Intellectual Property Development Associates of Connecticut, Inc.

Other

Harry F Smith

Robert J Distinti

Mark F Harrington

A method for providing information to a user of a fuel pump includes steps of: (A) performing an initial step of bidirectionally coupling a microprocessor of the fuel pump to a communications network, the communications network having a plurality of remote computers bidirectionally coupled thereto; (B) entering a user's information request into the microprocessor of the fuel pump; (C) transmitting data representing the information request from the microprocessor of the fuel pump to the communications network; (E) directing the data representing the request to a remote computer over the communications network; (F) fulfilling the information request with the remote computer and transmitting the requested information back to the microprocessor of the fuel pump over the communication network; and (G) using an output device of the fuel pump, presenting the requested information to the user in a human perceptible format. Optional steps include (H) transmitting a promotional message to the microprocessor of the fuel pump over the communications network; and (I) using the output device of the fuel pump, presenting the promotional message to the user in a human perceptible format. The step of presenting the requested information to the user presents at least one of: information concerning a restaurant, a lodging, or a recreational area; weather information; road conditions; traffic conditions; information concerning a merchant or a local event; information concerning a news item; or information concerning a security.

Methods for providing information, messages and advertisements to a user of a fuel pump that is coupled to remote computers through a data communications network

Disclosed is an integrated circuit comprising a substrate having a plurality of digital signal processors, including at least one analog circuit block, and means on said substrate for programmably interconnecting said processors and said at least one analog circuit block together. Also disclosed is a programming system comprising means for converting a programmable analog array specification into one or more programs executable by one or more digital signal processors so as to perform the identical or substantially identical function or functions as the programmed analog array.

Integrated circuit having circuit blocks that are selectively interconnectable using programming instructions received from a remote location, such as the internet

Method and apparatus providing supplementary navigation data to be used with a vehicular navigation system. The supplementary navigation data can be superimposed over primary navigation data on a navigation system display or can be presented as a split-screen display. The supplementary navigation data may contain information such as locations of local facilities, local road information, types of local facilities. The supplementary navigation data is received by the vehicle when the vehicle is coupled to a station, such as a battery recharging or a refueling station, and is transmitted to the navigation system. An on-board controller can store the data and/or display the data. The navigation system could use the supplementary data to determine routes or locations for specific local facilities selected by the user. In an interactive or two-way communications system, the user can select predetermined types of supplementary data to be received. The supplementary navigation data is preferably transmitted to the navigation system at a local vehicle station, such as a refueling station, a vehicle rest stop, a vehicle tourist center, etc. Position update information can also be entered for resetting or recalibrating an internally maintained vehicle position.

Methods and apparatus for loading or modifying a vehicle database from a remote computer via a communications network and a fuel or current dispenser

Programmably interconnected programmable devices

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for inputting messages and other infotion, such as advertisements, to a vehicle while the vehicle is coupled to a local station, such as a recharging station or a refueling station. The messages can be selected in accordance with information received from the vehicle, including information that selectively identifies one, some, or all of: (a) a characteristic of an occupant of the vehicle (e.g., name, account number, address, etc.); (b) a characteristic of the vehicle (e.g., make, model, year, class, registration number, marker number, odometer reading, owner, etc.); (c) a destination of the vehicle (entered through a data entry console and optionally stored within a vehicle memory); and (d) any other characteristic of interest.

Methods and apparatus for inputting messages, including advertisements,

Methods and apparatus for providing securities and stock quotations to

Method and apparatus providing supplementary navigation data to be used w a vehicular navigation system. The supplementary navigation data can be superimposed over primary navigation data on a navigation system display or can be presented as a split-screen display. The supplementary navigation data may contain information such as locations of local facilities, local road information, types of local facilities. The supplementary navigation data is received by the vehicle when the vehicle is coupled to a station, such as a battery recharging or a refueling station, and is transmitted to the navigation system. An on-board controller can store the data and/or display the data. The navigation system could use the supplementary data to determine routes or locations for specific local facilities selected by the user. In an interactive or two-way communications system, the user can select predetermined types of supplementary data to be received. The supplementary navigation data is preferably transmitted to the navigation system at a local vehicle station, such as a refueling station, a vehicle rest stop, a vehicle tourist center, etc. Position update information can also be entered for resetting or recalibrating an internally maintained vehicle position.

