Method and System for Supervising Information Communication Based on Occupant and Vehicle Environment

• US 20140277932A1
• Filed: 03/13/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Prakah-Asante, Kwaku O., Elliott, Doron M., Strumolo, Gary Steven
• Granted Patent: US 9,141,583 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/02 responsive to conditions relating to the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/00 Arrangements for holding or mounting articles, not otherwise provided for
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6091 including a wireless interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72484 wherein functions are triggered by incoming communication events
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface

Abstract

A vehicle computer system includes one or more processors configured to receive context data representative of a vehicle'"'"'s environment from one or more modules. The one or more processors are programmed and configured to receive the context data from one or more modules, determine an attention demand value utilizing the context data and a workload value corresponding to the context data, and output an indicator to activate or adjust a do not disturb feature based on the attention demand value.

Claims

1. A vehicle computer system, comprising:

one or more processors configured to receive context data representative of a vehicle'"'"'s environment from one or more modules, wherein the one or more processors are further programmed and configured to;

receive the context data from the one or more modules;

determine an attention demand value based on the context data and a workload value corresponding to the context data; and

output an indicator to activate or adjust a do not disturb communication feature based on the attention demand value.

2. The vehicle computer system of claim 1, wherein the do not disturb communication feature is configured to delay an incoming communication to a vehicle occupant.

3. The vehicle computer system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle computer system further comprises a vehicle speaker configured to output the indicator via an audible message.

4. The vehicle computer system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle computer system further comprises a vehicle display configured to output the indicator via a visual indicator.

5. The vehicle computer system of claim 1, wherein the do not disturb communication feature includes a plurality of do not disturb configurations each corresponding to a different type of communication.

6. The vehicle computer system of claim 1, wherein the one or more modules include a transceiver configured to communicate with a nomadic device or an off-board server.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more modules include a cellular phone in communication with the vehicle computer system.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein an incoming vehicle communication is received from the cellular phone and the processor is further configured to send a message to the cellular phone indicating that a user is unavailable when the do not disturb communication feature is activated.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the message is capable of being customized by a vehicle occupant.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the context data indicates the module is off.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the context data indicates one or more data selected from a group consisting of traffic data, wiper usage data, fog light indicator data, high beam indicator data, weather data, and traction control system data.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the workload value corresponding to the context data is based on a type of module sending the context data.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the workload value corresponding to the context data is based on a type of usage of the module sending the context data.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the attention demand value is representative of a short-term high attention demand environment.

15. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving context data from one or more data sources representative of a vehicle'"'"'s environment;

determining an attention demand value based on the context data and a workload value corresponding to the context data;

configuring a do not disturb communication setting based on the attention demand value, wherein the do not disturb communication setting includes two or more options;

receiving a request at the vehicle to output a communication; and

controlling the communication based on the do not disturb setting.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the one or more data sources includes a transceiver in communication with an off-board server.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the two or more options include delaying, ignoring, or outputting an incoming communication to an occupant based on a different type of communication.

18. A vehicle computer system, comprising:

a processor configured to receive a signal from a module indicating that one or more vehicle functions is active, wherein the processor is programmed and configured to;

determine an attention demand value utilizing the signal and a workload value corresponding to the signal; and

output an indicator to activate or adjust a do not disturb communication feature based on the attention demand value.

19. The vehicle computer system of claim 18, wherein the signal is data or an analog signal.

20. The vehicle computer system of claim 19, wherein the data is one or more data selected from a group consisting of traffic data, wiper usage data, fog light indicator data, high beam indicator data, weather data, and traction control system data.