US6360167B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Vehicle navigation system with location-based multi-media annotation
Assignee: Beacon Navigation GmbH
•
Filing: 1999-01-29
•
Granted: 2002-03-19
•
Expires: 2019-01-29
Abstract
Abstract A navigation system provides multimedia annotations based upon the present location of the vehicle. These presentations may comprise advertising or text or other information entered by the user and associated with a specific location or locations. The navigation system also provides a removable media reader which obtains additional information based upon which the navigation system operates. This additional information may include multimedia annotations which are location-based. The navigation system further includes a wireless communication system which interacts with and provides further location-based multimedia annotations.
Inventors
- 👤 Jeffrey Alan Millington
- 👤 II Larry E. Spencer
- 👤 Donald J. Long
- 👤 Richard Eklund
- 👤 Michael G. Lambie
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 00:39
CPC Classifications
G; G07; G07C; G07C5/00; G07C5/008; G01; G01C; G01C21/00; G01C21/26
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 50
Claim 1
Independent Claim
59 words
A method for communication information in a vehicle navigation system including the steps of: (a) determining a vehicle position relative to a database of roads; (b) selecting an ad based upon the vehicle position; (c) displaying the selected ad in a first portion of a screen; and (d) displaying route guidance information in a second portion of the screen.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
59 words
A method for communication information in a vehicle navigation system including the steps of: (a) determining a vehicle position relative to a database of roads; (b) selecting an ad based upon the vehicle position; (c) displaying the selected ad in a first portion of a screen; and (d) displaying route guidance information in a second portion of the screen.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method of claim 1 , further including the steps of: (e) associating each of a plurality of ads, including said selected ad, with at least one of a plurality of categories; (f) selecting one of the plurality of categories, wherein said step (b) limits the selection to ads associated with said selected category.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 1 , further including the step of: (e) requesting route guidance instructions to a destination associated with said selected ad in response to said step (c); and (f) displaying route guidance instructions to said destination in response to said step (e).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 1 , further including the steps of: (e) requesting additional information in response to said step (c); and (j) displaying additional information associated with the ad displayed on the first portion of the screen in response to said step (e).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 4 , wherein said additional information includes a restaurant menu.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 4 , wherein said additional information is transmitted via a wireless signal.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
90 words
A vehicle navigation system comprising: at least one position determining device; a processor determining a position of the system based upon data received from said at least one position determining device; an output device for indicating the position of the system as determined by the processor; an input device connected to the processor, said navigation system including a locked mode in which at least one function of the navigation system is disabled, said navigation system enabling said at least one function upon entry of a code via the input device.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
90 words
A vehicle navigation system comprising: at least one position determining device; a processor determining a position of the system based upon data received from said at least one position determining device; an output device for indicating the position of the system as determined by the processor; an input device connected to the processor, said navigation system including a locked mode in which at least one function of the navigation system is disabled, said navigation system enabling said at least one function upon entry of a code via the input device.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
The navigation system of claim 7 , wherein said input device is a user input device.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
The navigation system of claim 8 , wherein the code is an alphanumeric code entered sequentially by the user input device.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
The navigation system of claim 7 , wherein said at least one function includes a database of roads in a selected first geographic area.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
35 words
The navigation system of claim 10 , wherein said navigation system is enabled to access a database of roads in a second geographic area but not said first geographic area when in said locked state.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
The vehicle navigation system of claim 7 , wherein said vehicle navigation system provides no indication of the position of the system via the output device when in said locked mode.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
The vehicle navigation system of claim 7 , wherein said processor does not determine the position of the system when in said locked mode.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
18 words
The vehicle navigation system of claim 13 , wherein the vehicle is not disabled in said locked mode.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
21 words
The vehicle navigation system of claim 7 , wherein said code enables said vehicle navigation system for a predetermined time period.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
27 words
The vehicle navigation system of claim 15 , wherein said code indicates a starting time and an ending time to the navigation system for the enabled state.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
19 words
The vehicle navigation system of claim 7 , wherein said code indicates a selected geographic area to be enabled.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
33 words
The vehicle navigation system of claim 7 , further including a key which is physically portable relative to the processor, said key communicating said code to said navigation system via the input device.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
18 words
The vehicle navigation system of claim 18 , wherein said key indicates specific geographic areas to be enabled.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
23 words
The vehicle navigation system of claim 18 , wherein said key indicates a selected time period for the navigation system to be enabled.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
13 words
The vehicle navigation system of claim 18 , wherein said key is programmable.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
15 words
The vehicle navigation system of claim 18 , wherein said key includes route guidance information.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
44 words
The vehicle navigation system of claim 18 , wherein said output device includes a speaker generating audible route guidance instructions, said key further including language data, said language data enabling said navigation system to generate said audible route guidance instructions in an additional language.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
55 words
A vehicle navigation system comprising: at least one position determining device; a processor determining a position of the system based upon data received from said at least one position determining device and indicating said position of the system; removable media storing data; and said navigation system operating based upon said data from said removable media.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
55 words
A vehicle navigation system comprising: at least one position determining device; a processor determining a position of the system based upon data received from said at least one position determining device and indicating said position of the system; removable media storing data; and said navigation system operating based upon said data from said removable media.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
16 words
The vehicle navigation system of claim 24 wherein said data includes a plurality of geographic locations.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
25 words
The vehicle navigation system of claim 24 further including a database of roads, said data including a plurality of geographic locations relative to said database.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
43 words
The vehicle navigation system of claim 24 further including a programming computer including a user input device at a location remote from said navigation system, said programming computer storing said data on said removable media based upon input from said user input device.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
24 words
The vehicle navigation system of claim 24 wherein said data includes a code for enabling at least one function of said vehicle navigation system.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
24 words
The vehicle navigation system of claim 28 wherein said at least one function includes a database of roads in a selected first geographic area.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
23 words
The navigation of system claim 28 wherein said vehicle navigation system provides no indication of the position of the system if not enabled.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
29 words
The vehicle navigation system of claim 24 wherein said data includes audible instruction data, wherein said output device provides audible route guidance instructions based upon said audible instruction data.
