Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090204316 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING A VEHICLE REFUELING STRATEGY - A method for generating a fueling strategy that generally minimizes fueling costs for a specified route to be travelled by a vehicle during a multi-day time period may include, based on current and forecasted fuel prices for the multi-day time period, (i) selecting at least one day during the multi-day time period on which to purchase fuel, (ii) selecting at least one fueling station along the route at which to purchase fuel for each selected day, and (iii) determining an amount of fuel to purchase at each selected fueling station. | 08-13-2009 |
20130132172 | Method and Apparatus for Context Adjusted Consumer Capture - In a first illustrative embodiment, a computer implemented method includes obtaining the identities of one or more vehicle occupants. The method also includes obtaining data relating to a current vehicle environment. The method further includes selecting an advertisement for delivery based at least in part on data retrieved respective to identified occupants and data relating to the vehicle environment. Also, the illustrative method includes evaluating a driver cognitive load. The method additionally includes providing the selected advertisement for delivery based on the driver cognitive load being below a suitable threshold. | 05-23-2013 |
20130197973 | Method and Apparatus for In-Vehicle Consumer Information Gathering - A computer implemented method includes receiving vehicle location information. The method also includes delivering a survey to one or more vehicle occupants, over a vehicle audio system, the survey related to a business having some correlation to the location information. Further, the method includes collecting survey results. Also, the method includes relaying the survey results to a remote server for processing. The method additionally includes providing a digital reward to the one or more occupants participating in the survey. | 08-01-2013 |
20130204678 | Method and Apparatus for Social Information Exchange in a Vehicle - A computer implemented method includes receiving a request for a review relating to a merchant, good or service, from a requesting user through a vehicle computing system (VCS). The method also includes searching a group of reviews created by one or more users affiliated with a requesting user, the grouping having been created by the requesting user. Further, the method includes retrieving at least one review for delivery to the requesting user. The method also includes delivering the at least one review to the requesting user via the VCS. | 08-08-2013 |
20130204699 | Method and Apparatus for Targeted Advertisement Delivery - A computer implemented method includes retrieving one or more data elements relating to user shopping habits. The method also includes identifying one or more merchants along a route corresponding to the one or more data elements. The method further includes identifying at least one advertisement for at least one of the one or more merchants. Also, the method includes presenting the advertisement to a vehicle occupant, as a vehicle moves within a perimeter of a merchant for which an advertisement has been identified. | 08-08-2013 |
20130226731 | Method and Apparatus for Vehicle-Based Data Gathering - A computer implemented method includes accessing a list containing one or more items for purchase. The method further includes receiving a vehicle location. The method also includes searching for one or more stores within a predefined distance of the vehicle location, which sell at least one item from the list, and the prices those stores offer. Additionally, the method includes recommending a stop at at least one of the one or more stores, and providing directions to a store for which a stop was recommended. | 08-29-2013 |
20130311036 | Method and Apparatus for Interactive Vehicular Advertising - A system includes a processor configured to wirelessly communicate with a remote application. The system also includes one or more outputs, controllable by the processor. The processor is configured to receive an advertisement for playback on at least one output, determine the suitability of the received advertisement for playback, permit or deny advertisement playback based on the suitability of the advertisement, and provide access to the at least one output upon permitting advertisement playback. | 11-21-2013 |
20140074957 | Method and Apparatus for Social Information Exchange in a Vehicle - A computer implemented method includes receiving a request for a review relating to a merchant, good or service, from a requesting user through a vehicle computing system (VCS). The method also includes searching a group of reviews created by one or more users affiliated with a requesting user, the grouping having been created by the requesting user. Further, the method includes retrieving at least one review for delivery to the requesting user. The method also includes delivering the at least one review to the requesting user via the VCS. | 03-13-2014 |
20140095309 | Method and Apparatus for Targeted Advertisement Delivery - A computer implemented method includes retrieving one or more data elements relating to user shopping habits. The method also includes identifying one or more merchants along a route corresponding to the one or more data elements. The method further includes identifying at least one advertisement for at least one of the one or more merchants. Also, the method includes presenting the advertisement to a vehicle occupant, as a vehicle moves within a perimeter of a merchant for which an advertisement has been identified. | 04-03-2014 |
20140129339 | Method and Apparatus for Digital Coupon Presentation - A system includes a processor configured to receive a plurality of media elements including at least one media element containing an interactive advertisement. The processor is further configured to present the media elements to a vehicle occupant. The processor is also configured to receive acquiescence to store a coupon associated with at least one interactive advertisement. Additionally, the processor is configured to instruct storage of the coupon and instruct storage of any events associated with the coupon which may signal a reason to re-present the coupon to a driver. | 05-08-2014 |
20140207563 | Method and Apparatus for Advertisement Screening - A system includes a processor configured to initiate a new user-model for advertising evaluation based on a user request. The processor is also configured to add basic user demographic information to the model. The processor is further configured to update the model based on user responses to advertisements presented during a drive in which the model is in use and utilize the model to filter or select advertisements in drives having some correspondence to identifying traits associated with the model. | 07-24-2014 |
20140214933 | Method and Apparatus for Vehicular Social Networking - A system includes a processor configured to communicate with a remote server to receive a list of friends who are currently driving their respective vehicles. The processor is also configured to display the list of friends in a selectable manner. The processor is further configured to receive selection of one or more friends from the list and send data to the remote server to be shared with the one or more selected friends. | 07-31-2014 |
