Vehicle mode and passenger interface

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11420651-B2
Application number	US-201716760519-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 1, 2017
Priority date	Nov 1, 2017
Publication date	Aug 23, 2022
Grant date	Aug 23, 2022

Abstract

A vehicle system including a vehicle component and a controller is provided. The controller may selectively activate the vehicle component and communicate with a mobile unit including an interface. The controller may be programmed to interact with the mobile unit upon detection by accessing vehicle sleep mode instructions preprogrammed by a user via the interface in which the controller activates the vehicle component according to an escalation sequence schedule to disengage a vehicle sleep mode. The system may further include a sensor in communication with the vehicle component and the controller. The controller may be further programed to activate the vehicle component according to the escalation sequence schedule based on receipt of a signal from a sensor indicating a passenger is asleep.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle system comprising:
a vehicle component; and
a controller programmed to, responsive to detecting presence of a mobile unit and selection of a vehicle sleep mode, access from the mobile unit preprogrammed sleep mode instructions and activate the vehicle component according to a sequence of escalating operations defined by the sleep mode instructions to wake a passenger from asleep.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further programmed to send a notice to the mobile unit upon requesting the user to confirm access to the vehicle sleep mode instructions.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising a sensor in communication with the vehicle component and the controller, wherein the controller is further programed to activate the vehicle component based on receipt of a signal from the sensor indicating a passenger is asleep.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the signal from the sensor indicating the passenger is asleep is based on detection of one of a cabin noise level being below a predetermined value, movement of a seat occupant being below a predetermined threshold, a manual passenger input, and an absence of sensor activity.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the activation of the vehicle component is initiated based on detection of one of expiration of a predetermined time frame, arrival at a predetermined location, and receipt of a signal indicating a phone call or other notification to the mobile unit.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle component is an audio system in communication with the controller, and wherein the sequence of escalating operations is a command schedule directing a series of audio outputs by the audio system to subsequently increase in volume.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle component is a seat assembly in communication with the controller, and wherein the sequence of escalating operations is a command schedule directing a series of seat assembly outputs by the seat assembly to subsequently and increasingly contact the user.

8. A vehicle connectivity system comprising:
at least one vehicle component;
one or more sensors to monitor conditions of the at least one vehicle component;
a vehicle controller in communication with the at least one vehicle component and the one or more sensors; and
a mobile unit for communicating with the vehicle controller and programmed to selectively direct the vehicle controller to activate the at least one vehicle component according to a predetermined vehicle sleep mode schedule and trigger a vehicle wake mode triggered by detection of a predetermined environmental condition.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the predetermined vehicle sleep mode schedule includes a first set of instructions for operating the at least one vehicle component during vehicle sleep mode and the vehicle wake mode activates a second set of instructions for operating the at least one vehicle component in an escalation sequence schedule to wake a passenger.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the vehicle controller is further programmed to detect a presence of the mobile unit and identify whether the mobile unit has accessible preprogrammed instructions for the at least one vehicle component during the vehicle sleep mode.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the at least one vehicle component is one of a vehicle seat, a vehicle window, a vehicle audio system, and a moveable vehicle panel.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the predetermined environmental condition is one of a vehicle cabin temperature, an amount of light entering a vehicle cabin, and a vehicle cabin noise level.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the vehicle controller is further programmed to activate the vehicle wake mode upon detection of arrival at a predetermined destination, expiration of a predetermined time-period, and receipt by the mobile unit of a phone call or other notification.

14. The system of claim 8 , wherein the vehicle controller is further programmed to initiate the vehicle wake mode based on detection of a passenger being asleep following expiration of a predetermined timeframe, wherein the vehicle component is a seat assembly in communication with the vehicle controller, and wherein the wake mode includes an escalation sequence schedule having a command schedule directing a series of seat assembly outputs to subsequently and increasingly contact the passenger.

15. A vehicle system comprising:
one or more vehicle components; and
a vehicle controller to communicate with a mobile unit, in communication with the one or more vehicle components, and programmed to activate a vehicle sleep mode upon received direction from the mobile unit including preprogrammed instructions in which vehicle component commands direct the one or more vehicle components to operate to facilitate sleep conditions and wake conditions for a passenger.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the wake conditions include an escalation sequence schedule to operate the one or more vehicle components in subsequent steps to wake the passenger.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the one or more vehicle components is an audio system, and wherein the escalation sequence schedule is a series of commands to subsequently increase a volume level of the audio system in response to detection of a passenger sleeping past a predetermined wake setting.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the wake conditions include an escalation sequence schedule to direct a series of audio outputs by the audio system in which each output subsequently increases in volume.

19. The system of claim 15 , wherein the vehicle controller is further programmed to initiate the wake conditions based on receipt of a signal from a sensor indicating the passenger is asleep based on detection of one of a cabin noise level being below a predetermined value, minimal movement of a seat occupant, a manual passenger input, and an absence of sensor activity.

20. The system of claim 15 , wherein the vehicle controller is further programmed to activate the one or more vehicle components under the wake conditions based on detection of the passenger being asleep following expiration of a predetermined timeframe, wherein one of the one or more vehicle components is a seat assembly in communication with the vehicle controller, and wherein an escalation sequence schedule is initiated including a command schedule directing a series of seat assembly outputs to subsequently and increasingly contact the passenger.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc
• Livio Inc

Inventors

• Kirk Austin
• Byrne John
• Grover Joey Ray
• Mcisaac Brett
• Lech Theresa

Classifications

• B60K35/656

  the user being a passenger · CPC title

• B60K35/80 Primary

  Arrangements for controlling instruments · CPC title

• B60K35/10

  Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor · CPC title

• B60K35/26

  using acoustic output · CPC title

• B60W2040/0827

  due to sleepiness · CPC title