Telematics terminal and method for controlling vehicle using the same

• US 8,825,369 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2009
• Issued: 09/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Jin, Seung-Hee
• Primary Examiner(s): Holloway, Jason
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kiswanto, Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US12/404,148
• Publication Number:
  US 20100094500A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,999 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29, 701/300, 701/302, 701/200, 701/207, 701/208, 701/211, 701/400, 701/408, 701/414, 701/415, 701/423, 701/425, 701/435
• US Class Current: 701/400
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096725 where the received information generates an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0969 having a display in the form of a map
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences

Abstract

A device and method for controlling a vehicle with a telematics terminal installed in or on the vehicle. The method includes a) receiving coordinates of a geo-fence area by the telematics terminal; b) determining whether or not the vehicle is located within the geo-fence area or is on a route that will intercept the geo-fence area; and c) if the vehicle is determined to have entered into the geo-fence area, controlling the vehicle to meet predetermined drive requirements previously set for the geo-fence area.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a vehicle with a telematics terminal installed in or on the vehicle, comprising:

wirelessly receiving coordinates of a geo-fence area by the telematics terminal from a remote server;

determining whether or not the vehicle is located within the geo-fence area or is on a route that will intercept the geo-fence area;

directly controlling the vehicle to meet predetermined drive requirements previously set for the geo-fence area, if the vehicle is determined to have entered into the geo-fence area;

receiving updated coordinates of the geo-fence area by the telematics terminal; and

determining whether or not the vehicle is located within a corresponding updated geo-fence area or is on a route that will intercept the updated geo-fence area;

receiving, by the telematics terminal, information related to a predetermined event occurrence from the remote server;

changing, by the telematics terminal, the geo-fence area based on the received information related to the predetermined event occurrence; and

displaying the changed geo-fence area on a display.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the geo-fence area comprises one of:

a traffic accident geo-fence area;

an increase of traffic volume geo-fence area;

a decrease of traffic volume geo-fence area;

a human activity geo-fence area;

an environmental pollution geo-fence area;

a natural disaster geo-fence area; and

a weather geo-fence area.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

issuing a visible or audible alarm within the vehicle indicating that the vehicle has entered into the geo-fence area.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

audibly or visibly announcing the predetermined drive requirements previously set for the geo-fence area.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of directly controlling the vehicle comprises:

sensing operating parameters of the vehicle;

determining whether or not the sensed operating parameters of the vehicle meet the predetermined drive requirements; and

if the operating parameters do not meet the predetermined drive requirements

changing the operating parameters to meet the predetermined drive requirements, or

visibly or audibly displaying operating parameters that do meet the drive requirements.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of changing the operating parameters comprises one of:

turning on a vehicle light;

locking a vehicle door;

closing a vehicle window;

preventing the vehicle from exceeding a maximum vehicle speed;

setting a minimum distance between the vehicle and another vehicle;

setting a vehicle gear position;

changing a vehicle air conditioning parameter; and

turning on a vehicle windshield wiper.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of changing the operating parameters to meet the drive requirements comprises:

displaying a user alert enabling a user to allow or disallow a change to one or more operating parameters.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying the set geo-fence area on a display.

9. A telematics terminal configured to be installed in a vehicle including a position-location device configured to recognize a location of the vehicle and a wireless communication device, the telematics terminal comprising:

a controller operatively connected to the position-location module and the wireless communication device, the controller configured to

wirelessly receive coordinates of a geo-fence area from a remote server,

determine whether or not the vehicle is located within the geo-fence area or is on a route that will intercept the geo-fence area,

directly control the vehicle to meet predetermined drive requirements previously set for the geo-fence area, if the vehicle is determined to have entered into the geo-fence area,

receive updated coordinates of the geo-fence area by the telematics terminal,

determine whether or not the vehicle is located within a corresponding updated geo-fence area or is on a route that will intercept the updated geo-fence area,

receive information related to a predetermined event occurrence from the remote server,

change the geo-fence area based on the received information related to the predetermined event occurrence, and

display the changed geo-fence area on a display.

10. The telematics terminal of claim 9, wherein the geo-fence area comprises one of:

a traffic accident geo-fence area,

an increase of traffic volume geo-fence area,

a decrease of traffic volume geo-fence area,

a human activity geo-fence area,

an environmental pollution geo-fence area,

a natural disaster geo-fence area, and

a weather geo-fence area.

11. The telematics terminal of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to issue a visible or audible alarm within the vehicle indicating that the vehicle has entered into the geo-fence area.

12. The telematics terminal of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to audibly or visibly announce drive requirements corresponding to the geo-fence area.

13. The telematics terminal of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to

sense operating parameters of the vehicle,

determine whether or not the sensed operating parameters of the vehicle meet the drive requirements, and

if the operating parameters do not meet the drive requirements

change the operating parameters to meet the drive requirements, or

visibly or audibly display operating parameters that do meet the drive requirements.

14. The telematics terminal of claim 13, wherein controller is configured to change the operating parameters by one of:

turning on a vehicle light;

locking a vehicle door;

closing a vehicle window;

preventing the vehicle from exceeding a maximum vehicle speed;

setting a minimum distance between the vehicle and another vehicle;

setting a vehicle gear position;

changing a vehicle air conditioning parameter; and

turning on a vehicle windshield wiper.

15. The telematics terminal of claim 13, wherein the controller is configured to display a user alert enabling a user to allow or disallow a change to one or more operating parameters.

16. The telematics terminal of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to display the set geo-fence area on a display.

17. A motor vehicle, comprising:

a position-location device configured to recognize a location of the vehicle;

a wireless communication device; and

a telematics terminal having a controller operatively connected to the position-location module and the wireless communication device, the controller configured to

wirelessly receive coordinates of a geo-fence area from a remote server,

determine whether or not the vehicle is located within the geo-fence area or is on a route that will intercept the geo-fence area, and

directly control the vehicle to meet predetermined drive requirements previously set for the geo-fence area, if the vehicle is determined to have entered into the geo-fence area,

receive updated coordinates of the geo-fence area by the telematics terminal,

determine whether or not the vehicle is located within a corresponding updated geo-fence area or is on a route that will intercept the updated geo-fence area,

receive information related to a predetermined event occurrence from the remote server

change the geo-fence area based on the received information related to the predetermined event occurrence, and

display the changed geo-fence area on a display.