WO2001069170A2

WO2001069170A2 - Method and system for guiding a traveller

Info

Publication number: WO2001069170A2
Application number: PCT/IL2001/000249
Authority: WO
Inventors: Moshe Goldberg
Original assignee: 121 Direct Communication Ltd.
Priority date: 2000-03-16
Filing date: 2001-03-15
Publication date: 2001-09-20
Also published as: WO2001069170A3; IL135116A0; AU2001242714A1

Abstract

A method and system for guiding a traveler with respect to a specific site are presented utilizing an on-line connection between a communication device and a central station through a communication link. The traveler initiates the on-line connection with the central station, selects the kind of data to be received from the central station and a format in which the data is to be supplied to him, and allows his selection to be transmitted to the central station. The central station, in response to the traveler selection, operates with a corresponding operational mode to utilize a central database and generate a data message indicative of the data to be supplied to the traveler, to translate the generated data into a resulting message of the selected format for guiding the traveler with respect to the selected site, and to transmit the resulting message to the traveler.

Description

A Method and System for Guiding a Traveler With Respect to a Specific Site

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention is generally in the field of communication techniques, and relates to a method and system for guiding a traveler who has access to a communication device, such as a private telephone, public telephone or mobile phone device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is often the case that a traveler, whether staying in his own city or visiting another, is interested in obtaining information concerning a specific site. For example, he may be interested in locating a selected site from his current position, or in obtaining information about a specific site either far from or within the vicinity of his current location. Such information may consist of the geographical location of a specific public place (such as a hotel, restaurant, museum, etc.) or the schedule of visiting hours of a specific public place.

The situation may be such that a traveler has arrived at a specific location, and would like to find out whether there are recommended attractions within the vicinity of his current location. Needless to say that it is inconvenient for a traveler to have to search for a relevant book or a tourist information center, while practically every traveler today has access to a telephone or a mobile phone device.

Techniques for providing geographically-based services have been developed and are disclosed, for example, in WO 98/16076 and US 5,912,947. However, none of the known techniques enables a traveler to be precisely located geographically with respect to a specific site, and be provided with information of interest in the form of a voice message transmitted to a phone device used by the traveler.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

There is accordingly a need in the art to facilitate traveling by providing a novel method and system for guiding a traveler with respect to a selected site.

It is a major feature of the present invention to provide such a method that enables a traveler to use any available communication device through which he can connect to a central station and obtain information about a specific site selected by him. The present invention thus takes advantage of the fact that a traveler always has access to a communication device.

The term "traveler" used herein signifies any person who wishes to obtain information concerning a specific site. The term "specific site" relates to a geographical location or a specific place, such as museum, restaurant, gas station, hospital, hotel, etc., which may be located in the vicinity of the current location of the traveler or far from his current location. The specific site may be one selected by the traveler to be attained by him, or recommended to him in accordance with his preferences. Information about a specific site may include the way of reaching the specific site from the traveler's current location, the description of a site area within a given radius, time schedule of public transportation, etc. The term "communication device " means at least one of the following: a private telephone (e.g., at home, hotel, office, etc.), a public telephone, a mobile phone device, or the so-called "smart-type" phone device equipped both with communication and computer means.

The main idea of the present invention consists of the following. A traveler who wishes to obtain information about a specific site uses a communication device available to him to connect to a central station through a communication link. As indicated above, such a communication device may be the traveler's private telephone (at home, hotel or office), public phone in the vicinity of his current location, his mobile phone device, which may be of the smart type. A central station is a computer system installed with suitable hardware and operated by suitable software to be responsive to the traveler's call for utilizing a predetermined central database, generating a resulting message indicative of requested information, and transmitting the message to the traveler. The resulting message may be a voice message, a text message to be displayed on the display of the traveler's communication device, a fax message, e-mail, or link to a certain Internet Web Site, for example, by means of the Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) based technology (in the case of the mobile phone device).

