Remote operator assistance for one or more user commands in a vehicle

• US 8,972,081 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2013
• Issued: 03/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Gersabeck, David Marvin, Blanks, LaTaunya LaShea, Ziazadeh, Ninos
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kim T
• Application Number:
  US13/783,720
• Publication Number:
  US 20130184898A1
• Time in Patent Office: 729 Days
• Field of Search: 701/2, 701/22, 701/24, 701/36, 701/400, 701/410, 701/412
• US Class Current: 701/2
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3608 using speech input, e.g. using speech recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00

Abstract

Various embodiments relate to remote operator assistance for one or more user commands at a vehicle. The operator assistance may occur via a vehicle computing system. One or more instances of an unsuccessful attempt to perform a user command may be received by the vehicle computing system. After detection of a predetermined number of instances, a connection may be established, via the vehicle computing system, with a remotely located system. The remotely-located system may be operated by a human operator in order to assist with performance of the user command. An information exchange may be facilitated between the vehicle and the remotely located system operated by the human operator. The information exchange may relate to the user command. The user command may be performed in the vehicle based on information obtained from the remotely-located system.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

detecting an unsuccessful attempt to execute a navigation command;

establishing a connection to a remotely-located system, based on the unsuccessful attempt, to facilitate information exchange relating to the navigation command;

receiving navigation-command-related information transferred from the remotely-located system resulting from the information exchange;

and

executing the navigation command at a vehicle associated computer, based on the received navigation-command-related information.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

monitoring a number of unsuccessful attempts; and

automatically establishing the connection after the number of unsuccessful attempts exceeds a predefined threshold.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein information about the unsuccessful attempt is transmitted to the remotely-located system during the information exchange.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the information about the unsuccessful attempt includes an audio recording of a voice-command utilized in the unsuccessful attempt.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the navigation-command-related information includes a destination identification.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the navigation command is a destination search.

7. A system comprising:

a vehicle-based processor configured to;

receive a navigation command at a vehicle computer;

detect an unsuccessful attempt to execute the navigation command;

after detecting the unsuccessful attempt, automatically establish a connection to a remotely-located system to facilitate information exchange relating to the navigation command;

receive updated navigation-command-related information from the remotely-located system;

and

execute the navigation command at the computer, based on the received navigation-command-related information.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

monitor a number of unsuccessful attempts; and

automatically establish the connection after the number of unsuccessful attempts exceeds a predefined threshold.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein information about the unsuccessful attempt is transmitted to the remotely-located system during the information exchange.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the information about the unsuccessful attempt includes an audio recording of a voice-command utilized in the unsuccessful attempt.

11. The system of claim 7 wherein the navigation-command-related information includes a destination identification.

12. The system of claim 7 wherein the navigation command is a destination search.

13. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium, storing instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

detecting an unsuccessful attempt to execute a navigation command;

after detecting the unsuccessful attempt, automatically establishing a connection to a remotely-located system to facilitate information exchange relating to the navigation command;

receiving updated navigation-command-related information from the remotely-located system;

and

executing the navigation command, based on the received navigation-command-related information.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the method further comprises:

monitoring a number of unsuccessful attempts; and

establishing the connection after the number of unsuccessful attempts exceeds a predetermined threshold.

15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein information about the unsuccessful attempt is transmitted to the remote system during the information exchange.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the information about the unsuccessful attempt includes an audio recording of a voice-command utilized in the unsuccessful attempt.