Intelligent selectively-targeted communications systems and methods

• US 7,113,107 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2003
• Issued: 09/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Lance G. Taylor
• Inventors: Taylor, Lance G.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HUNG T
• Application Number:
  US10/383,214
• Publication Number:
  US 20030169181A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,301 Days
• Field of Search: 340/902, 340/903, 340/905, 340/988, 340/901, 340/961, 340/990, 340/945, 340/995.17, 340/992, 340/539.1, 340/539.13, 701/2, 701/3, 701/300, 701/301
• US Class Current: 340/901
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/00 Traffic control systems for road vehicles arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00 ; automatic vehicle control B62D
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0965 responding to signals from another vehicle, e.g. emergency vehicle

Abstract

There is disclosed a system and method wherein precise geographical location information such as Global Positioning System coordinate data is utilized as a principal criterion for implementing other wireless transmitted instructions and communications advising vehicles, and others, of an approaching emergency vehicle, the proximity of a hazardous condition, or virtually any other situation which is relevant to the intended recipient because of their location. The system and method further can involve intervention and control of a vehicle, such as an aircraft or automobile, which comes into a predetermined location or area, or under other circumstances. The system and method use transmitting units and receiving units, both of which can receive geographical positioning information and which may sound or otherwise output an appropriate advisory, warning or other communication selected based on their positions, heading, and/or speed.

Claims

1. A system wherein geographical location information is utilized to manipulate output of advisory information, comprising:

a transmitting unit for receiving geographical location information from a source of such information, and for transmitting advisory information, the transmitting unit including;

a receiver for receiving the geographical information;

a transmitter for transmitting advisory data to at least a geographical target footprint of interest, the target footprint being, a geographical area that is smaller than a broadcasting range of the transmitter; and

a processor for controlling accessing of the geographical information and transmission of the advisory data; and

a plurality of receiving units, each of the receiving units including;

a receiver for receiving geographical location information for determining the geographical location of the receiving unit;

a second receiver for receiving the advisory data from the transmitting unit; and

an output device for selectively outputting advisory information based on the advisory data if the receiving unit is in the target footprint, no advisory information being output by the output device if the receiving unit is not in the target footprint.

2. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein a receiving unit in the target footprint determines whether to output the advisory information based in part on a heading and speed of at least one of the transmitting unit and the receiving unit.

3. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the transmitting unit determines which of the receiving units in the target footprint output the advisory information based in part on a heading and speed of at least one of the transmitting unit and the receiving unit.

4. A system as recited in claim 3, wherein the transmitting unit is at a stationary location, wherein the transmitting unit transmits advisory information to receiving units coming into the target footprint.

5. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the transmitting unit calculates the target footprint, wherein receiving units within the target footprint output the advisory information.

6. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the target footprint is periodically determined as a function of the heading, speed, and position of the transmitting unit.

7. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein the target footprint is periodically determined by a user.

8. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the receiving units determines whether it is in the target footprint based in part on its location and based in part on a heading and speed of at least one of the receiving unit and the transmitting unit.

9. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein one of the receiving units outputs a cancellation notice after outputting the advisory data.

10. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the receiving units includes a storage medium for storing output data, the advisory information received from the transmitting unit being used to select output data from the storage medium.

11. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the controller of each receiving unit calculates the target footprint, the output device of the receiving unit outputting information if the receiving unit is in the target footprint.

12. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the receiving unit further includes logic for receiving and outputting voice data.

13. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the advisory information relates to at least one of:

movement of a vehicle;

a heading of the vehicle;

a condition on a roadway;

road construction;

roadway intersection signaling;

a weather condition; and

a railroad crossing.

14. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the advisory information relates to an uncontrolled railroad crossing.

15. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the advisory information relates to roadway intersection signaling, wherein the advisory information, is output if it is determined that a vehicle housing the receiving unit will violate an intersection signal.

16. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the advisory information includes a live-voice transmission.

17. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the advisory information is repeatedly output at predetermined intervals.

18. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the advisory information includes tactile output.

19. A method for transmitting data to a receiving unit, comprising:

reading positioning data using a positioning system;

determining at least one of a location, heading, and speed of the positioning system using the positioning data;

determining a target footprint using the at least one of the location, heading, and speed of the positioning system; and

transmitting data about the target footprint to at least one receiving unit in a broadcast area, wherein at least some of the receiving units in the target footprint output information based in part on a heading and speed of at least one of the transmitting unit and the receiving unit,

wherein the target footprint is smaller than the broadcast area.

20. A method as recited in claim 19, wherein each receiving unit in the target footprint determines whether to output the advisory information based in part on the heading and speed of at least one of the transmitting unit and the receiving unit.

21. A method as recited in claim 19, wherein each receiving unit determines whether it is in the target footprint.

22. A method as recited in claim 19, wherein the target footprint is periodically determined as a function of the heading, speed, and position of the transmitting unit.

23. A method as recited in claim 19, further comprising determining whether a turn is anticipated, wherein the target footprint is modified if a turn is anticipated.

24. A method as recited in claim 19, further comprising transmitting voice data.

25. A method as recited in claim 24, wherein the voice data is directed to selected receiving units only.

26. A method as recited in claim 19, wherein the positioning data is Global Positioning System positioning data, and further comprising reading an inertial positioning device if current Global Positioning System positioning data is unavailable.

27. A method as recited in claim 19, further comprising enabling a stationary mode if the positioning system has not geographically moved for a predetermined amount of time.

28. A method as recited in claim 19, wherein the information relates to at least one of:

movement of a vehicle;

a heading of the vehicle;

a condition on a roadway

road construction;

roadway intersection signaling;

a weather condition; and

a railroad crossing.

29. A method as recited in claim 19, wherein the information includes a live-voice transmission.

30. A method as recited in claim 19, wherein the information is repeatedly output at predetermined intervals.

31. A method as recited in claim 19, wherein the information is tactile.

32. A method as recited in claim 19, wherein the advisory information relates to roadway intersection signaling, wherein the advisory information is output if it is determined that a vehicle housing the receiving unit will violate an intersection signal.

33. A system for transmitting data to a receiving unit, comprising:

a positioning system for reading positioning data and determining at least one of a location, heading, and speed of the positioning system using the positioning data;

a processor for determining a target footprint using the at least one of the location, heading, and speed of the positioning system; and

a transmitter for transmitting data, about the target footprint to at least one receiving unit, wherein at least some of the receiving units in the target footprint output information.

wherein the target footprint is smaller than a broadcasting range of the transmitter.

34. A system as recited in claim 33, wherein the information relates to at least one of:

movement of a vehicle;

a heading of the vehicle;

a condition on a roadway;

roadway construction;

roadway intersection signaling;

a weather condition; and

a railroad crossing.

35. A method for outputting advisory information, comprising:

reading positioning data using a positioning system;

determining at least one of a location heading, and speed of the positioning system using the positioning data;

receiving information about a target footprint;

determining whether the positioning system is in the target footprint, the target footprint having geographic boundaries, and

if the postioning system is in the target footprint, determining whether to output advisory information based on the at least one of the location, heading, and speed of the positioning system;

wherein no warning is output if the positioning system is not in the target footprint.

36. A method as recited in claim 35, wherein geographical boundaries of the target footprint are based in part on a heading and speed of a transmitting unit located remotely from the positioning system.

37. A method as recited in claim 35, wherein updated information about the target footprints periodically received.

38. A method as recited in claim 35, further comprising receiving voice data from a remote transmitter, and outputting the voice data.

39. A method as recited in claim 35, further comprising reducing a volume of an audio system prior to outputting the advisory information.

40. A method as recited in claim 35, further comprising reading an inertial positioning device if current positioning data is unavailable.

