Methods and systems for defining custom vehicle user interface configurations and cloud services for managing applications for the user interface and learned setting functions

• US 9,285,944 B1
• Filed: 03/05/2013
• Issued: 03/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Emerging Automotive, LLC
• Original Assignee: Albert S. Penilla, Angel A. Penilla
• Inventors: Penilla, Albert S., Penilla, Angel A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fantu, Yalkew
• Application Number:
  US13/784,823
• Time in Patent Office: 1,106 Days
• Field of Search: 320/109, 320/107, 320/104, 180/65.1, 180/65.21, 307/10.1, 701/22
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/11 Instrument graphical user interfaces or menu aspects
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/111 for controlling multiple devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/119 Icons
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/122 Instrument input devices with reconfigurable control functions, e.g. reconfigurable menus
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/126 Rotatable input devices for instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1515 Reconfigurable dials
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/589 Wireless data transfers
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/592 Data transfer involving external databases
• 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 35/20 Output arrangements, i.e. from vehicle to user, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/213 Virtual instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/85 Arrangements for transferring vehicle- or driver-related data
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/64 Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/80 Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 : for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 : Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 : for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 : using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 : for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1454 : involving copying of the display data of a local workstation or window to a remote workstation or window so that an actual copy of the data is displayed simultaneously on two or more displays, e.g. teledisplay
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 : Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 : Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 : involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 : Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 : Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 : Aspects of interface with display user
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/10 : Automotive applications
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 : Display of multiple viewports
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/425 : Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/46 : Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2010/4278 : Systems for data transfer from batteries, e.g. transfer of battery parameters to a controller, data transferred between battery controller and main controller
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/20 : Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/249 : specially adapted for aircraft or vehicles, e.g. cars or trains constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles B60L50/64
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/256 : Carrying devices, e.g. belts
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/271 : Lids or covers for the racks or secondary casings
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/502 : Interconnectors for connecting terminals of adjacent batteries; Interconnectors for connecting cells outside a battery casing
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 : concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 : specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 : Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 : User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 : Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 : WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries
• 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 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: Y04S 50/14 : Marketing, i.e. market research and analysis, surveying, promotions, advertising, buyer profiling, customer management or rewards

Abstract

Methods and systems are provide access to cloud services over the Internet for customizing a user interface of a vehicle. The method includes providing selection options to identify a vehicle type among a plurality of vehicle types, where each vehicle type is associated with a system component native to the vehicle type. The system component providing native interfaces for the vehicle type. The method includes identifying a plurality of applications available for the vehicle type. Each of the applications provided with predefined code for communicating with at least one control interface of the system component. The method generates a custom configuration of the user interface for the vehicle type that includes native interfaces for components native to the vehicle type and the app interface for the application. The methods also define a learning module that learns user input to the user interface and provides for automatic programming of features.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

providing access to cloud services over the Internet for customizing a user interface of a vehicle, the cloud services maintaining a database of user accounts;

providing selection options to identify a vehicle type among a plurality of vehicle types, each vehicle type being associated with a system component native to the vehicle type, the system component providing native interfaces for the vehicle type;

identifying a plurality of applications available for the vehicle type, each of the applications provided with predefined code for communicating with at least one control interface of the system component;

identifying an application from the plurality of applications, the application providing an app interface to be added to the user interface of the vehicle;

generating a custom configuration of the user interface for the vehicle type that includes native interfaces provided by at least one system component native to the vehicle type and the app interface for the application, the custom configuration is saved to a user account in the database interfaced with cloud services over the Internet; and

transferring, wirelessly from the cloud services, at least part of the custom configuration to the vehicle to cause at least a portion of an image for the user interface to be rendered on a vehicle display, the method being executed by a processor.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the custom configuration is transferred to the vehicle upon receiving credentials of the user account from the vehicle, or is transferred to a second vehicle upon receiving credentials of the user account from the second vehicle, wherein when the custom configuration is transferred to the second vehicle the method includes identifying a system component that is native to the second vehicle to provide the native interfaces on the custom configuration.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising,

receiving a request to modify the custom configuration;

enabling changes to the identified application, the changes including adding additional applications or removing the application;

updating the custom configuration with the changes;

saving the custom configuration to the user account.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising,

enabling identification of a second vehicle for the user account, the second vehicle having a second vehicle type.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising,

processing a request to transfer the custom configuration to the second vehicle, the processing of the request includes,

automatically updating the system component for the second vehicle type, the system component of the second vehicle including more or less native interfaces based on the second vehicle type as defined by a manufacturer of the second vehicle;

and

determining if the application is compatible for the second vehicle type, and providing options to select an update for the application in response to processing the request to transfer the custom configuration when the application is not compatible for the second vehicle type.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the manufacturer of the vehicle and the second vehicle is either the same or different.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising,

processing a request to use the custom configuration on the second vehicle, the processing of the request includes,

receiving login credentials for the user account to enable use of the custom configuration at the second vehicle

automatically updating the system component for the second vehicle type, the system component of the second vehicle including more or less native interfaces based on the second vehicle type as defined by a manufacturer of the second vehicle;

and

determining if the application is compatible for the second vehicle type, and if the application is not compatible for the second vehicle type, either omitting the application from the custom configuration or providing a replacement application for the application with or without user input.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising,

each user account having one or more custom configurations of user interfaces which are maintained in the database;

and

processing a request to use a second custom configuration on the vehicle, the request being received from the vehicle upon entering credentials to access a second user account;

transferring the second custom configuration to the vehicle for use while the credentials of the second user account are active on the vehicle, wherein a verified request to use the second custom configuration terminates use of the custom configuration in favor of the second custom configuration.

