WO2013107824A1

WO2013107824A1 - Vehicle telematics system and method

Info

Publication number: WO2013107824A1
Application number: PCT/EP2013/050855
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ashutosh Tomar
Original assignee: Jaguar Land Rover Limited
Priority date: 2012-01-20
Filing date: 2013-01-17
Publication date: 2013-07-25
Also published as: GB201200937D0; GB2498554A

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention provide a vehicle telematics system comprising a display portion and a user input portion, the vehicle telematics system being operable to receive data comprising text for display on the display portion and to allow a user to select at least a portion of a displayed text received by the vehicle telematics system, wherein the system is operable to trigger a local search function responsive to selection of text by a user and wherein the system is further configured automatically to submit at least a portion of the selected text to a search engine, the search engine being configured to perform a search in respect of the submitted text for one or more entities corresponding to the submitted text that are located in a geographical area associated with a reference geographical location.

Description

VEHICLE TELEMATICS SYSTEM AND METHOD

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a vehicle telematics system and to a method of operation of a vehicle telematics system.

BACKGROUND

It is known to provide an in-car navigation system for assisting a driver in reaching a required destination. Known systems allow a driver to select a destination and provide route guidance information to the driver in graphical and audio format.

Some known systems are operable to run other software applications in addition to a navigation application, such as a telephone call application allowing a user to make and receive telephone calls, a web browsing application, an audio system control application for running an in-car audio system, a messaging application allowing short message service (SMS) messages to be sent and received and an email application allowing email messages to be sent and received. The system may interface with a user's mobile telecommunications device such as a smartphone in order to make and receive phone calls and send or receive SMS or email messages.

Some systems are adapted for wired or wireless connection with a user's mobile device, for example using short range radio communications.

STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the invention may be understood by reference to the appended claims.

Aspects of the invention provide a vehicle telematics system, a vehicle and a method as claimed in the appended claims.

In another aspect of the invention for which protection is sought there is provided a vehicle telematics system comprising:

a display portion; and

a user input portion, the vehicle telematics system being operable to receive data comprising text for display on the display portion and to allow a user to select at least a portion of a displayed text received by the vehicle telematics system,

wherein the vehicle telematics system is operable to trigger a local search function responsive to selection of text by a user wherein the device is configured automatically to submit at least a portion of the selected text to a search engine, the search engine being configured to perform a search in respect of the submitted text for one or more entities corresponding to the submitted text that are located in a geographical area associated with a reference geographical location.

Embodiments of the invention have the advantage that a user is able to undertake a local search function without being required manually to input text to be searched or location data into a search function of the vehicle telematics system, or to copy and paste text to be searched from one application to another.

Thus if a user wishes to search for a location of an entity the user is able to trigger the search function without being required manually to launch an internet browser application, access a search engine and enter search data into the search engine to seek location information.

Embodiments of the invention have the advantage that a workload on a user may be reduced (by reducing manual interaction with the vehicle telematics system) and user enjoyment of the vehicle telematics system may be enhanced.

Advantageously the vehicle telematics system may be further operable automatically to provide navigation information to a user thereby to assist a user in navigating to a location of an entity identified by one selected from amongst a search engine and selection of text by a user.

This feature has the advantage that once location information is available a user is not required to write down or remember location information identified by a search engine or user selection of text displayed on the display portion, or use a copy and paste functionality, launch a navigation application and enter location information into the navigation application.

In one example, if a user displays a short message service (SMS) message in an SMS application and finds text that they would like to submit to a search engine to obtain location information, the user does not need to write down or remember location information in the SMS message and then re-enter the data. Rather, the system is configured automatically to submit selected text to the search engine.

In some embodiments, a user may be given an option to submit text displayed on the display portion directly to a navigation application instead of performing a local search function. Thus text identified by a user may be submitted to the navigation application.

Further advantageously the vehicle telematics system may be operable automatically to identify text displayed by the vehicle telematics system corresponding to one or more prescribed text classes and to provide an indication to a user of a location on the display of text corresponding to the one or more prescribed text classes.

This text may be described as text that is 'made active' (user selectable) automatically by the vehicle telematics system. The text may be made active for example by parsing the text and determining that the text corresponds to a prescribed text class. Examples of text that may be made active automatically in some embodiments might be a telephone number or an email address.

