CONTACT DETECT FEATURE OF A VEHICLE AND NOTIFICATIONS TO ENABLE LIVE VIEWS OF VEHICLE

• US 20160129883A1
• Filed: 01/15/2016
• Published: 05/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Emerging Automotive, LLC
• Original Assignee: Emerging Automotive, LLC
• Inventors: Penilla, Angel A., Penilla, Albert S.
• Application Number:
  US14/997,429
• Publication Number:
  US 20160129883A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/102 a signal being sent to a remote location, e.g. a radio signal being transmitted to a police station, a security company or the owner
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/305 using a camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/52 Surveillance or monitoring of activities, e.g. for recognising suspicious objects recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/196 using television cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19647 Systems specially adapted for intrusion detection in or around a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 15/00 Identifying, scaring or incapacitating burglars, thieves or intruders, e.g. by explosives
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/06 using electric transmission , e.g. involving audible and visible signalling through the use of sound and light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/144 on portable or mobile units, e.g. personal digital assistant [PDA]
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/146 where the parking area is a limited parking space, e.g. parking garage, restricted space
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/147 where the parking area is within an open public zone, e.g. city centre
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

Methods and systems are disclosed for a vehicle and for associated methods for handling contact detection of the vehicle. The vehicle includes a computer and a communications system. The communications system is configured to provide the computer of the vehicle with wireless communication with a cloud services system that includes a database that stores a user account that identifies the vehicles as registered with the cloud services system. The user account identifies settings for the vehicle and information for notifying a user of the vehicle. The vehicle includes a plurality of sensors associated to sides of the vehicle, such that contact with a specific side of the vehicle is identified using a sensor of the plurality of sensors. The vehicle further includes a plurality of cameras integrated in the vehicle to enable capturing of image data of an area around the vehicle. The computer is configured to receive data from the plurality of sensors of the vehicle to detect a contact with the vehicle and identify a side of the vehicle from which the contact was detected. The computer is configured to send a notification to the user of the vehicle indicating that contact was detected with the vehicle. The notification providing a link to an application that interfaces with the cloud services system to enable access to additional data and controls, including live feeds of the area around the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle having a contact detect feature, comprising,

a computer being integrated with the vehicle;

a communications system being integrated with the vehicle and in communication with the computer, the communications system is configured to provide the computer of the vehicle with wireless communication with a cloud services system, the cloud services system includes a database that stores a user account that identifies the vehicles as registered with the cloud services system, the user account further identifies settings for the vehicle, the settings identify information for notifying a user of the vehicle;

a plurality of sensors integrated in the vehicle, wherein select ones of the plurality of sensors are associated to sides of the vehicle, such that contact with a specific side of the vehicle is identified using a sensor of the plurality of sensors; and

a plurality of cameras integrated in the vehicle, wherein select ones of the plurality of cameras are associated to sides of the vehicle so as to enable capturing of image data of an area around the vehicle;

the computer is configured to receive data from the plurality of sensors of the vehicle, the data is used to detect a contact with the vehicle and identify a side of the vehicle from which the contact was detected;

the computer is configured to send a notification to the user of the vehicle, the notification providing information that indicates that contact was detected with the vehicle, the notification providing a link to an application that interfaces with the cloud services system to enable access to additional data and controls;

the additional data provided via the application includes information regarding the side of the vehicle from which the contact was detected;

the controls provided via the application include access to a live feed of the area around the vehicle using the plurality of cameras of the vehicle.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the live feed is a video feed of the area around the vehicle, the controls enabling focus of the video feed to specific locations of the area around the vehicle, and the contact is one of a touch of the vehicle, or a motion of the vehicle, or a collision with the vehicle, the additional data includes identification of the side of the vehicle associated with the contact that was detected;

wherein the notification is sent to an account viewable via a mobile device or computer of the user by a server of the cloud services system, the application providing an option for viewing the live feed, or contacting a security agent, or both.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising,

one or more of a motion sensor to detect motion proximate to the vehicle, or a heat detector to detect heat proximate to the vehicle, or both.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of cameras is configured to record an image or a video clip in the area around the vehicle for the contact that was detected, the image or video clip being assessable via the application for viewing.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the cloud services system is configured to save a history of events associated with one or more detected contacts with the vehicle, the application or an internet connected device being provided with access to the history to view the events, the cloud services system includes one or more servers.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising,

a plurality of microphones to capture sounds in the area around the vehicle, or an infrared detector for detecting data in the area around the vehicle, or both the plurality of microphones and the infrared detector.

7. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication is configured to process one of radio communication, or Wi-Fi™

communication, or Bluetooth™

communication, or a near field communication (NFC), or cellular communication, or satellite communication, or peer-to-peer communication, or a combination of two or more thereof, and the wireless communication enables connection to the Internet for transacting with the cloud services system;

wherein the live feed is a video feed of the area around the vehicle that provides a generated bird'"'"'s eye view of the area around the vehicle, the controls further enable one or more of panning, rotating, tilting and patrolling 360-degrees around the vehicle.

8. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein one or more of the plurality of sensors are selected from microphones, or motion detection sensors, or heat detection sensors, or infrared (IR) detector sensors, or sound detection light activated sensors, or recording system sensors, or communications system sensors, or gyroscope sensor, or combinations thereof.

9. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controls provided via the application further include access to view a number of alerts, or a history of alerts, or past recordings, or past or current incidents, or incidents over a period of time, or video clips, or images, or still images, or a collection of still images, or audio files, or audio snippets, or alarms, or details regarding alarms, or details regarding the contact detected or past contacts detected, or management settings and remote controls of the vehicle, or combinations of two or more thereof.

10. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the computer of the vehicle uses data from the plurality of sensors and the plurality of cameras to determine when the contact that was detected qualifies as an event for which the notification should be sent to the user, wherein when the contact that was detected is not of a level that qualifies for the notification the notification is not sent to the user.

11. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising,

a speaker;

and

a microphone,

wherein the controls provided via the application use the speaker and the microphone of the vehicle to enable the user to speak with a person standing proximate to the vehicle, and at least one of the cameras enable focus onto the person standing proximate to the vehicle.

12. A method for detecting contact with a vehicle, comprising,

the vehicle including a computer and a communications system, the communications system is configured to provide the computer of the vehicle with wireless communication with a cloud services system, the cloud services system uses a database to store a user account that identifies the vehicles as registered with the cloud services system, the user account further identifies settings for the vehicle, the settings identify information for notifying a user of the vehicle;

accessing, by the computer of the vehicle, a plurality of sensors integrated in the vehicle, wherein select ones of the plurality of sensors are associated to sides of the vehicle, such that contact with a specific side of the vehicle is identified using a sensor of the plurality of sensors;

accessing, by the computer of the vehicle, a plurality of cameras integrated in the vehicle, wherein select ones of the plurality of cameras are associated to sides of the vehicle so as to enable capturing of image data of an area around the vehicle;

receiving, by the computer of the vehicle, data from the plurality of sensors of the vehicle, the data is used to detect a contact with the vehicle and identify a side of the vehicle from which the contact was detected;

sending, by the computer, a notification to the user of the vehicle, the notification providing information that indicates that contact was detected with the vehicle, the notification providing a link to an application that interfaces with the cloud services system to enable access to additional data and controls, the additional data provided via the application includes information regarding the side of the vehicle from which the contact was detected, and the controls provided via the application include access to a live feed of the area around the vehicle using the plurality of cameras of the vehicle.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the live feed is a video feed of the area around the vehicle, the controls enabling focus of the video feed to specific locations of the area around the vehicle, and the contact is one of a touch of the vehicle, or a motion of the vehicle, or a collision with the vehicle, the additional data includes identification of the side of the vehicle associated with the contact that was detected;

wherein the notification is sent to an account viewable via a mobile device or computer of the user by a server of the cloud services system, the application providing an option for viewing the live feed, or contacting a security agent, or both.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising,

using one or more of a motion sensor to detect motion proximate to the vehicle and a heat detector to detect heat proximate to the vehicle.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein at least one of the plurality of cameras is configured to record an image or a video clip in the area around the vehicle for the contact that was detected, the image or video clip being assessable via the application for viewing.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the cloud services system is configured to save a history of events associated with one or more detected contacts with the vehicle, the application or an internet connected device being provided with access to the history to view the events, the cloud services system includes one or more servers.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising,

using a plurality of microphones to capture sounds in the area around the vehicle, or an infrared detector for detecting data in the area around the vehicle, or both the plurality of microphones and the infrared detector.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the wireless communication is configured to process one of radio communication, or Wi-Fi™

communication, or Bluetooth™

communication, or a near field communication (NFC), or cellular communication, or satellite communication, or peer-to-peer communication, or a combination of two or more thereof, and the wireless communication enables connection to the Internet for transacting with the cloud services system;

wherein the live feed is a video feed of the area around the vehicle that provides a generated bird'"'"'s eye view of the area around the vehicle, the controls further enable one or more of panning, rotating, tilting and patrolling 360-degrees around the vehicle.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein one or more of the plurality of sensors are selected from microphones, or motion detection sensors, or heat detection sensors, or infrared (IR) detector sensors, or sound detection light activated sensors, or recording system sensors, or communications system sensors, or gyroscope sensor, or combinations thereof.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the controls provided via the application further include access to view a number of alerts, or a history of alerts, or past recordings, or past or current incidents, or incidents over a period of time, or video clips, or images, or still images, or a collection of still images, or audio files, or audio snippets, or alarms, or details regarding alarms, or details regarding the contact detected or past contacts detected, or management settings and remote controls of the vehicle, or combinations of two or more thereof.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein the computer of the vehicle uses data from the plurality of sensors and the plurality of cameras to determine when the contact that was detected qualifies as an event for which the notification should be sent to the user, wherein when the contact that was detected is not of a level that qualifies for the notification the notification is not sent to the user.

22. The method of claim 12, further comprising using a speaker and a microphone of the vehicle to enable certain of the controls provided via the application to speak with a person standing proximate to the vehicle, and at least one of the cameras enable focus onto the person standing proximate to the vehicle.