WO2023062554A1

WO2023062554A1 - A software system for suggesting to a user points of interest in proximity of a parking area of his own vehicle

Info

Publication number: WO2023062554A1
Application number: PCT/IB2022/059772
Authority: WO
Inventors: Carlo Alberto SCIUTO; Giuseppe PATANE'
Original assignee: Accurami S.r.l.
Priority date: 2021-10-12
Filing date: 2022-10-12
Publication date: 2023-04-20
Also published as: IT202100026063A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method through which a user makes a payment of a parking, by means of a dedicated application in his own mobile device.A GPS system detects the position and enables the App to indicate points of interest in proximity of the detected position to the user.

Description

TITLE

A SOFTWARE SYSTEM FOR SUGGESTING TO A USER POINTS OF INTEREST IN PROXIMITY OF A PARKING AREA OF HIS OWN VEHICLE

Scope of the invention

[001] The subject-matter of the present invention is a method and a corresponding software application which executes this method, to search for and to retrieve one or more points of interest in the area in which a user parks his own car or means of transport in general, such as also boats or road motor vehicles, for example wheeled ones, such as with two wheels or more wheels.

[002] In particular, the invention relates to an innovative method, and corresponding software application for mobile device, which enables the user who pays a parking through his own dedicated application to receive electronic information relative to possible points of interest that are located in the neighborhood of the parking slot.

Brief outline of prior art

[003] It is known that who travels a lot by car or by motorbike has then the need to park it.

[004] Car parks in city areas are often managed by payment slots (i.e. delimited parking areas) , such as the well- known blue lines.

[005] The payment can be made through a specific dedicated machine that emits the paper slip or through a dedicated App . for mobile telephone device.

[006] In all cases, above all when one finds himself in new and unknown cities, available information concerning possible points of interest that are present in the area in proximity of the parking area could be useful at the time of parking.

[007] Currently, systems that enable to acquire such information in an adaptable and simple way seem not to be known, except for searching online manually.

Summary of the invention

[008] Therefore, the aim of the present invention is to provide a method that enables to solve at least partially the aforesaid technical issues.

[009] In particular, the aim of the present invention is to provide a method that enables to receive useful information with reference to possible points of interest positioned in the neighborhood of the parking slot, when paying a parking.

[0010] In this way, the user who acquires such information can possibly select and take advantage of one or more of these points of interest by acquiring information and indications to reach them.

[0011] These and other aims are achieved with the present method executed through software application (App. ) for mobile telephone device, according to claim 1.

[0012] This method comprises the following phases:

[0013] Arranging a mobile phone device (10) on which a software application (App.) is installed for managing the payment of a parking of a means of transport;

[0014] The mobile phone device can obviously be of any brand or type, on condition that it can download and run the traditional software applications (App.) available on the market ;

[0015] Paying the parking through the activation of said software application (App) ;

[0016] According to the invention, after the activation of said software application, said software application requires a geo-localization;

[0017] The geo-localization is preferably that of the mobile device on which the Application is installed;

[0018] A geo-localization of the parked means of transport is not excluded;

[0019] A reception of said geo-localization follows;

[0020] Therefore, a processing of the geo-localization follows in such a way as to obtain one or more points of interest located in a specific neighborhood of said position (X, Y, Z) of determined geo-localization;

[0021] A displaying of said points of interest follows.

[0022] In this way, all the above-mentioned technical drawbacks are readily resolved.

[0023] In particular, thanks to this geo-localization, the application determines univocally the user' s position and can thus search for any points of interest within a certain range of action, through the connection to the Internet.

[0024] Therefore, the user can take advantage of such information freely without being compelled to search on the Internet in a dispersive way.

[0025] Advantageously, said software application requires said geo-localization after an activation thereof.

[0026] Therefore, when the user accesses the application, it requires the geo-localization subsequently.

[0027] For example, said software application can require said geo-localization after the execution of the payment step of the parking.

[0028] In this way, at the moment when the user pays the parking, the software application requires and then receives the user's position.

[0029] In this way, the position is obtained when it is certain that the user will stop for a certain timespan in that predetermined area.

