Methods and systems for sending contextual content to connected vehicles and configurable interaction modes for vehicle interfaces

• US 9,467,515 B1
• Filed: 05/12/2014
• Issued: 10/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Emerging Automotive, LLC
• Original Assignee: Albert S. Penilla, Angel A. Penilla
• Inventors: Penilla, Angel A., Penilla, Albert S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fantu, Yalkew
• Application Number:
  US14/275,569
• Time in Patent Office: 883 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 provided. One method includes receiving, at a server, a geo-location of a vehicle. The method further includes receiving from time to time, at the server, vehicle condition. The method includes identifying a user account for the vehicle. The user account includes preferences associated with a profile of a user. The method also includes sending data to the vehicle. The data is for presentation on a display screen or output via an audio system of the vehicle. The data is selected based on a context of the geo-location and the vehicle condition or the preferences associated with the profile of the user. Interaction modes can be used to define what information is displayed and when information is provided to the display screen.

Claims

1. A method, comprising,

receiving, at a server, a geo-location of a vehicle;

receiving from time to time, at the server, vehicle condition;

identifying a user account for the vehicle, the user account including preferences associated with a profile of a user, the user account being stored in a database that is accessible by the server; and

sending data to the vehicle, the data including supplemental content for presentation on a display screen and/or output via an audio system of the vehicle, the data being selected based on a contextual analysis of the geo-location of the vehicle and the vehicle condition and/or the geo-location of the vehicle and the preferences associated with the profile of the user;

wherein the profile of the user includes data that indicates an amount of said supplemental content to be provided for presentation on the display screen of the vehicle at particular times;

wherein the geo-location of the vehicle changes from time to time based on geographic movements of the vehicle, the method being executed by a processor.

2. The method of claim 1,

wherein the contextual analysis for a current period of time and information from the profile are used to determine when to enable the sending or disable the sending of the data to the vehicle;

and

wherein the data sent to the vehicle that includes the supplemental content is enabled to be presented on the vehicle for a predefined period of time after receipt of said data by the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the data sent to the vehicle is determined by the server to have a likelihood of use by the user of the user account.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the likelihood of use of the information is further based on analysis of explicit preferences in the profile or at least one learned preference of the user, or based on user data obtained from one or more internet services holding data associated or related to the user, accessing data or preferences of the user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the data sent to the vehicle for presentation on the display screen is configured in accordance with an interaction mode setting,

wherein the interaction mode setting is configured to additional define or set the amount of supplement content to be provided for presentation on the display screen,

wherein the interaction mode setting at least partially defines a style of user interfaces for the display screen of the vehicle, or the style of user interfaces of the display screen that identify one or more of text format, or gauge arrangement, or clutter level, or skins, or wallpaper, or layout styles, or design, or voice input/output display features, or combinations of two or more thereof.

6. The method of claim 1,

wherein at least one aspect of one of the preferences is data obtained from an internet service or website, or social network, or internet accessible storage.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the profile further includes data regarding an interaction mode, and data is not sent when a rule of the interaction mode identifies that the sending should not occur at least at a particular time, or based on a condition, or based on a conflict with a learned pattern, or based on notification limitations defined by the interaction mode, or based on a clutter level setting, or for reducing distracted driving, or based on a combination of rules or settings.

8. The method of claim 1,

wherein the data sent is recommendation data;

wherein at least one aspect of one of the preferences is data obtained from an internet service;

wherein data obtained from the internet service is sent to the vehicle along with or in addition to the recommendation data, the data obtained from the internet service includes data or instructions for causing at least the display screen of the vehicle to be populated with at least some supplemental content from the internet service automatically or automatically launch an application by the vehicle for rendering specific supplemental content on the display screen.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one aspect of one of the preferences or at least some of the supplemental content is data obtained from an internet service, wherein the internet service is one of a website, or a calendar having data of a user associated with the user account, or social network website having data of the user associated with the user account, or a news site, or a dictionary site, or mapping service, or a to-do list of the user associated with the user account, or a phone list of the user associated with the user account, or a merchant website, or a shopping website, or a coupon site, or a discount site, or gasoline price site, or an electric vehicle (EV) charge locator service, or an EV charge reservation service, or an e-payments site, or an energy pricing site, or a route mapping service, or a traffic service or site, or a movie site, or a music site, or travel site, or a vehicle site, or vehicle manufacturer site, or a rental car site, or an airline reservation site, or a restaurant finding site, or a review site, or a weather site, or a loyalty rewards site, or a database, or a historical driving database, or a vehicle-to-vehicle database, or a holiday calendar, or the internet.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the preferences associated with the profile of the user include data associated with a setting for an interaction mode that defines how information items of the supplemental content are to be displayed and when information items of the supplemental content are to be presented on the display screen of the vehicle, wherein the interaction mode is customizable or customized for the user account, or customized over time based on use or computer learning.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the interaction mode is selected from a range of modes that include simple modes that have less information items displayed on the display screen and reduce distractive notifications and intense modes that increase a number of information items displayed on the screen and increase information presented, and custom hybrids modes that select the level of information items and a level of notifications to be sent to the display screen, and a learning mode that enables dynamic changes to the information items and notifications based on use over time and predictive use, and combinations of simple, intense, hybrid, custom, and learning modes.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the profile is associated with data that defines an interaction mode, the interaction mode is associated with data that relates to, or sets, or filters, or culls supplemental content to be sent or presented to the vehicle.