There is thus provided according to one aspect of the present invention, a method for guiding a traveler with respect to a specific site utilizing an on-line connection between a communication device and a central station through a communication link, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) establishing said on-line connection;

(b) selecting by the traveler data to be supplied to him from the central station and a format in which said data is to be supplied;

(c) entering the traveler's selection into his communication device to be transmitted to the central station;

(d) in response to the data indicative of the traveler's selection, operating with a corresponding operational mode to utilize a central database at the central station and generate a data message indicative of said data to be supplied to the traveler; (e) translating the generated data into a resulting message of said format selected by the traveler for guiding him with respect to the selected site, and transmitting said resulting message to the traveler. Preferably, the traveler is provided with a telephone user interface enabling him to make the selection defining the operational mode, and to enter his selection into the communication device to be transmitted to the central station. Alternatively, or additionally, the traveler may be provided with a brochure containing various options to be used by the traveler when connecting to the central station to make his selection. The present invention concerns several different operational modes associated with different tasks, each defining the data to be supplied to the traveler. One task relates to guiding the traveler to reach a selected site in an optimal route, i.e., the so-called "point-to-point" mode. In this case, the resulting message is in the form of a so-called "route guideline". Another task relates to providing the traveler with information about a selected site, which is associated with his current location, e.g., located in the vicinity of his current location. Both these tasks need the identification of the traveler's current location.

To carry out one of these operational modes using a private or public telephone, data indicative of geographical locations (addresses) of various private and public telephones is maintained in the central database. Thus, the central station identifies the telephone number of the telephone device generating an incoming call utilizing a known "Caller ID" function, and determines the geographical location of this telephone device using the central database, where the geographical locations of various private and public telephones are registered. With regard to the public telephone, it is typical that its phone number is issued thereon, and can therefore be transmitted to the central station by the traveler himself. Alternatively, or additionally, each public telephone may be assigned with a corresponding unique identification code issued thereon. Generally speaking, various locations are assigned with corresponding identification codes. In the case of private and public telephones, the telephone numbers represent such IDs.

Additionally, a unique ID relating to a specific geographical location can be issued on a specific sign placed at that location so as to be exposed to travelers. Such signs may be located at bus stations, gas stations, etc. Street signs, the store front signs, company signs, etc., can be used for issuing thereon IDs corresponding to the geographical locations of the signs. All these IDs are registered in the central database as associated with the corresponding geographical locations. When using his mobile phone, the traveler may use an ID issued on one of the signs mounted in his vicinity or the telephone number issued on the closest public telephone device, as the ID of his current location. Alternatively, any other known technique for locating the caller can be utilized.

The traveler may simply indicate the address of his current location, or may supply any other information (reference mark) enabling the identification of his current location (bank, museum, etc.). To this end, the central station is provided with suitable means for carrying out voice recognition technique. When a traveler uses his mobile phone device to connect to the central station, he may supply the reference mark of his current location through a telephone interface (menu) presented on the display of his phone device. This menu may be permanent (inviting the traveler to press corresponding buttons in accordance with his selection), or the kind enabling the identification of the traveler's selection at the central station in accordance with first letters entered by the traveler from his phone device. Yet another operational mode relates to a task, when the traveler is interested in information regarding a specific site, which does not require identifying his current position. For example, he wishes to obtain information regarding the geographical location of a specific site to be visited by him, and/or time schedule of a specific public place (e.g., museum), or public transportation. For example, a traveler may note an identification code issued on the sign of a bus station, and apply this code to obtain information regarding the public transportation from this bus station.

The central station, in response to the incoming call coming from the traveler's communication device, generates a specific telephone interface providing the traveler with various options to be selected by him in accordance with a specific task. This interface includes a menu (e.g., a voice menu or text menu on display), which, as indicated above, may be either permanent, or the kind enabling the identification of the traveler's selection at the central station in accordance with first letters entered by the traveler from his phone device. If the selected task requires the identification of the traveler's current location and the Caller ID function cannot be implemented, the traveler is invited to enter data indicative of his current location: the identification code issued on a public telephone or a sign in his vicinity, the address of his current location, or any other information enabling the identification of his current location (bank, museum, etc.). The central station now operates to create a resulting message presenting a reply to the traveler's query.

