METHOD AND DEVICE FOR MANAGING INTERACTION BETWEEN A WEARABLE DEVICE AND A VEHICLE

• US 20170242428A1
• Filed: 02/18/2016
• Published: 08/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: PAL, PRALAY KUMAR, CHINTALAPOODI, PRAMOD, TANAKA, SHO
• Granted Patent: US 11,392,117 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0816 Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14542 for measuring blood gases A61B5/14551 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/318 Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6801 specially adapted to be attached to or worn on the body surface
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7282 Event detection, e.g. detecting unique waveforms indicative of a medical condition A61B5/4094, A61B5/4818, A61B5/349, A61B5/0823 take precedence
• 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: 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 2360/167 Vehicle dynamics information
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/175 Autonomous driving
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/178 Warnings
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/48 Sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/55 Remote control arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/573 Mobile devices controlling vehicle functions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/583 Data transfer between instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/589 Wireless data transfers
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/5899 Internet
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/5911 : Bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/592 : Data transfer involving external databases
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/595 : Data transfer involving internal databases
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/62 : Anti-theft arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/741 : Instruments adapted for user detection
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/06 : responsive to incapacity of driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/063 : preventing starting of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/10 : responsive to conditions relating to the vehicle
• 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 35/28 : characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/65 : Instruments specially adapted for specific vehicle types or users, e.g. for left- or right-hand drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/80 : Arrangements for controlling instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/85 : Arrangements for transferring vehicle- or driver-related data
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/03 : for supply of electrical power to vehicle subsystems or for circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/10 : actuating a signalling device
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/043 : Identity of occupants
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/221 : Physiology, e.g. weight, heartbeat, health or special needs
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2756/10 : Involving external transmission of data to or from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/0016 : of the vehicle or its occupants
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/0051 : from occupants to vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 : Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0016 : characterised by the operator's input device input arrangements for computing systems in general G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0212 : with means for defining a desired trajectory involving a plurality of land vehicles G05D1/0287
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 : for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 : Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 : Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 : Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 : WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

Various aspects of a device and method to manage interaction with one or more control circuits in a vehicle and one or more wearable devices are disclosed herein. The device comprises one or more circuits configured to receive a first set of input values from the one or more wearable devices associated with a first user. The one or more wearable devices are communicatively coupled to the device used in the vehicle. A second set of input values is received from one or more vehicle sensors embedded in the vehicle. An operating mode of the device is determined based on the received first set of input values and the second set of input values. One or more functions of the vehicle are controlled based on the determined operating mode of the device.

Claims

1. A device for managing interaction with one or more control circuits in a vehicle, said device comprising:

one or more circuits configured to;

receive a first set of input values from one or more wearable devices communicatively coupled to said device used in said vehicle, wherein said one or more wearable devices are associated with a first user;

receive a second set of input values from one or more vehicle sensors embedded in said vehicle;

determine an operating mode of said device based on said received first set of input values and said received second set of input values; and

control one or more functions of said vehicle based on said determined operating mode of said device.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said one or more circuits are configured to determine a data type of said received first set of input values and said received second set of input values, wherein said control of said one or more functions of said vehicle is further based on said determined data type and one or more pre-configured user-settings associated with said first user.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein said one or more circuits are configured to utilize a current location information of said vehicle, a motion status of said vehicle, and/or said determined data type for said determination of said operating mode, wherein said operating mode corresponds to one of:

a home mode, an outside driving mode, an outside non-driving mode, a vehicle-health mode, and a user-critical health mode.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein said one or more functions include:

opening or closing of a vehicle door, controlling vehicle ignition, controlling vehicle speed, selecting a driving operation mode including an autonomous driving mode, setting a destination of the vehicle, dynamically configuring pre-defined personalization settings associated with said first user authenticated at said vehicle, adjusting internal ambience of said vehicle, adjusting a vehicle seat, adjusting a position of a vehicle mirror, synchronizing personal data collected from said one or more wearable devices or an external device with said device.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein said one or more circuits are configured to authenticate said first user based on said first set of input values received from said one or more wearable devices communicatively coupled to said device used in said vehicle in an about-to-drive mode.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein said one or more circuits are configured to communicate with said one or more wearable devices at a pre-defined time interval when said vehicle is in motion to confirm a presence of said authenticated said first user, when said determined operating mode is an outside driving mode.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein said one or more circuits are configured to communicate a theft alert to a communication device located in a vicinity of said vehicle when said authenticated first user is not detected in said vehicle in said outside driving mode.

