USER INTERFACE SYSTEM AND METHOD BASED ON CALENDAR EVENT

• US 20140278089A1
• 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: Gusikhin, Oleg Yurievitch, Kowalski, David Allen, MacNeille, Perry Robinson
• Granted Patent: US 9,121,710 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/533
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/362 received from an external device or application, e.g. PDA, mobile phone or calendar application
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3691 Retrieval, searching and output of information related to real-time traffic, weather, or environmental conditions arrangements for giving variable traffic instructions G08G1/09

Abstract

A vehicle interface system and method is provided. The system and method includes an interface for communicating with a vehicle user. A controller is in communication with the interface and configured to retrieve a calendar event and verify the calendar event based on an input from the user via the interface. Trip information is generated based on the calendar event and vehicle data. Trip information, based on the calendar event and vehicle data, is communicated to the user via the interface.

Claims

1. A vehicle interface system comprising:

an interface for communicating with a vehicle user; and

a controller in communication with the interface and configured to;

retrieve data associated with at least one calendar event from a device of the user;

receive destination information based on the calendar event;

prompt the user, via the interface, to verify the destination information;

receive verification of the destination information the destination information based on an input from the user via the interface;

receive arrival-time information based on the calendar event;

prompt the user, via the interface, to verify the arrival-time information;

receive verification of the arrival-time information based on an input from the user via the interface;

generate trip information based on the validated destination information and arrival-time information, and vehicle data; and

communicate the trip information to the user via the interface.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the interface includes a display and wherein the controller being configured to communicate the trip information includes being configured to display a route map on the display.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the interface includes a voice-recognition interface and wherein the input includes a voice input.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the device is a personal wireless device having an electronic calendar function.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein upon a determination that at least one of the calendar event or the device are unavailable, the controller is configured to:

prompt the user to retrieve destination information and arrival-time information; and

receive the destination information and arrival-time information from the user via the interface.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising wherein the controller is configured to determine the trip information based on route data including at least one of map topology, weather, or traffic and wherein the vehicle data includes at least one of a battery charge level, a driver profile information and a vehicle location.

7. A vehicle interface system comprising:

an interface for communicating with a vehicle user; and

a controller in communication with the interface and configured to;

retrieve a calendar event;

verify the calendar event based on an input from the user via the interface;

generate trip information based on the calendar event and vehicle data; and

communicate the trip information based on the calendar event and vehicle data to the user via the interface.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the controller being configured to retrieve the calendar event includes the controller being configured to:

query the user to retrieve destination information and arrival-time information; and

receive the destination information and arrival-time information from the user via the interface.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein the controller configured to retrieve the calendar event includes the controller configured to:

retrieve the calendar event from a device of the user.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the controller is further configured to receive destination information and arrival-time information based on the calendar event.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the controller is further configured to validate the destination information and arrival-time information based on an input from the user via the interface.

12. The system of claim 7 wherein the interface includes a display and wherein the controller being configured to communicate the trip information includes the controller being configured to display a route map on the display.

13. The system of claim 7 wherein the interface includes a voice-recognition interface and wherein the input includes a voice input.

14. The system of claim 7 wherein the device is at least one of a personal wireless device or a remote system having an electronic calendar function and configured to being accessible by the controller.

15. The system of claim 7 wherein the controller configured to retrieve a calendar event comprises the controller being configured to retrieve a plurality of calendar events defining an itinerary.

16. The system of claim 7 wherein the vehicle data includes at least one of a battery charge level, a driver profile information and a vehicle location.

17. A vehicle interface method comprising:

retrieving a calendar event;

validating the calendar event based on an input from a user via a vehicle interface;

generate trip information based on the calendar event and vehicle data; and

communicating the trip information to the user via the interface.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein retrieving the calendar event includes:

querying the user to retrieve destination information and arrival-time information; and

receiving the destination information and arrival-time information from the user via the interface.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein retrieving the calendar event includes retrieving the calendar event from a device of the user.

20. The method of claim 17 further comprising validating destination information and arrival-time information of the calendar event based on an input from the user via the interface.