Vehicle mode manager

• US 6,928,344 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2002
• Issued: 08/09/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Decristo, Dianna L., Kelly, Lisa M., McWalter, William F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Yonel
• Application Number:
  US10/106,656
• Publication Number:
  US 20030182032A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,233 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29, 701/35, 701/31, 701/34, 701/36, 307/9.1, 307/10.1, 307/10.2
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles

Abstract

A vehicle mode manager that manages vehicle state information is provided. The vehicle mode manager includes a code module that registers an application program with the vehicle mode manager. Registering indicates the application program will be notified of vehicle state changes. Also included in the vehicle mode manager is a code module that receives vehicle status information, and a code module that determines a vehicle state based on both the vehicle status information and a current vehicle state. In addition, a privileged application or another manager can also set the vehicle state. The vehicle mode manager also includes a code module that provides the vehicle state to an application program. In this manner, the application program can react to the vehicle state information in a predefined manner.

Claims

1. A method for providing vehicle state management, comprising the operations of:

registering an application program with a vehicle mode manager, wherein registering indicates the application program will be notified of vehicle state changes;

receiving vehicle status information for a specific point in time;

determining a new vehicle state based on the vehicle status information and a current vehicle state; and

providing the new vehicle state to the application program, wherein the application program reacts to the new vehicle state in a predefined manner.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the vehicle status information is received from a vehicle sensor device.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the vehicle status information is received from an application service program.

4. A method as recited in claim 3, wherein the application service program is executed on a telematic server.

5. A method as recited in claim 3, wherein the application service program is executed on a vehicle client program.

6. A method as recited in claim 5, wherein the application service program monitors a vehicle sensor.

7. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium for providing vehicle state management, comprising:

a code segment that registers an application program with a vehicle mode manager, wherein registering indicates the application program will be notified of vehicle state changes;

a code segment that receives vehicle status information for a specific point in time;

a code segment that determines a new vehicle state based on the vehicle status information and a current vehicle state; and

a code segment that provides the vehicle state to the application program, wherein the application program reacts to the new vehicle state in a predefined manner.

8. A computer program as recited in claim 7, wherein the vehicle status information is received from a vehicle sensor device.

9. A computer program as recited in claim 7, wherein the vehicle status information is received from an application service program.

10. A computer program as recited in claim 9, wherein the application service program is executed on a telematic server.

11. A computer program as recited in claim 9, wherein the application service program is executed on a vehicle client program.

12. A computer program as recited in claim 11, wherein the application service program monitors a vehicle sensor.

13. A vehicle mode manager for providing vehicle state management, comprising:

a code module that registers an application program with the vehicle mode manager, wherein the application program is executed local to a vehicle on which the vehicle mode manager is executed, and wherein registering indicates the application program will be notified of vehicle state changes;

a code module that receives vehicle status information for a specific point in time;

a code module that determines a new vehicle state using the vehicle mode manager based on both the vehicle status information and a current vehicle state; and

a code module that provides the new vehicle state to an application program, wherein the application program reacts to the new vehicle state in a predefined manner.

14. A vehicle mode manager as recited in claim 13, wherein the vehicle status information is received from a vehicle sensor device.

15. A vehicle mode manager as recited in claim 13, wherein the vehicle status information is received from an application service program.

16. A vehicle mode manager as recited in claim 15, wherein the application service program monitors a vehicle sensor.