Systems and methods for implementing user preferences for vehicles

• US 10,246,102 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2017
• Issued: 04/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Graney, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US15/459,805
• Publication Number:
  US 20180265094A1
• Time in Patent Office: 748 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00742 by detection of the vehicle occupants' presence; by detection of conditions relating to the body of occupants, e.g. using radiant heat detectors
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/00733 Computational models modifying user-set values
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/592 Data transfer involving external databases
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/654 the user being the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/85 Arrangements for transferring vehicle- or driver-related data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/30 including control of auxiliary equipment, e.g. air-conditioning compressors or oil pumps
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2040/0809 Driver authorisation; Driver identity check
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/215 Selection or confirmation of options
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/30 Auxiliary equipments
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/08 related to drivers or passengers
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0098 Details of control systems ensuring comfort, safety or stability not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/10 Interpretation of driver requests or demands
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0027 involving a plurality of vehicles, e.g. fleet or convoy travelling fleet control of land vehicles from a control room G05D1/0297; traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/00; for marine craft G08G3/00; for aircraft G08G5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0287 involving a plurality of land vehicles, e.g. fleet or convoy travelling traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/00, particularly anticollision systems G08G1/16

Abstract

Systems and method are provided for implementing user preferences for vehicles. In one embodiment, a method for implementing user preferences for vehicles includes receiving preferences of a user with respect to vehicle settings pertaining to a plurality of vehicles; and implementing, via instructions provided by a processor, the user'"'"'s preferences for the vehicle settings when a user is set to occupy a vehicle of the plurality of vehicles.

Claims

1. A method for implementing user preferences for vehicles, the method comprising:

receiving preferences of a user with respect to vehicle settings pertaining to a plurality of vehicles, wherein the preferences of the user represent preferred vehicle climate control settings for a vehicle climate control system, as preferred by the user for whenever the user is present within any of the plurality of vehicles; and

implementing, via instructions provided by a processor, the user'"'"'s preferences for the vehicle settings, including the user'"'"'s preferred vehicle climate control settings, whenever a user is set to occupy any vehicle of the plurality of vehicles.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of vehicles comprises a fleet of taxis; and

the step of implementing the user'"'"'s preferences comprises implementing the same preferences for the user, including the same preferred vehicle climate control settings, whenever the user occupies any of the taxis in the fleet.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of vehicles comprises a fleet of autonomous vehicles; and

the step of implementing the user'"'"'s preferences comprises implementing the same preferences for the user, including the same preferred vehicle climate control settings, whenever the user occupies any of the autonomous vehicles in the fleet.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving the preferences of the user comprises:

receiving the preferences of the user, including the user'"'"'s preferred vehicle climate control settings, from on an electronic device carried by the user, while the user is set to occupy any of the plurality of vehicles.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the step of receiving the user'"'"'s preferences comprises receiving one or more preferred vehicle climate control temperature settings for the user for the vehicle climate control system; and

the step of implementing the user'"'"'s preferences comprises implementing, via instructions provided by the processor, the user'"'"'s one or more preferred vehicle climate control temperature settings whenever the user is set to occupy any vehicle of the plurality of vehicles.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein:

the step of receiving the one or more preferred vehicle climate control temperature settings for the user comprises receiving a most recent temperature setting for a most recent time in which the user has occupied any of the plurality of vehicles; and

the step of implementing the user'"'"'s preferences comprises implementing, via instructions provided by the processor, the most recent temperature setting when the user is set to occupy any vehicle of the plurality of vehicles.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein:

the step of receiving the one or more preferred vehicle climate control temperature settings for the user comprises receiving an average temperature setting for a plurality of times in which the user has occupied any of the plurality of vehicles; and

the step of implementing the user'"'"'s preferences comprises implementing, via instructions provided by the processor, the average temperature setting whenever the user is set to occupy any vehicle of the plurality of vehicles.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein:

the step of receiving the one or more preferred vehicle climate control temperature settings for the user comprises receiving a weighting factor for the user, representing the user'"'"'s preferences as to a relatively colder or warmer temperature in relation to an outside ambient temperature as compared with other users, and

the step of implementing the user'"'"'s preferences comprises implementing, via instructions provided by the processor, the weighting factor for the user whenever the user is set to occupy any vehicle of the plurality of vehicles.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the step of receiving the user'"'"'s preferences comprises receiving one or more preferred vehicle climate control fan settings for the user for the vehicle climate control system; and

