Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090170434 | METHOD OF VEHICLE TO VEHICLE COMMUNICATION - A method of communicating information that has been formatted for Internet publication from a principal vehicle using short range wireless communication components to communicate with a second vehicle. The method includes storing a web page (blog, social networking page, etc.) or other information formatted for Internet publication in the principal vehicle. An introductory signal is transmitted to the second vehicle. A communication link is established between the principal vehicle and the second vehicle using the respective short range wireless communication components. The second vehicle is then queried for authorization to transmit the information and, if given, the information is then transmitted to the second vehicle via the communications link. User-selected categories can be used to identify common interests between users of the two vehicles. The method can be used to share user information with other potentially interested drivers to facilitate human interactions and relationships. | 07-02-2009 |
20090322560 | IN-VEHICLE ALERT DELIVERY MAXIMIZING COMMUNICATIONS EFFICIENCY AND SUBSCRIBER PRIVACY - A system and method are provided for enhancing subscriber privacy while delivering location-based in-vehicle alerts to the subscribers of a mobile traffic reporting system by disassociating subscriber information from location information transmitted by a traffic probe vehicle. In various examples, the in-vehicle alerts include Flash Flood alerts, Hurricane alerts, Amber alerts, as well as non-crisis alerts, such as traffic hotspots, locations of inexpensive gas stations, and various points of interest. | 12-31-2009 |
20090326801 | Method and System of Using Turn-by-Turn Server Based Reroutes Data to Improve a Navigation User Interface - A navigation server as part of a vehicle navigation system provides a set of turn-by-turn directions to a vehicle driver from the vehicle's current location to a destination chosen by the driver. Further, a navigation server receives new route requests because a vehicle driver disregards a previous a maneuver contained in a previous set of turn-by-turn directions. The navigation server tracks vehicle locations whereat new routes have been requested. If a large number of new route requests occur in a given location, the system analyzes this location to determine whether the location is one where poor directions are given. Improved directions may thus be generated and provided. | 12-31-2009 |
20100033342 | METHOD OF FINDING A KEY TO A MOBILE VEHICLE - A method of finding a key to a mobile vehicle includes receiving a call, at a call center, indicating that the key is lost and requesting, via the call center, a telematics unit on-board the mobile vehicle to establish communication with a remote access key fob that is associated with the key, the remote access key fob having an alarm integrated therewith. The method further includes requesting, via the call center, the telematics unit to activate the alarm of the remote access key fob and activating, via the telematics unit, the alarm of the remote access key fob. | 02-11-2010 |
20100036595 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR TRANSMITTING DATA TO A TRAFFIC INFORMATION SERVER - A method for transmitting data to a traffic information server includes obtaining, at a mobile vehicle, data including at least one of a vehicle speed and a vehicle location at a then-current time, and determining whether the data is redundant. Determining whether the data is redundant may be accomplished by at least one of comparing the data with other data previously transmitted to the traffic information server from an other mobile vehicle or determining whether the data falls within an expected range for a predetermined time interval. The method further includes transmitting the data, via a wireless communication system, to the traffic information server from the mobile vehicle if the data is determined to be non-redundant. Also disclosed herein is a system to perform the method. | 02-11-2010 |
20100219944 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ESTIMATING AN EMERGENCY LEVEL OF A VEHICULAR ACCIDENT - A method for estimating an emergency level of a vehicular accident includes detecting an event associated with the vehicular accident, initiating a video recording of an interior and/or exterior of the vehicle in response to the detecting of the event, uploading the video recording on a remotely accessible page, and reviewing the uploaded video recording to estimate the emergency level of the vehicular accident. Also disclosed herein is a system for accomplishing the same. | 09-02-2010 |
