Abstract:
A vehicle communication system including a mobile application service provider communicating over a first wireless communication network, a mobile station communicating with the mobile application service provider via the first wireless communications network, and where the mobile station is capable of communicating with a merchant over a second wireless communication network to conduct electronic commerce.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to the wireless transfer of data located on remote devices. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for conducting electronic commerce (e-commerce) from a vehicle, via a wireless communication system.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Electronic commerce is becoming increasingly important to merchants to generate sales and profits. Merchants desire automated methods to execute transactions to increase productivity and efficiency in the retail markets for products and services. An emerging market for e-commerce is in vehicle telematics. Operators of a vehicle desire to conduct purchases from the confines of their vehicle, eliminating awkward exchanges of cash such as in a drive-through service for a fast food restaurant, car wash, or other similar transaction. Employees of a merchant in a conventional vehicle transaction must tabulate the exchange of money, physically store the money, and in most cases make change for the operator of the vehicle. This money-handling process decreases productivity and throughput for the merchant, leading to the loss of potential sales and profits.  
           [0003]    The development of wireless telecommunications has enabled the exchange of information that may be applied to the purchase of products or services from a vehicle. The present invention utilizes a wireless telecommunications/telematics system to transfer transaction or product and service data to and from a merchant and an operator of a vehicle, decreasing transaction time for the merchant and increasing sales capacity.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0004]    In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, a method and apparatus is provided for using a wireless telecommunications/telematics system to transfer product and service information from a merchant to a vehicle operator and purchase requests from the vehicle operator. The merchant is equipped with a base station that preferably transmits and receives information over a near range wireless network. An embedded mobile station is installed in a vehicle to poll the near range wireless network to receive product and service information from the merchant and present this information in visual or audible form to the vehicle operator. The vehicle operator, using a visual, tactile, or voice interface to the embedded mobile station, may then generate purchase requests for the merchant&#39;s products or services.  
           [0005]    In the method and apparatus of the present invention, the embedded mobile station may be equipped with a cellular phone, personal communication service (PCS) phone, radio transceiver, or satellite communication devices to communicate to a mobile application service center (MASC) such as utilized by the OnStar® service or a similar information system/provider. It should be understood that the MASC is used in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, but any centralized information service or computer system with wireless communication/telematics capabilities is considered within the scope of the present invention. The embedded mobile station is equipped with a global positioning system (GPS) receiver that can accurately determine the current position of the vehicle and may be used to verify purchase locations by the operator.  
           [0006]    In one embodiment of the present invention, the embedded mobile station will communicate billing information directly to the MASC, and the MASC will communicate with a merchant bank such as a credit card company. The MASC will validate operator credit information with the merchant bank, eliminating the need for the merchant to communicate with the merchant bank. The MASC may pay the merchant directly and then generate a periodic consolidated bill for the operator of the vehicle such as a monthly bill containing all the purchases made by the vehicle operator using the vehicle telematics system and the service fees for the MASC provider. The present invention benefits the operator of the vehicle by allowing him/her to use the vehicle telematics system to purchase products and services in a simple manner without cash. The MASC consolidated billing process allows consumers to spend less time paying bills because they receive a single consolidated bill for the telematics system service fees and purchases executed through the telematics system. The present invention offers increased revenues to the MASC or vehicle telematics operator because of the ability to charge a handling fee for processing purchases made through the vehicle telematics system. The merchant benefits from the system because the merchant does not have to have or communicate with a merchant bank. In effect, the MASC is an intermediary between the merchant and the merchant bank. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]    The various advantages of the present invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art upon reading the following specification and by reference to the drawings in which:  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a mobile application service network providing mobile application services to mobile stations in vehicles through a wireless telecommunications network and a near range wireless network;  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a mobile station for use in the wireless networks of FIG. 1; and  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 3 is a flowchart of the preferred method of the present invention for providing for the transmission of merchant product and service information to an operator of a vehicle for purchase. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0011]    [0011]FIG. 1 shows a network model of a mobile application service network using a wireless telecommunications/telematics network and a near range wireless network. The model shows functional entities in a manner consistent with specification ANSI/TIA/EIA-41 (“IS-41”); the actual apparatus used is known to those skilled in the art, except as described herein.  
         [0012]    Referring to FIG. 1, a vehicle  10  is mobile—either self-propelled (a motor vehicle) or propelled by another (a trailer). The vehicle  10  is provided with an embedded mobile station (MS)  11  capable of two-way communication via electromagnetic waves such as radio waves with a base station (BS)  20  (as used in a cellular communication system or personal communication services system), having an antenna  22 , or linked to a satellite communication system. The MS  11  communicates with the BS  20  within a limited coverage area around the BS  20 , as well as any other base stations as it moves through their limited coverage areas. When a satellite is used to communicate with the MS  11 , the coverage area will vary to reflect the satellite coverage. The BS  20  is connected by land communication lines to a mobile switching center (MSC) which, because it is shown as currently serving MS  11 , will be referred to as the serving mobile switching center (SMSC)  30 .  
