APPARATUS, METHOD AND ARTICLE FOR PROVIDING INFORMATION REGARDING A VEHICLE VIA A MOBILE DEVICE

• US 20170053459A9
• Filed: 09/03/2013
• Published: 02/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gogoro Inc.
• Original Assignee: Gogoro Inc.
• Inventors: Luke, Hok-Sum Horace
• Granted Patent: US 11,222,485 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/70 Interactions with external data bases, e.g. traffic centres
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/10 by alarm
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/12 by confirmation, e.g. of the input
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/20 by driver identification
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/12 Recording operating variables ; Monitoring of operating variables
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/665 Methods related to measuring, billing or payment
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/67 Controlling two or more charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/14 Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

A network of collection, charging and distribution machines collect, charge and distribute portable electrical energy storage devices (e.g., batteries, supercapacitors or ultracapacitors). Relevant information regarding vehicles that use the collection and distribution machines is communicated to or acquired by mobile devices of users associated with one or more of the vehicles. The vehicle information may include information regarding diagnostics or status of the vehicle and information regarding usage history of the vehicle received from different sources. This information is then processed and analyzed at the mobile device and such information is presented by the mobile device in a useful manner to the user and/or communicated to another device external to the mobile device, such as the vehicle, for further processing or communication of the data.

Claims

1. A method in a system for providing information regarding a vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving, by one or more computer processors of a user mobile device of the system for providing information regarding a vehicle, first information regarding diagnostics or status of the vehicle;

receiving, by one or more computer processors of the user mobile device of the system for providing information regarding a vehicle, second information regarding usage history of the vehicle;

in response to the receiving the first information regarding diagnostics or status of the vehicle and the second information regarding usage history of the vehicle, processing, by one or more computer processors of the user mobile device of the system for providing information regarding a vehicle, the received first information and the received second information; and

based on the received first information and the received second information being processed, communicating to a user authenticated as associated with the vehicle, by one or more computer processors of the user mobile device of the system for providing information regarding a vehicle, processed information that is based at least in part on the received first information and the received second information.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the vehicle is an electrically powered vehicle or a hybrid electrically powered vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first information regarding diagnostics or status of the vehicle and the second information regarding usage history of the vehicle each include at least some information regarding one or more of:

status or condition of the vehicle, status or condition of one or more systems of the vehicle, a number of vehicles owned by a user, customizable features of the vehicle, settings of customizable features of the vehicle, condition or status of an engine or motor of the vehicle, one or more electrical systems of the vehicle, health of the vehicle, security of the vehicle, locks of the vehicle, transmission system of the vehicle, maintenance of the vehicle, recommended maintenance of the vehicle, scheduled maintenance of the vehicle, brake pad condition of the vehicle, status of one or more vehicle lights, engine temperature of the vehicle, mileage of the vehicle, one or more wheels of the vehicle, one or more tires of the vehicle, tire wear of one or more tires of the vehicle, tire pressure of one or more tires of the vehicle, speed of the vehicle, statistics regarding different speeds of the vehicle over time, one or more fluid levels of the vehicle, condition or status of an electrical energy storage device of the vehicle, a dashboard of the vehicle, a dashboard display of the vehicle, a current state of a dashboard display of the vehicle, configurable settings of a customizable dashboard display of the vehicle, information stored on a computer readable medium coupled to a portable electrical energy storage device of the vehicle, configurable vehicle lighting, configurable vehicle lighting status, configurable vehicle lighting settings, current odometer reading of the vehicle, historical usage statistics of the vehicle, historical usage statistics regarding a electrical energy storage device of the vehicle, historical usage statistics regarding a motor of the vehicle, historical usage statistics regarding efficiency of the vehicle, geographic travel statistics of the vehicle, a current location of the vehicle, previous locations of the vehicle, target efficiency of the vehicle, recommended settings of the vehicle, user account settings of a user associated with the vehicle, portable electrical energy storage devices for the vehicle, available portable electrical energy storage devices for the vehicle, locations of one or more available portable electrical energy storage devices for the vehicle, one or more collection, charging and distribution machines for portable electrical energy storage devices for the vehicle, portable electrical energy storage device exchange history at one or more collection, charging and distribution machines for portable electrical energy storage devices for the vehicle, and locations of one or more collection, charging and distribution machines for portable electrical energy storage devices for the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving the first information regarding diagnostics or status of the vehicle includes receiving the first information regarding diagnostics or status of the vehicle from a different remote source than that from which the second information regarding usage history of the vehicle is received.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the receiving the first information regarding diagnostics or status of the vehicle and the receiving the second information regarding usage history of the vehicle includes receiving either the first information or the second information over a short range wireless connection between the vehicle and the user mobile device or over a different wireless connection to the user mobile device from a remote vehicle data information management system.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the processing the received first information and the received second information includes:

preparing received data regarding portable electrical energy storage device exchange history associated with the user or the vehicle for presentation on a display of the mobile device; and

preparing data for presentation on the display of the mobile device to alert the user of offers regarding, or availability of, vehicle portable electrical energy storage devices based at least in part on the received data regarding portable electrical energy storage device exchange history associated with the user or the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the data regarding portable electrical energy storage device exchange history is data received via a short range wireless connection between the vehicle and the user mobile device from a memory module attached to a portable electrical energy storage device that powers a motor of the vehicle.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the data regarding portable electrical energy storage device exchange history is data received from the remote vehicle data information management system via a wireless connection to the user mobile device.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the data regarding portable electrical energy storage device exchange history is data received originating from one or more collection, charging and distribution machines for portable electrical energy storage devices for the vehicle.

