Device, method, and system for portable configuration of vehicle controls

• US 9,426,274 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2012
• Issued: 08/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Morgan, Dennis M., Ross, Alan D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kan, Yuri
• Application Number:
  US13/629,119
• Publication Number:
  US 20140088793A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,426 Days
• Field of Search: 701/2, 701/36, 701/533, 340/545.7, 340/5.83, 455/418, 455/425, 715/706, 235/384, 704/273
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/93 Remote control using other portable devices, e.g. mobile phone, PDA, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances

Abstract

A device, method, and system for portable configuration of vehicle controls includes a mobile communication device configured to communicate with an in-vehicle computing system of a vehicle. The mobile communication device stores user vehicle configuration settings, which are selectively transmitted to the in-vehicle computing system to cause the in-vehicle computing system to adjust vehicle controls based on the user vehicle configuration settings.

Claims

1. A mobile communication device for remotely configuring vehicle configuration settings of a vehicle, the mobile communication device comprising:

a data storage having stored therein a plurality of sets of user vehicle configuration settings to facilitate control of a plurality of vehicle occupant controls of the vehicle, wherein each set of the user vehicle configuration settings is associated with a corresponding user of the vehicle and comprises data usable by an in-vehicle computing system of the vehicle to configure each vehicle occupant control of the plurality of vehicle occupant controls of the vehicle based on a previous configuration of the vehicle occupant controls by the corresponding user; and

a processor to establish a vehicle configuration management module, wherein the vehicle configuration management module is to;

transmit a request for vehicle configuration settings from the in-vehicle computing system, wherein the vehicle configuration settings identify current settings of the plurality of vehicle occupant controls and are usable by the in-vehicle computing system to set a configuration of at least one component of the vehicle;

receive the requested vehicle configuration settings from the in-vehicle computing system;

store the vehicle configuration settings in the data storage

retrieve a set of user vehicle configuration settings from the data storage; and

transmit the retrieved set of user vehicle configuration settings to the in-vehicle computing system to configure the vehicle occupant controls.

2. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the vehicle configuration management module is to automatically retrieve and transmit the set of user vehicle configuration settings in response to establishment of a communication connection with the in-vehicle computing system.

3. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the vehicle configuration management module is to automatically retrieve and transmit the set of user vehicle configuration settings in response to receiving a configuration authorization signal from the in-vehicle computing system indicative that a component of the vehicle has been activated.

4. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the vehicle configuration management module to determine a vehicle identifier for the vehicle and retrieve the set of user vehicle configuration settings from the data storage based at least in part on the vehicle identifier.

5. The mobile communication device of claim 1, further comprising a display, wherein the vehicle configuration management module to:

display, via a graphical user interface on the display, one or more user selectable seat locations of the vehicle stored in the data storage;

receive a seat location selection selected via the graphical user interface on the display from one of the user selectable seat locations of the vehicle; and

retrieve a set of user vehicle configuration settings from the data storage corresponding to the seat location selection.

6. The mobile communication device of claim 1, further comprising a display, wherein the vehicle configuration management module to:

display, via a graphical user interface (GUI) on the display, one or more user selectable user vehicle configuration settings stored in the data storage;

receive a setting selection selected via the graphical user interface on the display from one of the selectable user vehicle configuration settings;

display, via the GUI, one or more setting options corresponding to the setting selection;

receive a selected setting option of one of the setting options selected via the GUI on the display;

determine a user configuration settings identifier in response to the selected setting option; and

transmit the user configuration settings identifier to the in-vehicle computing system of the vehicle.

7. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein each set of user vehicle configuration settings comprises at least one of user configuration settings to adjust an ergonomic control of the vehicle, user configuration settings to adjust an comfort control of the vehicle, user configuration settings to adjust an mechanical control of the vehicle.

25. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein:

to receive the requested vehicle configuration settings comprises to receive an updated subset of the vehicle configuration settings that changed within a predefined time period without a remainder of the vehicle configuration settings that did not change within the predefined time period; and

to store the vehicle configuration settings comprises to store the updated subset of the vehicle configuration settings.