41. A method as recited in claim 35, wherein the information relates to at least one of:

movement of a vehicle;

a heading of the vehicle;

a condition on a roadway;

road construction;

roadway intersection signaling;

a weather condition; and

a railroad crossing.

42. A method as recited in claim 35, wherein the advisory information includes a live-voice transmission.

43. A method as recited in claim 35, wherein the advisory information is repeatedly output at predetermined intervals.

44. A method as recited in claim 35, wherein the advisory information is at least one of audible, visual, and tactile.

45. A method as recited in claim 35, wherein the determination of whether the receiving unit is in the target footprint is based in part on a heading and speed of the transmitting unit.

46. A method as recited in claim 35, wherein the advisory information relates to roadway intersection signaling, wherein the advisory information is output if it is determined that a vehicle housing the receiving unit will violate an intersection signal.

47. A system for outputting advisory information, comprising:

a positioning system for reading positioning data and determining at least one of a location, heading, and speed of the positioning system using the positioning data;

a receiver for receiving at least approximate geographical boundaries of a target footprint from a remote transmitter;

a processor for determining whether the positioning system is in the target footprint; and

an output device for outputting advisory information if the positioning system is in the target footprint.

48. A system as recited in claim 47, wherein updated information about the target footprint is periodically received.

49. A system as recited in claim 47, wherein the advisory information relates to at least one of:

movement of a vehicle;

a heading of the vehicle;

a condition on a roadway;

road construction;

roadway intersection signaling;

a weather condition; and

a railroad crossing.

50. A method for selectively distributing information based on positional factors, comprising:

receiving geographical locations of a plurality of receiving units, the geographical locations having been determined using a global positioning system;

determining at least one of a speed and heading of each receiving unit;

selecting the receiving units that should output information based on the geographical locations of the receiving units and the at least one of the speed and heading of each of the receiving units;

transmitting the information to the receiving units using a transmitting unit, the information including an indicator of which receiving units are selected receiving units, the selected receiving units outputting the information, all of the selected receiving units being positioned in a target footprint that is smaller than a broadcasting range of the transmitting unit.

51. A method as recited in claim 50, further comprising requesting the geographic information from the receiving units.

52. A method as recited in claim 50, further comprising determining at least one of a speed and heading of the transmitting unit, wherein the selection of the receiving units that should output information is based in part on the geographical locations of the transmitting unit and the at least one of the speed and heading of the transmitting unit, wherein the target footprint is modifed if a turn is anticipated based on a user-activated control, wherein the information includes a live-voice transmission.

53. A method as recited in claim 50, wherein the information relates to at least one of

movement of a vehicle;

a heading of the vehicle;

a condition on a roadway;

road construction;

roadway intersection signaling;

a weather condition; and

a railroad crossing.

54. A method for selectively distributing information based on positional factors, comprising:

receiving geographical locations of a plurality of receiving units, the geographical locations having been determined using a global positioning system;

determining at least one of a speed and heading of each receiving unit;

selecting the receiving units that should output information based on the geographical locations of the receiving units and the at least one of the speed and heading of each of the receiving units;

transmitting the information to the selected receiving units using a transmitting unit, all of the selected receiving units being positioned in a target footprint that is smaller than a broadcasting rate of the transmitting unit.

55. A method for selectively outputting informaton based on positional factors, comprising:

receiving a geographic location of a transmitting unit;

receiving at least one of a speed and heading of the transmitting unit

determining at least one of a current position, speed and headine of travel of a recieving unit;

generating approximate geographical boundaries of a target footprint based on the geographical location of the transmitting unit and the at least one of the speed and heading of the recieving unit;

determining whether the receiving unit is in the target footprint based on the current location position of the receiving unit; and

determining whether the output information based on at least one of the current speed and headine of the receiving unit.

56. A method as recited in claim 55, wherein information is only output if the receiving unit is likely to encounter the transmitting unit.