Methods and systems for managing a vehicle computer to record information and images

• US 9,465,214 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2015
• Issued: 10/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Feldman, Casey Bryan
• Primary Examiner(s): Tweel, Jr., John A
• Application Number:
  US14/608,775
• Publication Number:
  US 20160223813A1
• Time in Patent Office: 621 Days
• Field of Search: 340/461, 386/224, 386/227, 455/426.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/11 Instrument graphical user interfaces or menu aspects
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/11 Graphical user interfaces or menu aspects
• 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 35/50 Instruments characterised by their means of attachment to or integration in the vehicle B60K35/231 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 37/04 Arrangement of fittings on dashboard of instruments B60K37/02
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0235 of flat type, e.g. LCD
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/01 Head-up displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/188 Capturing isolated or intermittent images triggered by the occurrence of a predetermined event, e.g. an object reaching a predetermined position signal generation from motion picture films H04N5/253

Abstract

A vehicle recording event method and device to monitor one or more parameters at the vehicle based on a trigger condition during a vehicle drive event. The method may receive, via a vehicle computing system, a configuration from a handheld device to output at least a portion of one or more parameters at a heads-up display (HUD). The method may record the parameters during a vehicle drive event based on a trigger condition. The method may transmit the parameters to the handheld device for storage of the vehicle drive event.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a heads-up display (HUD) configured to output vehicle parameters transmitted by a vehicle network; and

at least one processor in communication with the HUD and in wireless communication with a mobile phone, the at least one processor configured to

transmit at least a portion of the vehicle parameters displayed by the HUD during a record event to the mobile phone device for storage of the record event.

2. The system of claim 1, the at least one processor being further configured to receive a configuration from the mobile phone designating the vehicle parameters transmitted by the vehicle network and displayed by the HUD to be transmitted to the mobile phone during the record event.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the configuration from the mobile phone is at least one of a trigger condition to start the record event, a trip name to save the record event, and a predefined alert for output at the HUD.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the trigger condition is at least one of a predefined location, predefined speed limit, predefined time of day, predefined driver, and a record request input received at a user interface.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the trip name is used by the mobile phone to store data associated with the monitored vehicle parameters during the record event.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the predefined alert limits output of the vehicle parameters at the HUD if a vehicle speed exceeds a predetermined threshold.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to enable the record event based on at least one of a trigger condition and a record request received at a user interface.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile phone is configured to save data associated with the parameters under a trip name, and enable playback of the parameters at the device.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a vehicle camera configured to capture video of the record event and transmit the captured video associated with the record event to the mobile phone.

10. A vehicle recording event method comprising:

receiving, via a vehicle computing system, a configuration from a wirelessly connected mobile phone to output a vehicle parameter broadcast over a vehicle network at a vehicle display,

in response to a trigger condition, recording the vehicle parameter by the vehicle computing system during a vehicle drive event based on the configuration; and

transmitting the recorded vehicle parameter to the mobile phone subsequent to completion of the recording.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the configuration from the mobile phone is at least one of a trip name to save the record event and a predefined alert for output at the vehicle display.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the trip name is used by the mobile phone for storing data associated with the parameters during the record event.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the predefined alert is a driver workload level to limit output of vehicle parameters at the vehicle display.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the trigger condition is at least one of a predefined location, predefined speed limit, predefined time of day, predefined driver, and a record request received at a user interface.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the mobile phone is configured for saving data associated with the parameters under a trip name, and enabling playback of the parameters at the mobile phone.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising a vehicle camera configured for capturing video of the record event.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising transmitting the captured video associated with the record event to the mobile phone.

18. A handheld device comprising:

a user-interface display configured to receive an event identification and select vehicle parameters for output at a vehicle display; and

a processor in wireless communication with a vehicle computing system, (VCS) and configured to,

transmit configuration data having the selected parameters to the VCS,

in response to a record event, receive data associated with the selected vehicle parameters from the VCS, and

store the data under the event identification.

19. The handheld device of claim 18, wherein the processor is further configured to enable playback at the user-interface display of the vehicle parameters stored under the event file name.

20. The handheld device of claim 18, wherein the data associated with the vehicle parameters includes a video of the record event.