8. An in-vehicle computing system of a vehicle for managing vehicle configuration settings, the in-vehicle computing system comprising:

a processor to establish a communication module and a vehicle configuration control module, wherein;

the communication module is to receive, from a mobile computing device, a set of user vehicle configuration settings from a plurality of sets of user vehicle configuration settings stored at the mobile communication device, wherein the set of user vehicle configuration settings is associated with a corresponding user of the vehicle and comprises data usable by the in-vehicle computing system to configure one or more vehicle occupant controls of the vehicle that are managed by the in-vehicle system based on a previous configuration of the vehicle occupant controls by the corresponding user; and

the vehicle configuration control module is to adjust at least one vehicle occupant control of the vehicle as a function of the set of user vehicle configuration settings,

wherein the communication module is further to receive a request for vehicle configuration settings from the mobile communication device,

wherein the vehicle configuration settings are usable by the in-vehicle system to set a configuration of at least one component of the vehicle, and

wherein the in-vehicle computing system is further to determine current vehicle configuration settings of the vehicle in response to the request and transmit, using the communication module, the current vehicle configuration settings to the mobile communication device.

9. The in-vehicle computing system of claim 8, wherein the vehicle configuration control module is to generate a vehicle authorization signal in response to activation of a component of the vehicle and the communication module is to transmit the vehicle authorization signal to the mobile communication device to inform the mobile communication device that the vehicle configuration settings may be adjusted.

10. The in-vehicle computing system of claim 9, wherein the component of the vehicle is one of a door handle, a break, and an ignition switch.

11. The in-vehicle computing system of claim 8, further comprising a data storage to store vehicle configuration settings,

wherein the set of user vehicle configuration settings comprises a user vehicle configuration settings identifier, and

wherein the in-vehicle computing system to retrieve vehicle configuration settings from the data storage corresponding to the user vehicle configuration settings identifier and adjust the at least one vehicle occupant control as a function of the retrieved vehicle configuration settings.

12. The in-vehicle computing system of claim 8, wherein the vehicle configuration control module comprises at least one of an ergonomic control module to adjust at least one ergonomic control of the vehicle as a function of the set of user vehicle configuration settings, a comfort control module to adjust at least one comfort control of the vehicle as a function of the set of user vehicle configuration settings, and a mechanical control module to adjust at least one mechanical control of the vehicle as a function of the set of user vehicle configuration settings.

13. The in-vehicle computing system of claim 8, wherein the communication module to receive an additional set of user vehicle configuration settings from an additional mobile communication device,

the vehicle configuration control module to resolve a priority conflict between the set of user vehicle configuration settings and the additional user vehicle configuration settings to determine a final user vehicle configuration settings and adjust at least one vehicle occupant control as a function of the final vehicle configuration settings.

14. The in-vehicle computing system of claim 13, wherein the vehicle configuration control module is to resolve the priority conflict as a function of a priority identifier received with each set of user vehicle configuration settings.

26. The in-vehicle computing system of claim 8, wherein:

to determine the current vehicle configuration settings comprises to determine an updated subset of the vehicle configuration settings that changed during a predefined time period; and

to transmit the current vehicle configuration settings comprises to transmit the updated subset of the vehicle configuration settings without a remainder of the vehicle configuration settings that did not change within the predefined time period.

