Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100219633 | Energy conversion and optimization device and methods - Devices and methods that convert kinetic energy into electricity comprising a structure responsive to the kinetic energy, a rod extending through the structure; and an electromagnet positioned in the structure, and at least partially surrounding a portion of the rod, wherein the electricity is generated in the rod when the electromagnet rises and falls along the rod in response to the kinetic energy, wherein a magnetic field generated by the electromagnet has a varying strength that is modified according to the amount of kinetic energy to maximize the electricity generated. | 09-02-2010 |
20110000485 | Ventilating tube and stylet system - A ventilation system and method with a ventilating tube, a stylet removably disposed within the ventilating tube, and a proximal housing. A proximal housing includes a proximal end that connects to the ventilating tube, a distal end that connects to a ventilating machine, a lumen between the proximal end and distal end, an external wall between the proximal end and distal end, a filter contained within the external wall, surrounding the lumen, and connecting the proximal end and distal end, and a cavity between the filter and the external wall. A proximal housing contains at least one detection element and can be sensitive to carbon dioxide. The same proximal housing contains at least one treatment element to heat, cool, humidify, dehumidify, or provide medication to the lumen of the proximal housing. | 01-06-2011 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090048742 | RECONFIGURABLE VEHICLE MODEL - In one embodiment, a vehicle model is disclosed. The vehicle model includes a main vehicle module including a primary base and a number of components. The number of main vehicle module components is moveably mounted to the main vehicle module primary base. The vehicle model also includes a secondary vehicle module including a number of components. The main vehicle module and secondary vehicle modules are relatively positionable relative to one another to obtain a first and second vehicle configuration. The first and second vehicle configurations are different from each other. | 02-19-2009 |
20110187518 | STEERING WHEEL HUMAN/MACHINE INTERFACE SYSTEM AND METHOD - A system and methods for communicating to a motor vehicle driver a desired direction to turn a steering wheel. The desired direction may be determined by, for example, a turn-by-turn navigation system, a lane-keeping aid system, and/or a forward collision warning system. A plurality of lights disposed on the steering wheel in a circumferentially extending array are illuminated in a pattern, the pattern comprises illuminating at least some of the plurality of lights in a repeating sequence beginning at a first position of the array away from the desired direction and progressing toward a second position of the array adjacent the desired direction. The pattern comprises a sequential illumination of the lights to communicate a direction of control action, a frequency of illumination to communicate a desired timing of the control action, and a color of illumination to communicate a positive or negative aspect. | 08-04-2011 |
20120112915 | VEHICLE SYSTEM REACTION TO MEDICAL CONDITIONS - A computer-implemented method includes registering at least one medical condition associated with a vehicle occupant. The method also includes monitoring environmental conditions for the onset of a trigger likely to cause complications with regards to the medical condition. The method further includes warning the vehicle occupant about the onset of the trigger. The method also includes adjusting a vehicle component or system, via the VCS, in response to the onset of the trigger. | 05-10-2012 |
20120173336 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROMOTING HEALTH AWARENESS IN A VEHICLE - One or more embodiments may include a method and system for providing health information in a vehicle. Geographic location information for a vehicle may be received at a vehicle computer. Additionally, health information for one or more vehicle occupants may be received at the vehicle computer. Based on the geographic location information, one or more dining establishments may be identified. Menu item information, including the nutritional information for the menu items, for the dining establishment(s) may be received. Based on the health information for the vehicle occupant(s), the menu item information, and the nutritional information for the menu items, dining suggestions may be presented at the vehicle computer. | 07-05-2012 |
20120203454 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR LOCATING HEALTH FACILITIES BASED ON COST OF HEALTHCARE - Various embodiments may include methods and systems for locating health facilities based on a cost of healthcare. Information may be received identifying a source for receiving health service cost information. Further, vehicle user insurance information may be transmitted to obtain health service cost information. The health service cost information may be received from the identified source and presented at a vehicle computer. The identified source may include information by or from a health facilities and/or information from one or more members of the public. | 08-09-2012 |
20120293315 | Methods and Apparatus for Adaptive Vehicle Response to Air Quality States - A computer-implemented method includes connecting to a remote system and requesting data relating to a quality of air level in the vicinity of a known vehicle location. The method further includes receiving data relating to the quality of air level and comparing the data to one or more predetermined threshold levels of tolerance. If the data exceeds at least one threshold level of tolerance an automatic vehicle computing system response is instructed. In this example, the method also includes activating one or more vehicle systems in response to the data exceeding the at least one threshold level of tolerance. | 11-22-2012 |