20100332113 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING ROUTE GUIDANCE TO A REQUESTING VEHICLE - Systems and methods are disclosed for providing a recommended route, based, in part, on fuel consumption, to a requesting vehicle using data collected from other vehicles. The system includes, but is not limited, to a communication system that is configured to receive vehicle data from a plurality of vehicles. A data storage system is in communication with the communication system and is configured to store the vehicle data as compiled vehicle data. A processor is in communication with the data storage system and the communication system. The processor is configured to utilize the compiled vehicle data to calculate a recommended route that is based, in part, on fuel consumption. The communication system is further configured to transmit the recommended route to the requesting vehicle. | 12-30-2010 |
20110015854 | System and Method for Managing Geographical Maplet Downloads for a Vehicle to Support Stop Sign Violation Assist and Similar Applications - A method is provided for managing map data for intersections having stop sign indicators. A request is initiated for turn-by-turn navigation instructions for a destination from a vehicle to an infrastructure. A turn-by-turn navigation maplet is transmitted from the infrastructure to the vehicle. A geographical region associated with the received turn-by-turn navigation maplet is identified. A determination is made whether stop sign locations already retained within a memory of the vehicle relate to the identified geographical region. The vehicle on-board device requests stop sign maplets for the identified geographical regions from the infrastructure if the stop sign locations retained within the memory of the vehicle do not relate to the identified geographical region. The stop sign maplets are transmitted for the identified geographical region from the infrastructure to the vehicle. The stop sign maplets relate to stop sign intersection data within the identified geographical region. | 01-20-2011 |
20110105098 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SYNCHRONIZING LANGUAGES - A system for synchronizing changes of a telematics language from a current telematics language to a proposed telematics language with changes made to a vehicle language from a current vehicle language to a new vehicle language through involvement of a call center is described. The system includes, but is not limited to an antenna adapted for attachment to a vehicle and configured for communicating with the call center. The system further includes a telematics unit adapted for attachment to the vehicle and communicatively connected to the antenna. The telematics unit is configured to monitor a vehicle bus to detect when a user changes the vehicle language to the new vehicle language and further configured to automatically initiate contact with the call center when the change in the vehicle language is detected to confirm a user desire to change the telematics language to the new vehicle language. | 05-05-2011 |
20110206191 | METHOD OF POSTING A VOICE RELATED MESSAGE ON A REMOTELY ACCESSIBLE NETWORKING PAGE - A method of posting a voice related message on a remotely accessible networking page includes receiving, at a data center, a voice connection from a communications device. An account on the remotely accessible networking page that is associated with the voice connection is identified at the data center. A voice post is generated during or from the voice connection. Via the data center, the voice post is associated with the remotely accessible networking page so that the voice post is associated with the identified account. | 08-25-2011 |
20110231087 | Method of Detecting the Opening of Closed Roads - The described principles provide a method and system for identifying a potentially closed road based on reroute requests, and of accommodating the potential road closure while continuing to test the road status periodically via routing decisions and rerouting requests. While the optimal route assumes that the potentially closed road is open, a replacement route is defined assuming that the potentially closed road is closed. A fraction of users are sent along the optimal route, and if a reroute request is received, the potentially closed road is assumed to be closed still. The affected user is rerouted to a recovery route that matches the optimal route up to the potentially closed road, and then differs from the optimal route thereafter to avoid the potentially closed road. | 09-22-2011 |
20110301839 | METHOD OF USING VEHICLE LOCATION INFORMATION WITH A WIRELESS MOBILE DEVICE - A system and method for monitoring vehicle position includes receiving vehicle location information at a mobile wireless device via short-range communication from the vehicle, storing the received vehicle location information at the wireless mobile device, receiving a request from a user of the wireless mobile device for a navigational route to the vehicle, determining the location of the wireless mobile device, and providing at the wireless mobile device the navigational route between the wireless mobile device and the vehicle based on the wireless mobile device location and vehicle location. This can be helpful where a user has parked his or her car and thereafter needs assistance locating where it is parked. | 12-08-2011 |