The central station enables the traveler to choose the language in which he wishes to communicate with the central station and obtain the requested information. If voice recognition is considered, the language can be automatically identified, when the traveler starts to speak. The central database contains data indicative of various point-to-point connection routes (for private and public transportation, and for pedestrians), and data indicative of the information relating to various sites. The selected data presenting a reply to the traveler's query is translated into a resulting message (per the traveler's selection) by a suitable data translation utility (e.g., data-to- voice utility) of the central station, and the message is transmitted to the traveler's communication device.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a system for guiding a traveler with respect to a specific site, the system comprising: (i) a communication device operable by the traveler to establish an on-line connection with a central station through a communication link; (ii) identification means enabling identification of a current geographical location of the traveler while calling the central station;

(iii) a central database comprising data indicative of geographical locations of and information about various sites including said specific site and data indicative of connections between the various sites, a processing unit capable of generating data to be supplied to the traveler from said data contained in the central database, and a translation unit for translating the generated data into a resulting message to be transmitted to the traveler, all accommodated at the central station, wherein the central station is responsive to the call coming from the communication device for enabling the traveler to enter his selection with respect to said data to be supplied to him from the central station and a format in which resulting message is to be supplied.

The communication device may be a public telephone, a private telephone, or a mobile phone device, which may be of the smart type. The selected site may be a site within the vicinity of the traveler's current location, or a remote site of interest. The operational mode may be the "point-to-point" connection, or provision of the information concerning the selected site.

The identification means includes a reference mark of the traveler's current location transmittable from the communication device to the central station, and/or a Caller ID function performed by a communication utility of the central station. The reference mark is a unique identification code of a specific location that may be issued either on the public telephone device at that location, or on a sign exposed to the traveler. According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a central station to which various communication devices are cormectable through telephone communication lines, wherein the central station comprises:

- a central database containing data indicative of geographical locations of and information about various sites, data indicative of various geographical locations each associated with a corresponding identification code, and data indicative of connections between the various sites;

- an identification unit capable of identifying a current location of the communication device generating an incoming call;

- a translation unit for carrying out voice-to-data and data-to-voice translation; and.

- a processing unit capable of generating data to be supplied to the traveler from said data contained in the central database; said central station being responsive to the incoming call initiated by a traveler from the communication device for identifying the geographical location of said traveler; for providing a telephone interface that enables the traveler to select an operational mode of the central station that defines said data to be supplied to the traveler and a specific site included in said various sites; and for utilizing at least a part of the data contained in the central database to generate a resulting message indicative of said data to be supplied to the traveler.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order to understand the invention and to see how it may be carried out in practice, a preferred embodiment will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 A is a schematic illustration of a system according to one embodiment of the invention; Fig. IB is a schematic illustration of a system according to another embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 1C is a schematic illustration of a system according to yet another embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 is a block diagram of the main components of a central station in the system of either of Figs. 1A and IB;

Fig. 3 illustrates main data fields of a central database of the system of either of Figs. 1A and IB;

Fig. 4A is a flow diagram of the main operational steps in a method according to the invention carried by the system of either of Figs. 1A to 1C; and

Figs. 4B and 4C more specifically illustrate some operational steps in the method according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to Fig. 1A, there is illustrated a system 10 according to one embodiment of the invention. The system 10 is composed of a central station 12 and a communication device 14 cormectable to the central station 12 through a telephone communication link. In the present example, the communication device

14 is a public telephone device operable by a traveler (not shown) to connect to the central station 12 for obtaining information about a specific site of his interest. This site of interest may be either far from or within the vicinity of the communication device 14. To identify the traveler's current location, a communication utility (not shown here) of the central station 12 is of a kind capable of performing the "Caller

ID" function. In this case, the phone number of the telephone device 14 serves as a unique identification code (ID) of the traveler's current location. This ID constitutes a reference mark of the traveler's current location. Also issued on the front panel of the telephone device 14 is a phone number PN of the central station.

As further shown in the figure, the traveler can use a specific telecard TC specifically preprogrammed for automatically dialing the phone number of the central station. A tourist center may provide the service of supplying tourists with such cards. Alternatively, such a tourist center may simply provide the tourists with the phone number of the central station. Preferably, such a center provides tourists with a brochure containing various options to be used by the traveler when connecting to the central station for selecting a task defining data to be supplied to him by the central station 12.

It should be noted, although not specifically shown, that the traveler may call the central station 12 from his "private" telephone at home or hotel, whatever the case may be. The phone number of the private telephone device presents the identification code of the traveler's current location, which can be identified by the communication utility of the central station.

