Customization of a vehicle

• US 9,134,955 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2013
• Issued: 09/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Zafiroglu, Alexandra C., Fang, Victoria S., Healey, Jennifer A
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): GOLDMAN, RICHARD A
• Application Number:
  US13/749,327
• Publication Number:
  US 20140207338A1
• Time in Patent Office: 964 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1442 Emulation of input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/164 Infotainment
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/186 Displaying information according to relevancy
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/48 Sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/55 Remote control arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/589 Wireless data transfers
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/5899 Internet
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/592 Data transfer involving external databases
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/595 Data transfer involving internal databases
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/741 Instruments adapted for user detection
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/28 characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/29 Instruments characterised by the way in which information is handled, e.g. showing information on plural displays or prioritising information according to driving conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/65 Instruments specially adapted for specific vehicle types or users, e.g. for left- or right-hand drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/80 Arrangements for controlling instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/85 Arrangements for transferring vehicle- or driver-related data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 7/00 Methods or arrangements for processing data by operating upon the order or content of the data handled logic circuits H03K19/00

Abstract

Devices, systems, and techniques are provided for customization a vehicle and the interior thereof. The customization can be based at least on customization themes associated with an occupant of the vehicle and/or the vehicle. In addition or in the alternative, the customization can be based at least on vehicular context of the occupants and the vehicle. A specific customization can be effected in response to a change in context of vehicle, and thus the vehicle can be dynamically customized in response to a specific vehicular context as the context is realized. The customization themes can integrate with an in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) system and/or one or more of in-cabin lighting, projection or other rendering features, or data streams. Customization can be accomplished via configuration of one or more customization components comprising sensors, rendering units, lighting fixtures, or control components.

Claims

1. A method for vehicle customization, comprising:

accessing, at a computing platform having at least one processor and a first in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) system, theme information indicative of a customization theme to be associated with an occupant of a vehicle, wherein the occupant to be either a driver or a passenger of the vehicle;

detecting, at the computing platform, one or more venues at a location proximate and external to the vehicle associated with the customization theme based on data received from a sensor in the vehicle, including detecting one or more occupants of another vehicle using a second IVI system, wherein the one or more occupants are associated with the customization theme;

generating, at the computing platform, customization information indicative of a feature of the customization theme based on at least in part on the one or more venues;

configuring, at the computing platform, a vehicle component to provide at least a portion of the customization theme.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising supplying at least the portion of the customization information in response to operating the vehicle component.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the supplying comprises rendering at least the portion of the customization information.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the supplying comprises rendering information indicative of a threshold that restrains at least one of speed of the vehicle, acceleration of the vehicle, or an inter-vehicle distance associated with the vehicle according at least in part to the portion of the customization information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the accessing comprises accessing information indicative of a location associated with the customization theme, wherein the location is one of a tagged location or an untagged location.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the accessing comprises accessing information indicative of scheduling information associated with the occupant of the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the accessing comprises accessing information indicative of an occupant of an additional vehicle, the occupant of the additional vehicle is associated with the customization theme.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuring comprises configuring one or more of an audio component, a display component, a temperature control component, a navigation component, a lighting fixture, a seat-firmness control component, a speed control component, a speed monitoring component, an acceleration control component, an acceleration monitoring component, a breaking control component, or a safety component.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuring comprises transmitting, to the vehicle component, one or more instructions that, in response to execution, cause the vehicle component to restrain at least one of speed of the vehicle, acceleration of the vehicle, or an inter-vehicle distance associated with the vehicle according at least in part to the portion of the customization information.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating comprises subscribing to a content service, and receiving information indicative of the feature of the customization theme from the content service, and wherein the feature of the customization theme comprises a feature of a theme category.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating comprises inferring content associated with the feature of the customization theme, and subscribing to a content service having the content that is inferred.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating comprises receiving content associated with the customization theme from an authorized remote device and, persisting at least a portion of the content.

13. The method of claim 5, wherein the generating comprises generating a satisfactory route from a current location of the vehicle to the location associated with the customization theme.

14. A system for vehicle customization including a first in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) system, comprising:

at least one memory device having computer-executable instructions encoded thereon;

and

at least one processor functionally coupled to a memory device of the at least one memory device and configured, by at least a portion of the computer executable instructions,

to access theme information indicative of a customization theme to be associated with an occupant of a vehicle, wherein the occupant to be either a driver or a passenger of the vehicle;

to detect one or more venues at a location proximate and external to the vehicle associated with the customization theme based on data received from a sensor in the vehicle, including detecting one or more occupants of another vehicle using a second IVI system, wherein the one or more occupants are associated with the customization theme;

to generate customization information indicative of a feature of the customization theme based on at least in part on the one or more venues;

to configure a vehicle component to provide at least a portion of the customization theme; and

to provide at least the portion of the customization information in response to operating the vehicle component.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to render at least the portion of the customization information.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to render information indicative of a threshold that restrains at least one of speed of the vehicle, acceleration of the vehicle, or an inter-vehicle distance associated with the vehicle according at least in part to the portion of the customization information.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to access information indicative of a location associated with the customization theme, wherein the location is one of a tagged location or an untagged location.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the at least one processor is configured to access information indicative of an occupant of an additional vehicle, the occupant of the additional vehicle is associated with the customization theme.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to program one or more of an audio component, a display component, a temperature control component, a navigation component, a lighting fixture, a seat-firmness control component, a speed control component, a speed monitoring component, an acceleration control component, an acceleration monitoring component, a breaking control component, or a safety component.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to transmit, to the vehicle component, one or more instructions that, in response to execution, cause the vehicle component to restrain at least one of speed of the vehicle, acceleration of the vehicle, or an inter-vehicle distance associated with the vehicle according at least in part to the portion of the customization information.

