Digital windshield information system employing a recommendation engine keyed to a map database system

• US 7,796,056 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2007
• Issued: 09/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xylon LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Intellectual Ventures Holding 32 LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Merritt, Edward, Fein, Gene S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunnings; Travis R
• Application Number:
  US11/692,487
• Publication Number:
  US 20080238723A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,266 Days
• Field of Search: 340/995.19, 340/995.1, 340/995.17, 340/995.2, 340/995.21, 340/995.24, 340/995.26, 340/995.27
• US Class Current: 340/995.24
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/365 Guidance using head up displays or projectors, e.g. virtual vehicles or arrows projected on the windscreen or on the road itself
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0244 Optimization
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096811 where the route is computed offboard

Abstract

Disclosed is a method and system for recommending locations keyed to a map database system and providing navigation instructions to the recommended locations to a driver of a vehicle by gathering actual statistics about the preferences of the user and/or by comparing the user to population data to create recommendations in accord with the preferences of the population.

Claims

1. An in-vehicle computer system, comprising:

a display device configured to present information on a windshield of a motor vehicle; and

a recommendation engine configured to;

receive input identifying a position of the motor vehicle and a change in the position of the motor vehicle;

access demographic data indicating past driving habits including information related to one or more locations, wherein the information related to the one or more locations was previously presented on the display device;

determine a location to recommend in accordance with the past driving habits;

recommend the location that is in proximity with the position of the motor vehicle; and

forward information related to the location to the display device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the recommendation engine is further configured to:

determine the location by accumulating the past driving habits; and

recommend the location in accordance with the accumulated past driving habits.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the recommendation engine is further configured to:

access demographic data comprising past driving habits of a general population; and

determine the location in accordance with the past driving habits of the general population.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the information related to the location comprises events related to the location.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one speaker for presenting audio information related to the location.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the display device is powered by wind power.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the display device comprises at least one of:

a transparent light-emitting diode (LED) display located at the windshield;

a transparent light-emitting diode screen projected onto the windshield;

a fiber optic lighting display screen embedded in the windshield;

or

a fiber optic lighting display screen projected onto the windshield.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one sensor coupled to the motor vehicle, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to provide operational information related to operation of the motor vehicle to the recommendation engine, and wherein the recommendation engine is configured to determine an alert message associated with the operational information.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the recommendation engine is further configured to prioritize the operational information and the information related to the location to determine a higher priority message, and wherein the display device is further configured to present the higher priority message on the windshield and to remove a lower priority message.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the recommendation engine is further configured to wirelessly retrieve the information related to the location from at least one remote database.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the display device is further configured to present the information related to the location as an advertisement displayed on the windshield.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the display device is powered by an alternative energy source.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the recommendation engine is further configured to recommend the location in accordance with both the past driving habits and past spending habits.

14. A method, comprising:

receiving input from one or more vehicle sensors that identifies in a vehicle position;

autonomously determining a location that is in proximity to the vehicle position;

evaluating the location based on past spending habits;

determining information related to the location in accord with the past spending habits; and

presenting the information related to the location on a vehicle windshield.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising accumulating information representing the past spending habits.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

accessing demographic data on spending habit preferences of a general population, wherein the information related to the location is further determined in accord with the spending habit preferences.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

presenting text information related to the location on the vehicle windshield; and

presenting sound information related to the location via one or more speakers.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein presenting the information includes presenting a video on the vehicle windshield.

19. An apparatus, comprising:

means for receiving input indicating a vehicle position;

means for identifying a plurality of locations in proximity to the vehicle position;

means for identifying user preferences based on past spending habits;

means for comparing the plurality of locations with the user preferences provided in a database;

means for recommending one or more of the plurality of locations based on the user preferences; and

means for presenting information related to the recommended one or more locations on a vehicle windshield.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising:

means for determining at least one parameter related to vehicle operation; and

means for presenting the determined at least one parameter related to the vehicle operation on the vehicle windshield.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising:

means for identifying the user preferences for a plurality of users, wherein the user preferences are matched to past requests of a vehicle operator.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising:

means for identifying the user preferences based on past driving habits.

23. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising:

means for determining the user preferences from a general population comprising a plurality of users.

24. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising:

means for determining the user preferences from collaborative data based on preferences from a plurality of collaborators.