20130018545 | TRAFFIC DENSITY ESTIMATIONAANM Prakah-Asante; Kwaku O.AACI Commerce Twp.AAST MIAACO USAAGP Prakah-Asante; Kwaku O. Commerce Twp. MI USAANM Tseng; FlingAACI Ann ArborAAST MIAACO USAAGP Tseng; Fling Ann Arbor MI USAANM Filev; Dimitar PetrovAACI NoviAAST MIAACO USAAGP Filev; Dimitar Petrov Novi MI USAANM Lu; JianboAACI LivoniaAAST MIAACO USAAGP Lu; Jianbo Livonia MI USAANM McGee; Ryan AbrahamAACI Ann ArborAAST MIAACO USAAGP McGee; Ryan Abraham Ann Arbor MI USAANM Greenberg; Jeffrey AllenAACI Ann ArborAAST MIAACO USAAGP Greenberg; Jeffrey Allen Ann Arbor MI USAANM Strumolo; Gary StevenAACI Beverly HillsAAST MIAACO USAAGP Strumolo; Gary Steven Beverly Hills MI US - Traffic density may be estimated by increasing a value of a parameter if an object enters a predefined zone on a side of the vehicle and decreasing the value of the parameter after an object exits the predefined zone such that the value of the parameter increases as traffic in a vicinity of the vehicle increases and decreases as traffic in the vicinity of the vehicle decreases. | 01-17-2013 |
20130024287 | Methods and Apparatus for Managing a Content Stream - A computer-implemented method includes receiving a request for media playback sent from a vehicle computing system (VCS) and aggregating a plurality of user, environmental and vehicle data elements for at least one known consumer in a vehicle to receive media. The embodiment also includes requesting media plans from a plurality of media provision sources, the plan based at least in part on the aggregated user, environmental and vehicle data elements. The method further includes reviewing the media plans to select a plan received responsive to the request that best corresponds to the user, environmental and vehicle data elements. Also, the method includes sending the selected plan to the VCS for playback. | 01-24-2013 |
20130066518 | Method and Apparatus for Vehicle Process Emulation and Configuration on a Mobile Platform - A computer-implemented method includes providing an interface on a wireless device corresponding to an interface for vehicle infotainment system control. The method also includes providing simulated functionality of controls on the interface, such that activation of a control informs a user of what would occur if the control were activated on a vehicle interface. Further, the method includes saving at least one user setting input into the interface. The method additionally includes transferring the saved setting to a vehicle computing system (VCS) for use in infotainment system control when the wireless device is in communication with the VCS. | 03-14-2013 |
20130275224 | Method and Apparatus for Advertisement Message Coordination - An advertisement message system includes a plurality of modules providing current state values, including at least a GPS location proximity value, a workload value, and an advertisement optimization value. The system also includes a processor configured to receive state values from the plurality of modules. The system further includes an advertisement database including a plurality of advertisements. The processor is configured to determine that ad delivery is appropriate and to select an ad with a likelihood of driver response above a certain threshold. The selection is based at least in part on a currently received GPS location proximity value, workload value and advertisement optimization value, and to deliver the advertisement through a vehicle output. | 10-17-2013 |
20140163780 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR VEHICLE PROCESS EMULATION AND CONFIGURATION ON A MOBILE PLATFORM - A computer-implemented method includes providing an interface on a wireless device corresponding to an interface for vehicle infotainment system control. The method also includes providing simulated functionality of controls on the interface, such that activation of a control informs a user of what would occur if the control were activated on a vehicle interface. Further, the method includes saving at least one user setting input into the interface. The method additionally includes transferring the saved setting to a vehicle computing system (VCS) for use in infotainment system control when the wireless device is in communication with the VCS. | 06-12-2014 |
20140179256 | Vehicle System Reaction to Medical Conditions - A computer-implemented method includes registering at least one medical condition associated with a vehicle occupant. The method also includes monitoring environmental conditions for the onset of a trigger likely to cause complications with regards to the medical condition. The method further includes warning the vehicle occupant about the onset of the trigger. The method also includes adjusting a vehicle component or system, via the VCS, in response to the onset of the trigger. | 06-26-2014 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20140019252 | Methods and Apparatus for Managing a Content Stream - A computer-implemented method includes receiving a request for media playback sent from a vehicle computing system (VCS) and aggregating a plurality of user, environmental and vehicle data elements for at least one known consumer in a vehicle to receive media. The embodiment also includes requesting media plans from a plurality of media provision sources, the plan based at least in part on the aggregated user, environmental and vehicle data elements. The method further includes reviewing the media plans to select a plan received responsive to the request that best corresponds to the user, environmental and vehicle data elements. Also, the method includes sending the selected plan to the VCS for playback. | 01-16-2014 |
