Method of Controlling an Auxiliary Vehicle System
First Claim
1. A method of controlling an auxiliary vehicle system integrated into a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:
- coupling a remote system to an on-board system controller, wherein said remote system is physically separate and independent of said vehicle;
synchronizing an on-board calendar with a calendar contained on said remote system, wherein said calendar includes a plurality of successive appointments spanning a period of time, and wherein each appointment of said plurality of successive appointments has a corresponding appointment start time;
determining a plurality of locations corresponding to said plurality of successive appointments;
organizing said driving route, wherein said driving route includes said plurality of locations, and wherein a driving sequence corresponding to said driving route maintains an appointment sequence corresponding to said plurality of successive appointments;
estimating a plurality of successive drive times, wherein each successive drive time of said plurality of successive drive times corresponds to a pair of successive appointments of said plurality of successive appointments;
determining a plurality of successive departure times corresponding to said plurality of successive appointments and incorporating said plurality of successive drive times;
activating said auxiliary vehicle system a preset length of time prior to each successive departure time of said plurality of successive departure times, wherein said activating step is performed automatically by said on-board system controller; and
comparing a current time to each successive departure time of said plurality of successive departure times and for each successive departure time automatically deactivating said auxiliary vehicle system when (i) said current time matches said successive departure time plus a second preset length of time and (ii) said vehicle has not departed.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of preparing a car for travel is provided. The system incorporates a user'"'"'s calendar into the vehicle'"'"'s navigation system, synchronizes the on-board calendar with the calendar contained on the user'"'"'s device (e.g., cellular phone, laptop computer, tablet computer, personal digital assistant, computer system, etc.), determines the locations corresponding to each of the appointments contained on the calendar, estimates the travel time between locations, and determines appropriate departure times corresponding to each appointment on the calendar. Using this information, the system may be configured to automatically activate a thermal management system or other auxiliary system prior to an intended departure time.
76 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method of controlling an auxiliary vehicle system integrated into a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:
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coupling a remote system to an on-board system controller, wherein said remote system is physically separate and independent of said vehicle; synchronizing an on-board calendar with a calendar contained on said remote system, wherein said calendar includes a plurality of successive appointments spanning a period of time, and wherein each appointment of said plurality of successive appointments has a corresponding appointment start time; determining a plurality of locations corresponding to said plurality of successive appointments; organizing said driving route, wherein said driving route includes said plurality of locations, and wherein a driving sequence corresponding to said driving route maintains an appointment sequence corresponding to said plurality of successive appointments; estimating a plurality of successive drive times, wherein each successive drive time of said plurality of successive drive times corresponds to a pair of successive appointments of said plurality of successive appointments; determining a plurality of successive departure times corresponding to said plurality of successive appointments and incorporating said plurality of successive drive times; activating said auxiliary vehicle system a preset length of time prior to each successive departure time of said plurality of successive departure times, wherein said activating step is performed automatically by said on-board system controller; and comparing a current time to each successive departure time of said plurality of successive departure times and for each successive departure time automatically deactivating said auxiliary vehicle system when (i) said current time matches said successive departure time plus a second preset length of time and (ii) said vehicle has not departed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification