On-Board Vehicle Computer System

• US 20090144622A1
• Filed: 11/29/2007
• Published: 06/04/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Evans, David K., Caponigro, Michael A., Radia, Vishakha
• Granted Patent: US 8,819,550 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/706
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a touch-screen display. The apparatus includes first logic for generating a virtual assistant for presentation to a user via the touch-screen display. The virtual assistant has one or more anthropomorphic characteristics and interacts with the user via at least the touch-screen display to facilitate user access to one or more vehicle features. The apparatus includes second logic for automatically receiving data from a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag in a personal item of the user to identify the user, automatically accessing a profile associated with the RFID tag, and automatically initiating implementation of one or more of preferences of the user indicated by a profile associated with the RFID tag. The apparatus includes a vehicle interface for coupling the apparatus to any one of multiple vehicles and communicating data between the first or second logic and the vehicle.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a touch-screen display;

first logic encoded in one or more tangible media for execution and when executed operable to generate a virtual assistant for presentation to a user via the touch-screen display, the virtual assistant having one or more anthropomorphic characteristics and being operable to interact with the user via at least the touch-screen display to facilitate user access to one or more vehicle features;

second logic encoded in one or more tangible media for execution and when executed operable to;

automatically receive data from a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag in a personal item of the user to identify the user;

automatically access a profile associated with the RFID tag, the profile indicating one or more preferences of the user for one or more vehicle settings; and

automatically initiate implementation of one or more of the preferences of the user indicated by the profile;

third logic encoded in one or more tangible media for execution and when executed operable to;

receive input from the user indicating one or more preferences of the user for one or more vehicle settings and, in response to the input, initiate implementation of one or more of the preference indicated by the user; and

receive input from the user requesting access to one or more desired vehicle features and, in response to the input, provide the user access to one or more of the one or more desired vehicle features via at least the touch-screen display; and

a vehicle interface operable to couple the apparatus to any of a plurality of vehicles and communicate data between the first, second, or third logic and the vehicle;

wherein the touch-screen display and one or more of the first, second, or third logic are operable collectively to interact with the user independent of whether the vehicle interface is coupled to one of the plurality of vehicles.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising fourth logic encoded in one or more tangible media for execution and when execute operable to provide interactive voice response (IVR) enabling voice communication between the user and one or more of the first logic, second logic, or third logic.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more vehicle features comprise one or more of a navigation system, a multimedia owner manual for the vehicle, or a vehicle status feature.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the vehicle and the apparatus collectively provide each of one or more of the vehicle features.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the vehicle features uses Global Positioning System (GPS) to provide functionality associated with the vehicle feature.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the vehicle features uses one or more wireless communication links to provide functionality associated with the vehicle feature.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein one or more of the wireless communication links is an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 wireless local area network (WLAN) link.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the vehicle settings comprise one or more of one or more audio settings, one or more climate control settings, or one or more ergonomic settings.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the personal item comprises a key.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the profile associated with the RFID tag comprises one or more rules applicable to the user, the rules comprising one or more of a vehicle speed limit or a geographic area limit.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein violation of one or more of the rules by the user automatically generates one or more notifications to one or more predetermined addresses.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein one or more of the notifications to predetermined addresses each comprise a text message to a predetermined telephone number or an e-mail to a predetermined e-mail address.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein modification of one or more of the rules requires a password.

14. A system comprising:

a vehicle; and

an on-board computer system operable to removably couple to the vehicle, the on-board computer system comprising;

a touch-screen display;

first logic encoded in one or more tangible media for execution and when executed operable to generate a virtual assistant for presentation to a user via the touch-screen display, the virtual assistant having one or more anthropomorphic characteristics and being operable to interact with the user via at least the touch-screen display to facilitate user access to one or more vehicle features;

second logic encoded in one or more tangible media for execution and when executed operable to;

automatically receive data from a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag in a personal item of the user to identify the user;

automatically access a profile associated with the RFID tag, the profile indicating one or more preferences of the user for one or more vehicle settings; and

automatically initiate implementation of one or more of the preferences of the user indicated by the profile;

third logic encoded in one or more tangible media for execution and when executed operable to;

receive input from the user indicating one or more preferences of the user for one or more vehicle settings and, in response to the input, initiate implementation of one or more of the preference indicated by the user; and

receive input from the user requesting access to one or more desired vehicle features and, in response to the input, provide the user access to one or more of the one or more desired vehicle features via at least the touch-screen display; and

a vehicle interface operable to couple the on-board computer system to any of a plurality of vehicles and communicate data between the first, second, or third logic and the vehicle;