It is to be understood that some text may be received by the vehicle telematics system that is already 'active text' in the sense that one or more identifiers are associated with the text as received indicating that the text is user-selectable. The received text may for example correspond to a hyperlink associated with a webpage downloaded by the vehicle telematics system.

Optionally the vehicle telematics system is operable to provide the indication of the location on the display of text corresponding to the one or more prescribed text classes by one selected from amongst underlining text, highlighting text, emboldening text, changing a colour of text and enlarging text.

Advantageously the one or more prescribed text classes may include one selected from amongst a telephone number, a universal resource locator (URL) address, a geographical address or portion thereof, an email address, a name of a natural person and a name of a legal entity. The vehicle telematics system may be operable to determine whether a number, a name, an address or any other data displayed on the display screen corresponds to data stored by the vehicle telematics system such as data stored in a contacts database. In the event displayed data does correspond to data stored by the vehicle telematics system or available to the vehicle telematics system from a connected device such as a paired mobile phone the vehicle telematics system may be arranged to provide a user with an option to navigate to an address associated with the contact. Thus for example in the event a name or telephone number of an entity displayed on the display portion corresponds to that of an entity stored in a database of the vehicle telematics system the vehicle telematics system may be arranged to determine whether address data is provided in respect of that entity. If address data is provided the vehicle telematics system may be operable to provide the user with assistance in navigating to an address corresponding to the address data.

Advantageously the one or more prescribed text classes may include a telephone number, wherein if a selected text includes a telephone number the vehicle telematics system is operable to trigger a telephone call function of the vehicle telematics system.

Advantageously the vehicle telematics system may be operable to invite a user to make a telephone call to a telephone number included in a selected text.

Further advantageously the vehicle telematics system may be operable to determine whether a selected text corresponds to searchable text being text for which a search may be conducted, in the event selected text does not correspond to searchable text the device being operable not to trigger a local search.

Optionally in the event selected text does not correspond to searchable text the device is operable not to invite a user to select the local search function.

Advantageously the local search function may be operable to display location data in respect of an entity identified by the search engine.

Advantageously the vehicle telematics system may be operable to display a list of entities identified by the search engine. Optionally the vehicle telematics system is operable to display the list of entities identified by the search engine in order of one selected from amongst distance and journey time from the reference geographical location.

Advantageously the vehicle telematics system may be operable to allow a user to select the reference geographical location.

Optionally the vehicle telematics system is operable to allow a user to select the reference geographical location as one selected from amongst a current location of the vehicle telematics system and a user selected location.

Optionally a user selected location is a user selected destination location, the vehicle telematics system being operable to provide navigational data to a user to allow a user to navigate to a selected destination location.

Advantageously the vehicle telematics system may be operable to display text corresponding to at least one selected from amongst text contained in a smart messaging service (SMS) text message, an email message, content available at a universal resource locator (URL) address and data stored in a contacts database.

It is to be understood that by data stored in a contacts database is included data in respect of a name of a contact and information allowing communication to be establishes with the contact.

The vehicle telematics system may be operable to access text stored in an external device.

Advantageously the vehicle telematics system may be operable to access text stored in a computing device. The computing device may comprise a mobile computing device, or a computing device with a substantially fixed location such as a desktop computer. The computing device may be accessed using wired communications, or wireless communication such as Bluetooth™, a wireless local area network or any other suitable form of communications.

Advantageously the vehicle telematics system may be operable to access text stored in one or more selected from amongst a mobile communications device and a mobile computing device. It is to be understood that a mobile communications device may also be a mobile computing device such as a smart phone.

The vehicle telematics system may be operable to allow a user to select at least a portion of a displayed text received by the vehicle telematics system by providing an indication to the vehicle telematics system of a location of text to be selected on the display portion.

Text that is not already active when it is received by the vehicle telematics system, and which is not made active automatically by the vehicle telematics system in response to parsing or other processing of text by the vehicle telematics system, may thus be made active by manual user selection of text.

The indication of the location of the text may be provided to the vehicle telematics system by touching a touchscreen, by means of a mouse, or any other input means.

Advantageously the vehicle telematics system may be operable to allow a user to select at least a portion of a displayed text received by the vehicle telematics system by inputting a start location of a portion of selected text and an end location of a portion of selected text on the display portion.

Advantageously the vehicle telematics system may be operable to parse selected text thereby to determine whether the text corresponds to text for which a search may be conducted.

