Control module activation of vehicles in a key-off state to determine driving routes

• US 10,378,919 B2
• Filed: 04/19/2017
• Issued: 08/13/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: DeCia, Nunzio, Herman, David A., Dutta, Arun, Dierker, Bill, Cartwright, Justin
• Primary Examiner(s): Melton, Todd M
• Application Number:
  US15/491,896
• Publication Number:
  US 20180306598A1
• Time in Patent Office: 846 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/242 for electrical energy
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/12 related to parameters of the vehicle itself , e.g. tyre models
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3492 employing speed data or traffic data, e.g. real-time or historical traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3667 Display of a road map G01C21/3614 takes precedence; guidance using 3D or perspective road maps G01C21/3635
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3691 Retrieval, searching and output of information related to real-time traffic, weather, or environmental conditions arrangements for giving variable traffic instructions G08G1/09

Abstract

Method and apparatus are disclosed for control module activation of vehicles in a key-off state to determine driving routes. An example system includes a vehicle at a location in a key-off state. The vehicle includes a communication module to receive an activation signal and a telematic control unit. The telematic control unit is to activate upon receipt of the activation signal and determine and present a route from the location. The example system also includes a remote processor to determine the location, identify an event and an end time based upon the location, and send an activation signal based upon the end time.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a vehicle at a location in a key-off state including;

a battery;

a communication module to receive an activation signal; and

a telematic control unit to;

activate upon receipt of the activation signal; and

determine and present a route from the location; and

a remote processor to;

determine the location;

identify an event and an end time based upon the location;

determine a current charge level of the battery based upon a charge level prior to the vehicle being in the key-off state and a time duration of the vehicle being in the key-off state; and

send the activation signal based upon the end time.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle includes an ignition switch having an on-position corresponding to an on-state of the vehicle and an off-position corresponding to the key-off state of the vehicle.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the communication module of the vehicle sends a vehicle status signal to the remote processor prior to the vehicle being in the key-off state, the vehicle status signal including the location and the charge level of the battery.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle includes a GPS receiver to determine the location.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle includes a battery sensor to detect the charge level of the battery.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle includes a battery control module that activates the telematic control unit upon the communication module receiving the activation signal from the remote processor.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the battery control module activates a body control module after the communication module receives the activation signal.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote processor further determines the current charge level based upon a make, a model, a body type, and an options package of the vehicle.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote processor activates the telematic control unit in response to determining that the current charge level is greater than a predetermined charge threshold.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein, to prevent the battery from being discharged, the remote processor determines an activation duration during which the telematic control unit is activated based upon the current charge level.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the telematic control unit returns to a sleep mode upon the activation duration ending and the vehicle remaining in the key-off state.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote processor sends the activation signal to the communication module at a predetermined time period after the end time.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the telematic control unit determines the route to be a quickest travel route between the location and a destination based on traffic data and weather condition data.

14. A method for activating vehicle control modules, the method comprising:

detecting, via a battery sensor, a charge level of a battery of a vehicle;

determining, via a processor, a current charge level of the battery based upon the charge level detected prior to the vehicle being in a key-off state and a time duration of the vehicle being in the key-off state;

determining, via a GPS receiver, a location of the vehicle in the key-off state;

identifying, via the processor, an event and an end time corresponding to the location;

activating a telematic control unit based upon an activation signal that corresponds to the end time; and

determining and presenting, via the telematic control unit, a route from the location.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the telematic control unit is activated upon determining, via the processor, that the current charge level is greater than a predetermined threshold.

16. The method of claim 15, further including:

determining an activation duration during which the telematic control unit is activated based upon the current charge level and the predetermined threshold; and

returning the telematic control unit to a sleep mode upon the activation duration ending.

17. A tangible computer readable medium including instructions which, when executed, cause a machine to:

detect, via a battery sensor, a charge level of a battery of a vehicle;

determine a current charge level of the battery based upon the charge level detected prior to the vehicle being in a key-off state and a time duration of the vehicle being in the key-off state;

determine, via a GPS receiver, a location of the vehicle in the key-off state;

identify, via a processor, an event and an end time corresponding to the location;

activate a telematic control unit upon receipt of an activation signal that corresponds to the end time; and

determine and present, via the telematic control unit, a route from the location.