         [0013]    The BS  20  (or satellite and satellite base station) and the SMSC  30  are operated by a wireless telecommunications service provider in a defined geographic service area. The SMSC  30  is part of a wireless telecommunications network providing mobile stations such as the MS  11  communication capability with other stations, either mobile or stationary. In the preferred embodiment, the MS  11 , BS  20 , and SMSC  30  preferably operate in the cellular license band, but they are not limited to such operation; the personal communications (PCS) band and others are alternatives.  
         [0014]    In addition to the BS  20  and SMSC  30 , the wireless telecommunications network comprises at least a digital signaling network  35  (ISDN, SS7, X-25) capable of carrying IS- 41  data messages and a public switched telephone network (PSTN)  40  or wide-area network (WAN) capable of carrying voice and data transmissions. The digital signaling network  35  and PSTN  40  extend over a large geographical area (potentially all of North America or the globe) over which mobile application services are provided to moving vehicles. The SMSC  30  is further connected to a visitor location register (VLR)  32  containing temporary location, status, and service information concerning the MS  11  and other mobile stations registers as visitors with the SMSC  30 . The SMSC  30  may optionally be connected to an authentication center (AC)  33  for performing authentication functions relative to mobile stations, including the MS  11 , attempting access thereto.  
         [0015]    The MS  11  is a subscriber to a mobile application service provider having a mobile application service center (MASC)  42  connected to the wireless telecommunications network via the PSTN  40 . The mobile application service provider is a business concern that provides mobile application services to vehicles via the wireless telecommunications network. These mobile application services may include vehicle operator call-in services such as providing GPS-determined vehicle location data or providing data transfer such as downloading traffic, weather, or environmental data. The provider of these application services may or may not be also a provider of a telecommunications network in the network itself. In the preferred embodiment, the mobile application service provider is a manufacturer of vehicles and provides these services, as well as the embedded mobile station used in providing the data and services, to the purchaser and other operators of those vehicles. The MASC conducts standard credit card processing/authorization and communicates with a merchant bank  49  to authorize a transaction between a merchant  16  and the operator of the vehicle  10 .  
         [0016]    The MASC  42  is operated by the mobile application service provider and includes communications stations staffed by operators who receive calls to the MASC  42  from MS  11  and other mobile stations and/or automated computer systems which respond to calls from MS  11 . The MASC  42  also communicates with government and emergency service providers, and any other similar brokers of information in order to provide the mobile application services requested or required by the operators and systems of the vehicle  10  and other vehicles having embedded mobile stations.  
         [0017]    The MASC  42  also provides and maintains a home location register (HLR)  48  connected via a service control point (SCP)  46  to the digital signaling network  35  and the network PSTN  40 . HLR  48  contains subscriber profile data for all embedded mobile stations, the data including such information as the MS  11  location, billing address, credit card numbers, subscriber status, call restrictions and directory numbers. If more than one physical home location register is provided, each one will contain the basic subscriber data, including call restrictions for all subscribers. A separate communication link, indicated by dashed line  45  in FIG. 1, may be provided between the HLR  48  and the MASC  42  to facilitate data flow in providing enhanced mobile application services.  
         [0018]    The MS  11  further communicates with a merchant  16  having a near range wireless base station  18  over a near range wireless network  21 . In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the near range wireless base station  18  will broadcast product and service information over the near range wireless network  21  to be received by the MS  11 . The near range wireless network  21  is preferably based on the Bluetooth® protocol, but any near range wireless network is within the scope of the present invention.  
         [0019]    The MS  11  is shown with its vehicle interfaces in FIG. 2. The heart of the MS  11  is transceiver  12 , which is manufactured by or to the specifications of the mobile application service provider and is provided by the mobile application service provider to be installed as an embedded unit within the vehicle  10 . It may be installed by the mobile application service provider itself, by an automotive dealer, or by another installer on behalf of the mobile application service provider. The word “embedded” means that it is installed in the vehicle  10  and intended for use in the provision of application services provided to the vehicle  10 , and further means that it is a subscriber of mobile application services provided. In the preferred embodiment, the transceiver  12  is technically capable of operation in a near range wireless network, the “A” or the “B” portions of the cellular band, and mobile stations using the PCS band and satellite transmissions are considered within the scope of the present invention. The mode, frequency, and power output of the transceiver  12  are determined by the operating mode. For example, the transceiver  12  may communicate over a near range wireless network and then be operated in the cellular or PCS bands by changing the frequency, amplitude and software protocol in the transceiver  12 . In one embodiment of the present invention, the transceiver  12  will generally operate continuously as a near-range network node and then periodically operate as a cellular transceiver to upload and download information to and from the MASC  42 .  
