Vehicle-wearable device interface and methods for using the same

• US 10,019,070 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2016
• Issued: 07/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Szczerba, Joseph F., Mathieu, Roy J., Hersberger, Roger L.
• Primary Examiner(s): FREJD, RUSSELL WARREN
• Application Number:
  US15/341,738
• Publication Number:
  US 20170123503A1
• Time in Patent Office: 615 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/11 Instrument graphical user interfaces or menu aspects
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/115 Selection of menu items
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/146 Instrument input by gesture
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1464 3D-gesture
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/164 Infotainment
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/566 Mobile devices displaying vehicle information
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/573 Mobile devices controlling vehicle functions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/589 Wireless data transfers
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/25 using haptic output
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/28 characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/80 Arrangements for controlling instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/81 for controlling displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/85 Arrangements for transferring vehicle- or driver-related data
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/023 for transmission of signals between vehicle parts or subsystems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0187 slaved to motion of at least a part of the body of the user, e.g. head, eye
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 : Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 : Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 : Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 : with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors

Abstract

A transportation vehicle system, for providing feedback to a user-worn wearable device, including a hardware-based processing unit and a hardware-based computer-readable storage device. The device includes a vehicle-function identification module that, when executed by the processing unit determines that a trigger condition has occurred. The vehicle-function identification module also determines, for responding to the trigger condition, a wearable-communication function including transmitting a vehicle signal to the wearable device. An activation module causes the processing unit to initiate transmitting the vehicle signal to the wearable device. The technology also in various embodiments includes the vehicle storage device, the wearable device, a storage unit of the wearable device, and processes including any of the operations disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A transportation vehicle system, for providing feedback to a user-worn wearable device, comprising:

a hardware-based processing unit;

a hardware-based computer-readable storage device comprising;

a vehicle-function identification module that, when executed by the processing unit;

determines that a trigger condition has occurred, wherein the trigger condition indicates a need to make a vehicle-driving maneuver; and

determines, for responding to the trigger condition, a wearable-communication function including transmitting a vehicle signal to the wearable device, wherein the vehicle signal is configured to notify the user by way of wearable-device actuation of the vehicle-driving maneuver needed; and

an activation module that, when executed by the processing unit, initiates transmitting the vehicle signal to the wearable device.

2. The transportation vehicle system of claim 1 wherein the trigger condition includes the processor receiving from the wearable device a signal or message indicating that a user gesture has been sensed at the wearable device.

3. The transportation vehicle system of claim 2 wherein the vehicle signal is configured to cause the wearable device to actuate to advise the user that the gesture is recognized by the transportation vehicle system.

4. The transportation vehicle system of claim 1 wherein:

the trigger condition includes determining that a user gesture has been made; and

the processing unit, in determining that the user gesture has been made, receives a sensor signal indicating the user gesture from a vehicle sensor.

5. The transportation vehicle system of claim 1 wherein the trigger condition includes a user wearing the wearable device moving a user body part to a pre-gesture disposition at which the user does not contact the vehicle with the body part.

6. The transportation vehicle system of claim 5 wherein the vehicle signal is configured to cause the wearable device to actuate to advise the user that the pre-gesture disposition is recognized by the transportation vehicle system.

7. The transportation vehicle system of claim 1 wherein the vehicle-function identification module, when executed by the processing unit, determines a need to activate or change a vehicle apparatus indicated by a user gesture.

8. The transportation vehicle system of claim 7 wherein the vehicle apparatus is selected from a group consisting of an infotainment application, a radio apparatus, a heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning apparatus, a navigation apparatus, and a safety apparatus.

9. The transportation vehicle system of claim 1 wherein the vehicle signal, being configured to notify the user by way of wearable-device actuation of the needed vehicle driving maneuver, is configured with one or more contextual indicators, to indicate to the user via wearable-device actuation context relating to the driving maneuver needed.

10. The transportation vehicle system of claim 9 wherein the one or more contextual indicators includes a directional indicator or an importance-level indicator.

11. A transportation vehicle system, for providing feedback to a user-worn wearable device, comprising:

a hardware-based processing unit;

a hardware-based computer-readable storage device comprising;

a vehicle-function identification module that, when executed by the processing unit;

determines that a trigger condition has occurred, wherein the trigger condition indicates a need to make a vehicle-driving maneuver; and

determines, for responding to the trigger condition, a wearable-communication function including transmitting a vehicle signal to the wearable device, wherein the vehicle signal is configured with one or more contextual indicators, to indicate to the user via wearable-device actuation context relating to the driving maneuver needed; and

an activation module that, when executed by the processing unit, initiates transmitting the vehicle signal to the wearable device.

12. A transportation vehicle system, for providing feedback to a user-worn wearable device, comprising:

a hardware-based processing unit;

a hardware-based computer-readable storage device comprising;

a vehicle-function identification module that, when executed by the processing unit;

determines that a trigger condition has occurred; and

determines, for responding to the trigger condition, a wearable-communication function including transmitting a vehicle signal to the wearable device, wherein;

the vehicle signal is configured with one or more contextual indicators, to indicate to the user, via wearable-device actuation, context relating to a driving maneuver needed; and

the one or more contextual indicators including a directional indicator or a selected importance-level indicator of multiple pre-established importance-level indicators; and

an activation module that, when executed by the processing unit, initiates transmitting the vehicle signal to the wearable device.