19. The method of claim 1,

wherein some of the data sent to the vehicle is associated with an identifier that describes when the presentation is allowed to occur;

or

wherein data sent is data that defines when the presentation should no longer occur after being received at the vehicle;

or

wherein data sent is processed to avoid presentation if a determination is made that distracted driving is likely to occur based on one or more of a current geo-location, a current time, a current state of driving, a current speed, or detected traffic conditions.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein a type of interaction mode is configured to dynamically change a display associated with physical inputs of the vehicle,

wherein the physical inputs can change in function, or complexity, or display, or tone, or color, or font, or text, or icons, or combinations thereof to be consistent or associated with the type of interaction mode.

13. A method, comprising:

receiving geographic locations of a vehicle over time, at a server configured to execute cloud services for a user account, the user account identifying the vehicle, and the user account further includes a profile for a user of the vehicle, the profile further including explicit preferences, the user account being stored in a database accessible by the server;

accessing, by the server, the profile to identify a history of use of the vehicle for the user;

generating, from time to time, a plurality of learned preferences that are associated to the profile of the user by examining the history of use of the vehicle for the user, wherein the history of use of the vehicle includes geographic locations of the vehicle, inputs made to a user interface of the vehicle at particular times or when the vehicle is identified to have been at particular geographic locations;

for a current geographic location and for a current time, identifying supplemental content for display on the user interface, the supplemental content being contextually related to the current geographic location of the vehicle or a most recent geographical location of the vehicle, the current time, and said explicit and learned preferences that are associated to the profile of the user;

determining, by the server, whether to filter out some or all of the supplemental content; and

sending, by the server, the supplemental content that was not filtered out to the vehicle over a wireless network, the supplemental content configured for display on the user interface of the vehicle, the method is executed by a processor.

14. The method of claim 13,

wherein the user interface of the vehicle is integrated in one or more display screens of the vehicle, the one or more display screens being configured to display a level of information items;

wherein the supplemental content sent to the vehicle is associated with a tag that identifies when the presentation is allowed to occur after being received by the vehicle or when the presentation should no longer occur after being received at the vehicle.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising,

setting an interaction mode that defines a style of user interfaces of the display screens of the vehicle, the style of user interfaces of the display screens identify one or more of text format, text size, icon types, simplicity of interface features, types of gauges, clutter levels, skins, wallpaper, styles, designs, colors, and/or voice input/output display features, or combinations of one or more thereof.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein some of the supplemental content includes identification of goods or services proximate to at least one of the geographic locations of the vehicle, the goods or services identified being filtered to include goods or services determined to be of interest for display based on examination of the profile of the user account,

wherein the profile of the user account further includes information regarding a likelihood of interest for goods or services at other times similar to the current time.

17. A method, comprising,

receiving a request to access a user account of a user for a vehicle, the user account providing access to an application that provides cloud services for the vehicle, the cloud services being processed by a server that is accessible via one or both of a computing device or a vehicle computer, and the server is provided with access to a database that includes the user account of the user;

providing data for rendering a graphical user interface (GUI) for the application, the application is configured to display a plurality of preferences associated with interacting with and receiving information from user interface to be rendered on a screen of the vehicle;

receiving selections of at least two of the plurality of preferences;

determining an interaction mode for the vehicle based on the received selections, the interaction mode defining a level of information items to be displayed on the screen of the vehicle and defining an intensity of interactive notifications or data to be received at the vehicle for display on the screen of the vehicle; and

sending, by the server, configuration settings to the vehicle, the configuration settings used to implement the interaction mode on the vehicle when the user account of the user is active on the vehicle, the method being executed by a processor.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising,

detecting interaction over time with information items, the interaction being analyzed to learn patterns of interaction;

adjusting settings of the interaction mode based on the learned patterns of interaction, such that the interaction mode becomes a custom interaction mode for the user account; and

based on the custom interaction mode,

identifying data to send to the vehicle for display or instructions for launching applications or displaying information on the screen of the vehicle, wherein the data is defined to be contextually relevant to one or more of a geo-location of the vehicle, a condition of the vehicle, or a preference of the user account.