Point-of-sale vehicle parameter configuration

• US 9,387,856 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2014
• Issued: 07/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PACCAR Incorporated
• Original Assignee: PACCAR Incorporated
• Inventors: Slaton, Zachary, Potter, Jason, Luke, Erin, Vangel, Cindi
• Primary Examiner(s): ARTHUR JEANGLAUDE, GERTRUDE
• Application Number:
  US14/283,203
• Publication Number:
  US 20150336581A1
• Time in Patent Office: 784 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/36, 701/45, 701/49, 307/9.1, 307/10.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/14 Adaptive cruise control
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/146 Speed limiting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

A computing device (e.g., a server computer hosted by a vehicle manufacturer or retailer) receives vehicle configuration information obtained via a user interface of a user device. The vehicle configuration information includes one or more user-adjustable settings. The computing device determines whether a conflict exists between the user-adjustable settings and a regulated vehicle parameter (e.g., a vehicle speed limit), which may be associated with greenhouse gas emissions of the vehicle. The computing device transmits feedback information to the user device. The feedback information may include a description of one or more conflicts between the user-adjustable settings and the regulated vehicle parameter, recommended adjustments to the settings, or the like. The recommended adjustments to the settings may, if accepted by a user, improve regulatory compliance for the vehicle, and may remove or reduce the degree of conflicts between the user-adjustable setting and the regulated vehicle parameter.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of providing feedback via a user interface in a pre-sale or point-of-sale vehicle configuration process for a vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving vehicle configuration information obtained via a user interface of a user device in a pre-sale or point-of-sale vehicle configuration process, wherein the vehicle configuration information comprises a user-adjustable setting for a first vehicle parameter;

determining whether a conflict exists between the user-adjustable setting for the first vehicle parameter and a regulated vehicle parameter; and

transmitting feedback information to the user device, wherein the feedback information is based at least in part on the determining step.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle configuration information further comprises a user-adjustable setting for the regulated vehicle parameter, and wherein the regulated vehicle parameter is a constrained vehicle parameter.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle configuration information further comprises an indication of whether the vehicle is in a regulated category.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle configuration information further comprises an indication of whether regulatory constraints of vehicle parameters are accepted by a user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the feedback information comprises a description of one or more conflicts between the user-adjustable setting for the first vehicle parameter and the regulated vehicle parameter.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the feedback information comprises suggested settings to reduce a cost of the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the suggested settings to reduce the cost of the vehicle, if accepted, remove or reduce the degree of one or more conflicts between the user-adjustable setting for the first vehicle parameter and the regulated vehicle parameter.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving updated vehicle configuration information comprising an updated user-adjustable setting for the first vehicle parameter.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising processing an order for the vehicle based on the vehicle configuration information.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the regulated vehicle parameter is a vehicle speed limit.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the regulated vehicle parameter is associated with greenhouse gas emissions.

12. The method of claim 2, wherein the constrained parameter is an effective vehicle speed limit.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the effective vehicle speed limit is mandated by a greenhouse gas emission regulation.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the user-adjustable setting for the first vehicle parameter comprises a driver reward speed bonus, a reserve speed, or a cruise control offset.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the regulated vehicle parameter is an engine idle parameter.

16. A computer-implemented method of providing feedback via a user interface in a pre-sale or point-of-sale vehicle configuration process for a vehicle, the method comprising:

by a first computing device, presenting a user interface to a user, wherein the user interface is configured to receive user input comprising a user-adjustable setting for a first vehicle parameter in a pre-sale or point-of-sale vehicle configuration process;

by the first computing device, transmitting the user-adjustable setting for the first vehicle parameter to a remote computing device;

by the first computing device, receiving feedback information from the remote computing device, wherein the feedback information comprises an indication of whether a conflict exists between the user-adjustable setting for the first vehicle parameter and a regulated vehicle parameter; and

by the first computing device, presenting the feedback information via the user interface.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the user interface is further configured to obtain user input comprising a user-adjustable setting for the regulated vehicle parameter, and wherein the regulated vehicle parameter is a constrained vehicle parameter.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the regulated vehicle parameter is a vehicle speed limit.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the feedback information further comprises cost information.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the feedback information further comprises a reconfiguration prompt.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising transmitting an updated user-adjustable setting for the first vehicle parameter.

22. One or more computer-readable storage media having stored thereon computer-executable instructions configured to cause one or more computing devices to:

present a user interface configured to receive user input associated with a configuration of a regulated vehicle;

receive user preference information via the user interface, wherein the user preference information comprises an indication of a user'"'"'s acceptance or nonacceptance of regulation-based constraints on vehicle parameters; and

present feedback information via the user interface, wherein the feedback information comprises cost information and a reconfiguration prompt, wherein the cost information and the reconfiguration prompt are based at least in part on the user preference information.

23. The computer-readable storage media of claim 22, wherein the computer-executable instructions are further configured to cause the one or more computing devices to identify a conflict with a regulated vehicle parameter.

24. The computer-readable storage media of claim 23, wherein the regulated vehicle parameter is a vehicle speed limit.

25. A computer-implemented method of providing feedback via a user interface in a vehicle configuration process for a vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving vehicle configuration information obtained via a user interface of a user device, wherein the vehicle configuration information comprises a user-adjustable setting for a first vehicle parameter, wherein the first vehicle parameter is a vehicle performance parameter or physical configuration parameter;

determining whether a conflict exists between the user-adjustable setting for the first vehicle parameter and a regulated vehicle parameter; and

transmitting feedback information to the user device, wherein the feedback information is based at least in part on the determining step.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the first vehicle parameter is a vehicle performance parameter and wherein the regulated parameter is selected from the group consisting of:

vehicle speed parameter and engine idle parameter.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the first vehicle parameter is a physical configuration parameter and wherein the regulated parameter is selected from the group consisting of:

axle spacing, tires per axle, and tire size.