System and method for applying vehicle settings in a vehicle

• US 9,643,619 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2015
• Issued: 05/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Sinaguinan, Justin E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stroud, James E
• Application Number:
  US14/859,405
• Publication Number:
  US 20170080949A1
• Time in Patent Office: 596 Days
• Field of Search: 701 36
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2040/0809 Driver authorisation; Driver identity check
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/043 Identity of occupants
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/06 Ignition switch
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/45 External transmission of data to or from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/00 Output or target parameters relating to a particular sub-units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/00 Output or target parameters relating to overall vehicle dynamics
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2754/00 Output or target parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/08 related to drivers or passengers
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0098 Details of control systems ensuring comfort, safety or stability not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4451 User profiles; Roaming

Abstract

A method and system for applying vehicle settings to a vehicle. The method and system include receiving a device identification (ID) from at least one of: a first portable device and a second portable device. The method and system additionally include identifying a user settings profile that is associated to the device ID. The method and system also include determining if the user settings profile has been updated since a last ignition cycle of the vehicle. The method and system further include applying the user settings profile to control a vehicle system, wherein the user settings profile is retrieved from at least one of: a central user settings data repository, a telematics unit of the vehicle, and a head unit of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for applying vehicle settings to a vehicle comprising:

receiving a device identification (ID) from at least one of;

a first portable device and a second portable device;

identifying a user settings profile that is associated to the device ID;

determining if the user settings profile has been updated since a last ignition cycle of the vehicle; and

applying the user settings profile to control a vehicle system of the vehicle, wherein the user settings profile is retrieved from at least one of;

a central user settings data repository, a telematics control unit of the vehicle, and a head unit of the vehicle.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein identifying the user settings profile that is associated to the device ID includes identifying that the user settings profile is stored on the head unit of the vehicle upon determining that the first portable device is connected to the vehicle and determining that the user settings profile was created or updated on the first portable device.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein determining if the user settings profile has been updated since the last ignition cycle of the vehicle includes comparing a version of the user settings profile stored on the head unit of the vehicle with a version of the user settings profile stored on the central user settings data repository and determining that the user settings profile that has been identified is at least one of:

an updated user settings profile that is stored on the central user settings data repository that has been created or updated since the last ignition cycle of the vehicle, and a pre-existing user settings profile that is stored on the head unit that has been created or updated prior to the last ignition cycle of the vehicle.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein applying the user settings profile includes applying at least one of:

the updated user settings profile that is stored on the central user settings data repository based on receiving the device ID associated to the first portable device and determining the user settings profile identified on the head unit has been created or updated since the last ignition cycle of the vehicle, and the pre-existing user settings profile that is stored on the head unit based on receiving the device ID associated to the first portable device and determining the user settings profile identified on the head unit has been created or updated prior to the last ignition cycle of the vehicle.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein identifying the user settings profile that is associated to the device ID includes identifying that the user settings profile is stored on the telematics control unit based on a determination that the first portable device is disconnected to the vehicle, and a determination that the user settings profile was created or updated on the first portable device.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein determining if the user settings profile has been updated since the last ignition cycle of the vehicle includes comparing a version of the user settings profile stored on the telematics control unit with a version of the user settings profile stored on the central user settings data repository and determining that the user settings profile that has been identified is at least one of:

an updated user settings profile that is stored on the central user settings data repository that has been created or updated since the last ignition cycle of the vehicle, and a pre-existing user settings profile that is stored on the telematics control unit that has been created or updated prior to the last ignition cycle of the vehicle.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein applying the user settings profile includes applying at least one of:

the updated user settings profile that is stored on the central user settings data repository based on receiving the device ID associated to the first portable device and determining the user settings profile identified on the telematics control unit has been created or updated since the last ignition cycle of the vehicle, and the pre-existing user settings profile that is stored on the telematics control unit of the vehicle based on receiving the device ID associated to the first portable device and determining the user settings profile identified on the telematics control unit has been created or updated prior to the last ignition cycle of the vehicle.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein identifying the user settings profile that is associated to the device ID includes at least one of:

identifying that the user settings profile is stored on the head unit based on a determination that the user settings profile was created or updated on the head unit of the vehicle, and identifying that the user settings profile is stored on the central settings data repository based on a determination that the user settings profile was created or updated on a personal computing device.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein applying the user settings profile includes applying at least one of:

an updated user settings profile that is stored on the central user settings data repository based on receiving the device ID associated to the second portable device and determining the user settings profile identified on the head unit has been created or updated since the last ignition cycle of the vehicle, and a pre-existing user settings profile that is stored on the head unit based on receiving the device ID associated to the second portable device and determining the user settings profile identified on the head unit has been created or updated prior to the last ignition cycle of the vehicle.

