Methods and apparatus to alter a vehicle operation

• US 9,540,015 B2
• Filed: 05/04/2015
• Issued: 01/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stahulak, Charles M., Shaw, Gregory Thomas Sr., Vardharajan, Satya
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US14/703,298
• Publication Number:
  US 20160325754A1
• Time in Patent Office: 617 Days
• Field of Search: 701/36, 701/2, 701/22
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0064 using a remote, e.g. cordless, transmitter or receiver unit, e.g. remote keypad or mobile phone
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/043 Identity of occupants
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/08 related to drivers or passengers
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/082 Selecting or switching between different modes of propelling
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/085 Changing the parameters of the control units, e.g. changing limit values, working points by control input

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are disclosed to alter the driving profile of a vehicle. An example method disclosed herein determines, based on a user selection, a desired driving profile to apply to a vehicle. The example method includes identifying a set of alterations to operating parameters of vehicle systems associated with the desired driving profile. The example method includes determining a subset of the set of alterations that the vehicle can execute, and in response to determining the subset that the vehicle can execute, applying the subset to the vehicle to produce the desired driving profile.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining, based on a user selection, a desired driving profile to apply to a vehicle;

identifying a set of alterations to operating parameters of vehicle systems associated with the desired driving profile;

determining a first subset of the set of the alterations to the operating parameters that the vehicle can execute by validating the set of the alterations against a set of rules defining operation of the vehicle, wherein the validating includes;

marking first ones of the operating parameters of the set of the alterations as valid when the first ones of the operating parameters of the set of the alterations conform to the set of rules defining the operation of the vehicle;

marking second ones of the operating parameters of the set of the alterations as invalid when the second ones of the operating parameters of the set of the alterations do not conform to the set of rules defining the operation of the vehicle; and

storing the first ones of the operating parameters as the first subset of the set of the alterations that the vehicle can execute; and

in response to determining the first subset that the vehicle can execute, applying the first subset to the vehicle to produce the desired driving profile.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining instructions associated with the first subset of the set of the alterations; and

transmitting the instructions to a corresponding electronic control unit of the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of the alterations includes alterations affecting mechanical components of the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the desired driving profile is selected through a console display of an infotainment unit of the vehicle.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining the desired driving profile is not stored on the vehicle; and

generating a request to a remote server to obtain the desired driving profile.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

obtaining the desired driving profile from the remote server; and

storing the desired driving profile on the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1, further including:

adjusting at least one of the second ones of the operating parameters marked as invalid to conform to the set of rules defining the operation of the vehicle;

marking the at least one of the second ones of the operating parameters as valid; and

storing the at least one of the second ones of the operating parameters as part of the first subset of the set of the alterations that the vehicle can execute.

8. A tangible article of manufacture comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a machine to perform operations comprising:

determining, based on a user selection, a desired driving profile to apply to a vehicle;

identifying a set of alterations to operating parameters of vehicle systems associated with the desired driving profile;

determining a first subset of the set of the alterations to the operating parameters that the vehicle can execute by validating the set of the alterations against a set of rules defining operation of the vehicle, wherein the validating includes;

marking first ones of the operating parameters of the set of the alterations as valid when the first ones of the operating parameters of the set of the alterations conform to the set of rules defining operation of the vehicle;

marking second ones of the operating parameters of the set of the alterations as invalid when the second ones of the operating parameters of the set of the alterations do not conform to the set of rules defining operation of the vehicle;

storing the first ones of the operating parameters as the first subset of the set of the alterations that the vehicle may execute; and

applying the first subset to the vehicle to produce the desired driving profile when it is determined that the first subset of the set of the alterations is executable by the vehicle.

9. The tangible article of manufacture of claim 8, wherein the operations further include:

determining instructions associated with the first subset of the set of alterations; and

transmitting the instructions to a corresponding electronic control unit of the vehicle.

10. The tangible article of manufacture of claim 8, wherein the set of the alterations includes alterations affecting mechanical components of the vehicle.

11. The tangible article of manufacture of claim 8, wherein the desired driving profile is selected through a console display of an infotainment unit of the vehicle.

12. The tangible article of manufacture of claim 8, wherein the instructions further include:

determining the desired driving profile is not stored on the vehicle; and

generating a request to remote server to obtain the desired driving profile.

13. The tangible article of manufacture of claim 12, wherein the instructions further include:

obtaining the desired driving profile from the remote device; and

storing the desired driving profile on the vehicle.

14. The tangible article of manufacture of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise:

adjusting at least one of the second ones of the operating parameters marked as invalid to conform to the set of rules defining the operation of the vehicle;

marking the at least one of the second ones of the operating parameters as valid; and

storing the at least one of the second ones of the operating parameters as part of the first subset of the set of the alterations that the vehicle can execute.

15. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory to store machine readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

determining, based on a user selection, a desired driving profile to apply to a vehicle;

identifying a set of alterations to operating parameters of vehicle systems associated with the desired driving profile;

determining a first subset of the set of the alterations to the operating parameters that the vehicle can execute by validating the set of the alterations against a set of rules defining operation of the vehicle, wherein the validating includes;

marking first ones of the operating parameters of the set of the alterations as valid when the first ones of the operating parameters of the set of the alterations conform to the set of rules defining operation of the vehicle;

marking second ones of the operating parameters of the set of the alterations as invalid when the second ones of the operating parameters of the set of the alterations do not conform to the set of rules defining operation of the vehicle;

storing the first ones of the operating parameters as the first subset of the set of the alterations that the vehicle may execute; and

in response to determining the subset that the vehicle can execute, applying the subset to the vehicle to produce the desired driving profile.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise determining instructions associated with the first subset of the set of alterations.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise transmitting the instructions to a corresponding electronic control unit of the vehicle.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining the desired driving profile is not stored on the vehicle; and

generating a request to remote server to obtain the desired driving profile.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the operations further comprise:

obtaining the desired driving profile from the remote device; and

storing the desired driving profile on the vehicle.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise:

adjusting at least one of the second ones of the operating parameters marked as invalid to conform to the set of rules defining operation of the vehicle;

marking the at least one of the second ones of the operating parameters as valid; and

storing the at least one of the second ones of the operating parameters as part of the first subset of the set of the alterations that the vehicle can execute.