[0030] Advantageously, therefore, said software Application connects to a satellite system to receive said geolocalization . [0031] In particular, advantageously, the software

Application reads the position of the mobile device on which it is installed by using the GPS of the same mobile device on which it is installed.

[0032] The GPS system of the mobile device acquires the position and the App reads this position.

[0033] As a function of the performed geo-localization (in particular, read by the App) , the application searches for one or more points of interest in the area through the Internet .

[0034] The points of interest are preset and can be selectable (one or more points by the user) and can relate to commercial businesses in general such as shops, shopping centers, museums, mechanics, restaurants, etc.

[0035] The user can possibly select one or more of them in advance .

[0036] Advantageously, according to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, said software Application, before finding one or more points of interest, can connect to the internet to one or more websites surfed by the user.

[0037] In this way, it can analyze one or more contents, for example pages of online commercial products seen by the user .

[0038] In this way, it can determine an electronic list of elements of interest of the user, for example cars, travels, museums, etc.

[0039] The refore, advantageously, a score can be assigned to said elements of interest in ascending order in respect to which the search for points of interest is executed.

[0040] In this way, advantageously, said points of interest can be correlated, and therefore function, with (of) said elements of interest.

[0041] This means that, once one or more elements of interest have been determined, the application can search for the existence of businesses correlated with such elements of interest in the neighborhood of the point of geolocalization .

[0042] Therefore, if cars or sport equipment are present among the element of interest, the search can be also or exclusively directed to these elements of interest, i.e. in this example sport equipment (sport shops) and or travel agencies .

[0043] The refore, the application can access websites to which the user is registered, such as Fb .

[0044 ] Advantageously, according to all the described configurations, a supporting server (100) which communicates with said Software Application and receives said coordinates of geo-localization can be comprised.

[0045] Advantageously, said supporting server can be programmed to execute a search of one or more points of interest as a function of the received coordinates of geolocalization and to send said one or more points of interest to the Software Application so that they are displayed on the mobile phone device.

[0046] Here is also described a software application downloadable on mobile telephone device to execute the operations of the method according to one or more of the previous features described above.

[0047] Advantageously, a score is assigned to said points of interest and said points of interest are correlated to elements of interest.

[0048] Here is also described a mobile telephone device comprising a software application to execute one or more operations according to the method described above.

[0049] Here is also described an assembly comprising: [0050] A mobile phone device (10) ;

[0051] A software Application programmed to enable the electronic payment of the parking of a vehicle and installed on said mobile phone device ;

[ 0052 ] A supporting server ( 100 ) set in communication with said software application and programmed to search for one or more points of interest on the internet ;

[ 0053 ] And wherein said assembly is programmed to execute the operations of the method described above .

Brief description of the drawings

[ 0054 ] Further features and advantages of the present method according to the invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments thereof , given only by way of non-exhaustive example , with reference to the attached drawings , wherein :

Figure 1 shows a flowchart and schematizes the main operative phases ;

Figure 2 schematizes a mobile telephone device 10 which, through the speci fic software App, connects to a traditional satellite system of geo-locali zation to receive information about position ( schemati zed as coordinates X , Y, Z ) ;

Figure 3 schemati zes the mobile telephone device with App which receives the coordinates (X, Y, Z ) and that therefore , following the connection to the internet , searches and then displays points of interest ;

Figure 3A is a further speci fication of the architecture of the present invention also comprising a supporting server 100 which supports it and with which said software App communicates ;

Figure 4 shows the possibility of pre-selecting in the App searching parameters of points of interest such as searching range , preferred points of interest , displaying in the map of the selected point of interest , possibility of connection to other websites ; Figure 5 shows how the App . can have access to user' s reserved areas relative to social media or other websites (only with the explicit user's consent) to search for habits and preferences in order to search for commercial businesses corresponding to the found preferences;

Figure 6 finally shows a schematization of flowchart relative to the retrieval of information about the user' s interests such that the App. executes a targeted search.

