Vehicle information and interaction management

• US 20040088084A1
• Filed: 10/31/2002
• Published: 05/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saab Automobile AB (China Evergrande Group), GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Geisler, Scott P., Repa, Brian S., Creech, Thomas William, Nabo, Arne
• Granted Patent: US 6,882,906 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0231 Circuits relating to the driving or the functioning of the vehicle monitoring tyres B60C23/00; indicating overspeed B60K31/00; for dash boards B60K37/00, B60Q3/10; for indicating emergencies B60Q1/52; brake control systems B60T; registering or indicating the working of vehicles G07C5/00; measuring distance G01C, e.g. combinations of speed and distance G01C23/00; engine indicators G01L; measuring speed or acceleration G01P

Abstract

A method for vehicle information and interaction management. The method comprises receiving vehicle feature data and driver preference data. The method also comprises receiving a driving workload estimate that is indicative of current and previously occurring conditions. A subroutine corresponding to at least one of the vehicle feature data is executed. The subroutine initiates the activation or disablement of a function of a vehicle and is responsive to the driver preference data and the driving workload estimate.

Claims

1. A method for vehicle information and interaction management, said method comprising:

receiving vehicle feature data and driver preference data;

receiving a driving workload estimate, said driving workload estimate indicative of current and previously occurring conditions; and

executing a subroutine for at least one of said vehicle feature data, said subroutine being responsive to said driver preference data and said driving workload estimate to initiate the activation or disablement of a function of a vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said driving workload estimate includes an instantaneous workload estimate.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said driving workload estimate includes an intermediate workload estimate.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said driving workload estimate includes an overall workload estimate.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said function includes a vehicle status message.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said disablement includes delaying a display of said message and said activation includes displaying said message.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said function includes a manner of communicating a vehicle status message.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said manner of communicating is display, voice or video.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said function includes access to a device attached to said vehicle.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said device is a cellular telephone, a stereo, an internet news device, an electronic mail device or a navigation device.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said function is an interface to a device attached to said vehicle.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said device is a cellular telephone, a stereo, an internet news device, an electronic mail device or a navigation device.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein said device is a cellular telephone and said interface is a keypad interface or a speech interface.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving internally generated vehicle data and wherein said subroutine is further responsive to said vehicle data.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving environment data and wherein said subroutine is further responsive to said environment data.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving current condition data and wherein said subroutine is further responsive to said current condition data.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving telematic data and wherein said subroutine is further responsive to said telematic data.

18. A system for driving workload estimation, the system comprising:

a network; and

a microprocessor in communication with said network, said microprocessor including instructions to implement a method comprising;

receiving vehicle feature data and driver preference data from said network;

receiving a driving workload estimate from said network, said driving workload estimate indicative of current and previously occurring conditions; and

executing a subroutine for at least one of said vehicle feature data, said subroutine being responsive to said driver preference data and said driving workload estimate to initiate activation or disablement of a function of a vehicle.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein said driving workload estimate includes an instantaneous workload estimate.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein said driving workload estimate includes an intermediate workload estimate.

21. The system of claim 18 wherein said driving workload estimate includes an overall workload estimate.

22. The system of claim 18 wherein said network is a wireless network.

23. The system of claim 18 wherein said network in the Internet.

24. A computer program product for driving workload estimation, the product comprising:

a storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for performing a method comprising;

receiving vehicle feature data and driver preference data;

receiving a driving workload estimate, said driving workload estimate indicative of current and previously occurring conditions; and

executing a subroutine for at least one of said vehicle feature data, said subroutine being responsive to said driver preference data and said driving workload estimate to initiate activation or disablement of a function of a vehicle.