Context-aware systems and methods, location-aware systems and methods, context-aware vehicles and methods of operating the same, and location-aware vehicles and methods of operating the same

A method of operating a vehicle comprising:

• receiving context information with a vehicle computer, the context information pertaining to a context of a vehicle in which the computer is mounted;
• determining, from the context information and using the vehicle computer, a current vehicle context;
• and
• modifying, with the vehicle computer, a behavior of the vehicle responsive to the current vehicle context.

A context-aware system comprising:

• a computer configured to be mounted in a vehicle, the computer comprising one or more processors and computer-readable media associated with the one or more processors;
• one or more applications resident on the computer-readable media and configured to be executed on the one or more processors;
• one or more context providers operably associated with the computer and configured to provide context information for use in determining a vehicle context, at least some of the context providers receiving context information from sources remote from the vehicle in which the computer is mounted;
• at least one hierarchical tree structure resident on the computer-readable media and having multiple nodes each of which being associated with a context;
• a context service module configured to receive context information from the one or more context providers and determine a vehicle context, the context service module being configured to determine a vehicle context by accessing the one hierarchical tree structure and traversing at least one of said nodes;
• and
• a behavior engine operably associated with the computer and configured to, responsive to a vehicle context that is determined by the context service, adjust a behavior of the one or more applications so that the one or more applications behave in a manner that is consistent with a current vehicle context.

A location-aware system comprising:

• a computer configured to be mounted in a vehicle, the computer comprising one or more processors and computer-readable media associated with the one or more processors;
• one or more applications resident on the computer-readable media and configured to be executed on the one or more processors;
• one or more location providers operably associated with the computer and configured to provide location information for use in determining a vehicle location;
• a location service module configured to receive location information from the one or more location providers and determine a vehicle location;
• and
• a behavior engine operably associated with the computer and configured to, responsive to a vehicle location that is determined by the location service, adjust a behavior of the one or more applications so that the one or more applications behave in a manner that is consistent with a current vehicle location.

A method of operating a vehicle comprising:

• receiving location information with a vehicle computer, the location information pertaining to a location of a vehicle in which the computer is mounted;
• determining, from the location information and using the vehicle computer, a current vehicle location;
• and
• modifying, with the vehicle computer, a behavior of the vehicle responsive to the current vehicle location.

A method of operating a vehicle comprising:

• maintaining a data store that contains user preferences associated with one or more vehicle contexts;
• accessing the data store;
• retrieving from the data store one or more user preferences associated with a vehicle user;
• and
• configuring a vehicle in accordance with the retrieved user preferences.

A method of operating a vehicle comprising:

• accessing a data store that contains user preferences associated with one or more vehicle contexts;
• retrieving from the data store one or more user preferences associated with a vehicle user;
• and
• configuring a vehicle in accordance with the retrieved user preferences.

A location-aware system comprising:

• a radio having radio station buttons for selecting a radio station;
• a computer operably associated with the radio and configured to be mounted in a vehicle, the computer comprising one or more processors and computer-readable media associated with the one or more processors;
• one or more applications resident on the computer-readable media and configured to be executed on the one or more processors, one application being configured to map individual radio stations to specific radio station buttons;
• one or more location providers operably associated with the computer and configured to provide location information for use in determining a vehicle location;
• a location service module configured to receive location information from the one or more location providers and determine a vehicle location;
• and
• a behavior engine operably associated with the computer and configured to, responsive to a vehicle location that is determined by the location service module, cause said one application to map radio stations that are associated with a determined location to individual radio station buttons.

A location-aware vehicle comprising:

• a radio having radio station buttons for selecting a radio station;
• means for determining a location of a vehicle;
• means for ascertaining radio stations that are associated with a determined location;
• and
• means for automatically mapping the ascertained radio stations to the radio station buttons.

A location-aware system comprising:

• a computer comprising one or more processors and computer-readable media associated with the one or more processors;
• one or more applications resident on the computer-readable media and configured to be executed on the one or more processors;
• one or more location providers operably associated with the computer and configured to provide location information for use in determining a vehicle location;
• a location service module configured to receive location information from the one or more location providers and determine a vehicle location by using at least one hierarchical tree structure resident on the computer-readable media and having multiple nodes each of which being associated with a location, the location service module being configured to determine a vehicle location by accessing the one hierarchical tree structure and traversing at least one of said nodes;
• and
• at least one of said one or more applications being configured to provide a user with information that is associated with the vehicle's location as determined by the location service module.

A method of operating a vehicle comprising:

• receiving, with a vehicle-mounted computer, location information pertaining to a location of a vehicle;
• accessing at least one hierarchical tree structure, using the vehicle-mounted computer, the structure having multiple nodes each of which being associated with a location;
• using the location information to identify a node on the at least one hierarchical tree structure;
• traversing multiple nodes of the at least one hierarchical tree structure to derive a vehicle location;
• and
• responsive to a derived vehicle location, providing a user of the vehicle with information associated with the derived location.

A method of operating a vehicle comprising:

• collecting user preferences that pertain to a user-desired experience associated with operation of a vehicle;
• storing the user preferences in a computer-accessible location;
• authenticating a user to a vehicle;
• retrieving the authenticated user's preferences from the computer-accessible location using a computer that is mounted in a vehicle that the user is to operate;
• and
• configuring the vehicle in some manner in accordance with the user's preferences.

A method of operating a vehicle comprising:

• authenticating a user to a vehicle that has an onboard computer;
• retrieving preferences for the authenticated user from a computer-accessible location using the onboard computer;
• and
• configuring the vehicle in some manner in accordance with the user's preferences.