Method and apparatus for selective drive-mode enablement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12147230-B2
Application number	US-202117475536-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 15, 2021
Priority date	Mar 23, 2018
Publication date	Nov 19, 2024
Grant date	Nov 19, 2024

Abstract

A system includes a processor configured to determine a driver identity. The processor is also configured to receive a request for a change to a driving mode and responsive to the request, enable or deny the driving mode based on mode-correlation to one of a predefined set of permissible driving modes pre-associated with the driver identity.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle system comprising:
a processor configured to:
detect a driver identity of a driver of the vehicle;
load a profile associated with the driver identity, the profile at least including a defined set of disabled driving modes defined for an identified driver by a user with administrative rights to the vehicle;
receive a request from the driver to change modes to a disabled driving mode;
reject the request based on the disabled driving mode being defined as disabled for the identified driver in the profile; and
present an override option responsive to rejecting the request.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to:
receive occupant input, corresponding to at least one of a saved PIN or biometric, in conjunction with selection of the override option; and
process an override enabling a mode change to the requested disabled driving mode responsive to verifying the respective PIN or biometric.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to wirelessly message a designated party responsive to selection of the override option.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the processor is configured to receive a response from the designated party and responsively permit the mode change to the requested disabled driving mode.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the response includes authentication information usable by the processor to validate the response.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
detect a presence of at least one occupant approved for override; and
override the rejection by changing a driving mode to the requested disabled driving mode based on having detected the presence.

7. A method comprising:
detecting a driver identity of a driver of the vehicle;
loading a profile associated with the driver identity, the profile at least including a defined set of disabled driving modes defined for an identified driver by a user with administrative rights to the vehicle;
receiving a request from the driver to change modes to a disabled driving mode;
rejecting the request based on the disabled driving mode being defined as disabled for the identified driver in the profile; and
presenting an override option responsive to rejecting the request.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
receiving occupant input, corresponding to at least one of a saved PIN or biometric, in conjunction with selection of the override option; and
processing an override enabling a mode change to the requested disabled driving mode responsive to verifying the respective PIN or biometric.

9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising wirelessly messaging a designated party responsive to selection of the override option.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising receiving a response from the designated party and responsively permitting the mode change to the disabled driving mode.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the response includes authentication information usable to validate the response.

12. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
detecting a presence of at least one occupant approved for override; and
overriding the rejection by changing to the requested disabled driving mode based on having detected the presence.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising:
detecting a driver identity of a driver of the vehicle;
loading a profile associated with the driver identity, the profile at least including a defined set of disabled driving modes defined for an identified driver by a user with administrative rights to the vehicle;
receiving a request from the driver to change modes to a disabled driving mode;
rejecting the request based on the disabled driving mode being defined as disabled for the identified driver in the profile; and
presenting an override option responsive to rejecting the request.

14. The storage medium of claim 13 , the method further comprising:
receiving occupant input, corresponding to at least one of a saved PIN or biometric, in conjunction with selection of the override option; and
processing an override enabling a mode change to the requested disabled driving mode responsive to verifying the respective PIN or biometric.

15. The storage medium of claim 13 , the method further comprising wirelessly messaging a designated party responsive to selection of the override option.

16. The storage medium of claim 15 , the method further comprising receiving a response from the designated party and responsively permitting the mode change to the disabled driving mode and wherein the response includes authentication information usable by the processor to validate the response.

17. The storage medium of claim 13 , the method further comprising:
detecting a presence of at least one occupant approved for override; and
overriding the rejection by changing to the requested disabled driving mode based on having detected the presence.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Sikorski Ryan
• Shaffer Christian Edward

Classifications

• G05D1/81

  Handing over between on-board automatic and on-board manual control · CPC title

• B60W30/02

  Control of vehicle driving stability · CPC title

• B60W60/005

  Handover processes (Handing over between remote control and on-board control or handing over between remote control arrangements G05D1/227) · CPC title

• B60W2540/043

  Identity of occupants · CPC title

• B60W2050/0064

  using a remote, e.g. cordless, transmitter or receiver unit, e.g. remote keypad or mobile phone · CPC title