Vehicular information system and method

• US 7,451,005 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2006
• Issued: 11/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hoffberg Family Trust 2, Blanding Hovenweep LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC), STEVEN M. HOFFBERG 2004-1 GRAT
• Original Assignee: STEVEN M. HOFFBERG 2004-1 GRAT
• Inventors: Hoffberg, Steven M., Hoffberg-Borghesani, Linda I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Holmes; Michael B
• Application Number:
  US11/363,393
• Publication Number:
  US 20060200258A1
• Time in Patent Office: 988 Days
• Field of Search: 700/17, 700/65, 700/66, 700/83, 701/202, 701/207, 701/208, 701/209, 701/205, 701/211, 701/35, 701/123, 701/204, 340/905, 340/901, 340/902, 340/903, 340/904, 3409951-99513, 342/357.08, 342/357.06, 342/357.12, 342/357.17
• US Class Current: 700/83
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25323 Intelligent modules
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2613 Household appliance in general
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2615 Audio, video, tv, consumer electronics device
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/34038 Web, http, ftp, internet, intranet server
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/103 Static body considered as a whole, e.g. static pedestrian or occupant recognition

Abstract

A vehicular system, comprising a vehicle position determining system, an itinerary for the vehicle, an external wireless data communication system, a user interface, and, a controller, the controller receiving information from the vehicle position determining system and the itinerary to determine a relationship therebetween, and presenting location and itinerary relevant information received through the external wireless data communication system through the user interface.

Claims

1. A vehicular system, comprising:

(a) a vehicle position determining subsystem;

(b) an itinerary for the vehicle;

(c) an external wireless data communication subsystem;

(d) a user interface; and

(e) a controller,

said controller being configured to receive position information from the vehicle position determining subsystem and the itinerary to determine a relationship therebetween, and present position and itinerary relevant information, received through the external wireless data communication subsystem, through the user interface.

2. The vehicular system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to present commercial subsidized location relevant information through the user interface.

3. The vehicular system according to claim 1, further comprising a user input permitting a user to interact with a service through the external wireless data communication system.

4. The vehicular system according to claim 1, further comprising a user input permitting a user to negotiate a commercial transaction with a service through the external wireless data communication system.

5. The vehicular system according to claim 1, wherein said controller is configured to communicate at least one of the vehicle position and the itinerary through the external wireless data communication system.

6. The vehicular system according to claim 5, further comprising a commercial transaction subsystem configured to communicate with the vehicular information system through the external wireless data communication system, the commercial transaction subsystem operating in dependence on a communicated position of the vehicle.

7. The vehicular system according to claim 6, wherein the commercial transaction subsystem operating in dependence on both the communicated position of the vehicle and a communicated itinerary of the vehicle.

8. The vehicular system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to communicate emergency or distress information through the external wireless data communication subsystem.

9. The vehicular system according to claim 1, further comprising a theft detector, the controller being configured to communicate theft detection information through the external wireless data communication subsystem.

10. The vehicular system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to communicate vehicle maintenance or diagnostic information through the external wireless data communication subsystem.

11. The vehicular system according to claim 1, further comprising a mass storage device configured to store entertainment media.

12. The vehicular system according to claim 1, wherein the user interface comprises a display.

13. The vehicular system according to claim 1, wherein the user interface comprises a speech interface.

14. The vehicular system according to claim 1, wherein the user interface comprises a direct manipulation type graphic user interface.

15. The vehicular system according to claim 1, wherein said external wireless data communication subsystem comprises a cellular data communication system.

16. The vehicular system according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle position determining subsystem comprises a global positioning system (GPS).

17. The vehicular system according to claim 1, wherein the external wireless data communication subsystem comprises a radio frequency cellular communication system.

18. The vehicular system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to communicate externally using a markup language interface.

19. The vehicular system according to claim 18, wherein the markup language comprises XML.

20. The vehicular system according to claim 1, wherein the user interface is configured to communicate with the controller using a markup language interface.

21. The vehicular system according to claim 20, wherein the user interface comprises a markup language browser.

22. A vehicular method, comprising:

(a) determining a position of a vehicle;

(b) providing an itinerary for the vehicle;

(c) receiving information wirelessly from an external location;

(d) providing a user machine interface;

(e) determining a relationship between a determined position of the vehicle and the itinerary of the vehicle; and

(f) presenting through the user machine interface information received wirelessly from the external location, based on said determined relationship.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein the presented information is commercially subsidized.

24. The method according to claim 22, further comprising permitting a user to interact with a service at an external location wirelessly.

25. The method according to claim 22, further comprising permitting a user to negotiate a commercial transaction with a service at an external location wirelessly through the external wireless data communication system.

26. The method according to claim 22, further comprising communicating at least one of the vehicle position and the itinerary to an external location wirelessly.

27. The method according to claim 26, further comprising communicating position-dependent commercial transaction information through the external location wirelessly.

28. The method according to claim 27, wherein the commercial transaction is dependent on both the communicated location of the vehicle and a communicated itinerary of the vehicle.

29. The method according to claim 22, further comprising presenting stored entertainment media through the user machine interface.

30. The method according to claim 22, wherein the user machine interface comprises a speech interface.

31. The method according to claim 22, further comprising communicating to the external location through a radio frequency cellular communication system.

32. The method according to claim 22, further comprising communicating with an external system using a markup language interface.

33. The method according to claim 32, wherein the markup language comprises XML.

34. The method according to claim 22, wherein the user machine interface communicates with the controller using a markup language interface.

35. A vehicular system, comprising:

(a) a user interface;

(b) a wireless data communication subsystem; and

(c) a controller, adapted to determine a relationship between a determined vehicle position and an itinerary for the vehicle, and present information relevant to the position and the itinerary communicated between the user interface and the wireless data communication subsystem.

36. A vehicular system, comprising:

(a) a housing, adapted to be transported in a vehicle;

(b) a user interface adapted to at least present sensory information to a human user;

(c) a wireless data communication subsystem adapted to communicate with a location remote from the vehicle; and

(d) a controller, provided within the housing, said controller being adapted to determine a position of the vehicle and an itinerary for the vehicle, and present through the user interface information received through the wireless data communication subsystem, which is selectively relevant to the position and itinerary.