Description of some preferred embodiments

[0055] Software applications (commonly referred to as "App.", in technical jargon) have been known and existing for a long time and they are dedicated software that can be downloaded on mobile telephone devices. Each App is specific for a certain function therefore by activating it, generally once having signed up for an own dedicated area, it is possible to take advantage of the services.

[0056] The registration entails the insertion of one or more data to identify the user. Then the insertion of a security key (password and/or username) is required each time to log in .

[0057] Many Apps of every type exist and among them the ones that enables to pay the parking in predetermined city areas without being compelled to use the specific ticket machine.

[0058] Above all, this solution has the advantage of enabling the user to pay quickly without having to stand in any queue for the ticket machine.

[0059] In addition, the App. enables to pay exactly for the actual parking period. In addition, at any moment, if the user needs to extend the parking time, he can readily pay the additional fee without being compelled to go again to the machine to collect another ticket.

[0060] Last but not least, the machine emits a ticket for traditional payments that must be exposed on the dashboard and which sometimes can accidentally fall from the dashboard where it is positioned and for this reason the user can risk a fine.

[0061] The use of such electronic Apps does not require any exhibition of a paper ticket.

[0062] Precisely because of these advantages, Apps. dedicated to parking are growing rapidly.

[0063] Therefore, starting from such an App . , the present invention is an evolution thereof.

[0064] In particular, figure 1 shows a flowchart wherein some functioning phases are highlighted according to the present method .

[0065] In correspondence of the activation of the mobile App., through the mobile telephone device, in addition to its traditional functioning, the App requires and retrieves a position of geo-localization.

[0066] The geo-localization is generally relative to the mobile telephone device on which the App is installed.

[0067] Therefore, the coordinates of geo-localization are acquired by the App and used by the App to search for points of interest (POI) that are located within a predetermined range of action.

[0068] As mentioned, the geo-localization is generally referred to the position of the mobile device requesting the position itself.

[0069] The retrieved points of interest are the ones in the neighborhood of the point of geo-localization and can be displayed in various forms, for example as list and/or with their geo-localization on electronic map (for example "Google Maps") for example directly on the requesting mobile device .

[0070] Figure 2 shows a mobile telephone device 10, for example an I-Phone or equivalent devices.

[0071] They are well known in the state of the art and therefore they are not a specific subject-matter of the present invention.

[0072] Any mobile telephone device of the I-phone smartphone type or the like can be used.

[0073] They are capable of downloading App, of connecting to the Internet and therefore of displaying images, of geolocating and of performing operations in general, etc.

[0074] All these next-generation mobile devices provide already integrated standard GPS systems of geolocalization .

[0075] In fact, new devices can geo-locate a person to send positions (for example, through WhatsApp message) .

[0076] The GPS system integrated into the mobile phone generally receives the information about the position from the satellite system.

[0077] Therefore, figure 2 shows a satellite which send a position to the GPS system integrated in the mobile phone and the App which request these coordinates to the GPS system (arrow - a) and receives feedback coordinates.

[0078] The position of geo-localization is schematized with coordinates (X, Y, Z) and they identify the position of the requesting mobile device.

[0079] As shown in figure 3, the App then uses these coordinates of geo-localization to retrieve, through the Internet, points of interest for the user that are then displayed and that are found within a certain range of action .

[0080] Therefore, the user who activates the App. during its regular functioning to pay the parking, also activates a request for geo-localization and therefore it is geolocated .

[0081] The points of interest can be retrieved and processed directly by the suitably programmed App.

[0082] More specifically, the activation of the described method is automatic after the activation of the App and/or the execution of the payment.

[0083] The detected geographical position is used by the App. to search for points of interest in the neighborhood of the area .

[0084] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, as schematized in figure 3A, the search for points of interest is preferably executed by means of a supporting server 100 which can be preferably of the cloud type.

[0085] The software App, which receives the coordinates of geo-localization (X, Y, Z) communicates with this supporting server 100 and sends the position of geo-localization to the supporting server 100. In fact, figure 3A shows the sending of the coordinates of geo-localization (X, Y, Z) that are received and processed by the supporting server.

[0086] Sending can occur through the Internet, for example.

