SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTACT INFORMATION ACCESS

• US 20170255667A1
• Filed: 03/03/2016
• Published: 09/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Ochiai, Yuichi, Nagata, Katsumi, Sasaki, Akira
• Granted Patent: US 10,503,724 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2291 User-Defined Types; Storage management thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/235 Update request formulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2358 Change logging, detection, and notification replication G06F16/27
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2365 Ensuring data consistency and integrity
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/00 Information and communication technology [ICT] specially adapted for implementation of business processes of specific business sectors, e.g. utilities or tourism healthcare informatics G16H

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus for information access and response for an occupant in a vehicle. The system includes a communication device connected to a network and coupled to the vehicle. The vehicle includes an internal database for storing multiple contacts in a contact list. The internal database is coupled to an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is coupled to the communication device and configured to obtain a new contact attribute from a communication, and determine that the new contact attribute belongs to a new contact. The electronic control unit is configured to obtain one or more other contact attributes for the new contact, and generate the new contact. The electronic control unit is configured to store the new contact in the contact list.

Claims

1. An information access and response system for a vehicle, comprising:

a communication device connected to a network and coupled to the vehicle, the vehicle including;

an internal database for storing a plurality of contacts in a contact list and coupled to an electronic control unit, the electronic control unit coupled to the communication device and configured to;

obtain a new contact attribute from a communication received by the communication device;

determine that the new contact attribute belongs to a new contact of the contact list;

obtain one or more other contact attributes for the new contact;

generate the new contact using the new contact attribute and the one or more other contact attributes; and

store the new contact in the contact list.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein to determine that the contact attribute belongs to the new contact of the contact list the electronic control unit is configured to:

for each contact of the plurality of contacts in the contact list, each contact having a plurality of contact attributes;

compare the new contact attribute to the plurality of contact attributes of the contact, and

determine that the new contact attribute does not match any contact attribute of the plurality of contact attributes.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein to obtain the new contact attribute the electronic control unit is configured to extract the new contact attribute from an email, wherein the new contact attribute is the sender'"'"'s email address.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein to obtain the new contact attribute the electronic control unit is configured to receive user input from a user interface, wherein the user input is a phone number, a first name, a last name, a nickname, or an email address, and the user interface is an input/output device.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more external databases connected to the vehicle through the network; and

wherein to obtain the one or more other contact attributes for the new contact the electronic control unit is configured to;

send to the communication device or the one or more external databases a request for contact information that includes the one or more other contact attributes, wherein the request includes the new contact attribute of the new contact; and

receive from the communication device or the one or more external databases a response that includes the one or more other contact attributes of the new contact.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein to obtain the one or more other contact attributes for the new contact the electronic control unit is configured to:

display a request on a user interface, wherein the request includes one or more user input fields corresponding to the one or more other contact attributes; and

receive a response that includes user input in the one or more user input fields.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein to generate the new contact using the new contact attribute and the one or more other contact attributes the electronic control unit associates the new contact attribute and the one or more other contact attributes to an identifier for the new contact.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein to obtain the new contact attribute the electronic control unit is configured to:

access the communication device or one or more external databases; and

extract from a calendar, email or invitation on the communication device or in the one or more external databases the new contact attribute, wherein the new contact attribute is a first name, last name, phone number or email address.

9. A computer-implemented method for automatically responding to a received communication, the method comprising:

obtaining a received communication from a personal device;

determining from the received communication an expected arrival time and contact information;

obtaining vehicle information and navigational map information;

determining that the received communication requires a response based on at least one of the expected arrival time, contact information, vehicle information and navigational map information;

determining a particular contact attribute for receipt of the response based on the contact information and a contact list;

generating the response based on the received communication, user input or user configurations; and

sending the response to the particular contact attribute.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein the vehicle information includes a current location of the vehicle and the navigational map information includes a destination location.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein determining that the received communication requires the response comprises:

calculating an estimated arrival time for the vehicle to reach the destination location from the current location of the vehicle; and

determining that the estimated arrival time is greater than or equal to the expected arrival time.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, further comprising:

calculating a difference between the estimated arrival time and the expected arrival time;

wherein the response includes information that indicates the difference between the estimated arrival time and the expected arrival time.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein determining that the received communication requires the response is based on an identity of a contact identified from the contact information.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein determining the particular contact attribute for receipt of the response comprises:

identifying a contact from the contact list that matches the contact information;

determining one or more contact attributes associated with the contact; and

selecting the particular contact attribute from the one or more contact attributes based on a preferred method of communication, a user setting or availability.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein generating the response comprises:

receiving user input for the response from a user interface, wherein the user input is text input into the user interface; and

inserting the user input into the response.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein the received communication is a calendar appointment or meeting notice and the expected arrival time is the appointment or meeting time.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, further comprising:

obtaining a new contact attribute from the received communication;

determining that the new contact attribute belongs to a new contact;

obtaining one or more other contact attributes for the new contact; and

generating the new contact using the new contact attribute and the one or more other contact attributes;

wherein the particular contact attribute is one of the one or more other contact attributes of the new contact.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein determining from the received communication the expected arrival time and the contact information comprises:

parsing the received communication for the expected arrival time and the contact information; and

identifying the expected arrival time and the contact information by matching one or more formats or patterns that indicate a date, a time, a phone number, a first name, a last name, or an email address.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 18, wherein the formats or the patterns are user configurable and set by user input.

20. An information access and response system for an autonomous vehicle, comprising:

a personal device connected to a network and coupled to the autonomous vehicle, the autonomous vehicle including;

one or more sensors coupled to a navigation unit that provides input to operate the autonomous vehicle;

an internal database for storing a plurality of contacts in a contact list and coupled to an electronic control unit, the electronic control unit coupled to the personal device and configured to;

obtain a received communication from the personal device;

determine from the received communication an expected arrival time and contact information;

obtain vehicle information and navigational map information;

determine that the received communication requires a response based on at least one of the expected arrival time, contact information, vehicle information and navigational map information;

determine a particular contact attribute for receipt of the response based on the contact information and a contact list;

generate the response based on the received communication, user input or user configurations; and

send the response to the particular contact attribute.