SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONFIGURING AN INTERIOR OF A VEHICLE BASED ON PREFERENCES PROVIDED WITH MULTIPLE MOBILE COMPUTING DEVICES WITHIN THE VEHICLE

• US 20150149042A1
• Filed: 11/21/2014
• Published: 05/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Cooper, Rotem, Lane, Frank, Jacobs, Paul, Ben-Zur, Liat, Sharma, Sandeep, Gujral, Sunvir, Chandhok, Ravinder
• Granted Patent: US 9,358,940 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/48
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/037 for occupant comfort , e.g. for automatic adjustment of appliances according to personal settings, e.g. seats, mirrors, steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/245 where the antenna reception area plays a role
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/77 using wireless control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/107 wherein the security policies are location-dependent, e.g. entities privileges depend on current location or allowing specific operations only from locally connected terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/48 for in-vehicle communication

Abstract

In response to detecting the entry condition, a determination is made as to when multiple mobile computing devices are present within the vehicle. An occupancy zone is determined for each multiple mobile computing device that is determined as being present within the vehicle. Profile information is determined for each mobile computing device. At least one of an operational or usage facet of the vehicle can be configured at each occupancy zone in which one of the mobile computing devices is determined to be present. The operational or usage facet of the vehicle at a location of each occupancy zone can be based at least in part on the profile information determined from the mobile computing device that is deemed to be present at that occupancy zone.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for implementing vehicle configurations, the method being implemented by one or more processors and comprising:

(a) detecting an entry condition;

(b) in response to detecting the entry condition, determining when multiple mobile computing devices are present within the vehicle;

(c) determining an occupancy zone for each of the multiple mobile computing devices that is determined as being present within the vehicle;

(d) determining profile information for each mobile computing device; and

(e) configuring at least one of an operational or usage facet of the vehicle at each occupancy zone in which one of the mobile computing devices is determined to be present, the operational or usage facet of the vehicle at a location of each occupancy zone being based at least in part on the profile information determined from the mobile computing device that is deemed to be present at that occupancy zone.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the entry condition corresponds to detecting at least one of (i) one of the multiple mobile computing devices communicating a digital access key to unlock the vehicle, (ii) a door of the vehicle being opened or closed, and/or (iii) a seat of the vehicle being occupied.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein (e) includes configuring multiple types of operational or usage facets of the vehicle, including a first type of operational or usage facet at the location of a first occupancy zone, and a second type of operational or usage facet at a second occupancy zone.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first and second types of operational or usage facets each include an operation or usage facet selected from (i) a seat position or orientation, (ii) content setting or media output selection from a media output device, (iii) lighting, and/or (iv) seat or air temperature.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least (a) through (d) are performed on one of the multiple mobile computing devices.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the multiple computing devices operate a common communication platform for enabling wireless communication exchanges amongst the multiple computing devices as peers, and wherein (a) through (d) are performed by one or more of the multiple computing devices.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the multiple computing devices operate a common communication platform with a controller of the vehicle, and wherein at least (a) through (d) are performed by the controller.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining profile information for each mobile computing device includes determining profile information that is stored on each of the multiple computing devices in association with the vehicle.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining profile information for each mobile computing device includes determining profile information that is stored on one or more of the multiple computing devices which are non-specific to the vehicle.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein determining profile information for each mobile computing device includes determining profile information for two or more of the multiple computing devices from profile information stored with one of the multiple computing devices.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the occupancy zone of each mobile computing device includes determining at least one of (i) a seat row where a user of each mobile computing device is likely seated, (ii) a left or right region of the vehicle where the user of each mobile computing device is likely seated, and/or (iii) a designation of whether the user of each mobile computing device is a driver or a passenger.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the occupancy zone of each mobile computing device includes determining a seat location of each mobile computing device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein determining the occupancy zone of each mobile computing device includes determining, from the seat location of at least one of the multiple computing devices, an identity of a person who is likely seated at that seat position.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein determining the seat location includes:

communicating with a motion seat sensor of each seat to receive a corresponding seat sensor output profile, the motion seat sensor of each seat generating the seat sensor output profile to reflect seating by a user on the seat of the motion seat sensor;

determining a sensor output profile from a motion sensor on each of the mobile computing devices for a duration of time;

for each mobile computing device, determining a strength of correlation as between the sensor output profile of that mobile computing device and the corresponding seat sensor output profile of each seat of the vehicle; and

determining the seat location for each mobile computing device based on the strengths of correlation determined for the sensor output profile of that mobile computing device.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein determining the seat location includes:

initiating a sensor-detectable event at or in closest proximity to individual seats, so that the event is initiated at or near each individual seat of the vehicle in accordance with a sequence;

determining a sensor output profile from a sensor of each mobile computing device that can detect the event; and

determining the seat location for each mobile computing device by correlating each sensor output profile to one of the events in the sequence.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the sensor-detectable event corresponds to one of (i) initiating inducement of a magnetic field at each seat, (ii) initiating movement of each seat, and/or (iii) initiating generation of an acoustic signal at each seat.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein determining the seat location of each mobile computing device includes triangulating the seat location of the vehicle using a radio frequency or acoustic resource of the vehicle.

18. A mobile computing device comprising:

a short-range wireless port;

a memory resource; and

a processor to;

communicate, using the short-range wireless port, with one or more other devices in a vehicle, including with at least one of (i) one or more other mobile computing devices in the vehicle, or (ii) a controller of the vehicle;

determine, from communicating with the one or more other devices in the vehicle, when multiple mobile computing devices are present within the vehicle;

determine an occupancy zone for each of the multiple mobile computing devices that is determined as being present within the vehicle;

determine profile information for each mobile computing device; and

initiate configuration of at least one of an operational or usage facet of the vehicle at each occupancy zone in which one of the mobile computing devices is determined to be present, the operational or usage facet of the vehicle at a location of each occupancy zone being based at least in part on the profile information determined from the mobile computing device that is deemed to be present at that occupancy zone.

