Electronic and physical storage for shared vehicles

• US 10,467,577 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2016
• Issued: 11/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2016
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: James, Michael R.
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Tuan C
• Application Number:
  US15/257,472
• Publication Number:
  US 20180065808A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,155 Days
• Field of Search: 701 36
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083

Abstract

Arrangements relating to personal storage with shared vehicles are described. A shared vehicle, a user device, a storage compartment, a storage computing system, and/or a storage depot can be communicatively linked. The storage compartment can be configured to store one or more physical items as well as electronic data. The storage compartment can be configured to be selectively loaded within and unloaded from a shared vehicle during a use by a user. The storage compartment can be configured to be communicatively linked to the shared vehicle when in a loaded condition such that a component of the shared vehicle may access the electronic data during the use of the shared vehicle. Systems and methods described herein can be implemented with shared autonomous vehicles.

Claims

1. A system for managing physical and electronic storage with vehicles, the system comprising:

a vehicle having one or more vehicle components configured to access electronic data; and

a storage compartment, the storage compartment including a base configured to store one or more physical items, the storage compartment including a data store having electronic data stored therein,

the storage compartment configured to be selectively loaded within and unloaded from the vehicle, and

the data store being communicatively linked to the one or more vehicle components when the storage compartment is loaded within the vehicle, the one or more vehicle components accessing electronic data stored in the data store.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is a shared autonomous vehicle.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a storage depot, the storage depot configured to store the storage compartment when the storage compartment is not loaded within the vehicle.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a storage computing system configured to determine one or more storage instructions for the storage compartment, the storage compartment configured to be selectively loaded within and unloaded from the vehicle based on the storage instructions.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more vehicle components includes one of an entertainment system, an information system, a navigation system, or a communication system.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the electronic data includes entertainment data, information data, communication data, or navigation data.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the storage compartment further includes one or more electrical contacts, the one or more electrical contacts configured to engage one or more electrical contacts located within the vehicle.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the storage compartment is configured to be communicatively linked to the vehicle through a direct connection between the one or more electrical contacts of the storage compartment and the one or more electrical contacts located within the vehicle.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the storage compartment is configured to receive power through a wired connection between the one or more electrical contacts of the storage compartment and the one or more electrical contacts located within the vehicle.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the storage compartment is communicatively linked to the one or more vehicle components when the storage compartment is loaded within the vehicle via a Bluetooth wireless network.

11. A system for managing physical and electronic storage with vehicles, the system comprising:

a vehicle having one or more vehicle components configured to access electronic data;

a storage compartment, the storage compartment including a base configured to store one or more physical items, the storage compartment including a data store having electronic data stored therein, the storage compartment configured to be selectively loaded within and unloaded from the vehicle, and the data store being communicatively linked to the one or more vehicle components when the storage compartment is loaded within the vehicle; and

a storage depot, the storage depot configured to store the storage compartment when the storage compartment is not loaded within the vehicle, the storage depot including at least one robot, the at least one robot being configured to engage the storage compartment and selectively load or unload the storage compartment.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the storage compartment is communicatively linked to at least one remote computing system when stored at the storage depot.

13. A method of managing physical and electronic storage for a vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving a storage compartment within a vehicle, the storage compartment including a base configured to store one or more physical items, the storage compartment including a data store having electronic data stored therein, upon receiving the storage compartment the data store being communicatively linked to at least one vehicle component;

accessing, by one or more vehicle components, electronic data stored in the data store; and

causing the electronic data to be presented to a user of the vehicle.