Apparatus and method for transmitting static and dynamic information to a personal communication device in a vehicle

• US 10,438,485 B2
• Filed: 03/08/2016
• Issued: 10/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Miller, Thomas Lee, Elliott, Doron M., Kleve, Robert Bruce
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Mirza F
• Application Number:
  US15/064,479
• Publication Number:
  US 20160293007A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,309 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/195 Blocking or enabling display functions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/29 Instruments characterised by the way in which information is handled, e.g. showing information on plural displays or prioritising information according to driving conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/81 for controlling displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/046 involving external transmission of data to or from the vehicle, e.g. via telemetry, satellite, Global Positioning System [GPS]
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/45 External transmission of data to or from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/06 indicating a condition of sleep, e.g. anti-dozing alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096791 where the origin of the information is another vehicle

Abstract

In at least one embodiment, an apparatus for transmitting vehicle information to a portable personal communication device (PCD) is provided. The apparatus comprises a communication module positioned in the first vehicle. The communication module is configured to transmit a first signal including static information and dynamic information to the first PCD. The static information includes one of a first vehicle serial number and a vehicle type and the dynamic information includes one of a connect status, a driver alert rating, and a silent alarm. The first PCD is arranged to control operation thereof based on at least one of the static information and the dynamic information.

Claims

1. An apparatus for receiving information from a communication device in a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

a first personal communication device (PCD) configured to;

receive static information including a first vehicle serial number for a first vehicle over a predetermined period of time; and

learn to associate the first vehicle to the first PCD in response to receiving the first vehicle serial number over the predetermined period of time;

receive a first signal including a second vehicle serial number from a second vehicle after associating the first vehicle to the first PCD;

determine that the second vehicle is inadvertently within range of the first PCD after associating the first vehicle to the first PCD; and

filter out the second vehicle serial number for the second vehicle after determining that the second vehicle is inadvertently within range of the first PCD.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the static information further includes a vehicle type corresponding to whether the first vehicle is one of a personal vehicle, a taxi, a limousine, and a train.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the first PCD is further configured to restrict an operation thereof in response to the vehicle type corresponding to the personal vehicle.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the first PCD is further configured to provide full operation thereof in response to the vehicle type corresponding to the one of the taxi, the limousine, and the train.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first PCD is further configured to receive a driver alert rating from the first vehicle to indicate that a driver is experiencing an impaired condition and to generate an alarm to revive the driver.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising a second PCD configured to receive the driver alert rating from the first vehicle to indicate that the driver is experiencing the impaired condition and to generate an alarm to revive the driver, the second PCD being configured to be positioned along with a vehicle passenger.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first PCD is further configured to receive a silent alarm indicative of a driver in the first vehicle being in a distressed state and a second PCD positioned in a second vehicle that is configured to receive information corresponding to the silent alarm from the first vehicle to indicate that the driver in the first vehicle is in a distressed state.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first PCD is a cell phone.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the predetermined period of time corresponds to particular days over a week.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the predetermined period of time corresponds to particular days over a week.

8. An apparatus comprising:

a first personal communication device (PCD) configured to;

receive a first vehicle serial number for a first vehicle over a predetermined period of time;

learn to associate the first vehicle to the first PCD in response to receiving the first vehicle serial number over the predetermined period of time;

receive a second vehicle serial number from a second vehicle after associating the first vehicle to the first PCD;

determine that the second vehicle is inadvertently within range of the PCD after associating the first vehicle to the PCD; and

filter out the second vehicle serial number for the second vehicle after determining that the second vehicle is inadvertently within range of the first PCD.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the first PCD receives a vehicle type corresponding to whether the first vehicle is one of a personal vehicle, a taxi, a limousine, and a train.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the first PCD is further configured to restrict an operation thereof in response to the vehicle type corresponding to the personal vehicle.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the first PCD is further configured to provide full operation thereof in response to the vehicle type corresponding to the one of the taxi, the limousine, and the train.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the first PCD is further configured to receive a driver alert rating from the first vehicle to indicate that a driver is experiencing an impaired condition and to generate an alarm to revive the driver.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising a second PCD configured to receive the driver alert rating from the first vehicle to indicate that the driver is experiencing the impaired condition and to generate an alarm to revive the driver, the second PCD being configured to be positioned along with a vehicle passenger.

14. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the first PCD is further configured to receive a silent alarm indicative of a driver in the first vehicle being in a distressed state and a second PCD positioned in a second vehicle that is configured to receive the silent alarm from the first vehicle to indicate that the driver in the first vehicle is in a distressed state.

16. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first PCD is a cell phone.

18. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the PCD is a cell phone.

17. An apparatus comprising:

a personal communication device (PCD) configured to;

receive a first vehicle serial number for a first vehicle over a predetermined period of time;

learn to associate the first vehicle to the PCD in response to receiving the first vehicle serial number over the predetermined period of time;

receive a second vehicle serial number from a second vehicle after associating the first vehicle to the PCD;

determine that the second vehicle is inadvertently within range of the PCD after associating the first vehicle to the PCD; and

recognize only the first vehicle serial number and ignore the second vehicle serial number for the second vehicle after determining that the second vehicle is inadvertently within range of the PCD.