10. The method of claim 5 wherein the processing the received first information and the received second information includes:

selecting first data from the first information regarding diagnostics or status of the vehicle;

selecting second data from the second information regarding usage history of the vehicle based on the selected first data from the first information regarding diagnostics or status of the vehicle; and

generating third information based on the selected first data and the selected second data to be presented to the user via the user mobile device.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the selected first data from the first information regarding diagnostics or status of the vehicle includes data regarding a current charge level of a portable electrical energy storage device of the vehicle and the selected second data from the second information regarding usage history of the vehicle includes data regarding driving behavior associated with the user, and wherein the generating third information based on the selected first data and the selected second data includes generating information regarding an estimate of how far in terms of distance, or how long in terms of time, the current charge level of the portable electrical energy storage device will last based on the data regarding driving behavior associated with the user.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising presenting, by one or more computer processors of the user mobile device, the generated third information on the mobile device.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising communicating, by one or more computer processors of the user mobile device one or more of:

the selected first data from the first information regarding diagnostics or status of the vehicle, and the selected second data from the second information regarding usage history of the vehicle, to a memory module attached to a portable electrical energy storage device that powers a motor of the vehicle.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving the first information regarding diagnostics or status of the vehicle or the receiving the second information regarding usage history of the vehicle includes receiving either the first information or the second information over a short range wireless connection between the vehicle and the user mobile device from a memory module attached to a portable electrical energy storage device that powers a motor of the vehicle.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

communicating, by one or more computer processors of the user mobile device, one or more of;

the first information, the second information, and the processed information that is based at least in part on the received first information and the received second information, over a short range wireless connection between the vehicle and the user mobile device to a memory module attached to a portable electrical energy storage device that powers a motor of the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the communicating to the user includes presenting information on a display or via speakers of the user mobile device based on the processed information.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, by one or more computer processors of the mobile device, input from the user related to one or more of;

first information regarding diagnostics or status of the vehicle and the second information regarding usage history of the vehicle; and

in response to the input received, selecting based on the input received, by one or more computer processors of the mobile device, data from one or more of;

the received first information regarding diagnostics or status of the vehicle, and the received second information regarding usage history of the vehicle;

preparing the selected data for presentation via the user mobile device based on specifications of or capabilities of the user mobile device; and

presenting the prepared selected data on the display or via speakers of the user mobile device.

18. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, by one or more computer processors of the mobile device, input related to a change to a setting or a configuration of the vehicle; and

wirelessly communicating to the vehicle, by one or more computer processors of the user mobile device, a change to a setting or a configuration of the vehicle based on the received input from the user related to the change to the setting or the configuration of the vehicle.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the wirelessly communicating to the vehicle the change to the setting or the configuration includes:

wirelessly communicating to the vehicle, by one or more computer processors of the user mobile device, the change to the setting or the configuration of the vehicle based additionally on the received first information regarding diagnostics or status of the vehicle or the received second information regarding usage history of the vehicle.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the receiving the input related to a change to a setting or a configuration of the vehicle includes receiving the input from a remote vehicle data information management system.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein the receiving the input related to a change to a setting or a configuration of the vehicle includes receiving the input via a wireless connection to the mobile device and from a memory module attached to a portable electrical energy storage device that powers a motor of the vehicle.

22. The method of claim 18 wherein the change to the setting or the configuration of the vehicle is regarding one or more of:

a selection regarding a customizable lighting pattern of lights of the vehicle and a selection regarding a customizable dashboard display of the vehicle.

23. A system for providing information regarding a vehicle, the system comprising:

at least one computer processor; and

at least one memory coupled to the computer processor, wherein the at least one computer processor is configured to;

receive one or more of;

first information regarding diagnostics or status of the vehicle and second information regarding usage history of the vehicle, the received information originating from a device of a user associated with the vehicle or a memory module attached to a portable electrical energy storage device that is configured to power a motor of the vehicle; and

based on the received information, communicating third information that is based at least in part on the received first information or the received second information to a remote device.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein the remote device is a mobile device associated with the user or the vehicle.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein the remote device is a collection, charging and distribution machine for portable electrical energy storage devices.

26. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer executable instructions thereon that, when executed by one or more computer processors, cause the one or more computer processors to:

receive information regarding status of a vehicle including a software or firmware update for updating a current status of software or firmware of the vehicle; and

communicate the software or firmware update to the vehicle via one or more of;

a module attached to a portable electrical energy storage device that powers a motor of the vehicle and a mobile device associated with the vehicle or a user of the vehicle.

27. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 26 wherein the computer executable instructions thereon, when executed by one or more computer processors, further cause the one or more computer processors to:

receive, by one or more computer processors of the user mobile device of the system for providing information regarding a vehicle, information regarding usage history of the vehicle;

in response to the receiving the information regarding usage history of the vehicle, processing the information regarding usage history of the vehicle to be presented on a user mobile device with other information regarding the vehicle received from a remote source different than a source of the information regarding usage history of the vehicle.