[0087] The supporting server is programmed to retrieve one or more points of interest that are then transmitted back to the App .

[0088] Therefore, in this variant, the processing of points of interest as a function of the coordinates of geolocalization is carried out through a suitable supporting server 100.

[0089] Obviously, the supporting server is equipped with all the necessary processors for its functioning with the corresponding software programming.

[0090] Describing in greater detail, still with reference to figure 3A, preferably the App does not send exclusively the coordinates of geo-localization but also at least one identification (i.e. a User_Id) which enables to identify the requesting subject.

[0091] In fact, by preliminarily signing up, each App is associated with a univocal subject to whom a so-called Id (User Id) is attributed. The Id can be a number or other. [0092] Therefore, the App sends:

- The User Id;

- The GPS position;

- The time-stamp, which is a detected date or time at which the user made the payment of the parking through the App or activated the App.

[0093] At this point, the supporting server 100 receives the identification of the requestor thereby identifying it univocally, in addition to receiving its position and the time/data (day and/or month and/or year) .

[0094] Therefore, the supporting server can search for points of interest also as a function of said time-stamp and, knowing the Id, it identifies correctly the requesting App and therefore the App to which the searched result relative to the point of interest has to be returned.

[0095] Therefore, the search for points of interest is associated with a specific requesting user.

[0096] The supporting server can also apply filters based on the user's interests, in such a way as to propose points of interest that meet the user's wishes.

[0097] For example, if the user has given an authorization (opt-in) to use his own social media profiles (i.e. Facebook, Twitter, Google, etc.) , the platform will be able to take care of retrieving information from the corresponding social media profiles of the user, together with information about profiling. For example, it can search for data in the profiling or apply known searching methods to retrieve information about the user' s habits and preferences .

[0098] For this purpose, specific programming of the supporting server can be provided.

[0099] In this way, the platform (i.e. the so-called supporting server) is able to retrieve the user's habits, interests and preferences and select specific points of interest that are correlated with these interests, by searching them in the neighborhood of the area in which the user is located and showing the only ones that are closer to the user's tastes and/or interests.

[00100] In an alternative or in combination to the access to social media profiles, the supporting server can provide an electronic database where, through the App, the user can optionally insert any preferences of points of interest that are then sent and stored in this electronic database. In this way, the supporting server searches for the points of interest also as a function of what is present on the electronic database.

[00101] Obviously, the supporting server searches the points of interest with access to the Internet.

[00102] Therefore, the part of supporting server 100 can provide an interface for commercial or non-commercial businesses, to insert: offers, events, cultural information, etc.

[00103] Such information inserted both by owners of the businesses and company's personnel will be populate one or more databases on which searches through query can be performed .

[00104] Once the information has been extracted from the database through a query, filters based on the user' s interest, the area where the parking has been paid and the timestamp of the moment when he made the payment will be applied .

[00105] Extracted and filtered data will be sent to the App to show them to the user.

[00106] The App would function as a kind of "digital concierge" that is discreet and useful at the same time.

[00107] Exactly like a high-profile butler would do, the App will search and indicate to the user everything that may be of interest to him and will do it in a discreet way only when the user might be interested in it or need it, that is after having paid the parking.

[00108] The supporting server system which manages the search of the points of interest or the same App could further verify the last searches made by the user online by retrieving some keywords used in Google (for example car sales) and then give in this exemplifying case indications of show rooms or car sellers in the area of search.

[00109] Going forward with the description of the invention, the user can obviously set some parameters of the App preliminarily as schematized in figure 4.

[00110] For example, it would be possible to insert a certain range of search such that the App will search within said range of action (for example of 1 km) .

[00111] In addition or alternatively, the user has the capacity to insert one or more elements to be searched in the range of action. For example, he could tick from a preset list of commercial businesses to be searched such that :

Restaurants;

Gyms ,

- Shopping centers .

- Other.

[00112] This list could be modified by the user at any moment. [00113] Therefore, if any business of Restaurant and gym (for example) are indicated in the initial settings with a range of action of 1 km, the App will search automatically (for example through the supporting server to which it has sent such information preliminarily) these businesses within the aforesaid range of action by indicating a list of them with the corresponding addresses or even indicating directly the electronic links to the webpages of these businesses.

