Vehicle service control

• US 10,627,245 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2017
• Issued: 04/21/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Schmidt, David J., Lobo, Harry, Krishnan, Vankatesh, Dellock, Paul Kenneth, Ghannam, Mahmoud Yousef
• Primary Examiner(s): Hutchinson, Alan D
• Application Number:
  US15/726,341
• Publication Number:
  US 20190107401A1
• Time in Patent Office: 929 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/481 the operation of at least part of the liquid supply being controlled by electric means electrical washing liquid warming-up means B60S1/488
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/50 Arrangement of reservoir
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3415 Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3469 Fuel consumption; Energy use; Emission aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0276 using signals provided by a source external to the vehicle involving a plurality of vehicles G05D1/0287; automatically controlling vehicle speed responsive to externally generated signals B60K31/0058
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06316 Sequencing of tasks or work
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance

Abstract

A system, including a processor and a memory, the memory including instructions to be executed by the processor to determine a fluid level of a fluid in a vehicle determine a planned vehicle route; and after and in response to uploading the fluid level and the planned vehicle route to a server, actuating a vehicle component to replenish the fluid according to a command from the server.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining a fluid level of a cleaning fluid for a sensor in a vehicle;

determining a planned vehicle route;

determining a number of predicted cleaning events for the sensor for the planned vehicle route; and

after and in response to uploading the cleaning fluid level, the planned vehicle route to a server, actuating a vehicle component to replenish the fluid according to a command from the server.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the cleaning fluid cleans vehicle sensor windows.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the planned vehicle route and determining the amount of fluid required per unit distance of travel by communicating with a server computer via a network.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising determining the planned vehicle route based a location of the vehicle and receiving a request for transportation at the server computer.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the fluid required per unit of distance traveled based on the planned vehicle route accounting for predicted weather conditions.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the fluid required per unit of distance traveled based on the planned vehicle route accounting for predicted road conditions.

7. The method of claim 3, further comprising determining whether to actuate the vehicle component to travel the planned vehicle route or actuate the vehicle component to travel to replenish the fluid based on transmitting the fluid level to the server computer and receiving a command from the server computer.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising receiving, from the server computer, a command to replenish the fluid before completing the planned vehicle route or a command to replenish the fluid at a vehicle service location.

9. A system, comprising a processor;

and

a memory, the memory including instructions to be executed by the processor to;

determine a fluid level of a cleaning fluid for a sensor in a vehicle;

determine a planned vehicle route;

determine a number of predicted cleaning events for the sensor for the planned vehicle route; and

after and in response to uploading the cleaning fluid level, the planned vehicle route to a server, actuate a vehicle component to replenish the fluid according to a command from the server.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the cleaning fluid cleans vehicle sensor windows.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to determine the planned vehicle route and determine the amount of fluid required per unit distance of travel by communicating with a server computer via a network.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to determine the planned vehicle route based on receiving a request for transportation at a server computer and a location of the vehicle.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to determine the fluid required per unit of distance traveled based on the planned vehicle route accounting for predicted weather conditions.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to determine the fluid required per unit of distance traveled based on the planned vehicle route accounting for predicted road conditions.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to determine whether to actuate the vehicle component to travel the planned vehicle route or actuate the vehicle component to travel to replenish the fluid based on transmitting the fluid level to the server computer and receiving a command from the server computer.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to receive, from the server computer, a command to replenish the fluid before completing the planned vehicle route or a command to replenish the fluid at a vehicle service location.

17. The system of claim 9, wherein the instructions to determine the number of predicted cleaning events further comprise instructions to determine the number of predicted cleaning events based in part on environmental data.

18. The system of claim 9, wherein the instructions to determine the number of predicted cleaning events further comprise instructions to determine the number of predicted cleaning events based in part on traffic data.

19. A system, comprising a processor;

and

a memory, the memory including instructions to be executed by the processor to;

determine a fluid level of a cleaning fluid for a sensor in a vehicle;

determine a planned vehicle route;

determine an amount of cleaning fluid required per unit of distance traveled;

determine a number of predicted cleaning events for the sensor for the planned vehicle route based at least in part on determining the amount of cleaning fluid required per unit of distance traveled; and

actuate a vehicle component to travel the planned vehicle route based on the cleaning fluid level being greater than the amount of fluid required for the planned vehicle route; and

if the cleaning fluid level is not greater than the amount of fluid required for the planned vehicle routes, actuate the vehicle component to travel to replenish the fluid.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the instructions to determine the number of predicted cleaning events further comprise instructions to determine the number of predicted cleaning events based in part on at least one of environmental data and traffic data.