9. The method of claim 2, further comprising,

terminating a session of use of the custom configuration on the vehicle, termination of the session acts to,

reset the display of the vehicle to provide the user interface with system interfaces that are default-set by the manufacturer of the vehicle;

or

set a second custom configuration for a second user account.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle display of the vehicle includes any one or more of a main dashboard display, or a center console display, or a combined main dashboard and center console display, or a glass surface, or a windshield display, or a window display, or a touch surface display, or a headrest display, or a movable display, or a wireless display, or a wire-connected display.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising,

receiving a request to make changes to add or remove applications from the custom configuration.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising,

enabling a user interface tool to arrange some of the system components and app components of the application on a display, the arranging includes defining positional locations for graphical user interface (GUI) items of the custom configuration, the user interface tool being provided via a website of the cloud processing that manages the user account.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising,

enabling linking of one or more applications executed on a mobile device to be presented on the vehicle display of the vehicle in accordance with the custom configuration, the linking enabled upon pairing the mobile device with electronics of the vehicle.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising,

receiving user input via the custom configuration;

learning patterns of user input over time;

automatically programming one or more components of the custom configuration based on the learned patterns of user input, automatic programming changing over time based on the received user input via the custom configuration and saved periodically to the user account in the database via a wireless connection to the Internet.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the programming of one or more components of the custom configuration includes automatically setting input based on times of day, or days of week, or dates of month, or times of year, or combinations thereof.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising,

automatically adjusting positional locations for graphical user interface (GUI) items of the custom configuration based on the learned patterns;

and

saving the adjustments to the user account, the user account being saved in the database that is interfaced over the Internet with cloud services that execute code using one or more processors.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising,

associating biometrics to the user account, the biometrics being used to monitor use of the vehicle and determine if the custom configuration is enabled, or if a guest custom configuration should be enabled, or if public custom configuration should be enabled, the user account includes profile data defining when particular configurations should be enabled based on the biometrics.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the custom configuration is saved to the user account in cloud storage having the database, and cloud processing provides communication with the vehicle over the Internet via wireless Internet communication.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein cloud processing provides a website interface to enable selection of the vehicle type and the application to define the custom configuration and also enables updates to the custom configuration to add, delete or update applications to be associated with the custom configuration.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the code for the custom configuration is transferred to the vehicle upon receiving credentials to access the user account from the vehicle so as to associate the vehicle to the custom configuration, the association of the custom configuration to the vehicle being for a period of time.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the period of time is for a session that remains until logged out of the user account, or a period of inactivity, or when biometrics detects use by other than a person associated with the user account, or a second user account logs in to define a new session with a second custom configuration of the second user account.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein vehicle electronics are programmed with a master account, the master account being provided access communication with cloud services over the Internet, the master account enabling use of the custom configuration with one or more restrictions.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the restrictions include enabling, disabling or regulating system components of the vehicle, enabling or disabling certain applications of the custom configuration, wherein the restrictions being updateable over a website that enables remote configuration and monitoring of the vehicle using cloud services over the Internet for the master account, the master account enabling one or more guest accounts to be used on the vehicle, such that one or more custom configurations are usable on the vehicle during respective sessions.

24. The method of claim 1, further comprising,

associating logins to the user account, the logins being used to determine if the custom configuration is enabled, or if a guest custom configuration should be enabled, or if public custom configuration should be enabled, the user account includes profile data defining which particular configurations should be enabled based on the logins, wherein the logins are made via the vehicle that communicates with cloud services via the Internet through a wireless link.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising,

saving use data of the vehicle for each login, the use data further being linked to automatic notifications, such that certain use data triggers an automatic notification to an administrator of the user account, the notifications including text notifications, phone call notifications, web notifications, smartphone notifications, social network notifications, or combinations thereof.

26. The method of claim 17, wherein biometrics include one or more of image data of a driver'"'"'s face, a passenger'"'"'s face, a finger print, a retina scan, a signature, a gesture, or combinations thereof.

27. A method, comprising:

providing access to cloud services over the Internet for customizing a user interface of a vehicle;

providing selection options to identify a vehicle type among a plurality of vehicle types, each vehicle type being associated with a system component native to the vehicle type, the system component providing native interfaces for the vehicle type;

providing a plurality of applications available for the vehicle type, each of the applications provided with predefined code for communicating with at least one control interface of the system component;

defining a custom configuration of the user interface for the vehicle type that includes native interfaces for components native to the vehicle type and an app interface for an application added to the user interface of the vehicle, the custom configuration being defined to cause rendering of at least a portion of a screen for the user interface on a vehicle display, the custom configuration being saved to a user account in a database accessible over the Internet with the cloud services,

receiving user input via the user interface of the vehicle display, as defined by the custom configuration;

learning patterns of user input via the user interface over time; and

automatically programming one or more components of the custom configuration based on the learned patterns of user input, the automatic programming continuing to change over time based on the received user input over time, the changes to the automatic programming being saved periodically to the user account in the database, the method being executed by a processor.