초록

Specific advertisements and other information can be communicated to the user of a mobile vehicle depending on the vehicle's position, vehicle or user characteristics, or other vehicle-specific data.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method of operating a mobile vehicle, comprising:determining vehicle status data representative of a characteristic of the vehicle;determining a recommended course of action based on the vehicle status data;establishing an advertisement message in response to said recommended course of action;

1. A method of operating a mobile vehicle, comprising:determining vehicle status data representative of a characteristic of the vehicle;determining a recommended course of action based on the vehicle status data;establishing an advertisement message in response to said recommended course of action; andcommunicating the recommended course of action to an occupant of the vehicle in the advertisement message, including at least one of a suggestion to obtain a specific commercial brand of merchandise, a suggestion to obtain merchandise from a specific vendor, and a suggestion to obtain a service from a specific merchant. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle status data is determined automatically, and the recommended course of action is determined and communicated automatically. 3. The method of claim 2, including determining a need based on the vehicle status data, and determining the recommended course of action based on the need. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the need represents mechanical repair of the vehicle. 5. The method of claim 3, wherein the need represents mechanical maintenance of the vehicle. 6. The method of claim 3, including automatically determining position data representative of a geographical position of the vehicle, and wherein determining the recommended course of action is based on the position data as well as on the vehicle status data. 7. The method of claim 6, including:accessing a database containing resource data representative of a plurality of respective locations where the recommended course of action may be accomplished;choosing a preferred location from among said respective locations by comparing the resource data with the geographical position of the vehicle; andcommunicating information concerning the preferred location to the occupant of the vehicle. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the preferred location is chosen based on proximity of the geographical position of the vehicle compared with the plurality of respective locations. 9. The method of claim 7, wherein the database is maintained in on onboard memory. 10. The method of claim 9, including updating the database via a data input port on the vehicle. 11. The method of claim 9, including updating the database via a pager network. 12. The method of claim 9, including updating the database via the Internet. 13. The method of claim 7, wherein the database is maintained at a central offboard computer location. 14. The method of claim 7, wherein the database is accessed via the Internet. 15. The method of claim 3, including:determining one of personal data and personal preferences provided by an operator; anddetermining a need based on the personal data, and determining the recommended course of action based on the need. 16. The method of claim 3, wherein the vehicle status data comprises results of diagnostic testing of an engine of the vehicle. 17. The method of claim 6, including determining the position data from an earth orbiting satellite global positioning system. 18. An action recommendation system for a mobile vehicle, comprising:an electronic control module (ECM);a user interface capable of receiving an advertisement message from the ECM and one of displaying and announcing the message to an occupant of the vehicle;a memory accessible by the ECM; anda program in the memory, the program being accessible and operable by the ECM to determine a vehicle status characteristic based on a vehicle status input, to determine a recommended course of action based on the vehicle status characteristic, establish said advertisement message in response to said recommended course of action; and to communicate the recommended course of action to the occupant via the message,wherein the advertisement message communicated to the occupant includes at least one of obtaining a specific commercial brand of merchandise, obtaining merchandise from a specific vendor, and obtaining a service from a specific merchant. 19. The action recommendation system of claim 18, wherein:the program is operable by the ECM to determine a geographical position of the vehicle based on a position input; anddetermining the recommended course of action is based on the geographical position as well as on the vehicle status characteristic. 20. The action recommendation system of claim 19, wherein the ECM:accesses a database in the memory containing resource data representative of a plurality of respective locations where the recommended course of action may be accomplished;chooses a preferred location from among said respective locations by comparing the geographical position of the vehicle with the resource data; andcommunicates information concerning the preferred location to the occupant via the message. 21. The action recommendation system of claim 20, including a data input port on the vehicle for inputting data into the memory. 22. The action recommendation system of claim 20, including a receiver for receiving, from an offboard source, updates of the resource data for updating the database. 23. A method of operating an onboard electronic control module (ECM) for a mobile vehicle, said mobile vehicle having a plurality of components such as at least an engine, transmission, electronic system, a fuel system and other systems each having a specific brand, comprising:determining vehicle status data representative of a characteristic of at least one of said components of the vehicle;determining position data representative of a geographical position of the vehicle;determining a recommended course of action based on the vehicle status data and the position data; andcommunicating the recommended course of action to an occupant of the vehicle in an advertisement message designating a suggestion to obtain a specific commercial brand of merchandise, a suggestion to obtain merchandise from a specific vendor, and a suggestion to obtain a service from a specific merchant. 24. An action recommendation system for a mobile vehicle, said mobile vehicle having a plurality of components such as at least a engine, transmission, electronic system, a fuel system and other systems each having a specific brand, comprising:an electronic control module (ECM);a user interface capable of receiving an advertisement message from the ECM and one of displaying and announcing the message to an occupant of the vehicle;a memory accessible by the ECM; anda program in the memory, the program being accessible and operable by the ECM to determine a geographical position of the vehicle based on a position input, to determine a vehicle status characteristic based on a vehicle status input, to determine a recommended course of action based on the vehicle status characteristic and the geographical position, to establish an advertisement message in response to the recommended course of action, and to communicate the recommended course of action to the occupant via the message, said message designating a suggestion to obtain a specific commercial brand of merchandise, a suggestion to obtain merchandise from a specific vendor, and a suggestion to obtain a service from a specific merchant. 