Method for remote communication with and through a vehicle

• US 9,440,660 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2014
• Issued: 09/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Sherony, Rini, Gulash, Emery Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): BUTLER, RODNEY ALLEN
• Application Number:
  US14/338,297
• Publication Number:
  US 20160023665A1
• Time in Patent Office: 784 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/11 Instrument graphical user interfaces or menu aspects
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/141 Activation of instrument input devices by approaching fingers or pens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/146 Instrument input by gesture
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/334 Projection means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/55 Remote control arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/573 Mobile devices controlling vehicle functions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/797 at the vehicle exterior
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/11 Graphical user interfaces or menu aspects
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/141 Activation by approaching fingers or pens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/146 Input by gesture
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/334 Projection means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/55 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/573 Mobile devices controlling vehicle functions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/797 At the vehicle exterior
• 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 35/60 Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/80 Arrangements for controlling instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/268 on windscreens or windows B60Q1/302 takes precedence; lighting devices for vehicle interior on or for windows B60Q3/208
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/50 for indicating other intentions or conditions, e.g. request for waiting or overtaking
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/5035 : electronic displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/507 : specific to autonomous vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/543 : for indicating other states or conditions of the vehicle indicating taxis' state of hire or fare G07B13/045
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/545 : for indicating other traffic conditions, e.g. fog, heavy traffic
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 : Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/30 : Driving style
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/09 : Driving style or behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/12 : Limiting control by the driver depending on vehicle state, e.g. interlocking means for the control input for preventing unsafe operation
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3602 : Input other than that of destination using image analysis, e.g. detection of road signs, lanes, buildings, real preceding vehicles using a camera
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/365 : Guidance using head up displays or projectors, e.g. virtual vehicles or arrows projected on the windscreen or on the road itself
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 : comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/01 : Head-up displays
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0101 : characterised by optical features G02B27/0172 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 : Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0304 : Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0425 : using a single imaging device like a video camera for tracking the absolute position of a single or a plurality of objects with respect to an imaged reference surface, e.g. video camera imaging a display or a projection screen, a table or a wall surface, on which a computer generated image is displayed or projected tracking a projected light spot to determine a position on a display surface G06F3/0386
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 : communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 21/04 : by land vehicles

Abstract

A system for a vehicle includes an interactive display subsystem operable to generate output for display on a vehicle window, the output associated with a two-way communication interface for remote communication with a user input subsystem. A method of operating a system for a vehicle includes displaying a two-way communication interface on a vehicle window for remote communication with a user input subsystem.

Claims

1. A system for a vehicle, comprising:

a control subsystem;

an automated self-drive system in communication with the control subsystem and configured to facilitate unmanned automated operations;

a user input subsystem including at least one offboard device;

a user location subsystem configured to identify a location of an occurrence of an incident requiring on-scene personnel;

an interactive remote communication subsystem in communication with the control subsystem and configured to send an alert to the at least one offboard device to establish two-way communication between the on-scene personnel and a remote user;

an interactive display subsystem in communication with the interactive remote communication subsystem and user location subsystem, the interactive display subsystem configured to generate output associated with a two-way communication interface for remote communication with the remote user via the user input subsystem.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the offboard device comprises a personal electronic device of the remote user, and the output includes at least one of an interactive remote communication page, video, audio, and videoconferencing sent to the personal electronic device.

3. A method for remote monitoring of a vehicle, the method comprising:

providing a remote user with a user input subsystem configured to send and receive information to and from the vehicle;

setting, by the remote user via the user input system, metrics related to at least one questionable driving practice;

identifying, by one of a vehicle head unit and a vehicle control module coupled to at least one vehicle sensor, a questionable driving practice with respect to an operation of the vehicle that exceeds the metrics set by the remote user; and

alerting the remote user of the questionable driving practice by displaying a visual indication on an off board personal electronic device.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein the questionable driving practice includes at least one of a vehicle speed and a decibel level of an audio system of the vehicle.

5. The method as recited in claim 3, further comprising locking out a vehicle feature from the off board personal electronic device.

6. The method according to claim 4, further comprising limiting a maximum speed of the vehicle.

7. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein the at least one vehicle sensor is configured to confirm a well-being status of a driver, and the step of alerting the off board personal electronic device as to the questionable driving practice includes an indication of the well-being status of the driver.