15. One or more machine readable storage media comprising a plurality of instructions stored thereon that, in response to being executed, result in a mobile computing device:

automatically retrieving a set of user vehicle configuration settings from a plurality of sets of user vehicle configuration settings stored in a data storage of the mobile communication device to facilitate control of a plurality of vehicle occupant controls of a vehicle, wherein each set of user vehicle configuration settings is associated with a corresponding user of the vehicle and comprises data usable by an in-vehicle computing device of the vehicle to configure each vehicle occupant control of the plurality of vehicle occupant controls of the vehicle based on a previous configuration of the vehicle occupant controls by the corresponding user; and

transmitting the set of user vehicle configuration settings to the in-vehicle computing system to configure the vehicle occupant controls, and

requesting vehicle configuration settings from the in-vehicle computing system, wherein the vehicle configuration settings identify current settings of vehicle occupant controls managed by the in-vehicle computing system of the vehicle and are usable by the in-vehicle computing system to set a configuration of at least one component of the vehicle;

receiving the requested vehicle configuration settings from the in-vehicle computing system; and

storing the vehicle configuration settings in the data storage of the mobile communication device.

16. The one or more machine readable storage media of claim 15, wherein the plurality of instructions further result in the mobile computing device:

establishing a communication connection with the in-vehicle computing system,

wherein automatically retrieving the set of user vehicle configuration settings comprises automatically retrieving the set of user vehicle configuration settings in response to establishment of the communication connection.

17. The one or more machine readable storage media of claim 15, wherein the plurality of instructions further result in the mobile computing device:

receiving a configuration authorization signal from the in-vehicle computing system indicative that a component of the vehicle has been activated, and

wherein automatically retrieving the set of user vehicle configuration settings comprises automatically retrieving the set of user vehicle configuration settings in response to receiving the configuration authorization signal.

18. The one or more machine readable storage media of claim 15, wherein transmitting the set of user vehicle configuration settings comprises transmitting the set of user vehicle configuration settings that adjust at least one of an ergonomic control of the vehicle, a comfort control of the vehicle, and a mechanical control of the vehicle.

19. The one or more machine readable storage media of claim 15, further comprising:

wherein storing the vehicle configuration settings comprises storing the vehicle configuration settings on the mobile communication device in association with a vehicle identifier that identifies the vehicle and in association with a priority identifier that identifies the priority of the vehicle configuration settings relative to other vehicle configuration settings.

20. One or more machine readable storage media comprising a plurality of instructions stored thereon that, in response to being executed, result in an in-vehicle computing system:

receiving a set of user vehicle configuration settings from a plurality of sets of user vehicle configuration settings stored at a mobile communication device, wherein the set of user vehicle configuration settings is associated with a corresponding user of the vehicle and comprises data usable by the in-vehicle computing system to configure one or more vehicle occupant controls managed by the in-vehicle system based on a previous configuration of the vehicle occupant controls by the corresponding user;

adjusting, using the in-vehicle computing system, at least one vehicle occupant control of the vehicle as a function of the set of user vehicle configuration settings;

receiving a request for vehicle configuration settings from the mobile communication device, wherein the vehicle configuration settings are usable by the in-vehicle computing system to set a configuration of at least one component of the vehicle;

determining current vehicle configuration settings of the vehicle in response to the request; and

transmitting the current vehicle configuration settings to the mobile communication device.

21. The one or more machine readable storage media of claim 20, wherein the plurality of instructions further result in the in-vehicle computing system generating and transmitting a vehicle authorization signal to the mobile communication device in response to activation of a component of the vehicle, the vehicle authorization signal informing the mobile communication device that the vehicle configuration settings may be adjusted.

22. The one or more machine readable storage media of claim 21, wherein the component of the vehicle is one of a door handle, a break, and an ignition switch.

23. The one or more machine readable storage media of claim 20, further comprising:

receiving, with the in-vehicle computing system, an additional set of user vehicle configuration settings from another mobile communication device; and

resolving a priority conflict between the set of user vehicle configuration settings and the additional set of user vehicle configuration settings to determine a final set of user vehicle configuration settings,

wherein adjusting the at least one vehicle occupant control comprises adjusting the at least one vehicle occupant control as a function of the final set of vehicle configuration settings.

24. The one or more machine readable storage media of claim 20, wherein determining the current vehicle configuration settings of the vehicle comprises determining at least one of an ergonomic control setting, a comfort control setting, and a mechanical control setting of the vehicle.