METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DRIVER ASSISTANCE

• US 20120053782A1
• Filed: 08/26/2010
• Published: 03/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Gwozdek, Thomas M., DeDona, Matthew Roger, Lathrop, James A., Sankaran, Venkateswa Anand, Lovett, Karin, Chorian, Steven F.
• Granted Patent: US 8,718,862 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/31.8
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C

Abstract

A method performed by a vehicle computing system includes detecting the triggering of a vehicle sensor indicating an abnormal vehicle condition and determining one or more likely abnormal vehicle conditions associated with the triggering of the sensor. The method also includes accessing a vehicle database to determine one or more pieces of information relating to the one or more abnormal vehicle conditions. The method further includes electronically presenting the one or more pieces of information to a vehicle user.

Claims

1. A method performed by a vehicle computing system comprising:

detecting the triggering of a vehicle sensor indicating an abnormal vehicle condition;

determining one or more likely abnormal vehicle conditions associated with the triggering of the sensor;

accessing a vehicle database to determine one or more pieces of information relating to the one or more abnormal vehicle conditions; and

electronically presenting the one or more pieces of information to a vehicle user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle database is stored locally in a memory located in the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle database is stored at a remote network location, and wherein the vehicle computing system is operable to communicate with the remote network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronically presenting includes presenting a visual display of the information.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein at least some portion of the visually presented information is user selectable, wherein selection of the some portion of information results in further presentation of information relating to the selected portion.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronically presenting includes audibly presenting the information.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

ordering the information based on a statistically relevant ordering as determined by an ordering stored on at a location on a remote network.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

ordering the information based on a statistically relevant ordering as determined locally based at least in part on previous selections of similar information by users of the vehicle housing the vehicle computing system.

9. A vehicle computing apparatus comprising:

detecting programmed logic circuitry to detect the triggering of a vehicle sensor indicating an abnormal vehicle condition;

determining programmed logic circuitry to determine one or more likely abnormal vehicle conditions associated with the triggering of the sensor;

accessing programmed logic circuitry to access a vehicle database to determine one or more pieces of information relating to the one or more abnormal vehicle conditions; and

presenting programmed logic circuitry to electronically present the one or more pieces of information to a vehicle user.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the vehicle database is stored locally in a memory located in the vehicle.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the vehicle database is stored at a remote network location, and wherein the vehicle computing system is operable to communicate with the remote network.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the electronically presenting includes presenting a visual display of the information.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein at least some portion of the visually presented information is user selectable, wherein selection of the some portion of information results in further presentation of information relating to the selected portion.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the electronically presenting includes audibly presenting the information.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:

ordering programmed logic circuitry to order the information based on a statistically relevant ordering as determined by an ordering stored on at a location on a remote network.

16. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:

ordering programmed logic circuitry to order the information based on a statistically relevant ordering as determined locally based at least in part on previous selections of similar information by users of the vehicle housing the vehicle computing system.

17. A server enacted method of delivering a message comprising:

determining a plurality of vehicles qualifying for message delivery;

determining which of the plurality of vehicles is connected to a network with which the server is in communication;

sending the message to the vehicles connected to the network;

receiving a confirmation from one or more vehicles that the message was received; and

registering a receipt-of-message for each vehicle from which a confirmation was received.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the determining is based at least in part on a database storing VIN numbers and associated vehicle information.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

determining that a vehicle, qualifying for message delivery and for which a receipt-of-confirmation has not yet been registered has connected to the remote network; and

sending the message to the vehicle.