Optionally if the vehicle telematics system determines that the text does correspond to text for which a search may be conducted the vehicle telematics system is operable to trigger the local search function.

The vehicle telematics system may be operable to parse selected text thereby to determine whether the text corresponds to text responsive to which the vehicle telematics system may provide navigational data to a user to allow a user to navigate to a destination location corresponding to the selected text. Thus if the selected text corresponds to address data the vehicle telematics system determines whether the vehicle telematics system may provide navigation data to allow the user to navigate to a location corresponding to the address data.

In a further aspect of the invention there is provided a vehicle comprising a telematics system according to the preceding aspect.

In a still further aspect of the invention there is provided a method comprising:

receiving data comprising text for display on a display portion of a vehicle telematics system and allowing a user to select at least a portion of a displayed text;

triggering a local search function whereby at least a portion of selected text is submitted to a search engine, the search engine being configured to perform a search in respect of the submitted text for one or more entities corresponding to the submitted text that are located in a geographical area associated with a reference geographical location.

Advantageously the method further comprises providing automatically navigation information to a user thereby to assist a user in navigating to a location of an entity identified by the search engine.

Within the scope of this application it is expressly intended that the various aspects, embodiments, examples and alternatives set out in the preceding paragraphs, in the claims and/or in the following description and drawings, and in particular the individual features thereof, may be taken independently or in any combination. Features described in connection with one embodiment are applicable to all embodiments, unless such features are incompatible.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic illustration of a cockpit of a motor vehicle according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 2 illustrates screen shots taken from apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention; and FIGURE 3 illustrates schematically a hierarchy of software applications implemented by apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows a cockpit 1 of a motor vehicle having apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention installed therein. The apparatus 100 has a display screen 1 10 in the form of a touch-sensitive display screen configured to communicate with a controller 120. The controller 120 is connected to an antenna 130 by means of which the controller 120 is arranged to send and receive data by means of a mobile telecommunications network.

The controller 120 is coupled to a mobile telecommunications device cradle 140 to which a user's mobile telecommunications device 145 may be connected. The controller 120 is configured to communicate with the mobile device 145 to make and receive telephone calls and send and receive SMS messages and email messages via the mobile device 145. In some embodiments the apparatus 100 is itself able to make and receive telephone calls and send and receive SMS messages and email messages without being connected to a user's mobile device 145.

In some embodiments the controller 120 is operable to communicate with a user's mobile device 145 by means of a short range radio connection such as a Bluetooth (RTM) connection or any other suitable connection.

The controller 120 provides a variety of different functions to a user by running software applications configured to implement required functions. The software applications include a phone call application by means of which the controller 120 may allow a user to make a telephone call via their mobile device 145. The controller 120 is operable to allow a user to access data stored in an address book (or contact database) of their mobile device 145, select a contact to telephone and then facilitate the phone call. The controller 120 is connected to an audio system 8 of the vehicle to allow a user to hear a voice of a caller during a telephone call and a microphone 121 arranged to detect a voice of a user and generate a corresponding audio signal. The controller 120 is also operable to run an SMS application in which the apparatus 100 displays an SMS message received by the user's device 145 on the display screen 1 10. The controller 120 is also operable to run a corresponding email application.

In addition, the controller 120 is operable to run a browser application in which the controller 120 is operable to access a website such as a news website, a shopping website, an entertainment website or any other website.

It is to be understood that applications run by the controller 120 provide user-selectable control functions to allow a user to interact with the application. The control functions are selected by means of softkeys 1 1 OK displayed on the display screen 1 10. In some alternative embodiments the control functions may be selected by means of physical hardkeys provided in a panel around the display screen 1 10 and/or a steering wheel 5 of the vehicle.

In addition to user-selectable control functions that are part of a given application, the controller 120 is configured to parse text to be displayed on the display screen 1 10 when an application is running. The controller 120 is adapted to detect patterns of text corresponding to prescribed categories of text. In the present embodiment the controller 120 is operable to detect text corresponding to a telephone number (being text belonging to a telephone number text category), a street address (being text belonging to a street address text category), a universal resource locator (URL) address (being text belonging to a URL text category), an email address (being text belonging to an email address text category) and a name of an entity. Reference to an entity includes reference to a natural or legal person such as a company, a place or the like.