20140039757 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SCHEDULING DRIVER INTERFACE TASKS BASED ON DRIVER WORKLOAD - A vehicle's dynamic handling state, driver inputs to the vehicle, driver physiological condition, etc. may be examined to determine one or more measures of driver workload. Driver interface tasks may then be delayed and/or prevented from executing based on the driver workload so as to not increase the driver workload. Alternatively, driver interface tasks may be schedule for execution based on the driver workload and caused to execute according to the schedule, for example, to minimize the impact the executing driver interface tasks have on driver workload. | 02-06-2014 |
20140081519 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SCHEDULING DRIVER INTERFACE TASKS BASED ON DRIVER WORKLOAD - A vehicle includes at least one processor that receives an in-coming communication for a driver, routes the in-coming communication to a mail system in response to a driver workload exceeding a predefined value, and after a predetermined period of time following routing the in-coming communication to the mail system, generates a notification for the driver indicating that a communication was received in response to the driver workload being less than the predefined value at an expiration of the predetermined period of time. | 03-20-2014 |
20140277823 | Method and Apparatus for Determining Traffic Conditions - A system includes a vehicle processor configured to detect one or more brake presses. The processor is also configured to detect one or more accelerator presses. Further, the processor is configured to add values related to the brake presses and accelerator presses to aggregate an index value based on detected brake and acceleration presses. The processor is additionally configured to enact a safety and convenience related measure based on the index value passing at least a first predetermined threshold. | 09-18-2014 |
20140277932 | Method and System for Supervising Information Communication Based on Occupant and Vehicle Environment - A vehicle computer system includes one or more processors configured to receive context data representative of a vehicle's environment from one or more modules. The one or more processors are programmed and configured to receive the context data from one or more modules, determine an attention demand value utilizing the context data and a workload value corresponding to the context data, and output an indicator to activate or adjust a do not disturb feature based on the attention demand value. | 09-18-2014 |
20140278087 | Method and Apparatus for Predicting Times of High Driver Demand - A system includes a processor configured to receive information representing a driver demand level for a plurality of driving locations. The processor is further configured to aggregate the received information to identify likely high driving demand areas. The processor is additionally configured to access stored aggregated driving demand information to identify likely high driving demand areas on a current vehicle route. Also, the processor is configured to provide one or more services to reduce driver inattentiveness and to elevate driver focus during travel within the identified areas, based on upcoming identified likely high driving demand areas. | 09-18-2014 |
20140279021 | Ad Manager for a Vehicle Multimedia System - A vehicle computer system comprising a receiver configured to wirelessly receive an advertisement, the advertisement including two or more ad components for output to a user, the receiver further configured to communicate the advertisement to a processor. The processor is configured to receive contextual data representative of a vehicle's environment from one or more data sources, output the advertisement and a first set of ad components to the user based on the contextual data, the first set of ad components including a request to interact with the user, receive an input from a user corresponding to the first set of ad components, and output a second set of ad components based on the input received from the user. | 09-18-2014 |
20140357248 | Apparatus and System for Interacting with a Vehicle and a Device in a Vehicle - A vehicle interface module configured to communicate with a nomadic device and a vehicle. The vehicle interface module comprising a wireless transceiver configured to communicate with a nomadic device and a vehicle transceiver configured to communicate with a vehicle data bus. The vehicle interface module also includes a processor configured to receive a signal from the vehicle data bus using the vehicle transceiver, wherein the signal was initiated by a user input to a vehicle computer system. Furthermore, the processor is also configured to determine that the signal prompts activation of a voice recognition session on the nomadic device, and provide input to the nomadic device using the wireless transceiver, wherein the input initiates a voice recognition session of the nomadic device. | 12-04-2014 |
20140380240 | System and Method for a Human Machine Interface - A vehicle computer system comprising a wireless transceiver configured to send a nomadic device human machine interface to a nomadic device in a web browser format. The vehicle computer system further comprises a vehicle server utilizing a contextual data aggregator that utilizes vehicle data and off-board data to generate a dynamic human machine interface, the server further configured to generate an in-vehicle human machine interface for output on a vehicle display and generate the nomadic device human machine interface for the nomadic device to display. | 12-25-2014 |