Methods and apparatus for inputting information to a vehicle

• US 5,499,181 A
• Filed: 10/04/1994
• Issued: 03/12/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Property Development Associates of Connecticut Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Intellectual Property Development Associates of Connecticut Incorporated
• Inventors: Smith, Harry F.
• Primary Examiner(s): ZANELLI, MICHAEL J
• Application Number:
  US08/317,928
• Time in Patent Office: 525 Days
• Field of Search: 364/424.01, 364/424.03, 364/424.04, 364/551.01, 340/457, 340/457.4
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/70 Interactions with external data bases, e.g. traffic centres
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/20 by driver identification
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/52 drive range estimation, e.g. of estimation of available travel distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/57 Charging stations without connection to power networks
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/665 Methods related to measuring, billing or payment
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/68 Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/127 Shopping or accessing services according to a time-limitation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 15/00 Coin-freed apparatus with meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 15/003 for electricity
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 15/12 in which metering is on a time basis
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/00 Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/16 for devices exhibiting advertisements, announcements, pictures or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/40 : for devices for accepting orders, advertisements, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 5/18 : specially adapted for controlling several coin-freed apparatus from one place
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 : Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 : Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/14 : Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

Disclosed are methods and apparatus for communicating with an occupant of aehicle. A method includes the steps of coupling the vehicle to a station; transferring information from the station into the vehicle; and receiving the transferred information and storing the transferred information within the vehicle. In this embodiment of the invention the station is located at a site that provides a service for the vehicle, and the transferred information includes a portion that indicates when a next service is due for the vehicle. The transferred information may include a date that a next service is due and/or a distance that the vehicle is to travel before the next service is due. In this embodiment the vehicle automatically compares a current date and/or an odometer reading to the stored information; and presents a message within the vehicle in human perceptible form when equality is indicated. The information transferred into the vehicle may also include at least executable program instruction and an associated memory address for storage of the at least one instruction.

Claims

1. A method for communicating with an occupant of a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

coupling the vehicle to a station;

transferring information from the station into the vehicle, the transferred information including a date portion;

receiving the transferred information and storing the transferred information within the vehicle;

automatically comparing, in the vehicle, a current date to the stored date portion; and

when the current date is equal to the stored date portion, presenting a message within the vehicle in human perceptible form.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the steps of transferring and receiving are accomplished through an electrical connection.

3. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the steps of transferring and receiving are accomplished through a wireless connection.

4. A method as set forth in claim 1 and, responsive to receiving the transferred information, transmitting an acknowledgment signal from the vehicle to the station.

5. A method as set forth in claim 1 and further including a step of generating, within the vehicle, a hard copy of the message.

6. A method as set forth in claim 1 and including the initial steps of:

entering information with a station data entry means; and

storing the entered information within the station.

7. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the message includes information for identifying at least a location of the station.

8. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the station includes means for dispensing a consumable energy source to the vehicle before, during, or after transferring the information to the vehicle.

9. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the station is located at a site that provides a service for the vehicle, and wherein the transferred information includes a portion that indicates when a next service is due for the vehicle.

10. A method as set forth in claim 9 wherein the portion includes a date.

11. A method as set forth in claim 9 wherein the portion includes a distance that the vehicle will travel before a next service is due for the vehicle.

12. A method for communicating with an occupant of a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

coupling the vehicle to a station;

transferring information from the station into the vehicle; and

receiving the transferred information and storing the transferred information within the vehicle;

wherein the station is located at a site that provides a service for the vehicle, wherein the transferred information includes a portion that indicates when a next service is due for the vehicle;

wherein the portion of the transferred information includes a date, and further comprising the steps of;

automatically comparing, in the vehicle, a current date to the stored date portion; and

when the current date is equal to the stored date portion, presenting a message within the vehicle in human perceptible form.

13. A method as set forth in claim 12 wherein the steps of transferring and receiving are accomplished through an electrical connection.

14. A method as set forth in claim 12 wherein the steps of transferring and receiving are accomplished through a wireless connection.

15. A method as set forth in claim 12 wherein the steps of transferring and receiving are accomplished through an acoustic connection.

16. A method as set forth in claim 12 and, responsive to receiving the transferred information, transmitting an acknowledgment signal from the vehicle to the station.

17. A method as set fourth in claim 12 and further including a step of generating, within the vehicle, a hard copy of the message.

18. A method as set forth in claim 12 and including the initial steps of:

entering service-related information with a station data entry means; and

storing the entered information within the station.

19. A method as set forth in claim 12 wherein the transferred information includes information for identifying at least a location of the station.

20. A method as set forth in claim 12 wherein the portion includes a distance that the vehicle will travel before a next service is due for the vehicle.

21. A method as set forth in claim 20, and further convulsing the steps of:

automatically comparing, in the vehicle, a current distance that the vehicle has travelled to the stored distance portion; and

when the current distance travelled is equal to the stored distance portion, presenting a message within the vehicle in human perceptible form.

22. A system for communicating with an occupant of a vehicle, comprising:

means for coupling the vehicle to a station;

means for transferring information from the station into the vehicle; and

means, within the vehicle, for receiving the transferred information and storing the transferred information;

wherein the station is located at a site that provides a service for the vehicle, wherein the transferred information includes a portion that indicates when a next service is due for the vehicle;

wherein the portion of the transferred information includes a date, and further comprising;

means for automatically comparing, within the vehicle, a current date to the stored date portion; and

means, responsive to a condition wherein said comparing means indicates that the current date is equal to the stored date portion, for presenting a message within the vehicle in human perceptible form.

23. A system as set forth in claim 22, and further comprising means, responsive to receiving the transferred information, for transmitting an acknowledgment signal from the vehicle to the station.

24. A system as set forth in claim 22, wherein said presenting means is comprised of means for generating, within the vehicle, a hard copy of the message.

25. A system as set forth in claim 22, wherein the message includes information for identifying at least a location of the station.

26. A system for communicating with an occupant of a vehicle, comprising:

means for coupling the vehicle to a station;

means for transferring information from the station into the vehicle; and

means, within the vehicle, for receiving the transferred information and storing the transferred information;

wherein the station is located at a site that provides a service for the vehicle, wherein the transferred information includes a portion that indicates when a next service is due for the vehicle;

wherein the portion of the transferred information includes a date, and further comprising;

first means for automatically comparing, within the vehicle, a current date to the stored date portion; and

18 means, responsive to a condition wherein said first comparing means indicates that the current date is equal to the stored date portion, for presenting a message within the vehicle in human perceptible form; and

wherein

the portion further includes a predetermined distance that the vehicle will travel before a next service is due for the vehicle; and

further comprising;

second means for automatically comparing, within the vehicle, a current distance that the vehicle has travelled to the stored distance portion; and

wherein said presenting means is further responsive to a condition wherein said second comparing means indicates that the current distance travelled is equal to the stored distance portion, for presenting a message within the vehicle in human perceptible form.