Methods and apparatus to alter a vehicle operation

• US 10,710,605 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2018
• Issued: 07/14/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stahulak, Charles M., Shaw, Gregory Thomas, Vardharajan, Satya
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tan Q
• Application Number:
  US16/123,267
• Publication Number:
  US 20190001991A1
• Time in Patent Office: 677 Days
• Field of Search: 701 36
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0064 using a remote, e.g. cordless, transmitter or receiver unit, e.g. remote keypad or mobile phone
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/043 Identity of occupants
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/08 related to drivers or passengers
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/082 Selecting or switching between different modes of propelling
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/085 Changing the parameters of the control units, e.g. changing limit values, working points by control input

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are disclosed to alter the driving profile of a vehicle. An example method disclosed herein determines, based on a user selection, a desired driving profile to apply to a vehicle. The example method includes identifying a set of alterations to operating parameters of vehicle systems associated with the desired driving profile. The example method includes determining a subset of the set of alterations that the vehicle can execute, and in response to determining the subset that the vehicle can execute, applying the subset to the vehicle to produce the desired driving profile.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining a driving profile to implement on a vehicle;

identifying a set of alterations to current operating parameters of the vehicle based on the driving profile;

determining a subset of the set of alterations that the vehicle is capable of executing based on a set of rules defining an operation of the vehicle;

determining, based on the subset, one of the current operating parameters to change;

generating an instruction for an electronic control unit corresponding to the one of the current operating parameters to change the one of the current operating parameters; and

applying the subset of the set of alterations to the vehicle using the electronic control unit to receive the instruction and transmit control signals to a component of the vehicle to alter the component according to the instruction to change the one of the current operating parameters to implement the driving profile, wherein the component is mechanical, electrical, or both electrical and mechanical.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the subset comprises, for each alteration of the set of alterations:

determining whether the alteration conforms to the set of rules; and

if the alteration conforms to the set of rules, marking the alteration as valid and including the alteration as part of the subset.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the determining the subset comprises, for each alteration of the set of alterations:

if the alteration does not conform to the set of rules, marking the alteration as invalid.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein a first alteration among the set of alterations is marked as invalid, and wherein the determining the subset further comprises:

adjusting the first alteration to obtain a first adjusted alteration that conforms to the set of rules; and

including the first adjusted alteration as part of the subset.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the driving profile is determined based on an operator of the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting an activation parameter, wherein the determining the driving profile is based on the activation parameter.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the activation parameter comprises a presence of a user detected through a device associated with the user.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the activation parameter comprises at least one of:

a geographic location of the vehicle, a driving condition associated with the vehicle, or a status associated with the vehicle.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining the driving profile is not stored on the vehicle;

obtaining the driving profile from a remote device; and

storing the driving profile on the vehicle.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the instruction is generated according to an instruction set associated with the electronic control unit.

11. A non-transitory machine readable storage medium comprising machine readable instructions which, when executed, cause one or more processors of a vehicle to perform operations, the operations comprising:

detecting a request to implement a driving profile on the vehicle;

determining a set of operating parameters associated with the driving profile;

determining a subset of the set of operating parameters that the vehicle is capable of executing based on a determination of whether the set of operating parameters conforms to a set of rules defining an operation of the vehicle;

determining, based on the subset, a first current operating parameter of the vehicle to change;

generating a first instruction for a first electronic control unit corresponding to the first current operating parameter to change the first current operating parameter; and

applying the subset of the set of operating parameters to the vehicle using the first electronic control unit to receive the first instruction and transmit control signals to a component of the vehicle to alter the component according to the first instruction to change the first current operating parameter to implement the driving profile, wherein the component is mechanical, electrical, or both electrical and mechanical.

12. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the determining the subset comprises, for each operating parameter of the set of operating parameters:

if the operating parameter conforms to the set of rules, marking the operating parameter as valid and including the operating parameter as part of the subset.

13. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the determining the subset comprises, for each operating parameter of the set of operating parameters:

if the operating parameter does not conform to the set of rules, marking the operating parameter as invalid.

14. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein a first operating parameter among the set plurality of operating parameters is marked as invalid, and wherein the determining the subset further comprises:

adjusting the first operating parameter to obtain a first adjusted operating parameter that conforms to the set of rules; and

including the first adjusted operating parameter as part of the subset.

15. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the request comprises a user selection.

16. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining, based on the subset, a second current operating parameter of the vehicle to change; and

generating a second instruction for a second electronic control unit corresponding to the second current operating parameter to change the second current operating parameter, wherein the first instruction is generated according to a first instruction set associated with the first electronic control unit, wherein the second instruction is generated according to a second instruction set associated with the second electronic control unit, and wherein the first instruction set is different from the second instruction set,

wherein the applying comprises applying at least the first current operating parameter and the second current operating parameter to the vehicle to implement the driving profile.

18. The vehicle of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining a second subset of the plurality of operating parameters, wherein each operating parameter of the second subset conforms to the set of rules,

wherein the applying comprises applying the second subset and the adjusted operating parameter to the vehicle to implement the driving profile.

20. The vehicle of claim 16, further comprising a console display configured to receive a user selection of the driving profile, wherein the indication comprises the user selection of the driving profile via the console display.

17. A vehicle comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory to store machine readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations, the operations comprising;

receiving an indication of a driving profile to implement on the vehicle, wherein the driving profile is associated with a plurality of operating parameters;

accessing the driving profile;

determining a first subset of the plurality of operating parameters, wherein each operating parameter of the first subset does not conform to a set of rules defining an operation of the vehicle;

adjusting an operating parameter of the first subset to obtain an adjusted operating parameter;

generating an instruction for an electronic control unit corresponding to the adjusted operating parameter; and

applying the adjusted operating parameter to the vehicle using the electronic control unit to receive the instruction and transmit control signals to a component of the vehicle to alter the component according to the instruction to implement the driving profile, wherein the component is mechanical, electrical, or both electrical and mechanical.

19. The vehicle of claim 17, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining whether the driving profile is stored on the vehicle; and

in response to determining the driving profile is not stored on the vehicle;

obtaining the driving profile from a remote device; and

storing the driving profile on the vehicle.