8. The device according to claim 5, wherein said one or more circuits are configured to transfer said authentication to another device associated with a second user for a pre-defined time interval to move said vehicle, when said determined operating mode is an outside non-driving mode.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein said one or more circuits are configured to detect an abnormal medical condition based on vital health data received from said one or more wearable devices or a portable electronic device associated with said first user.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein said one or more circuits are configured to determine a severity level of said detected abnormal medical condition.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein said one or more circuits are configured to perform one or more of:

control vehicle speed, send a health alert notification with current location information of said first user to a mobile device of a caregiver, a hospital or ambulance, generate guidance for said first user to reach nearest hospital based on said determined severity level, said determined operating mode, and/or a corresponding pre-determined health threshold associated with said first user.

12. The device according to claim 11, wherein said one or more circuits are configured to receive instructions from said caregiver for said control of said one or more functions of said vehicle when said determined operating mode is an outside driving mode.

13. The device according to claim 10, wherein said one or more circuits are configured to automatically control steering of said vehicle to drive said vehicle to a medical care center in a vicinity of said vehicle when said vehicle is in an autonomous driving mode, and when said determined operating mode is an outside driving mode.

14. The device according to claim 1, wherein said one or more circuits are configured to control temperature inside said vehicle based on current body temperature of said first user, wherein said current body temperature is received from said one or more wearable devices when said first user is outside said vehicle, and when said determined operating mode is an outside non-driving mode.

15. The device according to claim 1, wherein said one or more circuits are configured to send temperature change signal to an electronic control unit of said vehicle at pre-defined time intervals when said first user is detected inside said vehicle, and when said determined operating mode is outside driving mode.

16. The device according to claim 1, wherein said one or more circuits are configured to receive alcohol level associated with said first user from said one or more wearable devices when said determined operating mode is an about-to-drive mode or an outside driving mode.

17. A method for managing interaction with one or more control circuits in a vehicle, said method comprising:

receiving, by one or more circuits of a device, a first set of input values from one or more wearable devices communicatively coupled to said device used in said vehicle, wherein said one or more wearable devices are associated with a first user;

receiving, by said one or more circuits, a second set of input values from one or more vehicle sensors embedded in said vehicle;

determining, by said one or more circuits, an operating mode of said device based on said received first set of input values and said received second set of input values; and

controlling, by said one or more circuits, one or more functions of said vehicle based on said determined operating mode of said device.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising determining, by said one or more circuits, a data type of said received first set of input values and said received second set of input values, wherein said control of said one or more functions of said vehicle is further based on said determined data type and one or more pre-configured user-settings associated with said first user.

19. The method according to claim 17, further comprising utilizing, by said one or more circuits, a current location information of said vehicle, a motion status of said vehicle, and/or said determined data type for said determination of said operating mode, wherein said operating mode corresponds to one of:

a home mode, an about-to-drive mode, an outside driving mode, an outside non-driving mode, a vehicle-health mode, and a user-critical health mode.

20. A vehicle comprising:

a battery;

an electronic control unit;

a device, powered by said battery, configured to control communication between one or more wearable devices associated with a first user and said electronic control unit of said vehicle, wherein a first set of input values are received by said device from said one or more wearable devices that are communicatively coupled to said device; and

one or more vehicle sensors embedded in said vehicle configured to communicate a second set of input values to said device,

wherein said device is configured to;

determine an operating mode of said device based on said received first set of input values and said received second set of input values, and

control one or more functions of said vehicle based on said determined operating mode.