Method and System for Making Available an Assistance Suggestion for a User of a Motor Vehicle

• US 20160274922A1
• Filed: 05/26/2016
• Published: 09/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Inventors: STEIDLE, Markus, STRASSBERGER, Markus, ROELLE, Christopher
• Granted Patent: US 10,402,212 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/44 for communication between vehicles and infrastructures, e.g. vehicle-to-cloud [V2C] or vehicle-to-home [V2H]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]

Abstract

A method is provided for making available an assistance suggestion for a user of a motor vehicle. The method determines information on the availability of helpers and displays the available helpers based on that information. After selecting a helper by the user, the method sets up a communication link between the user and the selected helper, makes available assistance information to the selected helper, and receives an assistance suggestion which is based on the assistance information made available.

Claims

1. A method for making available an assistance suggestion for a user of a motor vehicle, the method comprising the acts of:

determining information on the availability of helpers,

displaying available helpers on the basis of the information on the availability of helpers;

and

after selecting of a helper by the user,

(i) setting up a communication link between the user and the selected helper,

(ii) making available assistance information to the selected helper, and

(iii) receiving an assistance suggestion which is based on the assistance information which is made available.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, before the setting up of the communication link, authorization by the user has taken place.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises, before the determining of the information on the availability of helpers:

describing a problematic situation by the user.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determining of the information on the availability of helpers is carried out on the basis of a helper directory.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the determining of the information on the availability of helpers is carried out on the basis of information on the location of the user.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determining of the information on the availability of helpers is carried out on the basis of information on the location of the user.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the displaying of available helpers is carried out on the basis of an evaluation of the respective helper.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the act of:

automatically executing the assistance suggestion after corresponding authorization has been provided by the user.

9. The method according to claim 2, wherein the authorization by the user is performed by the user via a mobile communication device.

10. A system for making available an assistance suggestion for a user of a motor vehicle, comprising:

a problematic situation detector that detects a problematic situation;

an availability information unit that determines information on the availability of helpers;

a display for displaying available helpers on the basis of the information on the availability of helpers;

a communication linking unit that sets up a communication link between the user and a helper selected by the user;

a making available unit that makes available assistance information to the selected helper, and

a reception unit that receives an assistance suggestion which is based on the assistance information which is made available.

11. The system according to claim 10, further comprising:

an execution unit that automatically executes the assistance suggestion after corresponding authorization has been provided by the user.