# US 8,571,724 B2 · Method and device for providing information about a user of a social network in the social network

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- Number: US 8,571,724 B2
- Document ID: US8571724B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/427,156
- Filed: 2012-03-22
- Published: 2012-08-02
- Granted: 2013-10-29
- Earliest claimed: 2009-09-23
- Assignees: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
- Applicants: Ronan Brennan; Markus Strassberger; Benjamin Weyl; Mariano Herrero
- Inventors: Ronan Brennan; Markus Strassberger; Benjamin Weyl; Mariano Herrero
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8571724B2

## CPC

- G06Q 30/02: Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

A method and device for providing information about a user of a social network in the social network are provided. In order to enable the driver of a vehicle or a passenger to communicate with an IT social network with as little distraction as possible, the information is acquired using at least one status recognition device, which is provided in a vehicle used by the user of the social network. The status recognition device delivers status information that indicates a specific status of the vehicle, a specific driving situation, and/or the status of one or more users of the vehicle.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for providing information about a user of a social network in the social network, the method comprising the acts of:
acquiring the information with at least one status recognition device operatively arranged in a vehicle that is used by the user of the social network;
delivering, by the status recognition device, status information indicative of at least one of: a specific status of the vehicle, a specific driving situation, and a status of one or more users of the vehicle;
creating, by way of a message generating device operatively arranged in the vehicle, a message using the status information, said message matching the status information; and
transmitting, by way of the message generating device, the created message to the social network.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the created message is modifiable by the user of the vehicle.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the created message is a text message.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the act of transmitting the message from the vehicle to the social network only occurs after an approval authorization by the user of the vehicle.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method according to claim 4, wherein the approval authorization occurs via a corresponding manual actuation or a speech input by the user of the vehicle.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising the act of visually displaying the created message to the user of the vehicle.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method according to claim 6, wherein the created message is modifiable by the user of the vehicle by way of at least one controller in the vehicle.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method according to claim 7, wherein a plurality of messages are created by the message generating device and provided for transmission to the social network, the user of the vehicle selecting one or more of the plurality of messages for transmission via a manual actuation or a speech input actuation.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method according to claim 8, wherein the corresponding manual actuation, the selection of one or more of the provided messages, and the modification of the created message is performed via a rotary pushbutton, wherein a letter is selected via rotation and the selected letter is entered onto a display by pushing the rotary pushbutton.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising the acts of:
recognizing, by the status recognition device, at least one of the following pieces of status information:
an open or closed state of a vehicle roof top;
a speed of the vehicle;
a geographical position of the vehicle;
a road on which the vehicle is currently travelling;
a vehicle's driving past a predetermined geographical position;
an expected reaching of a predetermined destination;
an outside temperature of the vehicle; and
an actuation of windshield wipers of the vehicle; and
said status recognition device providing the status information to the message generating device for creating a corresponding message, based on the provided status information, for transmission to the social network.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of messages are created by the message generating device and provided for transmission to the social network, the user of the vehicle selecting one or more of the plurality of messages for transmission via a manual actuation or a speech input actuation.

### Claim 12

A device for providing information about a user of a social network in the social network, the device comprising:
a status recognition device operatively arranged in a vehicle used by the user of the social network;
a message generative device operatively arranged in the vehicle; and
wherein the status recognition device acquires the information and delivers status information indicative of at least one of a specific status of the vehicle, a specific driving situation of the vehicle, and a user status of the vehicle; and
wherein the message generating device uses the status information to create a text message matching the status information for transmission to the social network.

### Claim 13

A vehicle, comprising:
a device operatively arranged in the vehicle for providing information about a user of a social network in the social network, the device comprising:
(a) a status recognition device operatively arranged in the vehicle used by the user of the social network;
(b) a message generative device operatively arranged in the vehicle; and
wherein the status recognition device acquires the information and delivers status information indicative of at least one of a specific status of the vehicle, a specific driving situation of the vehicle, and a user status of the vehicle; and
wherein the message generating device uses the status information to create a text message matching the status information for transmission to the social network.