the step of implementing the user'"'"'s preferences comprises implementing, via instructions provided by the processor, the user'"'"'s one or more preferred vehicle climate control fan settings whenever the user is set to occupy any vehicle of the plurality of vehicles.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the step of receiving the user'"'"'s preferences comprises receiving one or more preferred seat warmer settings; and

the step of implementing the user'"'"'s preferences comprises implementing, via instructions provided by the processor, the user'"'"'s one or more preferred seat warmer settings whenever the user is set to occupy any vehicle of the plurality of vehicles.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the step of receiving the user'"'"'s preferences comprises receiving one or more of the following;

preferred vehicle climate control temperature settings, preferred vehicle climate control fan settings, or preferred vehicle seat warmer settings, for the user; and

the step of implementing the user'"'"'s preferences comprises implementing, via instructions provided by the processor, one or more of the preferred vehicle climate control temperature settings, preferred vehicle climate control fan settings, or preferred vehicle seat warmer settings, for the user, whenever the user is set to occupy any vehicle of the plurality of vehicles.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the step of receiving the user'"'"'s preferences comprises receiving each of the following;

preferred vehicle climate control temperature settings, preferred vehicle climate control fan settings, and preferred vehicle seat warmer settings, for the user; and

the step of implementing the user'"'"'s preferences comprises implementing, via instructions provided by the processor, each of the preferred vehicle climate control temperature settings, preferred vehicle climate control fan settings, and preferred vehicle seat warmer settings, for the user, whenever the user is set to occupy any vehicle of the plurality of vehicles.

13. A system for implementing user preferences for a plurality of vehicles, the system comprising:

a preference-related object module configured to receive preferences of a user with respect to vehicle settings pertaining to the plurality of vehicles, wherein the preferences of the user represent preferred vehicle climate control settings for a vehicle climate control system, as preferred by the user for whenever the user is present within any of the plurality of vehicles; and

a preference-related determination module, including a processor, configured to implement the user'"'"'s preferences for the vehicle settings, including the user'"'"'s preferred vehicle climate control settings, whenever a user is set to occupy any vehicle of the plurality of vehicles.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein:

the plurality of vehicles comprises a fleet of taxis; and

the preference-related determination module is configured to implement the user'"'"'s preferences comprises implementing the same preferences for the user, including the same preferred vehicle climate control settings, whenever the user occupies any of the taxis in the fleet.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein:

the plurality of vehicles comprises a fleet of autonomous vehicles; and

the preference-related determination module is configured to implement the same preferences for the user, including the same preferred vehicle climate control settings, whenever the user occupies any of the autonomous vehicles in the fleet.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the preference-related object module is configured to the receive the preferences for the user, including the user'"'"'s preferred vehicle climate control settings, from a memory of an electronic device carried by the user, as the user is set to occupy any of the plurality of vehicles.

17. An autonomous vehicle, comprising:

an interface configured to receive preferences of a user with respect to vehicle settings pertaining to a plurality of vehicles, wherein the autonomous vehicle comprises one of the plurality of vehicles, and wherein the preferences of the user represent preferred vehicle climate control settings for a vehicle climate control system, as preferred by the user for whenever the user is present within any of the plurality of vehicles; and

a controller configured to implement the user'"'"'s preferences for the vehicle settings, including the user'"'"'s preferred vehicle climate control settings, whenever a user is set to occupy the autonomous vehicle.

18. The autonomous vehicle of claim 17, wherein:

the plurality of vehicles comprises a fleet of taxis; and

the controller is configured to implement the same preferences for the user, including the same preferred vehicle climate control settings, whenever the user occupies any of the taxis in the fleet.

19. The autonomous vehicle of claim 17, wherein the interface is configured to the receive preferences for the user, including the user'"'"'s preferred vehicle climate control settings, from a memory of an electronic device carried by the user, as the user is set to occupy the autonomous vehicle.

20. The autonomous vehicle of claim 17, wherein:

the interface is configured to receive one or more of the following;

preferred vehicle climate control temperature settings, preferred vehicle climate control fan settings, or preferred vehicle seat warmer settings, for the user; and

the controller is configured to provide instructions for implementing one or more of the preferred vehicle climate control temperature settings, preferred vehicle climate control fan settings, or preferred vehicle seat warmer settings, for the user, whenever the user is set to occupy any vehicle of the plurality of vehicles.