20140236403 | Method and Apparatus for Route Completion Likelihood Display - A system includes a processor configured to send likelihood-of-success request, including vehicle state information. The processor is further configured to receive information representing likelihood of reaching route points, utilizing a current vehicle charge, along with effects on the likelihood based on one or more power utilization changes. The processor is also configured to interactively display the received information and receive power utilization change selection. Also, the processor is configured to calculate a new likelihood of reaching the points based on the selection and display updated information based on the calculation. | 08-21-2014 |
20140236404 | Method and Apparatus for Route Completion Likelihood Display - A system includes a processor configured to send likelihood-of-success request, including vehicle state information. The processor is further configured to receive information representing likelihood of reaching route points, utilizing a current vehicle charge, along with effects on the likelihood based on one or more power utilization changes. The processor is also configured to interactively display the received information and receive power utilization change selection. Also, the processor is configured to calculate a new likelihood of reaching the points based on the selection and display updated information based on the calculation. | 08-21-2014 |
20140236467 | Method and Apparatus for Route Completion Likelihood Display - A system includes a processor configured to send likelihood-of-success request, including vehicle state information. The processor is further configured to receive information representing likelihood of reaching route points, utilizing a current vehicle charge, along with effects on the likelihood based on one or more power utilization changes. The processor is also configured to interactively display the received information and receive power utilization change selection. Also, the processor is configured to calculate a new likelihood of reaching the points based on the selection and display updated information based on the calculation. | 08-21-2014 |
20140266799 | Method and Apparatus for Intelligent Street Light Advertisement Delivery - A system includes a vehicle processor configured to communicate with an intelligent street light to receive advertisements pertaining to local businesses. The processor is also configured to store a plurality of received advertisements. The processor is further configured to sort the advertisements based on one or more user factors. Also, the processor is configured to determine an appropriate time for advertisement delivery and deliver the advertisements at the appropriate time. | 09-18-2014 |
20140278781 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONDUCTING SURVEYS INSIDE VEHICLES - A survey system enabling one or more processors to output a survey in a vehicle while allowing a vehicle occupant to engage in the survey. The survey system may communicate with a vehicle computing system enabling one or more processors to receive input representing one or more occupants in a vehicle. They survey system may receive an input representing a current location. The system may determine a workload value for the one or more vehicle occupants and output a survey to the one or more vehicle occupants when the workload value is below a predefined threshold. The system may output a survey related to the one or more occupants and current location. The system may collect survey results and relay the survey results to a remote server for processing. The system may provide a digital reward to the one or more occupants participating in the survey. | 09-18-2014 |
20140278910 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SUBJECTIVE ADVERTISMENT EFFECTIVENESS ANALYSIS - A system includes a processor configured to receive an advertisement. The processor is also configured to present the advertisement to a vehicle occupant. The processor is further configured to visually record an occupant response during the course of the advertisement presentation using a vehicle camera. The processor is additionally configured to analyze the visually recorded response to gauge a user reaction to the advertisement and based on the analysis adjust an advertisement variable metric with respect to the presented advertisement. | 09-18-2014 |
20140279021 | Ad Manager for a Vehicle Multimedia System - A vehicle computer system comprising a receiver configured to wirelessly receive an advertisement, the advertisement including two or more ad components for output to a user, the receiver further configured to communicate the advertisement to a processor. The processor is configured to receive contextual data representative of a vehicle's environment from one or more data sources, output the advertisement and a first set of ad components to the user based on the contextual data, the first set of ad components including a request to interact with the user, receive an input from a user corresponding to the first set of ad components, and output a second set of ad components based on the input received from the user. | 09-18-2014 |
20140279449 | AUTOMATED VEHICLE LOAN PAYMENT REMINDERS - A payment reminder may be received by a payment reminder application executed by a computing device. The payment reminder may request payment of a vehicle loan associated with a registered combination of a vehicle identification number and an occupant identifier associated with the vehicle loan. The payment reminder application may verify appropriate vehicle occupants are available to receive the payment reminder, and may deliver the received payment reminder to the appropriate vehicle occupants at an appropriate time for occupant safety and privacy. The payment reminder application may also provide other types of reminders or messages targeted to the vehicle occupants. | 09-18-2014 |
20150023256 | VEHICLE COMMUNICATION CHANNEL MANAGEMENT - A communication policy server may receive channel availability information indicative of a plurality of communication channels detected by a communication manager of a vehicle, each of the plurality of communication channels configured to provide messages to a target recipient associated with the vehicle. The communication policy server may recommend one of the plurality of detected communication channels as optimal based on factors such as preferences of the target recipient and preferences of the message source, the timing of the messages and the content of the messages. | 01-22-2015 |
20150029038 | Method and Apparatus for Message Delivery Via HD Radio - A system includes a processor configured to receive a message included with a digital radio signal. The processor is also configured to examine a message header to determine if the message is intended for receipt at a receiving vehicle. The processor is further configured to discard the message if not intended for receipt at the receiving vehicle. Also, the processor is configured to process the message if intended for receipt at the receiving vehicle and deliver the processed message to a vehicle occupant. | 01-29-2015 |
20150030998 | Method and Apparatus for Automated Vehicle Support - A system includes a processor configured to detect the presence of a driver in a vehicle. The processor is further configured to determine a demonstration of a vehicle feature appropriate for the driver and offer demonstration of the vehicle feature. The processor is also configured to provide a demonstration of the vehicle feature, upon acceptance of the offer. | 01-29-2015 |