Method and system for making available an assistance suggestion for a user of a motor vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10402212-B2
Application number	US-201615165207-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 26, 2016
Priority date	Nov 27, 2013
Publication date	Sep 3, 2019
Grant date	Sep 3, 2019

Abstract

A method is provided for making available an assistance suggestion for a user of a motor vehicle. The method determines information on the availability of helpers and displays the available helpers based on that information. After selecting a helper by the user, the method sets up a communication link between the user and the selected helper, makes available assistance information to the selected helper, and receives an assistance suggestion which is based on the assistance information made available.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for making available an assistance suggestion for a user of a motor vehicle, the method comprising the acts of:
determining, by a processor, information on availability of helpers and information on contactability, which indicates a type of communication link via which the helpers are contactable, of the helpers,
displaying, on a display, available helpers based on the information on the availability of the helpers and the information on the contactability of the helpers;
receiving, from an input device, a selection by the user of a helper from the available helpers; and
after receiving the selection by the user,
(i) setting up, by a transceiver, a communication link between the user and the selected helper,
(ii) making available, by the processor, assistance information to the selected helper, and
(iii) receiving, on the display, an assistance suggestion which is based on the assistance information which is made available,
wherein the selected helper is already personally known to the user.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein, before the setting up of the communication link, authorization by the user has taken place.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method comprises, before the determining of the information on the availability of helpers:
describing a problematic situation by the user.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the determining of the information on the availability of helpers is carried out on the basis of a helper directory.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the determining of the information on the availability of helpers is carried out on the basis of information on the location of the user.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the determining of the information on the availability of helpers is carried out on the basis of information on the location of the user.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the displaying of available helpers is carried out on the basis of an evaluation of the respective helper.

8. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the act of:
automatically executing the assistance suggestion after corresponding authorization has been provided by the user.

9. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the authorization by the user is performed by the user via a mobile communication device.

10. A system for making available an assistance suggestion for a user of a motor vehicle, comprising:
a controller that receives inputs from sensors, determines whether a problematic situation exists in the motor vehicle based on the inputs from the sensors, and determines information on availability of helpers and information on contactability, which indicates a type of communication link via which the helpers are contactable, of the helpers;
a display that displays available helpers based on the information on the availability of the helpers and the information on the contactability of the helpers;
a transceiver that sets up a communication link between the user and a helper selected by the user;
a processor that provides assistance information to the selected helper, and a receiver that receives an assistance suggestion which is based on the assistance information which is provided,
wherein the selected helper is already personally known to the user.

11. The system according to claim 10 , further comprising:
an execution unit that automatically executes the assistance suggestion after corresponding authorization has been provided by the user.

Assignees

• Bayerische Motoren Werke Ag
• Bayerisch Motoren Werke Ag

Inventors

• Steidle Markus
• Strassberger Markus
• Roelle Christopher

Classifications

• H04W4/02 Primary

  Services making use of location information · CPC title

• H04W4/40

  for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P] · CPC title

• H04W4/021

  Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences · CPC title

• G06F9/453 Primary

  Help systems · CPC title

• H04W4/44

  for communication between vehicles and infrastructures, e.g. vehicle-to-cloud [V2C] or vehicle-to-home [V2H] · CPC title