User interface system and method based on calendar event

• US 9,121,710 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2013
• Issued: 09/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Gusikhin, Oleg Yurievitch, Kowalski, David Allen, MacNeille, Perry Robinson
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Mary
• Assistant Examiner(s): BERNS, MICHAEL ANDREW
• Application Number:
  US13/801,584
• Publication Number:
  US 20140278089A1
• Time in Patent Office: 902 Days
• Field of Search: 701/533, 701/201
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/362 received from an external device or application, e.g. PDA, mobile phone or calendar application
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3691 Retrieval, searching and output of information related to real-time traffic, weather, or environmental conditions arrangements for giving variable traffic instructions G08G1/09

Abstract

A vehicle interface system and method is provided. The system and method includes an interface for communicating with a vehicle user. A controller is in communication with the interface and configured to retrieve a calendar event and verify the calendar event based on an input from the user via the interface. Trip information is generated based on the calendar event and vehicle data. Trip information, based on the calendar event and vehicle data, is communicated to the user via the interface.

Claims

1. A vehicle interface system comprising:

an interface of a vehicle for communicating with a vehicle user; and

a controller of the vehicle in communication with the interface and configured to;

connect to a mobile device carried by the vehicle user responsive to the vehicle user entering the vehicle;

once connected, retrieve data associated with a calendar event from the mobile device, the data including a destination location and an arrival time at which the calendar event occurs;

prompt the user, via the interface, to verify the destination location of the calendar event before generating trip information;

receive verification of the destination location based on an input from the user via the interface;

prompt the user, via the interface, to verify the arrival time of the calendar event before generating the trip information;

receive verification of the arrival time based on an input from the user via the interface;

identify a driver profile corresponding to the vehicle user based on information received from the mobile device, the driver profile indicating driving behavior of the vehicle user affecting vehicle range;

generate the trip information based on the validated destination location, the arrival time, the driver profile, and vehicle data; and

communicate the trip information to the user via the interface.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the interface includes a display and wherein the controller being configured to communicate the trip information includes being configured to display a route map on the display.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the interface includes a voice-recognition interface and wherein the input includes a voice input.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the device is a personal wireless device having an electronic calendar function.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein upon a determination that at least one of the calendar event or the device are unavailable, the controller is configured to:

prompt the user to retrieve destination location information and arrival-time information; and

receive the destination location information and arrival-time information from the user via the interface.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to determine the trip information based on route data including at least one of map topology, weather, or traffic and wherein the vehicle data includes at least one of a battery charge level, a driver profile information and a vehicle location.

7. A vehicle interface system comprising:

an interface for communicating with a vehicle user; and

a controller of a vehicle in communication with the interface and configured to;

retrieve a calendar event responsive to connection of the vehicle to a mobile device carried by the vehicle user entering the vehicle;

verify correctness of destination location information of the calendar event before generating trip information for the vehicle based on input received from the user via the interface;

identify a driver profile corresponding to the vehicle user based on information received from the mobile device, the driver profile indicating driving behavior of the vehicle user affecting vehicle range;

generate the trip information based on the calendar event, the driver profile, and vehicle data; and

communicate the trip information based on the calendar event and vehicle data to the user via the interface.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the controller being configured to retrieve the calendar event includes the controller being configured to:

query the user to retrieve the destination location information and an arrival time; and

receive the destination location information and the arrival time from the user via the interface.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein the controller is further configured to receive the destination location information and an arrival time based on the calendar event.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the controller is further configured to validate the destination location information and the arrival time based on an input from the user via the interface.

11. The system of claim 7 wherein the interface includes a display and wherein the controller being configured to communicate the trip information includes the controller being configured to display a route map on the display.

12. The system of claim 7 wherein the interface includes a voice-recognition interface and wherein the input includes a voice input.

13. The system of claim 7 wherein the controller is further configured to retrieve the calendar event from a device of the user, where the device is at least one of a personal wireless device or a remote system having an electronic calendar function and configured to being accessible by the controller.

14. The system of claim 7 wherein the controller configured to retrieve a calendar event comprises the controller being configured to retrieve a plurality of calendar events defining an itinerary.

15. The system of claim 7 wherein the vehicle data includes at least one of a battery charge level, a driver profile information and a vehicle location.

16. The system of claim 7, wherein the vehicle data includes a battery charge level of a battery of the vehicle, and the controller is further configured to generate the trip information based on a remaining range of the vehicle before the battery is depleted, as determined according to the driver profile and the battery charge level.

17. A method comprising:

retrieving a calendar event responsive to connection of a vehicle to a mobile device carried by an entering user;

validating correctness of destination location information of the calendar event based on input received from the user via a vehicle interface, before generating the trip information based on the calendar event and a driver profile defining driving behavior of the user affecting vehicle range; and

communicating the trip information to the interface.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein retrieving the calendar event includes:

querying the user to retrieve the destination location information and an arrival time; and

receiving the destination location information and the arrival time from the user via the interface.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein retrieving the calendar event includes retrieving the calendar event from the mobile device of the user.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising validating the destination location information and arrival time of the calendar event based on an input from the user via the interface.