Fig. IB illustrates a system 100 designed according to another embodiment of the invention. In the present example, a communication device 114 used by the traveler to connect to the central station 12 is his mobile phone device. The system 100 utilizes a somewhat different design of a reference mark of the traveler's current location. Here, a sign 16 is provided in the vicinity of the traveler, and is formed with a unique identification code ID relating to the location where the sign is placed. Thus, the traveler calls the central station from his mobile phone device 114 (provided he knows the phone number of the central station), and transmits the ID issued on the sign 16, if needed, to the central station 12, thereby enabling the identification of the traveler's current location. It should be noted, although not specifically shown, that the traveler may utilize the phone number of a public telephone device noted by the traveler as a unique identification code of the traveler's current location.

Fig. 1C illustrates a communication system 200 according to yet another embodiment of the invention. Here, similar to the previous example, a traveler calls the central station 12 from his mobile phone device 114, but, in distinction to this example, utilizes a text telephone interface to supply the reference mark of his current location. This is illustrated in the figure in a self-explanatory manner, showing the traveler's selection on a display 115 of the phone device. Turning now to Fig. 2, there are shown the main constructional parts of the central station 12. The central station 12 is typically a computer system having such main constructional parts as a communication utility 18 (e.g., modem, IVR) for receiving incoming and transmitting outgoing calls, a memory utility 20 for storing a central database CDB, and a processing unit 22 interconnected between the communication and memory utilities. Also provided in the central station 12 is a data-to-voice and voice-to-data translation utility 24 operable by the processing unit 22. The communication utility 18 is of a kind capable of performing the so-called "Caller ID" function for identifying the phone number of a communication device generated the incoming call (i.e., the identification code of the traveler's current location).

The central database includes various data fields, which are shown in Fig. 3 in a self-explanatory manner. Data contained in these data fields is used for creating a resulting message to be transmitted to the traveler. Additional information may be related to the schedule of public transportation. Thus, to carry out a point-to-point mode, data indicative of streets' and/or sites' names, directions and distances and/or numbers are used to create a detailed "story" or "route guideline" for guiding the traveler's movement from his current location to the selected site, wherein the traveler's current location can be determined by using data indicative of the registered telephones and/or signs, data indicative of the location reference mark supplied by the traveler, or by implementing any suitable signal transmission based technique for detecting the geographical location of the caller. The additional information, such as public transportation, can be useful in this case. Generally speaking, the central database includes data indicative of the geographical locations of various registered telephone devices (phone number-geographical location) and various registered signs (ID of the sign-geographical location), the geographical locations of various sites, as well as connections between these sites. Registration of the geographical locations of various telephone devices enables the central station to identify the selected site, if the traveler supplies only the telephone number of this site. The selected site is either that associated with the traveler's current location or another site of his interest. Various combinations of data in various data fields to be used for decision making are set by the given task.

It should be understood, although not specifically shown, that the central station may be composed of more than one computer device. The central database may be of a distributed type, different parts of the central database being stored at different computer devices of the central station, which may be remotely located with respect to each other and cormectable to each other through a computer network. For example, when a traveler is going to travel between different districts of a big city or between different cities or countries, the different parts of the central database may be operable to create the entire "route guideline" for the traveler according to his sites selection. In other words, the central database may be global, or composed of local fragments.

Additionally, the central database may be of a so-called multi-level kind. This means that at one its level, the processing unit is capable of generating data indicative of a location (point) identification, and using another its level, data indicative of a point-to-point route can be generated, optimized, etc. At a specific level, the database provides information about a specific site, such as museum, theater, etc.

Generally speaking, the central station is the so-called "expert system" containing signal processing, computational intelligence for decision making and providing an output message (constituting a resulting message) indicative of requested information in a desired form (language, voice, hard or soft copy).

The main steps in the operation of the communication system according to the invention (10, 100 or 200) will now be exemplified with reference to Fig. 4A. The traveler uses a communication device available to him (private telephone, public telephone or mobile phone device) to call to the central station. Preferably, the traveler enters a unique communication code assigned to him by a service provider (step 28). Such a service provider may be a tourist center or a credit card company. In the present example, when the traveler accesses the central station (step 30), the latter first operates to identify the traveler's current location (step 32). To this end, if the public or private telephone is used, its phone number is identified by the communication utility of the central station through the "Caller ID" function, and the corresponding data field in the central database is utilized to determined the geographical location of this telephone device. If the mobile phone is used, the traveler supplies the ID issued on the sign or the public phone device in his vicinity to the central station.

