Systems and methods for altering one or more vehicle functions

• US 9,636,981 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2015
• Issued: 05/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2014
• 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: Higgins, Christopher M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dunn, Alex C
• Application Number:
  US14/965,234
• Publication Number:
  US 20160144695A1
• Time in Patent Office: 509 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 7/043 Sunroofs B60J7/047 - B60J7/053 take precedencee.g. sliding above the roof
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 7/057 Driving or actuating arrangements B60J7/047 - B60J7/053 take precedencee.g. manually operated levers or knobs
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/002 for parking purposes, e.g. for warning the driver that his vehicle has contacted or is about to contact an obstacle warning arrangements in garages E04H6/42
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/007 providing information about the distance to an obstacle, e.g. varying sound
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/40 Safety devices, e.g. detection of obstructions or end positions
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/73 responsive to movement or presence of persons or objects
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/53 Wing impact prevention or reduction
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/542 Roof panels
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/39 the satellite radio beacon positioning system transmitting time-stamped messages, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System], GLONASS [Global Orbiting Navigation Satellite System] or GALILEO
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0278 using satellite positioning signals, e.g. GPS

Abstract

Systems for altering vehicle functions are provided. A system for altering a vehicle function includes one or more processors, one or more memory modules communicatively coupled to the one or more processors, and machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules. When executed by the one or more processors, the machine readable instructions may cause the system to determine a presence of a roof mounted article on a vehicle and disable at least one movable roof member function in response to the determination. In some embodiments, in response to determining that the vehicle is proximate a structure and determining the presence of the vehicle mounted article on the vehicle, the system may generate a notification pertaining to the vehicle mounted article. In some embodiments, the system may provide navigation assistance based on the determination that the vehicle mounted article is present on the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a roof;

a movable roof member movably coupled to the roof;

one or more processors communicatively coupled to the movable roof member;

one or more memory modules communicatively coupled to the one or more processors; and

machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules that cause the vehicle to perform at least the following when executed by the one or more processors;

determine a presence of a roof mounted article on the roof; and

disable at least one movable roof member function of the movable roof member in response to determining the presence of the roof mounted article on the roof.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicle comprises an autonomous vehicle.

3. The vehicle of claim 2, further comprising an autonomous vehicle drive assembly communicatively coupled to the one or more processors, wherein the machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules further cause the autonomous vehicle to perform at least the following when executed by the one or more processors:

actuate the autonomous vehicle drive assembly to propel the autonomous vehicle.

4. The vehicle of claim 2, further comprising an autonomous vehicle steering assembly communicatively coupled to the one or more processors, wherein the machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules further cause the autonomous vehicle to perform at least the following when executed by the one or more processors:

actuate the autonomous vehicle steering assembly to steer the autonomous vehicle.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising one or more sensing devices communicatively coupled to the one or more processors, wherein the machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules further cause the vehicle to perform at least the following when executed by the one or more processors:

determine a presence of the roof mounted article on the roof based on an output from the one or more sensing devices.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising network interface hardware communicatively coupled to the one or more processors, wherein the machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules further cause the vehicle to perform at least the following when executed by the one or more processors:

determine a presence of the roof mounted article on the roof based on communication received by the network interface hardware from the roof mounted article.

7. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising tactile input hardware communicatively coupled to the one or more processors, wherein the machine readable instructions stored in the one or more memory modules further cause the vehicle to perform at least the following when executed by the one or more processors:

determine a presence of the roof mounted article on the roof based on tactile input received on the tactile input hardware.

8. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising:

a speaker communicatively coupled to the one or more processors; and

a display communicatively coupled to the one or more processors, wherein when the roof mounted article is positioned on the roof of the vehicle the speaker, the display, or both the speaker and the display output a signal regarding a presence of the roof mounted article.

9. A method for providing a notification pertaining to a vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving a signal from one or more global positioning system satellites using a satellite antenna communicatively coupled to one or more processors;

transforming the signal into a location of the vehicle using the one or more processors and machine readable instructions stored in one or more memory modules communicatively coupled to the one or more processors;

determining a presence of a vehicle mounted article on the vehicle;

determining that the vehicle is proximate a structure having a passageway, wherein the passageway includes a clearance height; and

generating a notification pertaining to the vehicle mounted article.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the notification pertaining to the vehicle mounted article is an audible notification provided though a speaker, a visual notification provided on a display, or a combination thereof.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining a maximum height of the vehicle with the vehicle mounted article; and

generating the notification pertaining to the vehicle mounted article when the maximum height of the vehicle with the vehicle mounted article differs from the clearance height by less than a threshold amount.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the vehicle comprises an autonomous vehicle and the autonomous vehicle comprises an autonomous vehicle drive assembly and an autonomous vehicle steering assembly.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

actuating the autonomous vehicle drive assembly to propel the autonomous vehicle; and

actuating the autonomous vehicle steering assembly to steer the autonomous vehicle.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

determining a maximum height of the autonomous vehicle with the vehicle mounted article; and

generating the notification receivable by the autonomous vehicle pertaining to the vehicle mounted article when the maximum height of the autonomous vehicle with the vehicle mounted article differs from the clearance height by less than a threshold amount.

15. A method for providing navigation assistance to a vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving a signal from one or more global positioning system satellites using a satellite antenna communicatively coupled to one or more processors;

transforming the signal into a location of the vehicle using the one or more processors and machine readable instructions stored in one or more memory modules communicatively coupled to the one or more processors;

determining a presence of a vehicle mounted article on the vehicle; and

providing navigation assistance based on the determination that the vehicle mounted article is present on the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the vehicle comprises an autonomous vehicle and the navigation assistance comprises navigating the autonomous vehicle based on the determination that the vehicle mounted article is present on the autonomous vehicle.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the vehicle comprises an autonomous vehicle and the navigation assistance comprises the autonomous vehicle selecting a location having a passageway with a clearance height larger than the than a maximum height of the autonomous vehicle with the vehicle mounted article and navigating the autonomous vehicle to the location selected by the autonomous vehicle.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein navigating the autonomous vehicle to the location selected by the autonomous vehicle comprises:

actuating an autonomous vehicle drive assembly to propel the autonomous vehicle; and

actuating an autonomous vehicle steering assembly to steer the autonomous vehicle.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the navigation assistance comprises recommending a parking garage having a passageway with a clearance height larger than a maximum height of the vehicle with the vehicle mounted article.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the navigation assistance comprises identifying an area of the parking garage that can accommodate the vehicle with the vehicle mounted article.