Claim 35
Independent Claim
73 words
A method for communicating information in a vehicle navigation system including the steps of: (a) determining a position of the system relative to a database of roads; (b) associating each of a plurality of ads with at least one of a plurality of categories; (c) selecting one of the plurality of categories; (d) selecting one of said ads associated with said selected category based upon said position; and (e) displaying the selected ad.
Claim 36
Independent Claim
73 words
A method for communicating information in a vehicle navigation system including the steps of: (a) determining a position of the system relative to a database of roads; (b) associating each of a plurality of ads with at least one of a plurality of categories; (c) selecting one of the plurality of categories; (d) selecting one of said ads associated with said selected category based upon said position; and (e) displaying the selected ad.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 32 flirther including the step of: sending a signal to a remote location remote from the position indicating the selection made in said step (d).
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 33 further including the step of tallying the selections of each of the plurality of ads at the remote location.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 34 further including the step of calculating a charge based upon said step of tallying.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 32 further including the step of determining the time that the ad is displayed.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 36 further including the step of sending a signal from the remote location to the system altering the display of the ad.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 37 wherein said step (a) is performed utilizing a user input device associated with the vehicle navigation system.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 32 further including the step of sending a signal from a remote location to the system indicating that at least one of said ads should not be displayed.
Claim 44
Independent Claim
59 words
A method for operating a vehicle navigation system including the steps of: (a) entering information into the vehicle navigation system; (b) storing said information on the vehicle navigation system; (c) associating the information with at least one geographic location; (d) determining a position of the navigation system; and (e) recalling the information based upon said steps (d) and (c).
Claim 45
Independent Claim
59 words
A method for operating a vehicle navigation system including the steps of: (a) entering information into the vehicle navigation system; (b) storing said information on the vehicle navigation system; (c) associating the information with at least one geographic location; (d) determining a position of the navigation system; and (e) recalling the information based upon said steps (d) and (c).
Claim 46
Independent Claim
90 words
A method for communicating information in a vehicle navigation system including the steps of: (a) associating each of a plurality of annotations with each of a plurality of locations along a route; (b) moving a vehicle along said route; (c) determining a position of the vehicle relative to the route and the plurality of locations during said step (b); (d) comparing the position of the vehicle as determined in step (c) with the plurality of locations; and (e) displaying each of the plurality of annotations based upon said step (d).
Claim 47
Independent Claim
90 words
A method for communicating information in a vehicle navigation system including the steps of: (a) associating each of a plurality of annotations with each of a plurality of locations along a route; (b) moving a vehicle along said route; (c) determining a position of the vehicle relative to the route and the plurality of locations during said step (b); (d) comparing the position of the vehicle as determined in step (c) with the plurality of locations; and (e) displaying each of the plurality of annotations based upon said step (d).
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 41 further including the step of: (f) storing the route in the navigation system prior to said step (b); and (g) guiding the vehicle along the route based upon the determined position of the vehicle as determined in said step (c).
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 42 wherein the route is a tour including at least three of the locations each having an associated one of the annotations.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 43 wherein the annotations are multimedia annotations.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4951212A
Cited
US4973952A
Cited
DE4033326A1
Cited
US5353034A
Cited
FR2691276A1
Cited
US5499181A
Cited
US5470233A
Cited
US5559707A
Cited
US5802492A
Cited
US5627549A
Cited
US5664948A
Cited
JPH0876706A
Cited
JPH08138193A
Cited
JPH08190574A
Cited
US5682525A
Cited
US5887269A
Cited
FR2743168A1
Cited
JPH09288445A
Cited
JPH09329449A
Cited
US5938721A
Cited
EP0875729A2
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2005-03-18 | 2005-09-17 | 2006-03-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-03-18 | 2009-09-17 | 2010-03-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-03-18 | 2013-09-17 | 2014-03-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |