific.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said multiple items of content are categorized using characteristics associated with each item of content.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said user interface comprises a display unit operable to visually communicate said item of content.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said user interface comprises an audio unit operable to audibly communicate said item of content.

11. A method of dynamically communicating content according to location-based information, said method comprising the steps of:

a) determining a position and a direction of travel of a mobile vehicle, said mobile vehicle having a user interface for communicating content to an occupant of said mobile vehicle;

b) selecting an item of content from multiple items of content stored on board said mobile vehicle, wherein said item of content is associated with a location that is closer to said position and said direction of travel relative to others of said multiple items of content; and

c) communicating said item of content to said occupant using said user interface.

12. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein said step a) comprises the step of:

receiving position information at said mobile vehicle, said position information for determining said position and said direction of travel of said vehicle.

13. The method as recited in claim 12 wherein said position information is Global Positioning System (GPS) information.

14. The method as recited in claim 13 wherein said mobile vehicle comprises a position determination system comprising a digital compass adapted to determine said direction of travel using said GPS information and a satellite positioning system adapted to determine said position using said GPS information.

15. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein said item of content is also selected according to a time of day.

16. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein said step b) further comprises the step of:

correlating said position and said direction of travel to geographical information in a database, wherein said item of content is also selected according to said geographical information.

17. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein said multiple items of content stored on board said vehicle are user-specific.

18. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein said multiple items of content are categorized using characteristics associated with each item of content.

19. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein said step c) comprises the step of:

communicating said item of content visually using a display unit.

20. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein said step c) comprises the step of:

communicating said item of content audibly using an audio unit.

21. A method of dynamically communicating content according to location-based information, said method comprising the steps of:

a) loading multiple items of content into a storage unit on board a mobile vehicle;

b) selecting an item of said content according to a position of said mobile vehicle and a direction of travel of said mobile vehicle, wherein said item of content is associated with a location that is closer to said position and said direction of travel relative to others of said multiple items of content; and

c) communicating said item of content to an occupant of said mobile vehicle.

22. The method as recited in claim 21 wherein said step b) further comprises the step of:

receiving position information at said mobile vehicle, said position information for determining said position and said direction of travel.

23. The method as recited in claim 22 wherein said position information is Global Positioning System (GPS) information.

24. The method as recited in claim 23 wherein said mobile vehicle comprises a position determination system comprising a digital compass adapted to determine said direction of travel using said GPS information and a satellite positioning system adapted to determine said position using said GPS information.

25. The method as recited in claim 21 wherein said step b) further comprises the step of:

correlating said position and said direction of travel to geographical information in a database, wherein said item of content is also selected according to said geographical information.

26. The method as recited in claim 21 wherein said step c) comprises the step of:

communicating said item of content visually using a display unit.

27. The method as recited in claim 21 wherein said step c) comprises the step of:

communicating said item of content audibly using an audio unit.

28. The method as recited in claim 21 wherein said multiple items of content stored on board said vehicle are user-specific.

29. The method as recited in claim 21 wherein said multiple items of content are categorized using characteristics associated with each item of content.

30. The method as recited in claim 21 wherein said item of content is also selected according to a time of day.