Vehicle website audio/video communication link

• US 7,092,802 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2004
• Issued: 08/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Baldassa, John A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Dalena
• Application Number:
  US10/808,977
• Publication Number:
  US 20050216144A1
• Time in Patent Office: 873 Days
• Field of Search: 701/24, 701/200, 701/201, 455/553.1, 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 455/557, 455/457, 348/211.99, 348/552, 348/208.99, 348/208.14, 307/10.1, 307/10.2, 307/9.1, 340/531, 340/539.11, 340/425.5, 340/539.1, 340/426.1
• US Class Current: 701/24
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/202 Personal digital assistant [PDA]
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/205 Mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/00 Fittings or systems for preventing or indicating unauthorised use or theft of vehicles locks for vehicles E05B77/00-E05B85/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/102 a signal being sent to a remote location, e.g. a radio signal being transmitted to a police station, a security company or the owner
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/104 characterised by the type of theft warning signal, e.g. visual or audible signals with special characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/209 Remote starting of engine
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/302 using recording means, e.g. black box
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/305 using a camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/33 of global position, e.g. by providing GPS coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00793 by Hertzian waves
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0891 Video recorder in combination with video camera

Abstract

A website interface system for a vehicle includes a vehicle with a first camera. A remote device includes a first display and a first microphone. A vehicle website provider communicates with, and establishes a communications interface between, the vehicle and the remote device. The remote device controls a position of the first camera and the first display displays an image from the first camera. A user of the remote device uses the first microphone to communicate with an occupant of the vehicle. The vehicle includes a second microphone that the occupant uses to communicate with the user. The vehicle includes a second display and the remote device includes a second camera. The second display displays an image from the second camera. The remote device controls a loudspeaker that is located on an exterior of the vehicle. The vehicle includes a controller that stores an image from the first camera.

Claims

1. A website interface system for a vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle that includes a first camera;

a remote device that includes a first display and a first microphone; and

a vehicle website provider that communicates with said vehicle and said remote device and that establishes a communications interface between said vehicle and said remote device, wherein said remote device controls a position of said first camera through said communications interface and said first display displays an image from said first camera and wherein a user of said remote device uses said first microphone to communicate with an occupant of said vehicle.

2. The website interface system of claim 1 wherein said remote device controls an engine of said vehicle through said communications interface.

3. The website interface system of claim 2 wherein said remote device one of activates and deactivates said engine.

4. The website interface system of claim 1 wherein said remote device controls a door of said vehicle through said communications interface.

5. The website interface system of claim 4 wherein said remote devices one of locks and unlocks said door.

6. The website interface system of claim 1 wherein said vehicle includes a second microphone and wherein said occupant uses said second microphone to communicate with said user.

7. The website interface system of claim 1 wherein said vehicle includes a second display and said remote device includes a second camera and wherein said second display displays an image from said second camera.

8. The website interface system of claim 7 wherein said second display is only activated when an engine of said vehicle is deactivated.

9. The website interface system of claim 1 wherein said remote device controls a loudspeaker that is located on an exterior of said vehicle through said communications interface.

10. The website interface system of claim 9 wherein said user uses said first microphone to communicate with entities that are located exterior to said vehicle through said loudspeaker.

11. The website interface system of claim 10 wherein said vehicle includes a second microphone that is located on said exterior and wherein said user and said entities use said first and second microphones, respectively, to communicate.

12. The website interface system of claim 1 wherein said vehicle includes a controller that stores an image from said first camera.

13. The website interface system of claim 12 wherein said controller automatically captures at least one image from said first camera when said vehicle is impacted.

14. The website interface system of claim 13 wherein a position of said first camera automatically adjusts as said controller automatically captures at least two images from said first camera.

15. The website interface system of claim 12 wherein said vehicle website provider includes a data storage device and wherein said user uploads said image to said data storage device.

16. The website interface system of claim 1 wherein said vehicle website provider receives vehicle parameters from said vehicle and displays said vehicle parameters on said first display.

17. The website interface system of claim 16 wherein said vehicle website provider receives global positioning information from said vehicle and displays a location of said vehicle on said first display.

18. The website interface system of claim 1 wherein said remote device communicates with said vehicle website provider through one of a private connection and an Internet protocol address.

19. The website interface system of claim 18 wherein said vehicle website provider receives global positioning information from said vehicle and displays a location of said vehicle on said first display.

20. The website interface system of claim 1 wherein said remote device is one of a personal computer, a mobile telephone, and a personal digital assistant device.

21. A website interface system for a vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle that includes a first camera and that includes a loudspeaker that is located on an exterior of said vehicle;

a remote device that includes a first display and a first microphone; and

a vehicle website provider that communicates with said vehicle and said remote device and that establishes a communications interface between said vehicle and said remote device, wherein said remote device controls said loudspeaker and a position of said first camera through said communications interface, said first display displays an image from said first camera, and a user of said remote device uses said first microphone to communicate with entities that are exterior to said vehicle through said loudspeaker.

22. The website interface system of claim 21 wherein said remote device controls an engine of said vehicle through said communications interface.

23. The website interface system of claim 22 wherein said remote device one of activates and deactivates said engine.

24. The website interface system of claim 21 wherein said remote device controls a door of said vehicle through said communications interface.

25. The website interface system of claim 24 wherein said remote devices one of locks and unlocks said door.

26. The website interface system of claim 21 wherein said remote device controls a position of said first camera.

27. The website interface system of claim 21 wherein said user uses said first microphone to communicate with an occupant of said vehicle.

28. The website interface system of claim 21 wherein said vehicle includes a second microphone and wherein an occupant of said vehicle uses said second microphone to communicate with said user.

29. The website interface system of claim 21 wherein said vehicle includes a second display and said remote device includes a second camera and wherein said second display displays an image from said second camera.

30. The website interface system of claim 29 wherein said second display is only activated when an engine of said vehicle is deactivated.

31. The website interface system of claim 21 wherein said vehicle includes a second microphone on said exterior and wherein said user and said entities use said first and second microphones, respectively, to communicate.

32. The website interface system of claim 21 wherein said vehicle includes a controller that stores an image from said first camera.

33. The website interface system of claim 32 wherein said controller automatically captures at least one image from said first camera when said vehicle is impacted.

34. The website interface system of claim 33 wherein a position of said first camera automatically adjusts as said controller automatically captures at least two images from said first camera.

35. The website interface system of claim 32 wherein said vehicle website provider includes a data storage device and wherein said user uploads said image to said data storage device.

36. The website interface system of claim 21 wherein said vehicle website provider receives vehicle parameters from said vehicle and displays said vehicle parameters on said first display.

37. The website interface system of claim 21 wherein said remote device communicates with said vehicle website provider through one of a private connection and an Internet protocol address.

38. The website interface system of claim 21 wherein said remote device is one of a personal computer, a mobile telephone, and a personal digital assistant device.