Verizon Telematics Inc.

Richard Bennett

Christina Yarnold

A mobile device in, or at, a vehicle sends a vehicle status message to a remote host upon occurrence of a trigger event, such as turning off the vehicle's engine. The remote host processes the vehicle status message and determines whether it can access, or find, content that is associated with location information contained in the vehicle status message. If so, the remote host forwards the content in a content message to a user device, which may or may not be the device that transmitted the vehicle status message. The remote host typically associates the user device with the vehicle, or mobile device therein, from which the vehicle status message emanated. Thus, the user device receives content corresponding to the location of the vehicle when the trigger event occurred. The content may include advertising, product promotion, tourist information, weather, traffic, or other information relevant to the trigger event occurrence location.

Method and system for determining and triggering targeted marketing content

A user device application transmits the device's location and unique identifier with a message requesting location information that corresponds to a vehicle associated with the user device's unique identifier. The application sends the request message over a communication network to a central computer. The central computer obtains location information corresponding to the vehicle from a device proximate the vehicle. The central computer compares the locations of the user device and telematics device and generates a location differential value corresponding to the distance between them. If the differential value meets predetermined criteria, the central computer causes an action, for example forwarding the location information corresponding to the vehicle to the requesting user device. Or, the central computer sends the requesting device a request denied message. The central computer may also deny the request when the vehicle is moving, or if the user device has requested the vehicle's location too frequently.

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Dacula, GA, United States of America

Richard Bennett