System and methods for head unit providing analysis and guidance during long road trips

• US 8,744,769 B1
• Filed: 01/24/2013
• Issued: 06/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Cha, Tae-Woo, Bell, Timothy Robert, Bollinger, Jonathan M., Price, Janet Kay
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Mary
• Assistant Examiner(s): BUTLER, RODNEY ALLEN
• Application Number:
  US13/749,676
• Time in Patent Office: 495 Days
• Field of Search: 701/411, 701/424, 701/425, 701/481, 701/522, 701537-539, 701414-415, 701/427, 701117-119, 701/465, 340/539.1, 340/539.11, 340/539.13, 340/539.17, 340/933, 455/39, 455/41.1, 455/41.2
• US Class Current: 701/537
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3415 Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3691 Retrieval, searching and output of information related to real-time traffic, weather, or environmental conditions arrangements for giving variable traffic instructions G08G1/09
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096816 where the complete route is transmitted to the vehicle at once
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096838 where the user preferences are taken into account or the user selects one route out of a plurality
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096883 where input information is obtained using a mobile device, e.g. a mobile phone, a PDA

Abstract

Embodiments relate generally to devices and methods for analyzing trip information and providing suggestions and information to a user based on the analysis involving the head unit of a vehicle. Analysis may comprise creating a user profile based on activity of a user of the vehicle, wherein the user may be identified by connection with a mobile device associated with the user. The user profile may then be used to determine suggestions or warnings for a user based on current trip information. Analysis may also comprise receiving weather and/or traffic information corresponding to the trip information and determining suggestions or warning for a user based on the effects of the weather and/or traffic.

Claims

1. An in-vehicle head unit comprising:

a processor;

a short-range radio transceiver operable to establish a communication link to at least one mobile device;

a non-transitory memory; and

an application stored in the non-transitory memory that, when executed by the processor,

monitors information about the activity of the vehicle during a previous trip, wherein at least some of the information about the activity of the vehicle during the previous trip is received from a plurality of sensors associated with the vehicle, and wherein at least one sensor of the plurality of sensors associated with the vehicle indicates at least one of tire wear, oil use, brake use, use of windshield wipers, lateral movement of shocks, motion detection, engine fail, or impact detection,

associates the activity of the vehicle during the previous trip that is monitored while the at least one mobile device is coupled to the in-vehicle head unit with a user of the at least one mobile device,

identifies the user based on an identity of the at least one mobile device,

receives trip information about a current trip from the user,

monitors information about the activity of the vehicle during the current trip,

associates the activity of the vehicle during the current trip that is monitored while the at least one mobile device is coupled to the in-vehicle head unit with the user of the at least one mobile device, and

makes suggestions to the user during the current trip based on combining the monitored activity of the vehicle during the previous trip associated with the user, the received trip information, and the monitored activity of the vehicle during the current trip associated with the user, wherein the suggestions comprise at least one of an upcoming stopping point or a change in reservations.

2. The in-vehicle head unit of claim 1 further comprising a user interface, wherein the application communicates with the user via the user interface.

3. The in-vehicle head unit of claim 2, wherein the user interface comprises one or more of:

a display, an input system, a speaker system, and a microphone.

4. The in-vehicle head unit of claim 2, wherein the user may communicate preference information to the application via one or more of:

the user interface of the in-vehicle head unit, the at least one mobile device, an external computer.

5. The in-vehicle head unit of claim 1, wherein the application receives weather and traffic information, determines predicted travel time based in part on the received weather and traffic information, and makes suggestions based on the received weather and traffic information.

6. The in-vehicle head unit of claim 5, wherein the application suggests a change of driving route based on the received traffic or weather information.

7. The in-vehicle head unit of claim 5, wherein the application suggests a change of lodging plan based on a detected change in travel time caused by traffic or weather conditions.

8. The in-vehicle head unit of claim 1 further comprising a cellular transceiver operable to communicate with a base transceiver station, wherein the in-vehicle head unit receives the trip information via communication with the base transceiver station.

9. The in-vehicle head unit of claim 1, wherein the in-vehicle head unit receives the trip information via communication with the at least one mobile device.

10. The in-vehicle head unit of claim 1 further comprising a user interface, wherein the in-vehicle head unit receives the trip information via input to the in-vehicle head unit via the user interface.

20. The in-vehicle head unit of claim 1, wherein each of the previously monitored activity of the vehicle during the previous trip and the monitored activity of the vehicle during the current trip comprises at least one of number of stops made, frequency of stops, duration of stops, location of stops, purpose of stops.

11. A method for long trip analysis by a head unit in a vehicle comprising:

establishing, by the head unit, a communication link with a mobile device, wherein the mobile device is associated with a user of the vehicle;

monitoring, by the head unit, the activity of the vehicle during a previous trip and a current trip, wherein at least some of the information about the activity of the vehicle during at least one of the previous trip or the current trip is received from a plurality of sensors associated with the vehicle, and wherein at least one sensor of the plurality of sensors associated with the vehicle indicates at least one of tire wear, oil use, brake use, use of windshield wipers, lateral movement of shocks, motion detection, engine fail, or impact detection;

associating, by the head unit, the activity of the vehicle during the previous trip and during the current trip that is monitored while the mobile device is coupled to the head unit with the user of the mobile device;

receiving, by the head unit, trip information about the current trip from the user;

analyzing, by the head unit, the trip information and the monitored activity of the vehicle during the previous trip and the current trip associated with the user; and

making, by the head unit, suggestions to the user based on the analysis, wherein the suggestions comprise at least one of an upcoming stopping point or a change in reservations.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein associating the activity of the vehicle during the previous trip and the current trip with the user of the mobile device comprises building a user profile associated with the mobile device based on the monitored activity.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the user profile comprises one or more of:

frequency of stops, purpose of stops, and preferred locations to stop.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein receiving the trip information from the user comprises receiving one or more of:

a destination, route information, lodging, desired stops, and user preferences.

15. A method for analyzing trip information by a head unit in a vehicle comprising:

monitoring, by the head unit, the activity of the vehicle during a previous trip and a current trip, wherein at least some of the information about the activity of the vehicle during at least one of the previous trip or the current trip is received from a plurality of sensors associated with the vehicle, and wherein at least one sensor of the plurality of sensors associated with the vehicle indicates at least one of tire wear, oil use, brake use, use of windshield wipers, lateral movement of shocks, motion detection, engine fail, or impact detection;

associating, by the head unit, the activity of the vehicle during the previous trip and the current trip that is monitored while a mobile device is coupled to the head unit with a user of the mobile device;

receiving, by the head unit, trip information about the current trip from the user of the mobile device;

analyzing, by the head unit, the trip information and the monitored activity of the vehicle during the previous trip and the current trip associated with the user to determine one or more of;

predicted stops, travel time, or travel route;

receiving, by the head unit, weather and traffic information corresponding to the trip information; and

altering, by the head unit, analysis of the trip information and the monitored activity of the vehicle during the previous trip and the current trip associated with the user based on the weather and traffic information.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising suggesting alternatives when the weather and traffic information indicates a problem.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein a suggested alternative comprises a change in driving route.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein a suggested alternative comprises a change in lodging.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein receiving the trip information from the user comprises receiving one or more of:

a destination, route information, lodging, desired stops, and user preferences.