Location-based notifications

• US 7,394,405 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2005
• Issued: 07/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Godden, Kurt S.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US11/142,584
• Publication Number:
  US 20060273930A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,126 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.1, 340/573.4, 340/903, 340/907, 340/988, 340/990, 340/991, 340/993, 340/995, 340/996, 455/456.1, 455/457, 455/456.2
• US Class Current: 340/996
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 3/02 Anti-collision systems

Abstract

A method for location-based notifications, the method including receiving a request for a notification from an input device. A current location of the input device is determined in response to the receiving. A reminder location is set responsive to the current location of the input device determined in response to the receiving. On a periodic basis, a new current location of the input device is determined and compared to the reminder location. A notification is provided if the new current location is within a proximity threshold of the reminder location.

Claims

1. A method for providing location-based notifications, the method comprising:

receiving a request from an input device to create a location-based notification, wherein the request includes a speech recognition component configured to initiate the request and a speech recording component configured to be replayed;

determining a current location of the input device in response to receiving the request;

setting a reminder location responsive to the current location of the input device;

creating the location-based notification and associating it with the reminder location;

determining a new current location of the input device on a periodic basis;

comparing the new current location to the reminder location; and

providing the notification if the new current location is within a proximity threshold of the reminder location, including replaying the speech recording component.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the speech recognition component of the request is received via a microphone at the input device and stored as header information in a notifications database, and wherein the speech recording component of the request is received via the microphone at the input device and stored in the notifications database as an audio file associated with the header information.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the speech recognition component is stored as text data.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the speech recording component includes voice data.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the notification includes header information in a text data format and voice content in a voice data format.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein a manner of the providing the notification varies based on the header information and the voice content of the notification.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the providing notification includes a haptic alert.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the providing notification includes one or more of an audio alert and a visual alert.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the proximity threshold is user modifiable.

10. A system for providing location-based notifications, the system comprising:

an input device configured to receive a speech recognition component of a request to create a location-based notification, and a speech recording component of the request to create the location-based notification;

a location detection device;

an output device configured to replay the speech recording component of the request to create the location-based notification; and

a processor in communication with the input device, the output device and the location detection device for facilitating;

receiving a request from the input device to create a location-based notification, wherein the request includes the speech recognition component and the speech recording component;

determining a current location of the input device using the location detection device, the determining in response to receiving the request;

setting a reminder location responsive to the current location of the input device;

creating the location-based notification and associating it with the reminder location;

determining a new current location of the input device using the location detection device on a periodic basis;

comparing the new current location to the reminder location; and

providing the notification via the output device if the new current location is within a proximity threshold of the reminder location, including replaying the speech recording component.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the input device includes a microphone and speech recognition software.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the location detection device comprises a GPS device.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein the output device includes a speaker.

14. The system of claim 10 wherein the output device transmits a command to activate a haptic alert.

15. The system of claim 10 wherein the system is located within a mobile user device.

16. The system of claim 10 wherein the system is integrated into a vehicle and shares one or more of the input device, the location detection device, the output device and the processor with other functions provided by the vehicle.

17. A computer-readable medium for providing location-based notifications, the computer-readable medium including instructions for causing a processing circuit to implement a method, comprising:

receiving a request from an input device to create a location-based notification, wherein the request includes a speech recognition component configured to initiate the request and a speech recording component configured to be replayed;

determining a current location of the input device in response to receiving the request;

setting a reminder location responsive to the current location of the input device;

creating the location-based notification and associating it with the reminder location;

determining a new current location of the input device on a periodic basis;

comparing the new current location to the reminder location; and

providing the notification if the new current location is within a proximity threshold of the reminder location, including replaying the speech recording component.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17 wherein the notification includes voice data.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 17 wherein the notification includes header information in a text data format and voice content in a voice data format.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 17 wherein a manner of the providing the notification varies based on the header information and the voice content of the notification.