METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR IN-VEHICLE FUNCTION CONTROL

• US 20140142805A1
• Filed: 11/20/2012
• Published: 05/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Frye, Mark S.
• Granted Patent: US 9,096,234 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/195 Blocking or enabling display functions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/197 Blocking or enabling of input functions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/21 using cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/48 Sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/589 Wireless data transfers
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/5899 Internet
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/592 Data transfer involving external databases
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/595 Data transfer involving internal databases
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/195 Blocking or enabling display functions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/197 Blocking or enabling of input functions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/21 using cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/48 Sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/58 Data transfers
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/589 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/5899 Internet
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/592 External database involved
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/595 Internal database involved
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/22 Display screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/29 : Instruments characterised by the way in which information is handled, e.g. showing information on plural displays or prioritising information according to driving conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/85 : Arrangements for transferring vehicle- or driver-related data
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 37/06 : of controls, e.g. controls knobs
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/023 : for transmission of signals between vehicle parts or subsystems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/09 : Driving style or behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/08 : Interaction between the driver and the control system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/06 : Generation of reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 : based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]

Abstract

A method and a system for in-vehicle function control are disclosed herein. In an example of the method, an in-vehicle controller recognizes that a predetermined driver is operating a vehicle. The in-vehicle controller receives data from at least one vehicle system, the data being indicative of a driving behavior of the predetermined driver. The in-vehicle controller compares the data with any of i) positive metrics or ii) negative metrics to categorize the driving behavior. In response to the categorized driving behavior, a signal is provided. In response to the signal, access is granted to any of (i) an infotainment function or (ii) an increased number or range associated with an infotainment function, if the categorized driving behavior is associated with a predetermined number of the positive metrics.

Claims

1. A method for in-vehicle function control, comprising:

recognizing, by an in-vehicle controller, that a predetermined driver is operating a vehicle;

receiving, in the in-vehicle controller, data from at least one vehicle system, the data being indicative of a driving behavior of the predetermined driver;

in the in-vehicle controller, comparing the data with any of i) positive metrics or ii) negative metrics to categorize the driving behavior;

providing, in response to the categorized driving behavior, a signal; and

responsive to the signal, granting access to any of (i) an infotainment function or (ii) an increased number or range associated with an infotainment function, if the categorized driving behavior is associated with a predetermined number of the positive metrics.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising continuing to deny access to any of (i) the infotainment function or (ii) the increased number or range associated with the infotainment function, if the categorized driving behavior is associated with a predetermined number of the negative metrics.

3. The method as defined in claim 2 wherein:

the infotainment function is selected from setting a preset radio station;

making calls using an in-vehicle hands free calling system;

connecting an external music device;

in-vehicle uploading to a social media webpage;

operating any of a radio or a compact disc player;

availability of radio stations;

location sharing for social networking;

setting vehicle function ringtones;

setting wall paper for an in-vehicle display; and

combinations thereof;

or

the increased number or range associated with the infotainment function is selected from a number of preset radio stations;

a number of calls using an in-vehicle hands free calling system;

a number of uploads to a social media webpage;

a volume range;

a number of accessible radio stations;

a number of in-vehicle display wall papers available for selection;

a number of ringtones available for selection;

a time the radio can be on when driving at a particular speed; and

combinations thereof.

4. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein in conjunction with the comparing, the method further comprises analyzing a driving history of the predetermined driver to categorize the driving behavior.

5. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the comparing of the data with any of the i) positive metrics or ii) negative metrics to categorize the driving behavior includes comparing the data with a threshold value to determine if the data is associated with the positive metrics or the negative metrics.

6. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein:

the infotainment function is selected from setting a preset radio station;

making calls using an in-vehicle hands free calling system;

connecting an external music device;

in-vehicle uploading to a social media webpage;

operating any of a radio or a compact disc player;

availability of radio stations;

location sharing for social networking;

setting vehicle function ringtones;

setting wall paper for an in-vehicle display; and

combinations thereof;

or

the increased number or range associated with the infotainment function is selected from a number of preset radio stations;

a number of calls using an in-vehicle hands free calling system;

a number of uploads to a social media webpage;

a volume range;

a number of accessible radio stations;

a number of in-vehicle display wall papers available for selection;

a number of ringtones available for selection;

a time the radio can be on when driving at a particular speed; and

combinations thereof.

7. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising transmitting a report of the categorized driving behavior using email, a webpage, social media, or an SMS message.

8. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising transmitting the data from the at least one vehicle system to the in-vehicle controller in the form of a real-time bus message, the real-time bus message being:

related to a preset geo-boundary;

related to a following distance of the vehicle;

related to vehicle speed;

related to vehicle braking;

related to any of vehicle acceleration and deceleration;

or related to lane drift.

9. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at a webpage, a user-selected positive metric and a user-selected negative metric for the predetermined driver;

transmitting the user-selected positive metric and the user-selected negative metric to the in-vehicle controller; and

storing the user-selected positive metric and the user-selected negative metric in a memory associated with the in-vehicle controller.

10. A system for in-vehicle function control, comprising:

computer-readable instructions, embodied on a non-transitory, tangible computer readable medium, for recognizing that a predetermined driver is operating a vehicle;

at least one vehicle system to transmit data indicative of a driving behavior of the predetermined driver;

an in-vehicle controller to compare the data with any of i) positive metrics or ii) negative metrics to categorize the driving behavior; and

an in-vehicle infotainment controller to;

receive a signal from the in-vehicle controller; and

in response to the signal, grant access to any of (i) an infotainment function or (ii) an increased number or range associated with an infotainment function, if the categorized driving behavior is associated with a predetermined number of the positive metrics.

11. The system as defined in claim 10 wherein the in-vehicle infotainment controller is further to continue denying access to any of (i) the infotainment function or (ii) the increased number or range associated with the infotainment function, if the categorized driving behavior is associated with a predetermined number of the negative metrics.

12. The system as defined in claim 11 wherein:

the infotainment function is selected from setting a preset radio station;

making calls using an in-vehicle hands free calling system;

connecting an external music device;

in-vehicle uploading to a social media webpage;

operating any of a radio or a compact disc player;

availability of radio stations;

location sharing for social networking;

setting vehicle function ringtones;

setting wall paper for an in-vehicle display; and

combinations thereof;

or

the increased number or range associated with the infotainment function is selected from a number of preset radio stations;

a number of calls using an in-vehicle hands free calling system;

a number of uploads to a social media webpage;

a volume range;

a number of accessible radio stations;

a number of in-vehicle display wall papers available for selection;

a number of ringtones available for selection;

a time the radio can be on when driving at a particular speed; and

combinations thereof.

13. The system as defined in claim 10 wherein the in-vehicle controller is further to analyze, in conjunction with the comparison, a driving history of the predetermined driver to categorize the driving behavior.

14. The system as defined in claim 10, further comprising computer-readable instructions, operable by the in-vehicle controller, to compare the data with a threshold value to determine if the data is associated with the positive metrics or the negative metrics.

15. The system as defined in claim 10 wherein:

the infotainment function is selected from setting a preset radio station;

making calls using an in-vehicle hands free calling system;

connecting an external music device;

in-vehicle uploading to a social media webpage;

operating any of a radio or a compact disc player;

availability of radio stations;

location sharing for social networking;

setting vehicle function ringtones;

setting wall paper for an in-vehicle display; and

combinations thereof;

or

the increased number or range associated with the infotainment function is selected from a number of preset radio stations;

a number of calls using an in-vehicle hands free calling system;

a number of uploads to a social media webpage;

a volume range;

a number of accessible radio stations;

a number of in-vehicle display wall papers available for selection;

a number of ringtones available for selection;

a time the radio can be on when driving at a particular speed; and

combinations thereof.

16. The system as defined in claim 10, further comprising:

a vehicle bus operatively connected to the in-vehicle controller and the at least one vehicle system; and

a real-time bus message including the data and transmitted by the vehicle bus, the real-time bus message being;

related to a preset geo-boundary;

related to a following distance of the vehicle;

related to vehicle speed;

related to vehicle braking;

related to any of vehicle acceleration and deceleration;

or related to lane drift.

17. The system as defined in claim 10, further comprising:

a webpage in selective communication with the in-vehicle controller, the webpage to receive a user-selected positive metric and a user-selected negative metric for the predetermined driver; and

a memory associated with the in-vehicle controller, the memory to receive and store the user-selected positive metric and the user-selected negative metric.