Systems and methods of automating driver actions in a vehicle

• US 9,308,920 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2014
• Issued: 04/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Konigsberg, Amir
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US14/172,986
• Publication Number:
  US 20150217777A1
• Time in Patent Office: 797 Days
• Field of Search: 701/2, 701/36, 701/45, 340/441
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1442 Emulation of input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/151 Instrument output devices for configurable output
• 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 35/20 Output arrangements, i.e. from vehicle to user, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/037 for occupant comfort , e.g. for automatic adjustment of appliances according to personal settings, e.g. seats, mirrors, steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/00 Input parameters relating to overall vehicle dynamics
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/00 Input parameters relating to vehicle conditions or values, not covered by groups B60W2510/00 or B60W2520/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/00 Input parameters relating to occupants
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/20 Ambient conditions, e.g. wind or rain
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/08 Interaction between the driver and the control system

Abstract

A vehicle automates a driver action by controlling vehicle systems according to a rule. The rule includes a trigger event and an automated action. Rules are created or added for use by a vehicle using applications including user-defined rule applications, automatic rule applications, and network applications.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

analyzing, by a computing system having a processor, first signal data representing output of a first sensor of a vehicle that measures a manual control input by way of a control mechanism to a first vehicle system;

analyzing, by the computing system, second signal data representing output of a second sensor of the vehicle;

identifying, by the computing system, a correlation between the first signal data and the second signal data;

generating, by the computing system, in response to identifying the correlation, a rule that includes an automated action and a trigger event, wherein the trigger event is based on one of the first signal data and the second signal data, and the automated action is based on another of the first signal data and the second signal data;

accessing, by the computing system, additional signal data representing output of one of the first sensor and the second sensor of the vehicle;

and

generating, by the computing system, if the additional signal data includes the trigger event, a command signal that is based on the automated action and that is configured to control the first vehicle system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first vehicle system includes an auxiliary device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second sensor of the vehicle measures a manual control input by way of a control mechanism to a second vehicle system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second sensor of the vehicle measures one of:

an environmental parameter within the vehicle;

an environmental parameter outside the vehicle;

a performance of a second vehicle system; and

a driver state.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising:

initiating, by the computing system, displaying a rule indicator based on the rule generated; and

initiating, by the computing system, displaying a selection element that is configured to receive user input to add the rule, based on the rule indicator, to a profile.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising generating, by the computing system, and initiating displaying of, an interface through which a user can directly connect a profile of the user to a profile of another user.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising accessing a database of rules, by the computing system, and initiating displaying of an interface through which a user can add a rule to a profile of the user.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing, by the computing system, the first signal data representing output of a first sensor of the vehicle that measures a manual control input to the first vehicle system by a control mechanism comprises determining times when a manual control input is repeated.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the correlation comprises identifying repeated combinations of data points, each combination of data points including a first data point in the first signal data and a second data point in the second signal data.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the correlation comprises identifying a correlation between a first data point in the first signal data and a second data point in the second signal data, wherein the correlation is identified:

within a fixed time frame;

or

with a fixed time gap between the first data point and the second data point.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the correlation comprises identifying that a second data point in the second signal data falls within a certain range of values at a time when a first data point in the first signal data has a certain value.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the manual control input includes an input to a control inside the vehicle.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the manual control input is by hand or by voice.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein accessing, by the computing system using a processor, additional signal data representing output of one of the first sensor and the second sensor of the vehicle is accessing an additional output of the first sensor.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein accessing, by the computing system using a processor, additional signal data representing output of one of the first sensor and the second sensor of the vehicle is accessing an additional output of the second sensor.

16. A vehicle, comprising:

a first vehicle system and a second vehicle system;

a first sensor that measures a manual control input to the first vehicle system;

a second sensor that measures one of;

a manual control input to the second vehicle system;

an environmental parameter within the vehicle;

an environmental parameter outside the vehicle;

a performance of the second vehicle system; and

a driver state; and

a processor; and

a memory comprising computer readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

analyzing first signal data representing output of the first sensor;

analyzing second signal data representing output of the second sensor;

identifying a correlation between the first signal data and the second signal data;

generating, in response to identifying the correlation, a rule that includes an automated action and a trigger event, wherein the trigger event is based on one of the first signal data and the second signal data, and the automated action is based on another of the first signal data and the second signal data;

accessing additional signal data representing output of one of the first sensor and the second sensor; and

generating, if the additional signal data includes the trigger event, a command signal that is based on the automated action and that is configured to control one of the first vehicle system and the second vehicle system.

17. The vehicle of claim 16, wherein analyzing the first signal data representing output of the first sensor comprises determining times when a manual control input is repeated.

18. The vehicle of claim 16, wherein identifying a correlation comprises one of:

identifying repeated combinations of data points, each combination of data points including a first data point in the first signal data and a second data point in the second signal data;

identifying a correlation between a first data point in the first signal data and a second data point in the second signal data, wherein the correlation is identified within a fixed time frame or with a fixed time gap between the first data point and the second data point; and

identifying that a second data point in the second signal data falls within a certain range of values at a time when a first data point in the first signal data has a certain value.

19. The vehicle of claim 16, wherein a manual control input includes an input to a control inside the vehicle.

20. The vehicle of claim 19, wherein the manual control input is by hand or by voice.