The central station presents a telephone interface (voice in the case of private or public telephone, or text menu in the case of mobile phone device) to the traveler inviting him to supply the ID or any other reference mark of his current location. In this case, the voice-to-date utility operates to identify the traveler's reply. Then, the central station presents a further telephone interface enabling the traveler to select a language in which he wishes to communicate with the central station and obtain the resulting message (step 34). It should be noted that the language selection may be performed automatically, in response to the initial voice message provided by the traveler, by identifying the language he speaks. The languages may be listed on the public telephone device, preprogrammed in the card or indicated in the brochure he received from the tourist center or the like. Upon identifying the traveler's current location, the central station provides him with a message indicative of this location. Then, a main menu (telephone interface) is presented to the traveler (step

36) to enable him to select a task, i.e., an operational mode defining data to be supplied to the traveler. This menu concerns various options, such as a point-to-point route, information regarding a specific remote site, information regarding the site within the vicinity of the traveler's current location, etc. It is important to note that, if the current location is not automatically identified, and the traveler does not supply any reference mark for this identification, the main menu is anyway be presented, assuming that the traveler's task does not require the identification of his current location.

The main interface for the task selection may be presented immediately in response to the incoming call. Additionally, the menu may include several options as to whether the traveler is going to attain the selected site by pedestrian travelling, or by car, underground, etc. The traveler operates to define the selected task (step 38).

The main telephone interface preferably also enables the traveler to select the type of a resulting message in accordance with his preferences and equipment he has at his disposal. The traveler may choose to the resulting message to be a voice message, a text message displayed on the display of the phone device he calls from, fax, the Internet page, etc. The traveler may indicate the network address of a communication device to which the resulting message should be transmitted. Having identified the traveler's query (task) (step 40), the processing unit utilizes the relevant data fields or combination of data fields contained in the central database, and operates to generate data indicative of the requested information (step 42). This data is then translated into a desired format, e.g., "route guideline", and transmitted to the traveler (step 44). As more specifically shown in Fig. 4B, if the selected task presents an application for the identification of the traveler's current location, one of the following is carried out:

- Caller ID function performed at the central station;

- Identification of the location of the traveler's mobile phone, by means of a signal transmission based technique;

- Entrance of the ID issued on the sign in the vicinity of the traveler;

- Entrance of a reference mark as the number corresponding to the current location, selected from the menu provided in the traveler's phone device or brochure used by him; - Entrance of the letters corresponding to the reference mark of the current location;

- Provision of a voice message indicative of the current location.

This having been done, the processing unit utilizes the central database for identifying the current location of the traveler and generates a corresponding notification message to the traveler. As shown in Fig. 4C, when the traveler applies for selection of the format of a resulting message to be transmitted to him, he has to select at least one of the following options: voice message, text message, fax, e-mail, link to Internet Site, or link to Internet site via WAP. In response to the traveler's selection, the processing unit, upon utilizing the central database and generating data indicative of the resulting message, operates a translation utility to translate this data into the selected format.

The advantages of the present invention are thus evident. The present invention provides a simple and convenient way for a traveler to obtain information enabling guiding him with respect to a specific site selected by him. The present invention may utilize any known suitable technique for carrying out each step in the communication method. The phone device to participate as a communication device in the communication method according to the invention does not require complicated modifications, and in the simplest embodiment of the invention may not be modified at all. The only thing that should be done is the registration of various sites for traveling by assigning them with reference marks and providing means enabling the transmission of data indicative of the mark from the phone device.

Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that various modifications and changes can be applied to the preferred embodiments of the invention as hereinbefore described without departing from its scope defined in and by the appended claims.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A method for guiding a traveler with respect to a specific site utilizing an on-line connection between a communication device and a central station through a communication link, the method comprising the steps of: (a) establishing said on-line connection;

(c) entering the traveler's selection into his communication device to be transmitted to the central station; (d) in response to the data indicative of the traveler's selection, operating with a corresponding operational mode to utilize a central database at the central station and generate a data message indicative of said data to be supplied to the traveler;

(e) translating the generated data into a resulting message of said format selected by the traveler for guiding him with respect to the selected site, and transmitting said resulting message to the traveler.