If text in one of these categories is detected the controller 120 is configured to display the text on the display screen 1 10 in a prescribed hyperlink format. In the present embodiment the hyperlink format corresponds to underlined text displayed in a prescribed font colour such as a blue font colour. Other formats are also useful for displaying hyperlinked text.

If a user selects text in a hyperlink format the controller 120 is configured to highlight the selected text and provide the user with a choice of functions to be implemented. It is to be understood that the controller 120 is therefore operable to allow text that does not correspond directly to a user-selectable control function implemented by an application (so- called 'inactive text') to be made 'active' by detecting text that belongs to a prescribed category and making the text active by associating a control function with that text.

In a case where the user has selected text belonging to the telephone number text category the controller 120 is arranged to display on the display device 1 10 a user-selectable button bearing the word PhoneCall. If a user selects this button, the controller 120 is configured to submit the telephone number to a telephone call application and the controller 120 automatically controls the user's mobile device 145 to dial the selected number. Thus it is to be understood that the controller 120 is operable to port data between applications and to trigger different applications to run in dependence on user interaction with a given application.

The controller 120 may be operable to parse text to be displayed by any application (including the SMS application, email application, browser application or any other application run by the controller 120) and to 'activate' text corresponding to one of the prescribed text categories as described above.

FIG. 2(a) is a screenshot taken from the apparatus 100 of FIG. 1 whilst running an email application. The screenshot shows a text box 21 1 in which a text content of an email message is displayed. The controller 120 is arranged to parse all text content of data received by the apparatus 100 for display, including the text content of email messages displayed. In the example shown in FIG. 2(a) the message contains a street address and a telephone number. The controller 120 detects one or more patterns in the text for display and detects the presence of the street address and telephone number. The controller 120 therefore controls the display screen 1 10 to display the street address and telephone number in a hyperlink format. The hyperlink format is a format in which the text is underlined and displayed in a different colour font to the remainder of the message. Other arrangements are also useful, such as other formats for displaying text in a user-selectable or hyperlink format.

In the example shown, a user has selected the telephone number hyperlink by touching the screen at the location of a portion of the telephone number hyperlink. In response, the controller 120 has displayed a user-selectable button 213 bearing the word PhoneCall. The controller 120 has also highlighted the selected telephone number hyperlink by changing a background colour of the text corresponding to the telephone number instead of displaying the number in hyperlink format, as shown at 212. This feature has the advantage that a user is able readily to identify text that will be submitted to the telephone call application. This feature is particularly useful where a plurality of telephone numbers are displayed on the display screen 1 10, allowing a user to verify that they have selected the required number.

If a user now selects the button 213, the controller 120 is arranged to submit the telephone number to a telephone call application.

It is to be understood that this feature has the advantage that a user is not required to write down the telephone number on a piece of paper, exit the email application, launch the telephone call application and type the telephone number into the telephone call application in order to telephone the displayed number.

If instead of selecting the telephone number hyperlink the user selects the street address, the controller 120 controls the display device 1 10 to highlight the street address as shown at 214 in FIG. 2(b).

Since the controller 120 has determined that the text is text in a street address category the controller offers a user an option to navigate to the street address or to perform a local search in respect of the street address. These options are presented in the form of two user-selectable buttons 215, 217. One button 215 bears the word Navigation whilst the other bears the word LocalSearch.

If a user selects the Navigation button 215 the controller 120 is arranged to submit the street address information to a navigation application configured to provide route guidance information to a user to enable the user to navigate to the street address. The navigation application may for example employ a postcode if a postcode is contained in the street address in order to determine a destination. In the absence of a postcode the application may employ a building name or number, street name, area name and/or any other suitable information in order to determine a destination.

If a user selects the LocalSearch button 217 the controller 120 is configured to launch a localsearch application. The localsearch application is arranged in turn to submit the text to an internet search engine application and to display on the screen information in respect of entities corresponding to the text submitted to the search engine that are within a geographical area local to a reference location. The apparatus 100 is operable to define the reference location as one of (i) a current geographical location of the vehicle; (ii) a currently selected destination of the vehicle in a navigation application if a destination has been selected; and (iii) any other reference location.