wherein the touch-screen display and one or more of the first, second, or third logic are operable collectively to interact with the user independent of whether the vehicle interface is coupled to one of the plurality of vehicles.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the vehicle comprises a car.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the on-board computer system further comprises fourth logic encoded in one or more tangible media for execution and when execute operable to provide interactive voice response (IVR) enabling voice communication between the user and one or more of the first logic, second logic, or third logic.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the one or more vehicle features comprise one or more of a navigation system, a multimedia owner manual for the vehicle, or a vehicle status feature.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the vehicle and the on-board computer system collectively provide each of one or more of the vehicle features.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein at least one of the vehicle features uses Global Positioning System (GPS) to provide functionality associated with the vehicle feature.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein at least one of the vehicle features uses one or more wireless communication links to provide functionality associated with the vehicle feature.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein one or more of the wireless communication links is an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 wireless local area network (WLAN) link.

22. The system of claim 14, wherein the vehicle settings comprise one or more of one or more audio settings, one or more climate control settings, or one or more ergonomic settings.

23. The system of claim 14, wherein the personal item comprises a key.

24. The system of claim 14, wherein the profile associated with the RFID tag comprises one or more rules applicable to the user, the rules comprising one or more of a vehicle speed limit or a geographic area limit.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein violation of one or more of the rules by the user automatically generates one or more notifications to one or more predetermined addresses.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein one or more of the notifications to predetermined addresses each comprise a text message to a predetermined telephone number or an e-mail to a predetermined e-mail address.

27. A system comprising:

means for visually presenting output to a user and tactilely receiving input from the user;

means for generating a virtual assistant for presentation to a user via the touch-screen display, the virtual assistant having one or more anthropomorphic characteristics and being operable to interact with the user via at least the touch-screen display to facilitate user access to one or more vehicle features;

means for;

automatically receiving data from a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag in a personal item of the user to identify the user;

automatically accessing a profile associated with the RFID tag, the profile indicating one or more preferences of the user for one or more vehicle settings; and

automatically initiating implementation of one or more of the preferences of the user indicated by the profile;

means for;

receiving input from the user indicating one or more preferences of the user for one or more vehicle settings and, in response to the input, initiating implementation of one or more of the preference indicated by the user; and

receiving input from the user requesting access to one or more desired vehicle features and, in response to the input, provide the user access to one or more of the one or more desired vehicle features via at least the touch-screen display; and

means for coupling the system to any of a plurality of vehicles and communicate data between the first, second, or third logic and the vehicle;

wherein the touch-screen display and one or more of the first, second, or third logic are operable collectively to interact with the user independent of whether the vehicle interface is coupled to one of the plurality of vehicles.

28. An apparatus comprising:

a touch-screen display;

first logic encoded in one or more tangible media for execution and when executed operable to generate a virtual assistant for presentation to a user via the touch-screen display, the virtual assistant having one or more anthropomorphic characteristics and being operable to interact with the user via at least the touch-screen display to facilitate user access to one or more vehicle features; and

second logic encoded in one or more tangible media for execution and when executed operable to;

automatically receive data from a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag in a personal item of the user to identify the user;

automatically access a profile associated with the RFID tag, the profile indicating one or more preferences of the user for one or more vehicle settings; and

automatically initiate implementation of one or more of the preferences of the user indicated by the profile; and

a vehicle interface operable to couple the apparatus to any of a plurality of vehicles and communicate data between the first or second logic and the vehicle;

wherein the touch-screen display and one or more of the first or second logic are operable collectively to interact with the user independent of whether the vehicle interface is coupled to one of the plurality of vehicles.

29. An apparatus comprising:

a touch-screen display;

first logic encoded in one or more tangible media for execution and when executed operable to generate a virtual assistant for presentation to a user via the touch-screen display, the virtual assistant having one or more anthropomorphic characteristics and being operable to interact with the user via at least the touch-screen display to facilitate user access to one or more vehicle features;

second logic encoded in one or more tangible media for execution and when executed operable to;

receive input from the user indicating one or more preferences of the user for one or more vehicle settings and, in response to the input, initiate implementation of one or more of the preference indicated by the user; and

receive input from the user requesting access to one or more desired vehicle features and, in response to the input, provide the user access to one or more of the one or more desired vehicle features via at least the touch-screen display; and

a vehicle interface operable to couple the apparatus to any of a plurality of vehicles and communicate data between the first or second logic and the vehicle;

wherein the touch-screen display and one or more of the first or second logic are operable collectively to interact with the user independent of whether the vehicle interface is coupled to one of the plurality of vehicles.