10. A system for applying vehicle settings to a vehicle comprising:

a vehicle settings logic application that is executed on a head unit of the vehicle;

a device identification module that is included as a module of the vehicle settings logic application that receives a device identification (ID) from at least one of;

a first portable device and a second portable device;

a settings profile identification module that is included as a module of the vehicle settings logic application that identifies a user settings profile that is associated to the device ID;

a settings profile version control module that is included as a module of the vehicle settings logic application that determines if the user settings profile has been updated since a last ignition cycle of the vehicle; and

a vehicle control module that is included as a module of the vehicle settings logic application that applies the user settings profile to control a vehicle system wherein the user settings profile is retrieved from at least one of;

a central user settings data repository, a telematics control unit of the vehicle, and the head unit of the vehicle.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the settings profile identification module identifies that the user settings profile is stored on the head unit upon determining that the first portable device is connected to the vehicle and determining that the user settings profile was created or updated on the first portable device.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the settings profile version control module compares a version of the user settings profile stored on the head unit with a version of the user settings profile on the central user settings data repository and determines that the user settings profile that has been identified is at least one of:

an updated user settings profile that is stored on the central user settings data repository that has been created or updated since the last ignition cycle of the vehicle, and a pre-existing user settings profile that is stored on the head unit that has been created or updated prior to the last ignition cycle of the vehicle.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the vehicle control module applies at least one of:

the updated user settings profile that is stored on the central user settings data repository based on receiving the device ID associated to the first portable device and determining the user settings profile identified on the head unit has been created or updated since the last ignition cycle of the vehicle, and the pre-existing user settings profile that is stored on the head unit of the vehicle based on receiving the device ID associated to the first portable device and determining the user settings profile identified on the head unit has been created or updated prior to the last ignition cycle of the vehicle.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the settings profile identification module identifies that the user settings profile is stored on the telematics control unit based on a determination that the first portable device is disconnected to the vehicle, and a determination that the user settings profile was created or updated on the first portable device.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the settings profile version control module compares a version of the user settings profile stored on the telematics control unit with a version of the user settings profile on the central user settings data repository and determines that the user settings profile that has been identified is at least one of:

an updated user settings profile that is stored on the central user settings data repository that has been created or updated since the last ignition cycle of the vehicle, and a pre-existing user settings profile that is stored on the telematics control unit that has been created or updated prior to the last ignition cycle of the vehicle.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the vehicle control module applies at least one of:

the updated user settings profile that is stored on the central user settings data repository based on receiving the device ID associated to the first portable device and determining the user settings profile identified on the telematics control unit has been created or updated since the last ignition cycle of the vehicle, and the pre-existing user settings profile that is stored on the telematics control unit based on receiving the device ID associated to the first portable device and determining the user settings profile identified on the telematics control unit has been created or updated prior to the last ignition cycle of the vehicle.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the settings profile identification module identifies at least one of:

the user settings profile stored on the head unit based on a determination that the user settings profile was created or updated on the head unit of the vehicle, and the user settings profile stored on the central settings data repository based on a determination that the user settings profile was created or updated on a personal computing device.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the vehicle control module applies at least one of:

an updated user settings profile that is stored on the central user settings data repository based on receiving the device ID associated to the second portable device and determining the user settings profile identified on the head unit has been created or updated since the last ignition cycle of the vehicle, and a pre-existing user settings profile that is stored on the head unit based on receiving the device ID associated to the second portable device and determining the user settings profile identified on the head unit has been created or updated prior to the last ignition cycle of the vehicle.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, causes the computer to perform a method, comprising:

receiving a device identification (ID) from at least one of;

a first portable device and a second portable device;

identifying a user settings profile that is associated to the device ID;

determining if the user settings profile has been updated since a last ignition cycle of the vehicle; and

applying the user settings profile to control a vehicle system of the vehicle, wherein the user settings profile is retrieved from at least one of;

a central user settings data repository, a telematics control unit of the vehicle, and a head unit of a vehicle.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein applying the user settings profile includes applying at least one of:

an updated user settings profile that is stored on the central user settings data repository based on receiving the device ID associated to the first portable device and determining the user settings profile identified on the head unit has been created or updated since the last ignition cycle of the vehicle, and a pre-existing user settings profile that is stored on the head unit based on receiving the device ID associated to the first portable device and determining the user settings profile identified on the head unit has been created or updated prior to the last ignition cycle of the vehicle.