Method for assisting a user of a motor vehicle, multimedia system, and motor vehicle

• US 10,086,843 B2
• Filed: 07/03/2012
• Issued: 10/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Renault Sas (Renault)
• Original Assignee: Renault Sas (Renault)
• Inventors: Alexander, Jean-Philippe, Chapuis, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Hutchinson, Alan D
• Application Number:
  US14/238,354
• Publication Number:
  US 20140236423A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,282 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/08 Interaction between the driver and the control system
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3617 using user history, behaviour, conditions or preferences, e.g. predicted or inferred from previous use or current movement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages

Abstract

A method for assisting a user of a motor vehicle, including: acquiring parameters associated with a context in which the motor vehicle is being used; developing a list of suggested actions; selecting a suggested action from among the list of suggested actions in accordance with the context in which the motor vehicle is being used; and transmitting the selected suggested actions to the user via a man/machine interface. A multimedia system, a motor vehicle, and a computer medium can implement the method.

Claims

1. A method of assisting a user of a motor vehicle, comprising:

acquiring parameters associated with a context in which the motor vehicle is being used;

determining that the motor vehicle is being used in said context based on said parameters;

compiling a list of probable suggested actions including new suggested actions generated based on actions historically performed by the user in said context;

selecting at least one new suggested action from among the list of probable suggested actions in real time when it is determined that the motor vehicle is being used in said context; and

transmitting the selected new suggested action to the user via a human-machine interface while the motor vehicle is being used in said context, wherein said determining, compiling, selecting and transmitting are performed automatically to provide the user with a single action input command for executing the selected new suggested action while the motor vehicle is being used in said context.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the acquiring comprises storing parameters associated with the context in which the motor vehicle is used in an electronic storage device.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein a storing operation is carried out for each identified user.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the parameters associated with the context in which the motor vehicle is used are chosen from among any or all of:

an identification of the user;

a monitoring record of itineraries followed by the user, positions of the vehicle and periods for which the vehicle is parked;

a monitoring record of user'"'"'s actions on an on-board multimedia system;

a time slot;

working days or weekend;

a number of occupants of the vehicle;

a monitoring record of driving;

a monitoring record of information on a dashboard of the vehicle; and

a monitoring record of events in the on-board multimedia system.

5. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the compiling a list of probable suggested actions comprises:

generating at least one new suggested action based on the stored parameters;

recording the generated new suggested action in an electronic storage device including the list of probable suggested actions.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1

wherein:

the acquiring comprises storing the parameters associated with the context in which the motor vehicle is being used in an electronic storage device;

the compiling a list of probable suggested actions comprises;

generating at least one new suggested action based on the stored parameters, and

recording the generated new suggested action in an electronic storage device including the list of suggested actions; and

the generating at least one new suggested action comprises defining a triggering event and a corresponding action associated with the new suggested action.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the generating at least one new suggested action comprises defining a name and an associated reaction of the human-machine interface, or generating graphic elements associated with the suggested action.

8. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the selecting at least one new suggested action from among the list of probable suggested actions is activated if the context in which the vehicle is being used corresponds to a triggering event associated with the at least one new suggested action.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the list of probable suggested actions comprises at least one of probable suggested actions of communication, navigation, multimedia and system category.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the probable suggested actions of the communication category comprise any or all of:

play an SMS message when a Previously Presented SMS is received;

call back a caller who has made a missed call;

display a task when a reminder of the task appears; and

open a record associated with a friend of the user if the friend is in geographical proximity of the vehicle.

11. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the probable suggested actions of the navigation category comprise any or all of:

activate a tourist mode if the vehicle is traveling through an unfamiliar area;

provide guidance toward a special location if a location is nearby;

display rest and/or refreshment areas if a period of travel exceeds a predetermined value; and

display variant itineraries in case of congestion.

12. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the probable suggested actions of the multimedia category comprise any or all of:

play a suggested musical selection if there is at least one of a similarity with the user'"'"'s habits, a suggestion to play made by an occupant other than the user, a recommendation by a social network linked to the user, and a connection to a nomadic element if at least two occupants are present;

play a musical game if at least three occupants are present;

play unplayed episodes of a podcast to which the user subscribes; and

play a radio broadcasting station which is suggested according to the user'"'"'s listening habits and/or according to the location of the vehicle.

13. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the probable suggested actions of the system category comprise any or all of:

discover a software widget when the software widget at least one of corresponds to recorded interests of the user, and is similar to software widgets already downloaded;

record at least one of personal telephone numbers, and email addresses if a telephone or an internal connection is detected; and

offer assistance or explanations regarding functions or gestures having a low or zero level of use or execution.

14. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

observing use made by the user of each of the probable suggested actions on the list; and

withdrawing probable suggested actions from the list, or retaining suggested actions on the list, according to a result of the observation.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the observation is carried out by a counter of a number of launches of probable suggested actions from the list.

16. A multimedia system installed on board a motor vehicle to assist a user of the motor vehicle, comprising:

a control unit that executes a method as claimed in claim 1; and

a human-machine interface for transmitting to the user selected suggested actions received from the control unit.

17. The multimedia system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the control unit comprises:

a module for compiling probable suggested actions, which generates probable suggested actions and records them in a list of probable suggested actions contained in an electronic storage device; and

a selection module configured to select at least one probable suggested action from among the list of probable suggested actions, if the context in which the vehicle is being used corresponds to a triggering event associated with the probable suggested action, and to transmit the selected suggested action to the human-machine interface.

18. A motor vehicle comprising a multimedia system as claimed in claim 16.

19. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 18, further comprising devices configured to generate parameters associated with the context in which the motor vehicle is used.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium which is readable by a control unit and on which is recorded a computer program comprising computer program code means for executing the method as claimed in claim 1.