[00114] Once one or more of these businesses has been selected, the App. can provide the automatic opening of surfing systems already integrated into these mobi le devices , such as Google Maps .

[ 00115 ] The refore , i f one inserts a restaurant as a point of interest to be searched, the App retrieves automatically all the restaurants in the neighborhood of the geo-located area .

[ 00116 ] The user can select the chosen one and, in this way, the App can open automatically a surfing system like "Google Maps" to guide the user to reach the selected point or can use a navigation system integrated into the App .

[ 00117 ] The refore , the novelty of the present software application consists of using the moment of the electronic payment of the parking to retrieve the position ( this is made to associate it with the payment of the slot ) and use this position to search and propose POT (points of interest ) to the user, in a targeted way .

[ 00118 ] The displaying of these points of interest continues as long as the user wishes and they are displayed on the screen o f his own mobile telephone device on which the App is installed .

[ 00119 ] The user can exit from said displaying section at any moment and the App, once it has been deactivated, stops sending information relative to points of interest ( POT ) .

[ 00120 ] In this way, proposing at any moment and continuously information with a software application that reads continuously the position in background and sends information continuously is avoided .

[ 00121 ] Therefore , in use the user who parks a car uses his own App dedicated to the payment . This App, contextually, activates a request for geo-locali zation and receives coordinates of position in the mobile device where it is installed .

[ 00122 ] At this point , the App processes a search for points of interest in an area in the neighborhood of the geo- located position and provides the results on the screen (i.e. on the screen of the mobile device) of the user .

[00123] Therefore, the results will appear obviously on the screen of the mobile device on which the App runs.

[00124] The present invention is applicable through a suitable App for paying a parking of any means of transport not only land ones but also nautical ones.

Claims

CLAIMS A method executed through a software application (App.) for mobile phone device (10) , the method comprising the following phases:

- Arranging a mobile phone device (10) on which a software application (App.) is installed for the payment of a parking of a means of transport;

- Paying the parking through the activation of said software Application (App) ;

- And wherein said software application acquires a position of geo-localization, preferably the geolocalization of the mobile device on which said software Application is installed;

- Obtaining one or more points of interest (POI) located in a specific neighborhood of said position (X, Y, Z) of determined geo-localization;

- Displaying said points of interest (POI) , preferably displaying on an electronic map appearing on the screen of the mobile phone device. The method, according to claim 1, wherein said software application retrieves said geo-localization after an activation thereof. The method, according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said software application retrieves said geo-localization after the execution of the payment operation of the parking . The method, according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein said Software Application connects to the GPS system of the mobile device to retrieve said geo-locali zation . The method, according to one or more of the preceding claims , wherein a supporting server ( 100 ) communicating with said Software Application and receiving said coordinates of geo-locali zation by the software application is comprised, said supporting server being programmed to execute a search for one or more points of interest as a function of the received coordinates of geo-locali zation and it sends said one or more points of interest to the Software Application so that they are displayed on the mobile phone device , preferably on an interactive map . The method, according to one or more of the preceding claims , wherein a score is as signed to said points o f interest and wherein said points of interest are correlated to elements of interest . The method, according to claim 5 , wherein the supporting server ( 100 ) analyzes one or more websites associated with the requesting user to determine one or more points of interest as a function of the results of said analysis in said websites associated with the user . A software application downloadable on a mobile phone device to execute the operations of the method according to one or more of the preceding claims . A mobile phone device comprising a software application to execute one or more o f the operations according to the method as per one or more of the preceding claims from 1 to 7 . An assembly comprising : - A mobile phone device ( 10 ) ;

- A Software Application programmed to enable the electronic payment of a parking of a vehicle and installed on said mobile phone device ;

- A supporting server ( 100 ) set in communication with said software application and programmed to search for one or more points of interest on the internet ;

- And wherein said assembly is programmed to execute the operations of the method according to one or more of the preceding claims from 1 to 7 .