The controller 120 may be operable to allow a user to select a size of the geographical area local to the reference location. In some embodiments the controller 120 may be arranged to perform a search in the area local to the reference location and return a list containing at least a prescribed number of entities corresponding to the search that are closest to the reference location, rather than returning a list of entities within a prescribed distance from the reference location, such as 1 mile, 5 miles, 10 miles or any other suitable distance.

In some embodiments a controller 120 is operable to allow a user to select text displayed on the display screen 1 10 that has not been determined by the controller 120 to correspond to one of the prescribed text categories (i.e. which has not been made 'active')?. Once selected, the controller 120 may be operable to display the LocalSearch button 217. If a user selects the LocalSearch button 217 the controller 120 may be operable to submit the selected text to the localsearch application as described above.

Thus in the example shown in FIG. 2(a), a user may select the word 'hotel' in the body of the email message and perform a search in respect of that word with respect to a reference location.

In some embodiments, where a user selects an address (either an address highlighted automatically by the controller 120 or that is highlighted by a user selection of text to be highlighted) the controller 120 may be arranged to provide a navigation option to the user (by displaying navigation button 215) in addition to or instead of offering the localsearch function.

In some embodiments, if a user selects text corresponding to a location, the controller 120 is operable to offer the localsearch function to the user, where the reference location associated with the localsearch function is that of the selected address.

It is to be understood that in some embodiments other options are useful in addition or instead.

FIG. 2(c) is a screenshot taken from the display device 1 10 after performing a localsearch function for a particular type of entity in a geographical area local to a current location of the vehicle. The controller 120 controlled the display device 1 10 to display a list of entities in the geographical area one of which was selected by the user. In response, the controller 120 controls the display device 1 10 to display an address of the entity in a text box 219 and a map 221 showing a location of the entity. In the example shown the map is a map obtained via a Google Maps (RTM) internet search engine.

The controller 120 recognises that text provided by the search engine contains text in the telephone number text category. Responsive to this recognition the controller 120 displays a user-selectable button 223 bearing a graphical symbol representing a telephone handset. If a user selects the button 223 the controller 120 submits the telephone number to the telephone call application and a telephone call to the listed number is facilitated. The controller 120 may recognise that the text provided by the search engine contains text in the telephone number text category because a predefined data field in the response provided by the search engine is populated, i.e. it contains data, rather than parsing the content of the data field in order to determine that a telephone number is to be displayed.

The controller 120 also recognises that text provided by the search engine employed contains text in a street address category. The controller 120 may recognise the presence of a street address because a street address data field contains text. Alternatively or in addition the controller 120 may recognise the presence of a street address by parsing the address text and recognising that the text corresponds to text in the street address category. Responsive to this recognition the controller 120 displays a user selectable navigation button 225 bearing a graphical symbol corresponding to a navigation application. If a user selects the navigation button 225 the controller submits the street address text to the navigation application which is configured to provide route guidance information to a user to allow the user to navigate to the street address.

FIG. 2(d) is a screenshot taken from the display device 1 10 after a user has launched the localsearch application independently of any other applications. The user has submitted the search term 'parking' to the application. The user has selected the reference geographical location in respect of the search to be the current location of the vehicle. This information is displayed in the form of two buttons, a search term button 231 , a reference geographical location button 233 and a search trigger button 235. If a user selects the search term button 231 the user is provided with an option to enter new text for a search. A keyboard or other means for entering new text for a search may be displayed if the user selects the search term button 231 . If the user selects the location button 233 the user is provided with an option to select a new reference geographical location for a search. Options include (i) set the reference location to be the current location of the vehicle; (ii) set the reference location to be the destination location; and (iii) set the reference location to be a new location. If a user selects to enter a new location the user is invited to submit a new geographical location to be the reference location. If the user selects the search button 235 the localsearch application performs the selected search.

The screenshot of FIG. 2(d) was taken after the localsearch application searched for entities associated with the term 'parking' in a geographical area local to a current location of the vehicle. The display device 1 10 has been controlled to display a list of entities identified.

An identifier associated with each entity (such as a name of the entity if available) and a distance of the entity from the current location of the vehicle is displayed on the display device 1 10 superimposed on a user-selectable button 237, one button 237 for each entity found in the search. If there is insufficient space on the display device 1 10 to display all the entities found the controller 120 allows a user to scroll the list of entities.

The user-selectable button 237 bearing the name of the entity also bears the symbol 7 indicating that if a user selects the button 237 they will be provided with information about the entity. The information displayed responsive to selection of the button 237 may include further content downloaded by the localsearch application in respect of the entity.

