Platform for wireless interaction with vehicle

• US 9,736,289 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2015
• Issued: 08/15/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thunder Power New Energy Vehicle Development Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Thunder Power New Energy Vehicle Development Company Limited
• Inventors: Chen, Yong-Syuan, Hsiao, Jen-Chieh
• Primary Examiner(s): CAI, WAYNE HUU
• Application Number:
  US14/981,789
• Publication Number:
  US 20170187863A1
• Time in Patent Office: 596 Days
• Field of Search: 455418-420, 701 1, 701 2, 3405391, 340993, 34042613-42619, 3404262, 34042621-42629, 3404263, 34042631-42636
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/03 for supply of electrical power to vehicle subsystems or for circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00
• 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: B60R 2325/205 Mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/01 operating on vehicle systems or fittings, e.g. on doors, seats or windscreens
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/10 actuating a signalling device
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/209 Remote starting of engine
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724098 Interfacing with an on-board device of a vehicle for hands-free speaking in vehicles H04M1/6075
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems

Abstract

Techniques described herein include a platform for providing user interaction with a vehicle'"'"'s functions on a mobile device. In some embodiments, the vehicle and mobile device may both be in communication with a service provider computer, that may facilitate communications between the two. In some embodiments, a user is provided with various details related to the vehicle'"'"'s condition as well as a list of functions that may be initiated by the user. The user is able to select one or more of the listed functions to be performed by the vehicle while located any distance from the vehicle. In some embodiments, the service provider computer may determine whether the user is authorized to initiate a particular vehicle function. Upon selection of a vehicle function from the list of vehicle functions, a processor device in the vehicle executes the function.

Claims

1. A wireless control system within a vehicle, comprising:

a plurality of components controlling functionality of the vehicle;

a processor device; and

a memory including instructions that, when executed with the processor device, cause the system to, at least;

maintain a plurality of user accounts for a plurality of users, each of the plurality of user accounts associated with a user profile for a specific user of the plurality of users indicating a subset of functions that the specific user is authorized to execute from a set of functions available for the vehicle;

receive a request from a user device to be provided with a subset of functions that the user device is authorized to initiate with respect to the vehicle;

identify a first subset of functions that the user device is authorized to initiate based on a user profile for a first user associated with the user device;

identify a second subset of functions that have been locked to a range of values by an administrator, the second subset of functions comprising a subset of the first subset of functions;

modify each of the second subset of functions within the first subset of functions to reflect the locked range of values;

provide the first subset of functions that the user device is authorized to initiate to the user device such that the user device makes available only those functions in the first subset of functions that the user device is authorized to initiate, wherein each function is made available within any reflected locked range of values;

receive a request from the user device to execute a vehicle function of the first subset of functions that the user device is authorized to initiate;

in response to the request being received from the user device associated with the first user and upon determining that the requested function is within the first subset of functions that the first user is authorized to execute, generate instructions to execute the vehicle function by;

determining at least one component of the plurality of components associated with the requested function; and

providing, to the at least one component, instructions to execute the requested function; and

in response to the request being received from the user device associated with the first user and upon determining that the requested function is not within the first subset of functions that the first user is authorized to execute, providing an indication that the user is not authorized to initiate the vehicle function.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the user device is at least one of a mobile phone, a smart watch, a personal data assistant (PDA), a smart phone, or a wireless key.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of components controlling functionality of the vehicle are a plurality of electronic switches.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first user is associated with the user device by virtue of the first user being required to log into an account associated with the user device of the plurality of user accounts.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first user is associated with the user device based on an identifier for the user device being associated with an account of the plurality of accounts being associated with the first user.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one account of the plurality of accounts is associated with multiple vehicles.

7. The wireless control system of claim 1, further comprising one or more input sensors configured to detect information related to a condition of the vehicle, and wherein the instructions further cause the system to provide the information related to the condition of the vehicle to the user device.

8. The wireless control system of claim 1, wherein the condition of the vehicle is a speed at which the vehicle is traveling.

9. The wireless control system of claim 1, wherein the information related to the condition of the vehicle provided to the user device is a text notification sent to an owner of the vehicle indicating the speed at which the vehicle is traveling.

10. The wireless control system of claim 1, wherein the user device is a cellular phone.

11. The wireless control system of claim 10, wherein the vehicle information is presented to a vehicle control application executed on the user device.

12. The wireless control system of claim 10, wherein the vehicle information is presented to a web browser application executed on the user device.

13. The wireless control system of claim 10, wherein the instructions to perform the selected function are provided to the vehicle via a cellular network.

14. The wireless control system of claim 1, wherein the first subset of functions that the first user is authorized to execute includes at least one of locking a vehicle door, unlocking the vehicle door, turning on a vehicle engine, turning off the vehicle engine, turning on a vehicle light, turning off the vehicle light, activating a vehicle alarm, deactivating the vehicle alarm, adjusting a temperature of a cabin of the vehicle, adjusting a temperature of a seat within the vehicle, opening a trunk of the vehicle, and sounding a horn of the vehicle.