21. The system of claim 14, wherein the at least one processor is further comprised to subscribe to a content service, and to receive information indicative of the feature of the customization theme from the content service, and wherein the feature of the customization theme comprises a feature of a theme category.

22. The system of claim 14, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to infer content associated with the feature of the customization theme, and subscribing to a content service having the content that is inferred.

23. The system of claim 14, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to receive content associated with the customization theme from an authorized remote device, and to persist at least a portion of the content.

24. The system of claim 17, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to generate a satisfactory route from a current location of the vehicle to the location associated with the customization theme.

25. A method for vehicle customization, comprising:

acquiring, at a computing system comprising at least one processor and a first in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) system, information indicative of a context of a vehicle;

determining, at the computing system, if a criterion for vehicular customization is satisfied; and

in response to ascertaining that the criterion for vehicular customization is satisfied, performing operations comprising;

accessing, at the computing system, theme information indicative of a customization theme to be associated with the context of the vehicle, wherein the context of the vehicle to be associated with either a driver or an occupant of the vehicle,

detecting one or more venues at a location proximate and external to the vehicle associated with the customization theme based on data received from a sensor in the vehicle, including detecting one or more occupants of another vehicle using a second IVI system, wherein the one or more occupants are associated with the customization theme;

generating, at the computing system, customization information indicative of a feature of the customization theme based at least on the one or more venues and the context of the vehicle,

configuring a vehicle component to provide at least a portion of the customization theme, and

providing at least a portion of the customization information in response to operating the vehicle component.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the configuring comprises configuring one or more of an audio component, a display component, a temperature control component, a navigation component, a lighting fixture, a seat-firmness control component, a speed control component, a speed monitoring component, an acceleration control component, an acceleration monitoring component, a breaking control component, or a safety component.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the configuring comprises transmitting, to the vehicle component, one or more instructions that, in response to execution, cause the vehicle component to restrain at least one of speed of the vehicle, acceleration of the vehicle, or an inter-vehicle distance associated with the vehicle according at least in part to the portion of the customization information.

28. A computer-readable non-transitory medium encoded with computer-accessible instructions that, in response to execution, cause at least one processor to perform acts comprising:

accessing, at a computing platform having at least one processor and a first in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) system, theme information indicative of a customization theme to be associated with an occupant of a vehicle, wherein the occupant to be either a driver or a passenger of the vehicle;

detecting, at the computing platform, one or more venues at a location proximate and external to the vehicle associated with the customization theme based on data received from a sensor in the vehicle, including detecting one or more occupants of another vehicle using another IVI system, wherein the one or more occupants are associated with the customization theme;

generating, at the computing platform, customization information indicative of a feature of the customization theme based on at least in part on the one or more venues; and

configuring, at the computing platform, a vehicle component to provide at least a portion of the customization theme.

29. The computer-readable non-transitory medium of claim 28, further comprising supplying at least the portion of the customization information in response to operating the vehicle component.

30. The computer-readable non-transitory medium of claim 29, wherein the supplying comprises rendering at least the portion of the customization information.

31. The computer-readable non-transitory medium of claim 29, wherein the supplying comprises rendering information indicative of a threshold that restrains at least one of speed of the vehicle, acceleration of the vehicle, or an inter-vehicle distance associated with the vehicle according at least in part to the portion of the customization information.

32. The computer-readable non-transitory medium of claim 28, wherein the accessing comprises accessing information indicative of a location associated with the customization theme, wherein the location is one of a tagged location or an untagged location.

33. The computer-readable non-transitory medium of claim 28, wherein the accessing comprises accessing information indicative of scheduling information associated with the operator of the vehicle.

34. The computer-readable non-transitory medium of claim 28, wherein the accessing comprises accessing information indicative of an occupant of an additional vehicle, the occupant of the additional vehicle is associated with the customization theme.

35. The computer-readable non-transitory medium of claim 28, wherein the configuring comprises configuring one or more of an audio component, a display component, a temperature control component, a navigation component, a lighting fixture, a seat-firmness control component, a speed control component, a speed monitoring component, an acceleration control component, an acceleration monitoring component, a breaking control component, or a safety component.

36. The computer-readable non-transitory medium of claim 28, wherein the configuring comprises transmitting, to the vehicle component, one or more instructions that, in response to execution, cause the vehicle component to restrain at least one of speed of the vehicle, acceleration of the vehicle, or an inter-vehicle distance associated with the vehicle according at least in part to the portion of the customization information.

37. The computer-readable non-transitory medium of claim 28, wherein the generating comprises subscribing to a content service, and receiving information indicative of the feature of the customization theme from the content service, and wherein the feature of the customization theme comprises a feature of a theme category.

38. The computer-readable non-transitory medium of claim 28, wherein the generating comprises inferring content associated with the feature of the customization theme, and subscribing to a content service having the content that is inferred.

39. The computer-readable non-transitory medium of claim 28, wherein the generating comprises receiving content associated with the customization theme from an authorized remote device and, persisting at least a portion of the content.

40. The computer-readable non-transitory medium of claim 32, wherein the generating comprises generating a satisfactory route from a current location of the vehicle to the location associated with the customization theme.