To the right of each button 237 a further button 239 is provided bearing the graphical symbol corresponding to the navigation application. If a user selects this button 239 the controller 120 submits location information in respect of the selected entity to the navigation application. The navigation application is configured to provide route guidance information to a user to allow the user to navigate to the street address associated with the entity.

FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of an application layer 300 of the apparatus 100 of FIG. 1 . The apparatus 100 is operable to run software applications five of which are shown schematically in FIG. 3. These are a navigation application 31 1 , an internet browser application 313, a telephone call application 315, an SMS application 317 and an email application 319. We can increase the scope here either by adding news, finance, calendar and contacts or by saying any application that displays information in form of text. The applications 31 1 -319 are operable to communicate with a coordinator application 321 which is in turn operable to communicate with an external mobile telecommunications network 331 which may for example be a cellular network.

The coordinator application 321 is operable to allow applications 31 1 -319 to access the network 331 when required. Incoming data is parsed by the coordinator application 321 in order to detect categories of text for display on the display screen 1 10. In the case of html data the html data is handled by an html handler.

When text corresponding to a recognised text category is detected the coordinator application 321 inserts identifiers in the received text data bracketing the recognised text data. The presence of the identifiers enables the SMS application 317, email application 319 and browser application 313 to detect the presence of text of a particular category and provide a corresponding indication to a user when required. Furthermore, if a user selects displayed text of a particular category the applications 317, 319 are able to determine whether to offer a user an option to make a phone call or to offer a user an option to perform either a local search or navigate to a selected location, depending on the category of recognised text as described above.

The coordinator application 321 also passes data between applications. Thus in the event a user accepts an invitation to make a telephone call by selecting a telephone number displayed in an SMS message or email message, the coordinator application 321 is configured to launch the telephone call application 315 (if not already running) and submits the telephone number displayed by the SMS application 317 or email application 319 to the telephone call application 315.

It is to be understood that embodiments of the invention advantageously provide a controller that is configured to allow data to be transferred between otherwise substantially independent software applications in a manner that is substantially seamless to a user, allowing enhanced functionality and user enjoyment. Reference to substantially independent applications is to be understood to mean applications that are not otherwise configured to allow transfer to data therebetween.

Embodiments of the invention allow a user to trigger automatically a search for location information in respect of text displayed on a display device. Some embodiments also allow a new software application to be triggered responsive to search information obtained by a search without a requirement manually to input data obtained by means of a search into a new application. Rather, the search terms are ported automatically between applications. Thus, data obtained from a search may be ported automatically from a search application into another application to allow the other application to use the data to perform a further function (such as a navigation or telephone call function).

Embodiments of the invention are particularly advantageous in motor vehicle applications where a passenger of a vehicle may be under pressure to obtain information quickly, particularly if a vehicle is travelling whilst the apparatus is operated.

Throughout the description and claims of this specification, the words "comprise" and "contain" and variations of the words, for example "comprising" and "comprises", means "including but not limited to", and is not intended to (and does not) exclude other moieties, additives, components, integers or steps.

Throughout the description and claims of this specification, the singular encompasses the plural unless the context otherwise requires. In particular, where the indefinite article is used, the specification is to be understood as contemplating plurality as well as singularity, unless the context requires otherwise.

Features, integers, characteristics, compounds, chemical moieties or groups described in conjunction with a particular aspect, embodiment or example of the invention are to be understood to be applicable to any other aspect, embodiment or example described herein unless incompatible therewith.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1 . A vehicle telematics system comprising:

a display portion; and

a user input portion,

the vehicle telematics system being operable to receive data comprising text for display on the display portion and to allow a user to select at least a portion of a displayed text received by the vehicle telematics system,

2. A vehicle telematics system as claimed in claim 1 further operable automatically to provide navigation information to a user thereby to assist a user in navigating to a location of an entity identified by one selected from amongst a search engine and selection of text by a user.

3. A vehicle telematics system as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 operable automatically to identify text displayed by the vehicle telematics system corresponding to one or more prescribed text classes and to provide an indication to a user of a location on the display of text corresponding to the one or more prescribed text classes.

