Methods and apparatus for vehicle state control

• US 9,125,028 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2012
• Issued: 09/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Perner, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, John Q
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sood, Anshul
• Application Number:
  US13/656,930
• Publication Number:
  US 20140114499A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,044 Days
• Field of Search: 701/2, 701/36, 701/49
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

A system includes a processor configured to receive a text message from a remote device including an instruction for a vehicle system. The processor is also configured to determine a specific vehicle associated with the remote device. Further, the processor is configured to send the instruction as a text message to a phone provided to the specific vehicle associated with the remote device. The processor is additionally configured to receive confirmation from the vehicle that the instruction was processed and send a confirmation text to the remote device.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a processor configured to;

receive a text message from a remote device including an instruction for a vehicle system;

determine a specific vehicle, containing the vehicle system, associated with the remote device based on a stored pairing;

send the instruction as a text message to a phone provided to the specific vehicle;

receive confirmation from the vehicle that the instruction was processed; and

send a confirmation text to the remote device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to determine the specific vehicle associated with the remote device based on vehicle identification information sent with the received text message from the remote device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the text message received from the remote device is in a plain language format and the processor is configured to translate the text message from the remote device into a command-line language suitable for implementation by a vehicle computing system provided to the vehicle.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the confirmation is in a non-plain-language format and the processor is configured to translate the confirmation to a plain-language format.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the instruction includes an instruction to alter a state of a vehicle system.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the instruction includes a query as to a state of a vehicle system, and the confirmation includes a response to the query.

7. A system comprising:

a processor configured to;

receive a text message from a remote server, including an instruction for a vehicle system;

access the vehicle system specified in the text message;

take action with regards to the vehicle system as specified in the text message; and

respond to the remote server with confirmation of the action, wherein the remote server identifies the processor as a desired recipient of the text message based on a stored pairing with a remote device; and

wherein the remote server receives a text message from the remote device.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the system includes a mobile device configured to receive and send text messages and in communication with the processor.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the instruction includes an instruction to alter a state of the vehicle system.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to take action with regards to the vehicle system as specified in the text message by altering the vehicle state as specified in the text message.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the instruction includes a query as to a state of the vehicle system.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the confirmation includes a response to the query, indicating the state of the vehicle system.

13. The system of claim 7, wherein the instruction includes a query as to queryable vehicle systems and alterable vehicle systems.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the confirmation includes a response to the query, including indicia of available queryable vehicle systems and alterable vehicle systems.

15. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving a text message, at a vehicle computing system (VCS), from a remote server, including an instruction for a vehicle system;

accessing the vehicle system, via the VCS, specified in the text message;

taking action with regards to the vehicle system as specified in the text message; and

responding to the remote server with confirmation of the action wherein the remote server identifies the VCS as a desired recipient of the text message based on a stored pairing with a remote device; and

wherein the remote server receives a text message from the remote device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the instruction includes an instruction to alter a state of the vehicle system.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein taking action with regards to the vehicle system as specified in the text message further includes altering the vehicle state as specified in the text message.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the instruction includes a query as to a state of the vehicle system.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the confirmation includes a response to the query, indicating the state of the vehicle system.