Methods and apparatus to modify vehicle function based on loading conditions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11066081-B2
Application number	US-201816191051-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 14, 2018
Priority date	May 1, 2018
Publication date	Jul 20, 2021
Grant date	Jul 20, 2021

Abstract

Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed to modify vehicle function based on loading conditions. An example apparatus includes a vehicle load condition manager programmed to modify a feature of a vehicle when a load condition of the vehicle satisfies a threshold, wherein at least one of the feature or the threshold is based upon a profile of a user of the vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a load condition determiner to calculate a load condition of a vehicle based on a sensor value;
a threshold comparator to determine whether the load condition on the vehicle satisfies a threshold, the threshold based upon a profile of a user of the vehicle, the profile obtained from memory based on the user being proximate to the vehicle; and
a vehicle feature modifier to modify a feature of the vehicle when the load condition satisfies the threshold to limit or disable operation of the vehicle, the feature modified based upon the profile, the load condition determiner, the threshold comparator, and the vehicle feature modifier implemented by one or more logic circuits.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further including an alert propagater to propagate an alert to at least one of a display, a central facility, or a wireless device via a network when the load condition satisfies the threshold.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the display is further to prompt the user to modify the load condition to be compliant with the threshold.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein an identity of the user is based upon:
an identifier associated with at least one of a vehicle key fob or a wireless device proximate the vehicle; or
a sensor input identifying the user.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle feature modifier is to modify the feature of the vehicle by at least one of disabling an ignition of the vehicle, preventing the vehicle from traveling faster than a specified speed, or preventing the vehicle from being shifted out of park.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the profile is a first profile, the user is a first user, the threshold is a first threshold, the feature is a first feature, and a second user is to operate the vehicle:
the threshold comparator is further to determine whether the load condition of the vehicle satisfies a second threshold, the second threshold based upon a second profile of the second user; and
the vehicle feature modifier is further to modify a second feature of the vehicle when the load condition satisfies the second threshold, the second feature modified based upon the second profile of the second user.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , further including a profile manager to modify at least one of the first threshold or the first feature associated with the first profile or the second threshold or the second feature associated with the second profile based on an input.

8. An apparatus comprising:
a vehicle load condition manager programmed to modify a feature of a vehicle when a load condition of the vehicle satisfies a threshold to limit or disable operation of the vehicle, wherein at least one of the feature or the threshold is based upon a profile of a user of the vehicle, the profile obtained from memory based on the user being proximate to the vehicle, the vehicle load condition manager implemented by a logic circuit.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the vehicle load condition manager is further programmed to propagate an alert to at least one of a display, a central facility, or a wireless device via a network when the load condition satisfies the threshold.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the display is further to prompt the user to modify the load condition to be compliant with the threshold.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the vehicle load condition manager is further programmed to identify the user operating the vehicle based upon:
an identifier associated with at least one of a vehicle key fob or a wireless device proximate the vehicle; or
a sensor input identifying the user.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the vehicle load condition manager is further programmed to modify the feature of the vehicle by at least one of disabling an ignition of the vehicle, preventing the vehicle from traveling faster than a specified speed, or preventing the vehicle from being shifted out of park.

13. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the profile is a first profile, the user is a first user, the threshold is a first threshold, the feature is a first feature, and a second user is to operate the vehicle:
the vehicle load condition manager is further programmed to modify a second feature of the vehicle when the load condition of the vehicle satisfies a second threshold, wherein at least of the second feature or the second threshold is based upon a second profile of the second user.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the vehicle load condition manager is further programmed to modify at least one of the first threshold or the first feature associated with the first profile or the second threshold or the second feature associated with the second profile based on an input.

15. A method comprising:
calculating a load condition of a vehicle based on a sensor value;
determining whether the load condition on the vehicle satisfies a threshold, the threshold based upon a profile of a user of the vehicle, the profile obtained from memory based on the user being proximate to the vehicle; and
in response to the load condition satisfying the threshold, modifying a feature of the vehicle to limit or disable operation of the vehicle, the feature modified based upon the profile.

16. The method of claim 15 , further including propagating an alert to at least one of a display, a central facility, or a wireless device via a network in response to the load condition satisfying the threshold.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein an identity of the user is based upon:
an identifier associated with at least one of a vehicle key fob or a wireless device proximate the vehicle; or
a sensor input identifying the user.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein modifying the feature of the vehicle includes at least one of disabling an ignition of the vehicle, preventing the vehicle from traveling faster than a specified speed, or preventing the vehicle from being shifted out of park.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein the profile is a first profile, the user is a first user, the threshold is a first threshold, the feature is a first feature, and a second user is to operate the vehicle:
determining whether the load condition on the vehicle satisfies a second threshold, the second threshold based upon a second profile of the second user operating the vehicle; and
modifying a second feature of the vehicle when the load condition satisfies the second threshold, the second feature modified based upon the second profile of the second user operating the vehicle.

20. The method of claim 19 , further including modifying at least one of the first threshold or the first feature associated with the first profile or the second threshold or the second feature associated with the second profile based on an input.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Niedert Andrew
• Lazarevski Peter Simeon
• Rogness Anton
• Pearson Elliott
• Rajasingh Joshua

Classifications

• B60W2556/45

  External transmission of data to or from the vehicle · CPC title

• B60W2050/143

  Alarm means · CPC title

• B60W50/14

  Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention · CPC title

• B60R25/10

  actuating a signalling device · CPC title

• B60R25/04

  operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor · CPC title