20110302214 | METHOD FOR UPDATING A DATABASE - A method for updating a database involves determining, via a processor operatively associated with a vehicle, a location circle within which the vehicle is then-currently located, and obtaining, from a facility, a database corresponding to the location circle. The method further involves detecting, via a sensor selectively and operatively disposed in the vehicle, a stationary object along a road segment that is located in the location circle, and determining, via a processor associated with the vehicle, that the detected stationary object is missing from the database. Upon making such determination, a communications device disposed in the vehicle transmits an image of the stationary object to the facility. A processor at the facility then updated the database corresponding to the location circle within which the vehicle is then-currently located with information related to the detected stationary object. | 12-08-2011 |
20120028607 | MOBILE-ORIGINATED SMS LOCAL BROADCAST - A method and system for local broadcasting of messages from a wireless mobile device to many others located within the same geographic area. This can be done using SMS messaging wherein a message to be broadcast is addressed to a particular designated address and, when received by a wireless carrier system, is checked to determine that it came from an authorized sender, and then is broadcasted by the wireless carrier system to a geographically-limited area within which the sending wireless mobile device is located. | 02-02-2012 |
20120029964 | METHOD FOR UPDATING AN ELECTRONIC CALENDAR IN A VEHICLE - A method for updating an electronic calendar in a vehicle involves uploading an appointment to the electronic calendar, where the appointment includes a description of an event, a time block for the event, and a travel time preceding the time block. An alert is set in a telematics unit of the vehicle, where the alert notifies a vehicle occupant of the appointment. The alert is configured to be activated in response to a trigger. At a time subsequent to the time block of the event, one of i) a memo is uploaded to the electronic calendar indicating that the alert was activated, or ii) another memo is uploaded to the electronic calendar indicating that the alert was not activated. | 02-02-2012 |
20120036467 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING A TOUR - Systems and methods are provided for producing tours. The system includes, but is not limited to a data storage device that is configured to store a plurality of POI inputs and/or routes. A server is operatively coupled to the data storage device and is configured to host a website accessible via a worldwide computer network, obtain a search criterion from a user accessing the website, retrieve a subset of the POI inputs and/or routes corresponding to the search criterion from the data storage device, arrange the POI inputs and/or routes of the subset in a manner corresponding to the search criterion to form the tour, at least temporarily store the tour in an electronic file compatible with a mobile device, and electronically deliver the electronic file to the user. | 02-09-2012 |
20120095675 | METHOD FOR CREATING AND TAKING A DRIVING TOUR - Embodiments of methods for creating and taking a driving tour using information derived from crowd sourcing are disclosed herein. A method includes, but is not limited to accessing an Internet website that is configured to enable a user to compose a driving tour based in part on the information derived from crowd sourcing and in part on a user-specified criterion. The method further includes inputting the user-specified criterion into the Internet website. The method further includes creating the driving tour using the Internet website, the driving tour having a point of interest. The method further includes obtaining an electronic file from the Internet website containing the driving tour. The method further includes loading the electronic file into a mobile device. The method still further includes utilizing the mobile device and the electronic file to take the driving tour. | 04-19-2012 |
20120146766 | METHOD OF PROCESSING VEHICLE CRASH DATA - A method of processing vehicle crash data includes the steps of receiving vehicle data obtained at a vehicle during a vehicle crash, determining the identity of the vehicle, estimating the severity of the vehicle crash using the determined vehicle identity and the received vehicle data, and providing the estimated severity to an emergency responder. | 06-14-2012 |
20120215403 | METHOD OF MONITORING A VEHICLE DRIVER - A method of monitoring a vehicle driver involves monitoring any of an eye or facial position of the vehicle driver via a tracking device operatively disposed in a vehicle that is then-currently in operation. Based on the monitoring, via a processor operatively associated with the tracking device, the method further involves determining that the eye or facial position of the vehicle driver is such that the vehicle driver's eyes are, or the vehicle driver's face is focused on an object disposed inside an interior of the vehicle. In response to the determining, a functionality of the object is automatically altered. | 08-23-2012 |
