METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR CONFIGURATION OF A VEHICLE FEATURE

• US 20160291854A1
• Filed: 03/30/2015
• Published: 10/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Motor Company of Australia Limited (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: ADDATI, Luke
• Application Number:
  US14/672,772
• Publication Number:
  US 20160291854A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/122 Instrument input devices with reconfigurable control functions, e.g. reconfigurable menus
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1438 Touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/122 with reconfigurable control functions, e.g. reconfigurable menus
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/1438 Touch screens
• 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 35/22 Display screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/23 Head-up displays [HUD] optical aspects of head-up displays G02B27/01
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/26 using acoustic output
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0064 using a remote, e.g. cordless, transmitter or receiver unit, e.g. remote keypad or mobile phone
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/45 External transmission of data to or from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/08 Interaction between the driver and the control system
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/085 Changing the parameters of the control units, e.g. changing limit values, working points by control input
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display

Abstract

A vehicle includes an interface and a processor programmed to prompt a user to configure a series of configurable features. The processor may be further programmed to sequentially output via the interface the series of configurable features based on a configuration request. The series of configurable features each prompting the user to select one of a plurality of options associated with the configurable feature to capture a preference of the user for the configurable feature. The processor may be further programmed to alter settings associated with the configurable features based on the selection of the options via the user interface.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

an interface; and

a processor programmed to,

in response to a configuration request, sequentially output via the interface a series of configurable features each prompting a user to select one of a plurality of options associated with the configurable feature to capture a preference of the user for the configurable feature, and

in response to selection via the interface of the options, alter settings associated with the configurable features.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the processor is further programmed to establish communication, via a wireless transceiver, with a handheld device configured to execute at least one feature from the configurable features, and transmit a signal to alter settings associated with the at least one feature executed at the handheld device.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the processor is further programmed to establish communication, via a wireless transceiver, with a network having a database, and transmit the altered settings associated with the configurable features to the database for storage.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the interface is a voice command receiver, a soft key, a hard key or a touch display screen.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the series of configurable features are vehicle features available for the vehicle.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the processor is further programmed to output each of the series of configurable features for no more than a predefined period of time.

7. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the series of configurable features are associated with a mobile device connection, a navigation system, a drive-away locking feature, a motion sensor sensitivity feature, or a light time feature.

8. The vehicle of claim 7, wherein the plurality of options for the navigation system include a toll road preference, a home address entry, or a point of interest entry.

9. A device comprising:

a processor programmed to,

in response to a vehicle configuration request, sequentially output a series of configurable features each prompting a user to select one of a plurality of options associated with the configurable feature to capture a preference of the user for the configurable feature, and

in response to selection of the options, transmit a signal, via a communication connection with a vehicle processor, to alter settings for the configurable features.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the processor is further programmed to establish communication with a network having a database and to transmit the altered settings to the database for storage.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein the processor is further programmed to output each of the series of configurable features for no more than a predefined period of time.

12. The device of claim 9, wherein the series of configurable features are associated with a mobile device connection, a navigation system, a drive-away locking feature, a motion sensor sensitivity feature, or a light time feature.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the plurality of options for the drive-away locking feature include an activate automatic door lock option or a deactivate automatic door lock option.

14. A configuration method comprising:

executing, via a vehicle processor, a configuration request for sequentially outputting, via an interface in communication with the vehicle processor, a series of configurable features each prompting a user to select one of a plurality of options associated with the configurable feature to capture a preference of the user for the configurable feature; and

in response to selection via the interface of the options, altering settings associated with the configurable features.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising establishing communication with a handheld device, via a wireless transceiver in communication with the vehicle processor, configured to execute at least one feature from the configurable features, and transmitting a signal to alter settings associated with the at least one feature executed at the handheld device.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising establishing communication with a network having a database via a wireless transceiver in communication with the vehicle processor, and transmitting the altered settings to the database for storage.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the series of configurable features are associated with a mobile device connection, a navigation system, a drive-away locking feature, a motion sensor sensitivity feature, or a light time feature

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the interface is a soft key, a hard key or an in-vehicle touch display screen.