4. A vehicle telematics system as claimed in claim 3 operable to provide the indication of the location on the display of text corresponding to the one or more prescribed text classes by one selected from amongst underlining text, highlighting text, emboldening text, changing a colour of text and enlarging text.

5. A vehicle telematics system as claimed in claim 3 or claim 4 wherein the one or more prescribed text classes are or include one selected from amongst a telephone number, a universal resource locator (URL) address, a geographical address or portion thereof, an email address, a name of a natural person and a name of a legal entity.

6. A vehicle telematics system as claimed in claim 5 wherein the one or more prescribed text classes include a telephone number, wherein if a selected text includes a telephone number the vehicle telematics system is operable to trigger a telephone call function of the vehicle telematics system.

7. A vehicle telematics system as claimed in claim 5 or claim 6 operable to invite a user to make a telephone call to a telephone number included in a selected text.

8. A vehicle telematics system as claimed in any preceding claim operable to determine whether a selected text corresponds to searchable text being text for which a search may be conducted, in the event selected text does not correspond to searchable text the device being operable not to trigger a local search.

9. A vehicle telematics system as claimed in claim 8 wherein in the event selected text does not correspond to searchable text the device is operable not to invite a user to select the local search function.

10. A vehicle telematics system as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the local search function is operable to display location data in respect of an entity identified by the search engine.

1 1 . A vehicle telematics system as claimed in claim 10 operable to display a list of entities identified by the search engine.

12. A vehicle telematics system as claimed in claim 1 1 operable to display the list of entities identified by the search engine in order of one selected from amongst distance and journey time from the reference geographical location.

13. A vehicle telematics system as claimed in any preceding claim operable to allow a user to select the reference geographical location.

14. A vehicle telematics system as claimed in claim 13 operable to allow a user to select the reference geographical location as one selected from amongst a current location of the apparatus and a user selected location.

15. A vehicle telematics system as claimed in claim 14 wherein a user selected location is a user selected destination location, the apparatus being operable to provide navigational data to a user to allow a user to navigate to a selected destination location.

16. A vehicle telematics system as claimed in any preceding claim operable to display text corresponding to at least one selected from amongst text contained in a smart messaging service (SMS) text message, an email message, content available at a universal resource locator (URL) address and data stored in a contacts database.

17. A vehicle telematics system as claimed in any preceding claim operable to access text stored in an external device.

18. A vehicle telematics system as claimed in claim 17 operable to access text stored in one or more selected from amongst a mobile communications device and a mobile computing device.

19. A vehicle telematics system as claimed in any preceding claim operable to allow a user to select at least a portion of a displayed text received by the apparatus by providing an indication to the apparatus of a location of text to be selected on the display portion.

20. A vehicle telematics system as claimed in any preceding claim operable to allow a user to select at least a portion of a displayed text received by the apparatus by inputting a start location of a portion of selected text and an end location of a portion of selected text on the display portion.

21 . A vehicle telematics system as claimed in claim 19 or 20 operable to parse selected text thereby to determine whether the text corresponds to text for which a search may be conducted.

22. A vehicle telematics system as claimed in claim 21 wherein if the apparatus determines that the text does correspond to text for which a search may be conducted the apparatus is operable to trigger the local search function.

23. A vehicle telematics system as claimed in claim 21 or 22 operable to parse selected text thereby to determine whether the text corresponds to text responsive to which the apparatus may provide navigational data to a user to allow a user to navigate to a destination location corresponding to the selected text.

24. A vehicle comprising a vehicle telematics system as claimed in any preceding claim.

25. A method comprising:

receiving data comprising text for display on a display portion of a vehicle telematics system and allowing a user to select at least a portion of a displayed text received by the vehicle telematics system;

responsive to selection of text by a user, triggering a local search function whereby at least a portion of selected text is submitted automatically to a search engine, the search engine being configured to perform a search in respect of the submitted text for one or more entities corresponding to the submitted text that are located in a geographical area associated with a reference geographical location.

26. A method as claimed in claim 25 further comprising providing automatically navigation information to a user thereby to assist a user in navigating to a location of an entity identified by one selected from amongst the search engine and selection of text by a user.

27. A computer program comprising computer program code means adapted to perform the steps of any one of claims 25 or 26 when the program is run on a computer.

28. A computer program as claimed in claim 27 embodied on a computer readable medium.

29. An apparatus, a vehicle telematics system, a vehicle or a method constructed and/or arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.