         [0020]    The transceiver  12  is provided with identification data comprising a non-geographic, dialable, mobile identification number (MIN) and an equipment serial number (ESN), and this data is stored in the HLR  48  as part of its profile data.  
         [0021]    The transceiver  12  is provided with electric power from a DC electric power supply  50 , which may be the normal vehicle DC power supply or a supplemental DC power supply, and is connected by an RF connection to antenna  14 . The antenna  14  is configured to transmit at several powers and frequencies depending on the operating mode of the transceiver  12 . A control and interface microprocessor/microcontroller  57  provides interfacing and coordination with vehicle systems and accessories. For example, a visual display or graphical user interface (GUI)  85  communicates with the microcontroller  57  to provide visual information and tactile interaction with the transceiver  12 . In other embodiments of the present invention, the microcontroller  57  may communicate over an automotive communications network  68  with accessories such as the GUI  85 . In the preferred embodiment, the automotive communications network  68  is preferably GMLAN but may comprise any known automotive communications network.  
         [0022]    The MS  11  further includes a tactile operator interface  60 , a speaker  52 , a microphone  54 , and a security module  58 . The tactile operator interface  60  includes buttons  61  and  62  that may be programmed for multiple functions including the execution of a purchase request. The speaker  52  may be used in conjunction with speech synthesizer software included with the microcontroller to present products and services information received by the MS  11  from the merchant base station  18  in audible fashion. Similarly, the GUI  85  may present product and service information received by the MS  11  from the merchant base station  18  in visual fashion. The security module  58  may use a smart card, biometric identification device, or any other device or method that can uniquely identify and authorize the user to make transactions using the vehicle telematics system.  
         [0023]    The preferred method of the present invention is illustrated in the flowchart of FIG. 3. Starting at block  70 , the MS  11  is placed in an operating mode for communication over the near range wireless network  21 . The communication protocol and power output are set by the microcontroller  57 . At block  72 , the MS  11  will poll the specific frequencies of the near range wireless network  21  to determine if a merchant  16  is in the vicinity of the vehicle  10 . At block  74 , the MS  11  will determine if valid product and service information is being broadcast over the near range wireless network  21 . If valid product and service information is not present, then the routine will return to block  72  to continue polling the network  21 . If valid product and service information is present, then the MS  11  will decode the product and service information at block  76  and present the products and services to the operator of the vehicle at block  78 . The products and services may be presented to the operator in visual fashion over the GUI  85  or in audible fashion using the speaker  52 .  
         [0024]    The operator at block  80  will then determine if he/she desires to purchase a product or service from the merchant  16 . If no purchase is desired by the operator, the routine will return to block  72 . If a purchase is desired, the operator may use the buttons  61  and  62  of the tactile interface  60 , a touch screen or mouse for the GUI  85 , or speech recognition software and the microphone  54  to initiate a purchase request to the merchant  16 . Products or services within the scope of the present invention include, but are not limited to, fast food purchases, car washes, tolls, oil changes, speeding tickets, or any other purchase which may be conducted by an operator of the vehicle  10 .  
         [0025]    At block  82 , the MASC  42  will log the purchase by the operator of the vehicle  10  from the merchant  16 . The merchant  16  has previously been assigned a transaction identification number that is stored in the MASC  42  to track purchases from the merchant  16 . At block  82 , the purchase request by the operator of the vehicle  10  is transmitted from the MS  11  to the base station  18  of the merchant  16  to inform the merchant  16  of a desire to purchase products or services. At block  84 , the MS  11  receives the merchant  16  identification number and the cost of the product or service from the merchant. At block  86 , the MS  11  transmits the merchant identification number and transaction amount to the MASC  42 , where the MASC  42  will provide credit clearance for the purchase, via the merchant bank  49 , and MS  11  credit information stored in the MASC. The MASC  42  generates a transaction identification number at block  88  and transmits the transaction identification number the MS  11 . The merchant  16  receives the transaction identification number at the merchant base station  18  from the MS  11  at block  92 , indicating that the payment has been accepted.  
         [0026]    The MASC  42  will preferably pay the bill to the merchant  16  and generate a periodic billing statement to the operator of the vehicle  10  containing all purchases made by the operator via the MS  11  and the MASC service fees. The MASC  42  will further charge a handling fee for the processing of products and services made through the MS  11 . The MASC  42  handles all credit transactions between the operator credit services and the merchant bank  49 . The only thing the merchant  16  needs to execute a transaction is a merchant identification number and transaction identification number from the MASC  42 . The MASC  42  handles the rest of the purchasing process, including paying the merchant  16  directly or arranging for payment via the merchant bank  49 .  
         [0027]    While this invention has been described in terms of some specific embodiments, it will be appreciated that other forms can readily be adapted by one skilled in the art. Accordingly, the scope of this invention is to be considered limited only by the following claims.