Vehicle control method and apparatus of telematics terminal

• US 8,295,994 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2009
• Issued: 10/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Hwang, Jung-Hyun, Choi, Jin-Seok, Ryu, Jung-Hak
• Primary Examiner(s): Badii, Behrang
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, SHARDUL D
• Application Number:
  US12/567,363
• Publication Number:
  US 20100106345A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,124 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/2, 340/521, 455/426.1
• US Class Current: 701/2
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0816 Indicating performance data, e.g. occurrence of a malfunction

Abstract

A vehicle, vehicle control apparatus and method of a telematics terminal are disclosed to allow a user to quickly determine and cope with a vehicle event. The vehicle control method includes: when an event informing about a vehicle event occurs, transmitting notification information corresponding to the event and/or control information previously determined for processing the event to a mobile communication terminal via a wireless communication network; and when user request information with respect to the control information is received from the mobile communication terminal, controlling a vehicle according to the received user request information.

Claims

1. A vehicle control method, comprising:

determining by an onboard vehicle device that an environmental event has occurred or is occurring to the vehicle;

transmitting, from the onboard vehicle device to a mobile communication terminal via a wireless communication network, an environmental event notification and previously determined control information for responding to the environmental event;

receiving a response at the onboard vehicle device from the mobile communication terminal, the response being one of a command for responding to the environmental event in accordance with the previously determined control information and a command for responding to the environmental event in accordance with user-specified control information;

controlling the vehicle according to the received response command; and

controlling the vehicle according to the previously determined control information, if the response is not received within a predetermined time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the environmental event is a high cabin temperature event, and

wherein the user-specified control information of the command comprises one of a plurality of code numbers for controlling a door, a window, or a sunroof of the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the environmental event is a low cabin temperature event, and

wherein the user-specified control information of the command comprises one of a plurality of code numbers for controlling a heater of the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the environmental event is a precipitation event, and

wherein the user-specified control information of the command comprises one of a plurality of code numbers for controlling a door, a window, or a sunroof of the vehicle.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the environmental event is a cabin humidity event, and

wherein the user-specified control information of the command comprises one of a plurality of code numbers for controlling a heater, an air conditioner, a door, a window, or a sunroof of the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the environmental event is a low battery level event, and

wherein the user-specified control information of the command comprises one of a plurality of code numbers for controlling a charging of a battery of the vehicle.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the environmental event is a high cabin temperature event, and

wherein the user-specified control information of the command comprises one of a plurality of code numbers for controlling a door, a window, or a sunroof of the vehicle.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the environmental event is a low cabin temperature event, and

wherein the user-specified control information of the command comprises one of a plurality of code numbers for controlling a heater of the vehicle.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the environmental event is a precipitation event, and

wherein the user-specified control information of the command comprises one of a plurality of code numbers for controlling a door, a window, or a sunroof of the vehicle.

11. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the environmental event is a cabin humidity event, and

wherein the user-specified control information of the command comprises one of a plurality of code numbers for controlling a heater, an air conditioner, a door, a window, or a sunroof of the vehicle.

12. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the environmental event is a low battery level event, and

wherein the user-specified control information of the command comprises one of a plurality of code numbers for controlling a charging of a battery of the vehicle.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling the vehicle comprises starting the vehicle for a predetermined time based on a battery capacity of the vehicle.

21. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to start the vehicle for a predetermined time based on a battery capacity of the vehicle.

7. An apparatus configured to be installed in a vehicle having an event detector installed therein, the apparatus comprising:

a controller operatively connected to the event detector and configured to determine that an environmental event has occurred or is occurring to the vehicle; and

a communication unit operatively connected to the controller and configured to

transmit, to a mobile communication terminal via a wireless communication network, an environmental event notification and previously determined control information for responding to the environmental event, and

receive a response from the mobile communication terminal, the response being one of a command for responding to the environmental event in accordance with the previously control information and a command for responding to the environmental event in accordance with user-specified control information,

wherein the controller is further configured to control the vehicle according to the received response command, and to control the vehicle according to the previously determined control information if the response is not received within a predetermined time.

13. A vehicle, comprising:

an event detector configured to transmit an event detection signal;

a controller operatively connected to the event detector and configured to determine, based on the event detection signal, that an environmental event has occurred or is occurring to the vehicle; and

a communication unit operatively connected to the controller and configured to;

transmit, to a mobile communication terminal via a wireless communication network, an environmental event notification and previously determined control information for responding to the environmental event, and

receive a response from the mobile communication terminal, the response being one of a command for responding to the environmental event in accordance with the previously determined control information and a command for responding to the environmental event in accordance with user-specified control information,

wherein the controller is further configured to control the vehicle according to the received response command, and to control the vehicle according to the previously determined control information if the response is not received within a predetermined time.

14. The vehicle of claim 13,

wherein the environmental event is a cabin temperature event, and

wherein the user-specified control information of the command comprises one of a plurality of code numbers for controlling a door, a window, a sunroof, or a heater of the vehicle.

15. The vehicle of claim 13,

wherein the environmental event is a precipitation event, and

wherein the user-specified control information of the command comprises one of a plurality of code numbers for controlling a door, a window, or a sunroof of the vehicle.

16. The vehicle of claim 13,

wherein the environmental event is a cabin humidity event, and

wherein the user-specified control information of the command comprises one of a plurality of code numbers for controlling a heater, an air conditioner, a door, a window, or a sunroof of the vehicle.

17. The vehicle of claim 13,

wherein the environmental event is a low battery level event, and

wherein the user-specified control information of the command comprises one of a plurality of code numbers for controlling a charging of a battery of the vehicle.

18. A vehicle control method, comprising:

determining by a device within a vehicle that an environmental event has occurred or is occurring in or on the vehicle;

transmitting, from the device to a mobile communication terminal via a wireless communication network, an environmental event notification and previously determined control information for responding to the environmental event;

receiving a response from the mobile communication terminal, the response being one of a command for responding to the environmental event and a request further information; and

one of controlling the vehicle according to the received command and providing the requested information,

wherein if the response is not received within a predetermined time, controlling the vehicle according to the previously determined control information, and

wherein the environmental event is one of a high or low temperature event, a humidity event, a precipitation event, and a low battery event.

19. An apparatus configured to be installed in a vehicle having an event detector installed therein, the apparatus comprising:

a controller operatively connected to the event detector and configured to determine that an environmental event has occurred or is occurring in or on the vehicle; and

a communication unit operatively connected to the controller and configured to

transmit, to a mobile communication terminal via a wireless communication network, an environmental event notification and previously determined control information for responding to the environmental event, and

receive a response from the mobile communication terminal, the response being one of a command for responding to the environmental event and a request for further information,

wherein the controller is further configured to control the vehicle according to the received command and provide the requested information,

wherein if the response is not received within a predetermined time, controlling the vehicle according to the previously determined control information, and

wherein the environmental event is one of a high or low temperature event, a humidity event, a precipitation event, and a low battery event.