Systems and Methods of Automating Driver Actions in a Vehicle

• US 20150217777A1
• Filed: 02/05/2014
• Published: 08/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Konigsberg, Amir
• Granted Patent: US 9,308,920 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1442 Emulation of input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/151 Instrument output devices for configurable output
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/1442 Emulation of input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/151 Reconfigurable output
• 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 35/20 Output arrangements, i.e. from vehicle to user, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• 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: B60W 2520/00 Input parameters relating to overall vehicle dynamics
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/00 Input parameters relating to vehicle conditions or values, not covered by groups B60W2510/00 or B60W2520/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/00 Input parameters relating to occupants
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/20 Ambient conditions, e.g. wind or rain
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/08 Interaction between the driver and the control system

Abstract

A vehicle automates a driver action by controlling vehicle systems according to a rule. The rule includes a trigger event and an automated action. Rules are created or added for use by a vehicle using applications including user-defined rule applications, automatic rule applications, and network applications.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

accessing, by a computing system using a processor, signal data representing a signal measured by a sensor of a vehicle;

accessing, by a computing system using a processor, a rule including an automated action and a trigger event; and

generating, by the system, if the signal data includes the trigger event, a command signal that is based on the automated action and that is configured to control a vehicle system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the command signal is configured to control a vehicle system in the same manner as a manual control input to a vehicle system using a control mechanism.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising generating, by the system, if the signal data includes the trigger event, a command signal that is based on the automated action and that is configured to control an auxiliary device that is configured to connect to the vehicle system.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the command signal is configured to control an auxiliary device in the same manner as a manual control input to a vehicle system using a control mechanism.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal data represents a signal measured by a sensor that measures a manual control input to a vehicle system by a control mechanism.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal data represents a signal measured by a sensor that measures an environmental parameter within the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal data represents a signal measured by a sensor that measures an environmental parameter outside the vehicle.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal data represents a signal measured by a sensor that measures status or performance of a vehicle system.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal data represents a signal measured by a sensor that measures a driver state.

10. The method of claim 1, comprising:

generating, by the computing system, and initiating displaying an action selection element by which a user can select an action indicator, the action indicator representing the automated action; and

generating, by the computing system, and initiating displaying a trigger selection element by which a user can select a trigger indicator, the trigger indicator representing the trigger event.

11. The method of claim 10, comprising generating, by the computing system, the trigger selection element based on a received selection of an action indicator.

12. The method of claim 10, comprising initiating, by the computing system, displaying a selected action indicator and a selected trigger indicator as a rule indicator.

13. The method of claim 1, comprising:

analyzing, by the computing system, a set of first signal data representing a signal measured by a first sensor of the vehicle that measures a manual control input to a vehicle system by a control mechanism;

analyzing, by the computing system, at least a set of second signal data representing a signal measured by at least a second sensor of the vehicle;

identifying, by the computing system, a correlation between the set of first signal data and at least the set of second signal data; and

generating, by the computing system, the rule based on the correlation.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the second sensor of the vehicle measures a control input to a vehicle system by a manually-controlled control mechanism.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the second sensor of the vehicle measures one of:

an environmental parameter within the vehicle;

an environmental parameter outside the vehicle;

a performance of a vehicle system; and

a driver state.

16. The method of claim 13, comprising:

initiating, by the computing system, displaying a rule indicator based on the generated rule; and

initiating, by the computing system, displaying a selection element that is configured to receive input from a user to add a rule based on the rule indicator to a profile.

17. The method of claim 1, comprising:

generating, by the computing system, and initiating displaying an interface through which a user can directly connect the user'"'"'s profile to other user profiles.

18. The method of claim 17, comprising accessing, by the computing system, and initiating displaying rules of another user'"'"'s profile to which the user is connected.

19. The method of claim 1, comprising accessing, by the computing system, and initiating displaying a database of rules and a selection indicator through which a user can add a rule to the user'"'"'s profile.

20. A vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle systems;

a sensors;

a computing device comprising a processor and computer executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

access signal data representing a signal measured by the sensor of the vehicle;

access a rule including an automated action and a trigger event; and

generate, if the signal data includes the trigger event, a command signal that is based on the automated action and that is configured to control the vehicle system.