Location-based vehicle messaging system

Abstract

A system may enable vehicle operators to request information automatically along the route of travel by transmitting information requests, tied to the vehicle's current position, to a server. The server may store a plurality of informational files associated with particular global positioning system coordinates. Upon receipt of a request, the files associated with a particular position may be located and transmitted to the vehicle. The files may be stored as audio files so the user may listen to the files without being distracted while driving the vehicle.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A processor based system mountable in a vehicle, said system comprising:
 a processor;   a position locating device coupled to said processor;   a transmitter to transmit requests for information with appended position information; and   wherein said processor to determine the vehicle's current location, sort information received in response to said request based on appended position information, and identify information with appended position information corresponding to the vehicle's current location.   
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1  wherein said transmitter is a radio frequency transceiver. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1  wherein said transmitter is adapted to append compass information. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 1  wherein said system is adapted to receive information previously transmitted and stored and then relayed to the vehicle, based on the vehicle's position. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 1  wherein said transmitter is adapted to append information that identifies the transmitter. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1  adapted to transmit audio files. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 1  adapted to receive audio files. 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 1  wherein said system only displays said information when the vehicle becomes proximate to a location corresponding to said appended position information. 
     
     
       9. A method comprising:
 transmitting wirelessly, from a vehicle to a telephone base station, a request for information associated with coordinates that have been generated by a global positioning system that is integral to the vehicle;   responsive to said request, receiving location information for a destination, associated with the vehicle's current location; and   automatically displaying a map showing the vehicle's current location and the location of said destination.   
     
     
       10. The method of claim 9 further including transmitting a message to said base station and automatically appending position information on said message. 
     
     
       11. The method of claim 10 further including automatically appending a vehicle identifier on said message. 
     
     
       12. The method of claim 9 including causing a vehicle based processor to identify information received from the base station associated with the vehicle's location. 
     
     
       13. A non-transitory computer readable medium for storing instructions that cause a processor-based system to:
 develop a signal indicative of a vehicle's position;   transmit said signal and an associated request for information to a server via a base station;   receive location information from said base station for a destination associated with the vehicle's current position to be played as an audio message associated with the vehicle's current position responsive to said request;   play said audio message automatically based on the vehicle's position, without further user action; and   display a map showing the vehicle's current location and the location of said destination.   
     
     
       14. The medium of claim 13 further storing instructions that cause the processor-based system to transmit a message to said base station and automatically append position information on said message. 
     
     
       15. The medium of claim 14 further storing instructions that cause the processor-based system to automatically append a vehicle identifier on said message. 
     
     
       16. The medium of claim 13 further storing instructions that cause the processor-based system to automatically play said audio message over the vehicle's sound system. 
     
     
       17. A processor-based system mountable in a vehicle, said system comprising:
 a processor;   a position locating device coupled to said processor;   a transmitter to transmit a signal indicative of a vehicle's position and an associated request for location information related to a destination to a server via a base station; and   wherein said processor to receive location information for said destination from said base station associated with the vehicle's current position and display a map showing the vehicle's current location and the location of said destination.   
     
     
       18. The system of claim 17, said transmitter to transmit a message to said base station and then automatically append position information on said message. 
     
     
       19. The system of claim 18, said processor to automatically append a vehicle identifier on said message.