20120299714 | HUMAN-MACHINE INTERFACE (HMI) AUTO-STEER BASED UPON-LIKELIHOOD TO EXCEED EYE GLANCE GUIDELINES - The described method and system provide for HMI steering for a telematics-equipped vehicle based on likelihood to exceed eye glance guidelines. By determining whether a task is likely to cause the user to exceed eye glance guidelines, alternative HMI processes may be presented to a user to reduce ASGT and EORT and increase compliance with eye glance guidelines. By allowing a user to navigate through long lists of items through vocal input, T9 text input, or heuristic processing rather than through conventional presentation of the full list, a user is much more likely to comply with the eye glance guidelines. This invention is particularly useful in contexts where users may be searching for one item out of a plurality of potential items, for example, within the context of hands-free calling contacts, playing back audio files, or finding points of interest during GPS navigation. | 11-29-2012 |
20130158778 | METHOD OF PROVIDING INFORMATION TO A VEHICLE - A method of providing information to a vehicle involves selecting content, and a source from which the information is retrievable. The information pertains to the content and the content is associated with an entity. The vehicle is tracked in real time. Via a telematics unit of the vehicle, vehicle data obtained from the tracking (including at least a then-current vehicle location and speed) is uploaded to an offboard server. The data is utilized, by a processor associated with the offboard server, to identify the entity that is within proximity of the vehicle. Information from the selected content source is obtained via the offboard server. The information is associated with the entity. The information is transmitted to the telematics unit. The information that is displayed to the vehicle is associated with an object representing the entity that is within the field of view of a vehicle occupant. | 06-20-2013 |
20130265178 | VEHICLE-RELATED MESSAGING METHODS AND SYSTEMS - Vehicle-related messaging methods and systems are disclosed herein. In one of the methods, a telematics unit disposed in a vehicle detects that the vehicle is no longer in operation. Upon making the detection, the telematics unit automatically transmits a message to a device, where the message includes a suggestion, a recommendation, an indication, or a notification pertaining to a vehicle utility. An application resident on the device, or on a cloud computing system in communication with the device, presents the message on the device by displaying i) the suggestion, the recommendation, the indication, or the notification and ii) a plurality of actionable items associated with the suggestion, the recommendation, the indication, or the notification. | 10-10-2013 |
20140031010 | CONNECTING A PERSONAL MOBILE DEVICE TO A VEHICLE COMMUNICATION UNIT - A method and apparatus for connecting a personal mobile device to a vehicle communication unit. The method involves automatically detecting the presence of a personal mobile device located at a vehicle, obtaining permission to connect the personal mobile device, and automatically connecting the personal mobile device to the vehicle communication unit. The method and apparatus can be used, for example, during an initial connection of a personal mobile device to a vehicle communication unit or each time a new mobile device is present in the vehicle. | 01-30-2014 |
20140235209 | CONNECTING A PERSONAL MOBILE DEVICE TO A VEHICLE COMMUNICATION UNIT - A method and apparatus for connecting a personal mobile device to a vehicle communication unit. The method involves automatically detecting the presence of a personal mobile device located at a vehicle, obtaining permission to connect the personal mobile device, and automatically connecting the personal mobile device to the vehicle communication unit. The method and apparatus can be used, for example, during an initial connection of a personal mobile device to a vehicle communication unit or each time a new mobile device is present in the vehicle. | 08-21-2014 |
20140247158 | VEHICLE-RELATED MESSAGING METHODS AND SYSTEMS - Vehicle-related messaging methods and systems are disclosed herein. In one of the methods, a telematics unit disposed in a vehicle detects that the vehicle is no longer in operation. Upon making the detection, the telematics unit automatically transmits a message to a device, where the message includes a suggestion, a recommendation, an indication, or a notification pertaining to a vehicle utility. An application resident on the device, or on a cloud computing system in communication with the device, presents the message on the device by displaying i) the suggestion, the recommendation, the indication, or the notification and ii) a plurality of actionable items associated with the suggestion, the recommendation, the indication, or the notification. | 09-04-2014 |