Shared vehicle system

• US 10,106,172 B2
• Filed: 07/15/2015
• Issued: 10/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Wingfield, Eric H., Filev, Dimitar Petrov, Cavaretta, Michael, Blackmore, Kathleen, Bailey, Clifford Anthony, Shutko, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Cass, Jean Paul
• Application Number:
  US14/800,533
• Publication Number:
  US 20160046300A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,196 Days
• Field of Search: 701300
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0062 Adapting control system settings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0063 Manual parameter input, manual setting means, manual initialising or calibrating means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/043 Identity of occupants
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/215 Selection or confirmation of options
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/08 Interaction between the driver and the control system
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/085 Changing the parameters of the control units, e.g. changing limit values, working points by control input
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/10 Interpretation of driver requests or demands
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3438 Rendez-vous, i.e. searching a destination where several users can meet, and the routes to this destination for these users; Ride sharing, i.e. searching a route such that at least two users can share a vehicle for at least part of the route
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3685 the POI's being parking facilities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0645 Rental transactions; Leasing transactions

Abstract

A selection for a shared vehicle is received. Whether the shared vehicle is in view of a user device camera is determined. At least one of directions to the shared vehicle are provided to the user device. Data of the shared vehicle are identified.

Claims

1. A system, comprising a computer including a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the computer to:

receive a selection of a shared vehicle;

determine whether the shared vehicle is in view of a user device camera;

provide to the user device directions to the shared vehicle;

overlay identifying data of the shared vehicle on a display of the user device;

receive specified user settings; and

display the specified user settings and locations of physical vehicle components associated with respective user settings in the shared vehicle on the display of the user device to direct a user to the locations of the physical vehicle components associated with the user settings in the shared vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions include instructions to adjust saved preferred user settings based at least in part on the operation of the shared vehicle.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions further include instructions to recommend modifications to the preferred user features.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions further include instructions to obtain a user rental history and suggest the selection of the shared vehicle based at least in part on the user rental history.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions further include instructions to identify whether the user is a primary user of the shared vehicle.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the instructions further include instructions to set the components of the shared vehicle to a default state if the user is not the primary user of the shared vehicle.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions further include instructions to activate the components of the shared vehicle prior to entering the vehicle.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the components include a climate control system.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions further include instructions to play a prerecorded message personalized to the user.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions further include instructions to activate a horn of the shared vehicle.

11. A method, comprising:

receiving a selection of a shared vehicle;

determining whether the shared vehicle is in view of a camera on a user device;

providing directions to the shared vehicle to the user device;

overlaying identifying data of the shared vehicle on a display of the user device;

receiving specified user settings; and

displaying the specified user settings and locations of physical vehicle components associated with respective user settings in the shared vehicle on the display of the user device to direct a user to the locations of the physical vehicle components associated with the user settings in the shared vehicle.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the saved preferred user settings are adjusted based at least in part on the operation of the shared vehicle.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising identifying whether the user is a primary user of the shared vehicle.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising if the user is not the primary user of the shared vehicle, setting the components of the shared vehicle to a default state.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising activating the components of the shared vehicle prior to entering the shared vehicle.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising playing a prerecorded message personalized to the user upon entering the shared vehicle.