METHOD OF GENERATING ANTHROPMORPHIC VEHICLE IMAGES

• US 20130335449A1
• Filed: 06/18/2012
• Published: 12/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company), GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company), GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Johnson, Richard A., Wuergler, Michael A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,280,919 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/634
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/40 of characters, e.g. humans, animals or virtual beings
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/106 using electronic means

Abstract

A method of generating anthropomorphic vehicle images for a vehicle owner is shown that includes providing a plurality of anthropomorphic vehicle images on a visual display for a vehicle owner to select; receiving a selection of an anthropomorphic vehicle image from the vehicle owner using a wireless device; obtaining vehicle data using one or more vehicle sensors located on the vehicle; altering at least a portion of the selected anthropomorphic vehicle image based on the accessed vehicle data; and displaying the altered anthropomorphic vehicle image on a wireless device to the vehicle owner.

Claims

1. A method of generating anthropomorphic vehicle images for a vehicle owner, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a plurality of anthropomorphic vehicle images on a visual display for a vehicle owner to select;

(b) receiving a selection of an anthropomorphic vehicle image from the vehicle owner using a wireless device;

(c) obtaining vehicle data using one or more vehicle sensors located on the vehicle;

(d) altering at least a portion of the selected anthropomorphic vehicle image based on the accessed vehicle data; and

(e) displaying the altered anthropomorphic vehicle image on a wireless device to the vehicle owner.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing a plurality of anthropomorphic vehicle images each of which represent a vehicle model.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing a plurality of single anthropomorphic vehicle images.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

relating the geographical positions of two or more vehicles using the obtained vehicle data;

identifying the anthropomorphic vehicle image belonging to each of the vehicles; and

superimposing the anthropomorphic vehicle image belonging to each of the vehicles onto a geographical map based on geographical positions; and

wirelessly transmitting this map to each of the vehicles.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of presenting a plurality of vehicle component images or vehicle environment images on a visual display from which the vehicle owner can choose and receiving from the vehicle owner a selection from among the plurality of vehicle component images and vehicle environment images.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the portion of the selected anthropomorphic vehicle image comprises an artistic image of an informational gauge.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of displaying the altered anthropomorphic vehicle image on a smartphone display.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of generating the plurality of anthropomorphic vehicle images using software stored at a smartphone and providing the plurality of anthropomorphic vehicle images on a smartphone display for a vehicle owner to select.

9. A method of generating anthropomorphic vehicle images for a vehicle owner, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a plurality of anthropomorphic vehicle images on a visual display for a vehicle owner to select;

(b) receiving from the vehicle owner via a wireless device a selection from among the plurality of anthropomorphic vehicle images;

(c) determining the location of the vehicle using a global positioning system (GPS) module carried by the vehicle;

(d) creating a geographical map based on the location of the vehicle;

(e) superimposing the selected anthropomorphic vehicle image over the geographical map based on the location of the vehicle; and

(f) displaying the superimposed anthropomorphic vehicle image and geographical map to the vehicle owner.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of providing a plurality of anthropomorphic vehicle images each of which represent a vehicle model.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of providing a plurality of single anthropomorphic vehicle images.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

relating the geographical positions two or more vehicles using the determined location;

identifying the anthropomorphic vehicle image for each of the vehicles; and

superimposing the anthropomorphic vehicle image for each of the vehicles onto the geographical map based on the determined location; and

wirelessly transmitting this map to each of the vehicles.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising the steps of presenting a plurality of vehicle component images or vehicle environment images on a visual display from which the vehicle owner can choose and receiving from the vehicle owner a selection from among the plurality of vehicle component images and vehicle environment images.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising the steps of altering at least a portion of the selected anthropomorphic vehicle image based on vehicle data;

and displaying the altered anthropomorphic vehicle image on a visual display to the vehicle owner.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the portion of the selected anthropomorphic vehicle image comprises an artistic image of an informational gauge.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of displaying the altered anthropomorphic vehicle image on a smartphone display.

17. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of superimposing the selected anthropomorphic vehicle image for each of the vehicles on the geographical map using a smartphone.

18. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of generating the plurality of anthropomorphic vehicle images using software stored at a smartphone and providing the plurality of anthropomorphic vehicle images on a smartphone display for a vehicle owner to select.

19. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of superimposing the anthropomorphic vehicle image for each of the vehicles on the geographical map based on the determined location at a central facility.

20. A method of generating anthropomorphic vehicle images for a vehicle owner, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a plurality of anthropomorphic vehicle images to a vehicle owner on a visual display, wherein each of the anthropomorphic vehicle images includes one or more artistic images of informational gauges that represent a function of the vehicle;

(b) receiving from the vehicle owner a selection from among the plurality of anthropomorphic vehicle images;

(c) providing a plurality of vehicle component images and vehicle environment images on a visual display from which the vehicle owner can choose;

(d) receiving from the vehicle owner a selection from among the plurality of vehicle component images and vehicle environment images;

(e) changing the selected anthropomorphic vehicle image to include the selected vehicle component image, the selected vehicle environment image, or both;

(f) gathering vehicle operational data from vehicle sensors onboard the vehicle;

(g) visually communicating at least some of the gathered vehicle operational data to the vehicle owner by altering one or more artistic images of informational gauges included with the anthropomorphic vehicle image; and

(h) displaying the altered anthropomorphic vehicle image on the visual display.