Methods and apparatus for external vehicle illumination management

• US 10,726,641 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2016
• Issued: 07/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2016
• 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., Prasad, Krishnaswamy Venkatesh, Rao, Manoharprasad K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Previl, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US16/325,436
• Publication Number:
  US 20190213805A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,434 Days
• Field of Search: 340458, 340459, 340463-466, 340488, 340506, 34053815, 34053928, 3405681, 340571, 340641
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/55 Remote control arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/566 Mobile devices displaying vehicle information
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/573 Mobile devices controlling vehicle functions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/80 Arrangements for controlling instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/04 the devices being headlights
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0825 using optical means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0833 using audio means
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 1/00 Systems for signalling characterised solely by the form of transmission of the signal
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/18 Status alarms G08B21/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for external vehicle illumination management are disclosed herein. An example method includes receiving, at a first processor of a mobile device, vehicle data. The vehicle data is to be transmitted to the first processor from a second processor of a vehicle. The example method includes analyzing the vehicle data and mobile device data generated by the mobile device. The example method includes generating an alert for headlamp usage of the vehicle based on the analysis and presenting the alert via the mobile device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at a first processor of a mobile device, vehicle data, the vehicle data to be transmitted to the first processor from a second processor of a vehicle, the vehicle data including an operational status of headlamps of the vehicle;

performing a comparison of the vehicle data to headlamp usage data, the headlamp usage data including a pattern of usage of the headlamps;

analyzing mobile device data generated by the mobile device;

generating an alert regarding usage of the headlamps of the vehicle in response to the comparison and the mobile device data; and

presenting the alert via the mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle data further includes one or more of a speed of the vehicle or an operational status of windshield wipers of the vehicle and the alert is to be further generated in response to the vehicle data including the one or more of the speed of the vehicle or the operational status of the windshield wipers.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile device data includes one or more of weather condition data, location data, time-of-day data, or ambient light data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein presenting the alert includes presenting a text message or an audio message via the mobile device.

5. The method of claim 1, further including presenting the alert based on a user input setting received via the mobile device.

6. A method comprising:

receiving, at a processor of a mobile device, first vehicle data, the first vehicle data to be transmitted to the processor of the mobile device from a processor of a vehicle;

calculating an average duration of use of headlamps of the vehicle by a first driver of the vehicle based on the first vehicle data to generate average vehicle data for the first driver; and

determining a deviation of the average vehicle data from second vehicle data, the second vehicle data associated with a duration of headlamp usage by a plurality of drivers;

performing a comparison of the deviation to a threshold headlight duration value for the first driver;

analyzing mobile device data generated by the mobile device;

generating an alert for usage of the headlamps in response to the comparison and the mobile device data; and

presenting the alert via the mobile device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the average vehicle data includes an average duration of use of high-beam headlights generated by the headlamps by the first driver.

8. The method of claim 7, further including determining the threshold headlight duration value based on the average duration use of the high-beam headlights.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the mobile device data includes a condition for an environment in which the vehicle is located.

10. A method comprising:

receiving, via a first processor of a mobile device, vehicle data, the vehicle data to be transmitted to the first processor from a second processor of a vehicle;

identifying a pattern based on the vehicle data, the pattern associated with a use of headlamps of the vehicle;

analyzing mobile device data generated by the mobile device;

generating an alert in response to the pattern and the mobile device data; and

outputting the alert via the mobile device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the vehicle data includes an activation status of a high-beam headlight setting of the headlamps.

12. The method of claim 11, further including calculating a first duration value of the high-beam headlight setting based on the activation status.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the vehicle data is first vehicle data and further including identifying the pattern based on the first duration value and a second duration value, the second duration value calculated from second vehicle data.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the mobile device data includes an ambient light condition and further including:

detecting a low-light environment based on the ambient light condition; and

generating the alert in response to the detection of the low-light environment.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the alert includes a message to activate the headlamps.

16. A method comprising:

receiving, via a processor of a mobile device, vehicle data, the vehicle data to be transmitted to the processor of the mobile device from a processor of a vehicle;

identifying a first pattern based on the vehicle data, the first pattern associated with a use of headlamps of the vehicle by a first driver;

calculating an anomaly value for use of the headlamps by the first driver based on the first pattern and a second pattern, the second pattern associated with headlamp usage by a plurality of drivers;

performing a comparison of the anomaly value to a threshold value, the threshold value associated with the first driver;

analyzing mobile device data generated by the mobile device;

generating an alert in response to the comparison and the mobile device data; and

outputting the alert via the mobile device.

17. An apparatus comprising:

a vehicle data receiver to receive first vehicle headlamp usage data for headlamps of a vehicle from a first processor of the vehicle;

a mobile device data receiver to receive mobile device data generated by a mobile device; and

a rules engine to;

analyze the first vehicle headlamp usage data, second vehicle headlamp usage data, and the mobile device data, the second vehicle headlamp usage data generated for the vehicle prior to the first vehicle headlamp usage data; and

generate an alert for headlamp usage of the vehicle based on the analysis, at least one of the vehicle data receiver, the mobile device data receiver, or the rules engine to be implemented via a second processor of the mobile device.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the rules engine is to identify an anomaly in the first vehicle headlamp usage data based on the second vehicle headlamp usage data and generate the alert in response to the anomaly.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the rules engine is to identify the anomaly based on a threshold value for usage of the headlamps of the vehicle.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, further including a user settings receiver to receive a user input via an interface of the mobile device, the user input including an alert setting.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the mobile device data includes a condition of an environment in which the vehicle is located and the rules engine is to:

apply a rule based on the first vehicle headlamp usage data, the second vehicle headlamp usage data, and the condition of the environment; and

generate the alert based on the application of the rule.