Methods and apparatus for updating navigation information in a motorized

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for dispensing a consumable energy soe, such as electrical power or liquid fuel, to a vehicle. A vehicle includes apparatus for coupling the vehicle to a dispenser of the consumable energy source. The vehicle further includes a memory and a coupler for bidirectionally coupling the memory to the dispenser of the consumable energy source for transferring information therebetween. Embodiments of the invention describe the transfer of an indicia from the memory to a remote site for use in accounting for an amount of the consumable energy source that is input to the vehicle. Messages and other information, such as advertisements, can be input to the vehicle while coupled to the dispenser. A display is provided for displaying the information to an operator. A data entry device, such as a keyboard, may also be provided for originating information within the vehicle for transmission to a remote site.

Methods and apparatus for dispensing a consumable energy source to a

Disclosed are methods and apparatus for communicating with an occupant of a ehicle. A method includes the steps of coupling the vehicle to a station; transferring information from the station into the vehicle; and receiving the transferred information and storing the transferred information within the vehicle. In this embodiment of the invention the station is located at a site that provides a service for the vehicle, and the transferred information includes a portion that indicates when a next service is due for the vehicle. The transferred information may include a date that a next service is due and/or a distance that the vehicle is to travel before the next service is due. In this embodiment the vehicle automatically compares a current date and/or an odometer reading to the stored information; and presents a message within the vehicle in human perceptible form when equality is indicated. The information transferred into the vehicle may also include at least executable program instruction and an associated memory address for storage of the at least one instruction.

Methods and apparatus for inputting information to a vehicle

A cooking device (10), such as a microwave oven, is provided with a sensor 16) that is responsive to an indicia (18) associated with a food that is to be heated or cooked. For example, the indicia may be a bar code (UPC barcode) that is provided as a part of the packaging of the food. In one embodiment of this invention the cooking device has a controller (14) that is responsive to the indicia being detected by the sensor for looking up in a memory (26) a stored cooking program that has one or more program steps. The controller is responsive to the cooking program to activate and operate a cooking chamber, such as a microwave oven compartment, in accordance with the program steps of the cooking program that is identified by the indicia. The cooking program steps can each include a predetermined cooking time, cooking temperature, and power level setting. A cooking program step can also be a message to an operator, for example a message that indicates that operator intervention is required before cooking can continue. The indicia can be used to identify a cooking program to be looked up. The indicia can also be used to convey cooking variables (time, temperature, etc.) and also constants, such as an identification of a prestored message to be displayed to the user. The indicia can also encode a specific and explicit set of cooking instructions for entry into and execution by the cooking device controller.

Cooking device having a sensor responsive to an indicia for executing a

A parallel data processing system comprises a control data processor and a plurality of processing planes, each of the planes comprising a plurality of data processing cells. Each of the cells within a plane is communicatively coupled to adjacent, coplanarly disposed cells and, in addition, is communicatively coupled to a corrresponding cell disposed in an overlying processing plane and to a corresponding cell disposed in an underlying processing plane. The control data processor is coupled to each of the cells within a given plane in a manner which provides for simultaneous communication with each of the cells within the plane. Each of the cells within a plane is provided with an output status signal operable for being combined with the output status signals from other cells within the plane to provide an input signal to the control data processor. The status signal may be expressive, when asserted, of a processing state common to all of the cells within the plane, thereby facilitating the operation of the control data processor in controlling a flow of data between adjacent processing planes, in initiating a desired processing sequence within a given plane, and in assuring the reception of data transmitted to the cells.

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Newtown, CT, United States of America

Harry F Smith