19. The mobile computing device of claim 18, wherein the processor detects an entry condition corresponding to at least one of (i) one of the multiple mobile computing devices communicating a digital access key to unlock the vehicle, (ii) a door of the vehicle being opened or closed, and/or (iii) a seat of the vehicle being occupied.

20. The mobile computing device of claim 18, wherein the processor configures multiple types of operational or usage facets of the vehicle, including a first type of operational or usage facet at the location of a first occupancy zone, and a second type of operational or usage facet at a second occupancy zone.

21. The mobile computing device of claim 18, wherein the processor determines the occupancy zone of each mobile computing device in the vehicle by determining at least one of (i) a seat row where a user of the mobile computing device is likely seated, (ii) a left or right region of the vehicle where the user of the mobile computing device is likely seated, and/or (iii) a designation of whether a user of each mobile computing device is a driver or a passenger.

22. The mobile computing device of claim 18, wherein the processor determines the occupancy zone of each mobile computing device in the vehicle by determining a seat location of each mobile computing device.

23. The mobile computing device of claim 22, wherein the processor determines the occupancy zone of each mobile computing device in the vehicle by determining, from the seat location of at least one of the multiple computing devices, an identity of a person who is likely seated at that seat position.

24. The mobile computing device of claim 22, wherein the processor determines the seat location of each mobile computing device in the vehicle by:

communicating with a motion seat sensor of each seat to receive a corresponding seat sensor output profile, the motion seat sensor of each seat generating sensor output to reflect seating by a user on the seat of the motion seat sensor;

determining a sensor output profile from a motion sensor on each of the mobile computing devices for a duration of time;

for each mobile computing device, determining a strength of correlation as between the sensor output profile of that mobile computing device and the corresponding seat sensor output profile of each seat of the vehicle; and

determining the seat location for each mobile computing device in the vehicle based on the strengths of correlation determined for the sensor output profile of that mobile computing device.

25. The mobile computing device of claim 22, wherein the processor determines the seat location of each mobile computing device in the vehicle by:

initiating a sensor-detectable event at or in closest proximity to individual seats, so that the event is initiated at or near each individual seat of the vehicle in accordance with a sequence;

determining a sensor output profile from a sensor of each mobile computing device that can detect the event; and

determining the seat location for each mobile computing device by correlating each sensor output profile to one of the events in the sequence.

26. The mobile computing device of claim 18, wherein the processor communicates with the one or more other devices using a wireless, peer-to-peer connection.

27. A vehicle comprising:

a controller;

a set of interfaces to operational and usage facets of the vehicle;

a short-range wireless port;

a sensor input or output resource provided with or in proximity to each seat;

wherein the controller operates to;

determines a sensor comparison profile for each seat from the sensor input or output resource provided with or in proximity to each seat;

determines a sensor output profile from a motion sensor of each mobile computing device in a set of mobile computing devices;

determine a seat position of each mobile computing device of the set based on a comparison of the sensor output profile from the motion sensor of each of the mobile computing devices of the set and the sensor comparison profile for each seat;

obtains profile information from one or more of the mobile computing devices in the set; and

initiates, through the set of interfaces to operational and usage facets of the vehicle, configuration of multiple operational or usage facets of the vehicle, including configuration of a specific operational or usage facet using profile data of the mobile computing device in the set that is at the seat position which is in closest proximity to the specific operational or usage facet.

28. The vehicle of claim 27, wherein the sensor input or output resource provided with or in proximity to each seat includes a seat sensor provided with each seat, and wherein the sensor comparison profile is determined from a seat sensor output profile generated by each seat sensor over a duration of time;

wherein the controller determines the seat position of each mobile computing device of the set using seat correlation logic that compares the seat sensor output profile generated by each seat sensor with the sensor output profile from the motion sensor of each of the mobile computing devices of the set.

29. The vehicle of claim 27, wherein the sensor input or output resource provided with or in proximity to each seat includes a sensor output resource that generates a sensor-detectable event at or near each seat, and wherein the sensor comparison profile identifies a sequence of the sensor-detectable events at or near each seat;

wherein the controller determines the seat position of each mobile computing device of the set using position determination logic that compares the sensor comparison profile with the sensor output profile from the motion sensor of each of the mobile computing devices of the set.

30. A vehicular system comprising:

a vehicle sub-system comprising a controller, a set of interfaces to operational and usage facets of the vehicle, a short-range wireless port, and a sensor input or output resource provided with or in proximity to each seat;

a set of multiple mobile computing devices, each mobile computing device including a processor, a memory resource and a motion sensor;

wherein the vehicle sub-system and each of the set of multiple computing devices operate a communication platform for communicating with each other in order to establish a network of multiple devices within the vehicle;

wherein at least one of the multiple devices of the network;

operates the input or output resource to generate a sensor comparison profile for each seat;

determines a sensor output profile for a specified duration from the motion sensor of each of the mobile computing devices of the set;

uses one of position determination logic or sensor correlation logic to determine a seat position of each mobile computing device of the set;

obtains profile information from one or more of the mobile computing devices in the set; and

initiates, from the controller of the vehicle sub-system through the set of interfaces to operational and usage facets of the vehicle, configuration of multiple operational or usage facets of the vehicle, including configuration of a specific operational or usage facet using profile data of the mobile computing device in the set that is at the seat position which is in closest proximity to the specific operational or usage facet.