25. The method of claim 23, wherein; said specific commercial brand of merchandise, said specific vendor, and said specific merchant being dependent on said component brand. 26. The method of claim 25, wherein; said component brand and said specific commercial brand are identical. 27. The action recommendation system of claim 18, wherein; said specific commercial brand of merchandise, said specific vendor, and said specific merchant being dependent on said component brand. 28. The action recommendation system of claim 27, wherein; said component brand and said specific commercial brand are identical. 29. A method of operating a mobile vehicle, comprising:determining vehicle status data representative of a characteristic of the vehicle;determining a recommended course of action based on the vehicle status data;establishing an advertisement messa ge in response to said recommended course of action, the advertisement message including an suggestion to obtain a specific commercial brand of merchandise;communicating the recommended course of action to an occupant of the vehicle; in the advertisement message, andcommunicating said advertisement message to said occupant of the vehicle. 30. A method, as set forth in claim 29, wherein said mobile machine includes a plurality of components, said components having a specific brand. 31. A method, as set forth in claim 30, wherein said plurality of components includes an engine, a transmission, an electronic system, a fuel system, and further wherein said vehicle status data is associated with at least one of said plurality of components. 32. A method of operating a mobile machine, comprising:determining vehicle status data representative of a characteristic of the vehicle;determining a recommended course of action based on the vehicle status data; andcommunicating the recommended course of action to an occupant of the vehicle in an advertisement message, including a suggestion to obtain a merchandise associated with said vehicle status data from a specific vendor. 33. A method, as set forth in claim 32, wherein said mobile machine includes a plurality of components, said components having a specific brand. 34. A method, as set forth in claim 33, wherein said plurality of components includes an engine, a transmission, an electronic system, a fuel system, and further wherein said vehicle status data is associated with at least one of said plurality of components. 35. A method of operating an onboard control module for a mobile machine, comprising:determining vehicle status data representative of a characteristic of the vehicle;determining a recommended course of action based on the vehicle status data;communicating the recommended course of action to an occupant of the vehicle in an advertisement message, including a suggestion to obtain a specific commercial brand of merchandise;accessing a database containing resource data representative of one or more of respective locations where the specific commercial brand of merchandise may be acquired; andcommunicating at least one of the respective locations to the occupant of the vehicle. 36. A method, as set forth in claim 35, including automatically determining position data representative of a geographical position of the vehicle, and wherein communicating at least one of the respective locations to the occupant of the vehicle is based on the position data. 37. A method of operating a mobile machine, comprising:determining vehicle status data representative of a characteristic of the vehicle;determining a recommended course of action based on the vehicle status data;establishing an advertisement message in response to said recommended course of action, the advertisement including a suggestion to obtain a specific commercial brand of merchandise from a specific vendor;communicating the recommended course of action to an occupant of the vehicle;accessing a database containing resource data representative of one or more of respective locations where the specific commercial brand the merchandise may be acquired;communication the advertisement message to the occupant of the vehicle; andcommunicating at least one of the respective locations to the occupant of the vehicle. 38. A method, as set forth in claim 37, including automatically determining position data representative of a geographical position of the vehicle, and wherein communicating at least one of the respective locations to the occupant of the vehicle is based on the position data. 39. A method of operating a mobile vehicle, comprising:determining a vehicle status data representative of a characteristic of the vehicle;determining a potential path of said mobile vehicle; andcommunicating an advertisement message to an occupant of the vehicle in response to said vehicle status and said potential path. 40. A method, as set forth i n claim 39, wherein said vehicle status data includes a time of day. 41. A method, as set forth in claim 39, wherein the step of determining said potential path of said mobile machine further comprises the steps of:determining one of personal data and personal preferences provided by said operator; anddetermining said potential path in response to said one of said personal data and said personal preferences. 42. A method, as set forth in claim 41, wherein said potential path is a predicted path. 43. A method, as set forth in claim 41, wherein said potential path is a planned path. 44. A method, as set forth in claim 39, wherein said advertisement further includes at least one of a suggestion to obtain a specific commercial brand of merchandise, a suggestion to obtain merchandise from a specific vendor, and a suggestion to obtain a service from a specific merchant. 45. A method, as set forth in claim 39, wherein said advertisement message is associated with at least one of a restaurant and a hotel. 46. A method, as set forth in claim 40, wherein said one of said personal data and said personal preference includes a certain class associated with at least one of a product, a brand, and a service associated with said advertisement. 47. A method, as set forth in claim 39, wherein said vehicle status data includes a physiological feedback. 48. A method, as set forth in claim 39, further comprising the step of determining a recommended course of action in response to said vehicle status, wherein the step of communicating an advertisement message further comprises the step of communicating said advertisement message to an occupant of the machine in response to said recommended course of action and said potential path. 49. A method of operating a mobile vehicle, comprising:determining a vehicle status data representative of a characteristic of the vehicle;determining a recommended course of action based on the vehicle status data;determining a potential path of said mobile vehicle; andcommunicating an advertisement message to an occupant of the vehicle in response to said recommended course of action and said potential path. 50. A method, as set forth in claim 39, wherein said vehicle status data includes a location of said vehicle.