DISASTER MITIGATION SYSTEM FOR CONNECTED VEHICLES HAVING HIDDEN VEHICLE FUNCTIONALITY

• US 20190332107A1
• Filed: 04/30/2018
• Published: 10/31/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Shimizu, Takayuki
• Granted Patent: US 10,990,095 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/14 Preventing excessive discharging
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0075 Automatic parameter input, automatic initialising or calibrating means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/20 Ambient conditions, e.g. wind or rain
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/45 External transmission of data to or from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/55 using telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/65 Data transmitted between vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0098 Details of control systems ensuring comfort, safety or stability not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/12 Limiting control by the driver depending on vehicle state, e.g. interlocking means for the control input for preventing unsafe operation
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0061 for transition from automatic pilot to manual pilot and vice versa
• 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 4/46 for vehicle-to-vehicle communication [V2V]
• 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: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

The disclosure includes embodiments for providing disaster mitigation for connected vehicles having hidden vehicle functionality. In some embodiments, a method includes determining, by an onboard vehicle computer of a connected vehicle, that an extreme event is occurring. In some embodiments, the method includes automatically unlocking, by the onboard vehicle computer, hidden vehicle functionality of the connected vehicle responsive to determining that the extreme event is occurring.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining, by an onboard vehicle computer system of a connected vehicle, that an extreme event is occurring; and

automatically unlocking, by the onboard vehicle computer, hidden vehicle functionality of the connected vehicle responsive to determining that the extreme event is occurring.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the extreme event is selected from a group that consists of one or more of the following:

a natural disaster;

a hurricane;

a tornado;

a forest fire;

an earthquake;

a volcanic eruption;

a tsunami; and

an act of war.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the hidden vehicle functionality includes an autonomous functionality that is locked so that the autonomous functionality is inaccessible by a driver of the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the hidden vehicle functionality includes an Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) functionality that is locked so that the ADAS functionality is inaccessible by a driver of the vehicle.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the hidden vehicle functionality is unlocked by the onboard vehicle computer system providing an electronic signal that includes an unlock command to an Electronic Control Unit (ECU) that executes an ADAS system of the connected vehicle that provides the hidden vehicle functionality.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the hidden vehicle functionality includes one or more of:

extending a battery range of the connected vehicle; and

modifying a telematics functionality of the connected vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the extreme event is determined to be occurring responsive to digital data that is received from one of a second connected vehicle and an infrastructure device while the connected vehicle does not have access to a cellular network.

8. A system of a connected vehicle comprising:

a processor communicatively coupled to a non-transitory memory that stores computer code that is operable, when executed by the processor, to cause the processor to;

determine, by the processor, that an extreme event is occurring; and

automatically unlocking, by the processor, hidden vehicle functionality of the connected vehicle responsive to determining that the extreme event is occurring.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the extreme event is selected from a group that consists of one or more of the following:

a natural disaster;

a hurricane;

a tornado;

a forest fire;

an earthquake;

a volcanic eruption;

a tsunami; and

an act of war.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the hidden vehicle functionality includes an autonomous functionality that is locked so that the autonomous functionality is inaccessible by a driver of the vehicle.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the hidden vehicle functionality includes an Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) functionality that is locked so that the ADAS functionality is inaccessible by a driver of the vehicle.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the hidden vehicle functionality is unlocked by processor providing an electronic signal that includes an unlock command to an Electronic Control Unit (ECU) that executes an ADAS system of the connected vehicle that provides the hidden vehicle functionality.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the connected vehicle is at least a Level 3 automated vehicle.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the extreme event is determined to be occurring responsive to digital data that is received from one of a second connected vehicle and an infrastructure device while the connected vehicle does not have access to a cellular network.

15. A computer program product of a connected vehicle comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of the connected vehicle, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

determining, by the one or more processors of the connected vehicle, that an extreme event is occurring; and

automatically unlocking, by one or more processors, hidden vehicle functionality of the connected vehicle responsive to determining that the extreme event is occurring.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the extreme event is selected from a group that consists of one or more of the following:

a natural disaster;

a hurricane;

a tornado;

a forest fire;

an earthquake;

a volcanic eruption;

a tsunami; and

an act of war.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the hidden vehicle functionality includes an autonomous functionality that is locked so that the autonomous functionality is inaccessible by a driver of the vehicle.

18. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the hidden vehicle functionality includes an Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) functionality that is locked so that the ADAS functionality is inaccessible by a driver of the vehicle.

19. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the hidden vehicle functionality is unlocked by the one or more processors providing an electronic signal that includes an unlock command to an Electronic Control Unit (ECU) that executes an ADAS system of the connected vehicle that provides the hidden vehicle functionality.

20. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the extreme event is determined to be occurring responsive to digital data that is received from one of a second connected vehicle and an infrastructure device while the connected vehicle does not have access to a cellular network.