2. The method according to Claim 1, comprising the step of:

- providing the traveler with a telephone user interface enabling him to make the selection and to enter his selection into the communication device to be transmitted to the central station.

3. The method according to Claim 1, wherein the traveler utilizes a brochure containing various options to be used by him when connecting to the central station to make his selection.

4. The method according to Claim 1, comprising the step of identifying a current location of the traveler, while calling said central station.

5. The method according to Claim 4, wherein the operational mode consists of providing the traveler with a route for reaching said selected site from said current location of the traveler.

6. The method according to Claim 1, wherein the operational mode consists of providing the traveler with information regarding said specific site.

7. The method according to Claim 6, wherein said specific site is located in the vicinity of a current location of the traveler, the method further comprising the step of identifying a current location of the traveler while calling said central station.

8. The method according to Claim 1, wherein said communication device is a private telephone device.

9. The method according to Claim 1, wherein said communication device is a public telephone device.

10. The method according to Claim 1, wherein said communication device is a mobile phone device.

11. The method according to Claim 8 or 9, comprising the step of identifying a current location of the traveler, while calling the central station.

12. The method according to Claim 11 , wherein the identification comprises :

- identifying a phone number of the telephone device; and

- utilizing data contained in said central database for determining a geographical location corresponding to said phone number.

13. The method according to Claim 10, comprising the step of identifying a current location of the traveler, while calling the central station.

14. The method according to Claim 13, wherein the identification comprises:

- supplying by the traveler e reference mark indicative of his current location; and

- utilizing data contained in said central database for determining a geographical location corresponding to said reference mark.

15. The method according to Claim 14, wherein said reference mark is an identification code issued on a sign accommodated in the vicinity of the communication device so as to be noticeable by the traveler.

16. The method according to Claim 14, wherein said reference mark is a phone number of a public telephone device issued thereon, wherein the public telephone device is accommodated in the vicinity of the traveler so as to be noticeable by him.

17. The method according to Claim 1, wherein said data indicative of the traveler's selection is entered as dialed tones.

18. The method according to Claim 1, wherein said data indicative of the traveler's selection is entered as voice data, the method comprising the step of voice recognition performed at the central database in response to the entered voice data.

19. The method according to Claim 1, further comprising the step of selecting by the traveler a language for communication with the central station.

20. The method according to Claim 19, wherein the selected language is that in which the traveler wishes to obtain the resulting message.

21. A system for guiding a traveler with respect to a specific site, the system comprising:

(i) a communication device operable by the traveler to establish an on-line connection with a central station through a communication link; (ii) identification means enabling identification of a current geographical location of the traveler while calling the central station;

22. The system according to Claim 21, wherein said communication device is a private telephone device.

23. The system according to Claim 21, wherein said communication device is a public telephone device.

24. The system according to Claim 21, wherein said communication device is a mobile phone device.

25. The system according to Claim 22 or 23, wherein said identification means includes a communication utility installed in the central station and capable of identifying a phone number of the telephone device used by the traveler to connect to the central station.

26. The system according to Claim 23, wherein said identification means includes a reference mark located so as to be noticeable by the traveler, data indicative of said reference mark being entered by the traveler into his mobile phone device.

27. The system according to Claim 26, wherein said reference mark is an identification code assigned to said current location and registered in said central database, wherein said identification code is issued on a sign located in the vicinity of the traveler.

28. The system according to Claim 26, wherein said reference mark is a phone number of a public telephone located in the vicinity of the traveler.

29. A central station to which various communication devices are cormectable through telephone communication lines, wherein the central station comprises: - a central database containing data indicative of geographical locations of and information about various sites, data indicative of various geographical locations each associated with a corresponding identification code, and data indicative of connections between the various sites; - an identification unit capable of identifying a current location of the communication device generating an incoming call;

- a translation unit for carrying out voice-to-data and data-to-voice translation; and. - a processing unit capable of generating data to be supplied to the traveler from said data contained in the central database; said central station being responsive to the incoming call initiated by a traveler from the communication device for identifying the geographical location of said traveler; for providing a telephone interface that enables the traveler to select an operational mode of the central station that defines said data to be supplied to the traveler and a specific site included in said various sites; and for utilizing at least a part of the data contained in the central database to generate a resulting message indicative of said data to be supplied to the traveler.