Technique for effective communications with, and provision of global positioning system (GPS) based advertising information to, automobiles

• US 8,538,498 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2006
• Issued: 09/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Silver State Intellectual Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Silver State Intellectual Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Obradovich, Michael L., White, Philip E.
• Primary Examiner(s): HANNON, CHRISTIAN A
• Application Number:
  US11/445,685
• Publication Number:
  US 20060217849A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,665 Days
• Field of Search: 455/575.9, 455/569.2, 701/213, 705/14, 705/26, 705/27
• US Class Current: 455/575.9
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• 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 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/137 the indicator being in the form of a map
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1845 broadcast or multicast in a specific location, e.g. geocast protocols for adapting network applications to user terminal location H04L67/52; services specially adapted for wireless communication networks making use of the location of users or terminals H04W4/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1895 for short real-time information, e.g. alarms, notifications, alerts, updates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/222 using geographical location information, e.g. messages transmitted or received in proximity of a certain spot or area
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/53 using third party service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 : Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/44 : for communication between vehicles and infrastructures, e.g. vehicle-to-cloud [V2C] or vehicle-to-home [V2H]

Abstract

In an automobile, communications to and from the automobile are in the form of messages. Such messages are referred to as “electronic car-mail” or “C-mail” messages as each message has a destination or origination address which includes an identifier, e.g., a vehicle identification number (VIN), identifying the automobile. The messages may be delivered to the automobile from a remote server through a communications network, e.g., the Internet. One such message may contain a recall notice to the automobile. Another message may contain just-in-time map information for navigation, depending on the current location of the automobile. Yet another message may contain advertising information concerning selected entities, e.g., restaurants, gas stations, department stores, etc., also depending on the current location of the automobile. The messages transmitted from the automobile to the remote server may contain, e.g., GPS information identifying the location of the automobile, dynamic data furnished by sensors in the automobile for analysis, an odometer reading and a speedometer reading for records, etc.

Claims

1. A method for use in a system in a vehicle, the vehicle including a display element, the method comprising:

sensing a location of the vehicle;

showing, on the display element, at least one indicator indicating a location of at least one product or service provider in relation to the sensed location of the vehicle;

showing, on the display element, information concerning a plurality of specific products or services which may be purchased from the provider indicated by the displayed indicator, in response to a user selection of the indicator; and

showing, on the display element along with the information, an indication of a selectable option to order, through a communications network, one or more of the plurality of specific products or services.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the communications network includes a wireless communication network.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the information includes descriptions of the products or services.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the descriptions comprises a menu.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the descriptions of the products or services previously ordered are indicated in a selected status.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the information includes promotional information.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising showing, on the display element, data concerning the provider in response to a user request for the data.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the data includes directions for reaching the location of the provider.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the data includes connection information for communicating with the provider.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the provider includes a restaurant.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the selectable option is provided on the display element.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the location of the vehicle is sensed using a global positioning system (GPS) technique.

13. A system for use in a vehicle, comprising:

a device for sensing a location for the vehicle;

a display element configured to show at least one indicator indicating a location of at least one product or service provider in relation to the sensed location of the vehicle, to show information regarding a plurality of products or services offered by the provider, and to show an indication of a selectable option to order one or more of the plurality of products or services;

an interface configured to receive a user request to obtain information concerning a plurality of products or services offered by the provider indicated by the indicator and to receive a user request to order one or more of the plurality of products or services; and

a processor configured to provide for display on the display element of the indication of the selectable option to order, through a communications network, one or more of the plurality of products or services based on the information.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the communications network includes a wireless communications network.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the information includes descriptions of the products or services, and the display element is further configured to show the information.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the descriptions comprise a menu.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the descriptions of the products or services previously ordered are indicated in a selected status.

18. The system of claim 13 wherein the information includes promotional information.

19. The system of claim 13 wherein the interface if further configured to receive a user request to obtain data concerning the provider.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the data includes directions for reaching the location of the provider.

21. The system of claim 19 wherein the data includes connection information for communicating with the provider.

22. The system of claim 13 wherein the provider includes a restaurant.

23. The system of claim 13 wherein the selectable option is provided on the display element.

24. The system of claim 13 wherein the device incorporates GPS technology.