METHOD AND SYSTEM TO ENABLE COMMANDS ON A VEHICLE COMPUTER BASED ON USER CREATED RULES

• US 20150266356A1
• Filed: 03/19/2014
• Published: 09/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2014
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: FISCHER, Joel J., GROVER, Joey Ray, DANNE, Philip Joseph, SMEREKA, Scott
• Application Number:
  US14/219,322
• Publication Number:
  US 20150266356A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00657 Remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00742 by detection of the vehicle occupants' presence; by detection of conditions relating to the body of occupants, e.g. using radiant heat detectors
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/76 responsive to devices carried by persons or objects, e.g. magnets or reflectors E05F15/77 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/77 using wireless control
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/42 Determining position
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric

Abstract

A vehicle computing system has at least one controller in communication with one or more transceivers, where the one or more transceivers are capable of communicating with a wireless device. The at least one controller is configured to recognize a vehicle occupant based on a wireless device connection received at the transceiver. The at least one controller is further configured to receive one or more infotainment rules based on the recognized vehicle occupant. The one or more infotainment rules are associated with at least one of time of day, calendar date, vehicle location, and exterior temperature. The at least one controller is further configured to control an infotainment system by adjusting control settings based on the one or more infotainment rules.

Claims

1. A garage door management method, the method comprising:

receiving input at a computer defining a threshold distance between a garage door and a vehicle;

receiving input at the computer defining a garage door event corresponding to the threshold distance;

determining a distance to the garage door; and

if the distance is equal to the threshold distance, transmit an event signal corresponding to the event.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the event signal is at least one of an open or close command for the garage door.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving mile-per-hour data in relation to a predefined time value, and

delaying the event signal if the mile-per-hour data is equal to zero for the predefined time value.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving GPS data to define a garage location and determining the distance from the vehicle to the garage door.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising calculating a vehicle direction based on miles-per-hour data and the GPS data;

and determining whether the vehicle is driving away from the garage door or towards the garage door.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the threshold distance may be configured to have multiple settings based on the vehicle direction.

7. A climate management system comprising:

at least one controller in communication with a transceiver, the transceiver being capable of communication with one or more wireless devices, the at least one controller configured to;

recognize a user based on a wireless device in communication with the transceiver;

retrieve climate management rules based on the recognized user, the climate management rules having one or more predefined settings correlated with at least one of temperature, precipitation, and travel time; and

control a climate system based on the climate management rules.

8. The climate management system of claim 7, wherein the at least one controller is further configured to:

adjust the climate system based on received input at a user interface;

update the climate management rules in response to the input received at the user interface, and

control the climate system based on the updated climate management rules.

9. The climate management system of claim 7, wherein the one or more predefined settings are preconfigured by at least one of a vehicle interface controls, at a website, and a nomadic device.

10. The climate management system of claim 7, wherein the one or more predefined settings are temperature settings based on at least one of time of day, calendar date, and external temperature.

11. The climate management system of claim 7, wherein the one or more predefined settings are temperature settings based on exterior temperature and interior temperature.

12. The climate management system of claim 7, wherein the one or more predefined settings are at least one of heated seat settings, air conditioned seat settings, and sun roof operation.

13. A vehicle computing system comprising:

at least one controller in communication with one or more transceivers, the one or more transceivers capable of communication with one or more wireless devices, the at least one controller configured to;

recognize a vehicle occupant based on a handheld device connection received at the transceiver;

receive one or more infotainment rules based on the recognized vehicle occupant;

the one or more infotainment rules associated with at least one of time of day, calendar date, vehicle location, and exterior temperature; and

control an infotainment system by adjusting control settings based on the one or more infotainment rules.

14. The vehicle computing system of claim 13, wherein the at least one controller is further configured to establish communication with a remote server through the handheld device;

and receive the one or more infotainment rules.

15. The vehicle computing system of claim 13, wherein the infotainment system is a climate control system.

16. The vehicle computing system of claim 15, wherein the one or more infotainment rules are at least one of temperature settings, heated seat control, AC seat control, and sun roof control.

17. The vehicle computing system of claim 13, wherein the one or more infotainment rules are predefined infotainment selections made by the vehicle occupant.

18. The vehicle computing system of claim 13, wherein the at least one controller is further configured to:

receive additional input from the vehicle occupant to adjust control settings;

request approval from the vehicle occupant if the adjusted control settings should be saved as a new infotainment rule; and

in response to vehicle occupant approval, update the one or more infotainment rules based on the new infotainment rule.

19. The vehicle computing system of claim 13, wherein the one or more infotainment rules are configured at the handheld device using an application associated with the at least one controller.

20. The vehicle computing system of claim 13, wherein on the one or more infotainment rules are configured at a website associated with the at least one controller.