Workload estimation for mobile device feature integration

• US 9,889,862 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2014
• Issued: 02/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Prakah-Asante, Kwaku O., Tonshal, Basavaraj, Yang, Hsin-hsiang, Strumolo, Gary Steven, Chen, Yifan, Rankin, II, James Stewart
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOUIE, WAE LENNY
• Application Number:
  US14/242,278
• Publication Number:
  US 20150274180A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,414 Days
• Field of Search: 701 23, 340439, 340576, 455418, 4554561, 4554564, 455565, 455566
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/195 Blocking or enabling display functions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/566 Mobile devices displaying vehicle information
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/29 Instruments characterised by the way in which information is handled, e.g. showing information on plural displays or prioritising information according to driving conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/80 Arrangements for controlling instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0075 Automatic parameter input, automatic initialising or calibrating means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/22 Psychological state; Stress level or workload
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/30 Driving style
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/20 Ambient conditions, e.g. wind or rain
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/10 Historical data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/09 Driving style or behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0097 Predicting future conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities

Abstract

A system may include a device configured to connect to a vehicle data port and a mobile device and including an alert manager. The alert manager may be configured to determine, according to a driver workload estimation, an alert mode indicative of how to process a vehicle user-interface request to access a mobile device feature for use via the vehicle user-interface, and access the feature of the mobile device in accordance with the alert mode.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a device configured to connect to a vehicle data port and a mobile device, and including an alert manager configured to

determine, according to a driver workload estimation performed using data received from the data port, an alert mode indicative of how to process a vehicle user-interface request to use a mobile device feature, and

access the mobile device feature via the vehicle user-interface according to the alert mode.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the alert modes include a first mode in which use of the feature of the mobile device is allowed, and a second mode in which use of the feature of the mobile device is denied.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the alert modes include a third mode in which use of the feature of the mobile device is delayed.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the device is further configured to provide an alert via the vehicle user-interface indicating that the feature cannot be used when the alert mode is a mode in which use of the feature of the mobile device is at least one of:

(i) delayed, (ii) postponed, or (iii) denied.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the driver workload estimation includes a current driver estimation of workload, the current driver estimation of workload determined according to at least one of vehicle sensor inputs and weather conditions.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the driver workload estimation includes a forecasted driver estimation of future workload, the forecasted driver estimation determined according to vehicle location and a mapping of locations to historical driver workload estimations.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the request to use the feature of the mobile device includes a press of a steering wheel button of the vehicle user interface, the feature of the mobile device include a voice command system to be used via an audio system of the vehicle user-interface.

8. A method comprising:

determining an alert mode indicative of how to process a vehicle user-interface request to use a mobile device feature, by an alert manager of a device connecting to a vehicle data port and a mobile device, according to a driver workload estimation performed using data received from the data port; and

accessing the mobile device feature via the vehicle user-interface according to the alert mode.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the alert modes include a first mode in which use of the feature of the mobile device is allowed, and a second mode in which use of feature of the mobile device is denied.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the alert modes include a third mode in which use of the feature of the mobile device is delayed.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the device is further configured to provide an alert via the vehicle user-interface indicating that the feature cannot be used when the alert mode is a mode in which use of the feature of the mobile device is at least one of:

(i) delayed, (ii) postponed, or (iii) denied.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the driver workload estimation includes a current driver estimation of workload, the current driver estimation of workload determined according to at least one of vehicle sensor inputs and weather conditions.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the driver workload estimation includes a forecasted driver estimation of future workload, the forecasted driver estimation determined according to vehicle location and a mapping of locations to historical driver workload estimations.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the request to use the feature of the mobile device includes a press of a steering wheel button of the vehicle user interface, the feature of the mobile device include a voice command system to be used via an audio system of the vehicle user-interface.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including instructions that, when executed by an alert manager of a device connecting to a vehicle data port and a mobile device, cause the device to:

determine an alert mode indicative of how to process a vehicle user-interface request to use a mobile device feature according to a driver workload estimation performed using data received from the data port; and

access the mobile device feature via the vehicle user-interface according to the alert mode.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the alert modes include a first mode in which use of the feature of the mobile device is allowed, and a second mode in which use of feature of the mobile device is denied.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the alert modes include a third mode in which use of the feature of the mobile device is delayed.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the device is further configured to provide an alert via the vehicle user-interface indicating that the feature cannot be used when the alert mode is a mode in which use of the feature of the mobile device is at least one of:

(i) delayed, (ii) postponed, or (iii) denied.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the driver workload estimation includes a current driver estimation of workload, the current driver estimation of workload determined according to at least one of vehicle sensor inputs and weather conditions.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the driver workload estimation includes a forecasted driver estimation of future workload, the forecasted driver estimation determined according to vehicle location and a mapping of locations to historical driver workload estimations.