Remote Operator Assistance for One or More User Commands in a Vehicle

• US 20130184898A1
• Filed: 03/04/2013
• Published: 07/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Gersabeck, David Marvin, Blanks, LaTaunya LaShea, Ziazadeh, Ninos
• Granted Patent: US 8,972,081 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/2
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3608 using speech input, e.g. using speech recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00

Abstract

Various embodiments relate to remote operator assistance for one or more user commands at a vehicle. The operator assistance may occur via a vehicle computing system. One or more instances of an unsuccessful attempt to perform a user command may be received by the vehicle computing system. After detection of a predetermined number of instances, a connection may be established, via the vehicle computing system, with a remotely located system. The remotely-located system may be operated by a human operator in order to assist with performance of the user command. An information exchange may be facilitated between the vehicle and the remotely located system operated by the human operator. The information exchange may relate to the user command. The user command may be performed in the vehicle based on information obtained from the remotely-located system.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

detecting an unsuccessful attempt to perform a navigation command;

after detecting the unsuccessful attempt, establishing a connection to a remotely-located system to facilitate an information exchange relating to the navigation command;

receiving updated navigation information from the remotely-located system as a result of the information exchange;

determining at the computer that the navigation command can be performed based on the information; and

performing the navigation command at a vehicle associated computer.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving information predefining a number of unsuccessful attempts to trigger the connection to the system;

monitoring the number of unsuccessful attempts; and

establishing the connection after the number of unsuccessful attempts is equal to or greater than the predefined number of unsuccessful attempts.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein information about the at least one unsuccessful attempt is transmitted from the vehicle associated computer to the remote system during the information exchange.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the information about the unsuccessful attempt includes an audio recording of the at least one unsuccessful attempt.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the information received as a result of the information exchange includes navigation information to perform the navigation command.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the connection is established automatically after the at least one unsuccessful attempt.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a request from a user to connect to the remotely-located system; and

establishing the connection to the system in response to the user request.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the navigation command is a destination search.

9. A system comprising:

one or more vehicle associated computer processors configured to;

receive a navigation command at a computer associated with a vehicle;

detect an unsuccessful attempt to perform the navigation command;

after detecting the at least one unsuccessful attempt, establish a connection to a remotely-located system to facilitate an information exchange relating to the navigation command;

receive updated navigation information from the remotely-located system as a result of the information exchange;

determine at the computer that the navigation command can be performed based on the information; and

perform the navigation command at the computer.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

receive information predefining a number of unsuccessful attempts to trigger the connection to the remote system;

monitor the number of unsuccessful attempts; and

establish the connection after the number of unsuccessful attempts is equal to or greater than the predefined number of unsuccessful attempts.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein information about the at least one unsuccessful attempt is transmitted from the vehicle computer to the system during the information exchange.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the information about the unsuccessful attempt includes an audio recording of the at least one unsuccessful attempt.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein the information received as a result of the information exchange includes navigation information to perform the navigation command.

14. The system of claim 9 wherein the connection is established automatically after the at least one unsuccessful attempt.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the processors are further configured to:

receive a request from a user to connect to the remotely-located system; and

establish the connection to the system in response to the user request

16. The system of claim 9 wherein the navigation command is a destination search.

17. A computer readable storage medium, storing instructions which, when executed by a processor of a vehicle computing system, cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

detecting an unsuccessful attempt to perform a navigation command;

after detecting the unsuccessful attempt, establishing a connection to a remotely-located system to facilitate an information exchange relating to the navigation command;

receiving updated navigation information from the remotely-located system as a result of the information exchange;

determining at the computer that the navigation command can be performed based on the information; and

performing the navigation command at a vehicle associated computer.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving information predefining a number of unsuccessful attempts to trigger the connection to the system;

monitoring the number of unsuccessful attempts; and

establishing the connection after the number of unsuccessful attempts is equal to or greater than the predefined number of unsuccessful attempts.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein information about the at least one unsuccessful attempt is transmitted from the vehicle associated computer to the remote system during the information exchange.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the information about the unsuccessful attempt includes an audio recording of the at least one unsuccessful attempt.