Adaptive accessory control in a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12415470-B2
Application number	US-202318344817-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 29, 2023
Priority date	Jun 29, 2023
Publication date	Sep 16, 2025
Grant date	Sep 16, 2025

Abstract

Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide systems and methods for adaptive accessory control in a vehicle. In certain embodiments, a system for adaptive accessory control in a vehicle includes a dock coupled to the vehicle and a vehicle control system communicably coupled to the dock. The dock includes a connection interface configured to receive and electrically connect to a plurality of accessories. The vehicle control system is operable to receive, from the dock, a first resistance value associated with a first accessory electrically connected to the dock via the connection interface. The vehicle control system is further operable to determine an identity of the first accessory based on the first resistance value and execute first vehicle program logic based on the determined identity of the first accessory.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for adaptive accessory control in a vehicle, the system comprising:
a dock coupled to the vehicle and including a connection interface comprising:
an electrical portion configured to electrically connect to a plurality of accessories; and
a physical lock configured to receive and selectively secure the plurality of accessories; and

a vehicle control system communicably coupled to the dock and operable to:
receive, from the electrical portion of the dock, a first resistance value associated with a first accessory electrically connected to the dock via the connection interface;
determine an identity of the first accessory based on the first resistance value; and
execute first vehicle program logic to cause the physical lock to enter a locked state or an unlocked state based on the determined identity of the first accessory.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a vehicle display, wherein the operability to execute the first vehicle program logic comprises operability to update the vehicle display with a graphical depiction of the determined identity of the first accessory.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the electrical portion comprises a plurality of pins configured to align with a plurality of electrical contacts of the plurality of accessories.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the first vehicle program logic identifies one or more conditions under which the physical lock is to be in the unlocked state based on the determined identity of the first accessory, the execution of the first vehicle program logic comprising:
causing the physical lock to enter the unlocked state upon detection of at least one of the one or more conditions, such that the first accessory is removable from the dock while the physical lock is in the unlocked state; and
updating the vehicle display with a graphical indication that the physical lock is in the unlocked state.

5. The system of claim 2 , wherein the first vehicle program logic identifies one or more conditions under which the physical lock is to be in the locked state based on the determined identity of the first accessory, the execution of the first vehicle program logic comprising:
causing the physical lock to enter the locked state upon detection of at least one of the one or more conditions, such that the first accessory is secured in the dock while the physical lock is in the locked state; and
the operability to execute the first vehicle program logic comprises operability to update the vehicle display with a graphical indication that the physical lock is in the locked state.

6. The system of claim 2 , wherein the vehicle control system is further operable to:
receive, from the dock, a second resistance value associated with a second accessory electrically connected to the dock via the connection interface, wherein the second resistance value is different from the first resistance value;
determine an identity of the second accessory based on the second resistance value; and
update the vehicle display with a graphical depiction of the determined identity of the second accessory.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the first accessory is a storage drawer and the second accessory is a portable speaker.

8. The system of claim 2 , the vehicle control system is further operable to:
receive, from the dock, a second resistance value indicative that the dock is in an empty state; and
update the vehicle display with a graphical depiction of the dock in the empty state.

9. The system of claim 2 , wherein the operability to execute the first vehicle program logic comprises operability to:
determine, based on the determined identity of the first accessory, that the first accessory supports wireless communication;
responsive to the determination that the first accessory supports wireless communication, establish a wireless connection with the first accessory;
receive accessory-specific information from the first accessory over the wireless connection; and
update the vehicle display with a graphical indication of at least a portion of the accessory-specific information.

10. The system of claim 2 , wherein the operability to execute the first vehicle program logic comprises operability to:
determine that the first accessory is chargeable; and
responsive to the determination that the first accessory is chargeable, enable charging functionality of the dock.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the operability to execute the first vehicle program logic comprises operability to:
establish a wireless connection with the first accessory;
receive a battery level of the first accessory over the wireless connection; and
update the vehicle display with a graphical indication of the battery level.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the determined identity is an accessory type, and the first vehicle program logic is based on the accessory type.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the dock is disposed in an interior console of the vehicle.

14. A method of adaptive accessory control in a vehicle, the method comprising:
receiving, by a vehicle control system, from a dock comprising a physical lock, a first resistance value associated with a first accessory electrically connected to the dock;
determining, by the vehicle control system, an identity of the first accessory based on the first resistance value; and
executing, by the vehicle control system, first vehicle program logic to cause the physical lock to enter a locked state or an unlocked state based on the determined identity of the first accessory.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the executing first vehicle program logic comprises updating a vehicle display with a graphical depiction of the determined identity of the first accessory.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
automatically causing the physical lock to enter the locked state or the unlocked state upon detection of at least one condition; and
updating the vehicle display with a graphical indication that the physical lock is in the locked state or the unlocked state.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
receiving, by the vehicle control system, from the dock, a second resistance value indicative that the dock is in an empty state; and
updating the vehicle display with a graphical depiction of the dock in the empty state.

18. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
determining, based on the determined identity of the first accessory, that the first accessory supports wireless communication;
responsive to the determination that the first accessory supports wireless communication, establishing a wireless connection with the first accessory;
receiving accessory-specific information from the first accessory over the wireless connection; and
updating the vehicle display with a graphical indication of at least a portion of the accessory-specific information.

19. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
determining that the first accessory is chargeable;
responsive to the determination that the first accessory is chargeable, enabling charging functionality of the dock;
establishing a wireless connection with the first accessory;
receiving a battery level of the first accessory over the wireless connection; and
updating the vehicle display with a graphical indication of the battery level.

Assignees

• Rivian Ip Holdings Llc

Inventors

• Glaser Erik Robert
• Benedict Ryan
• Hadian Ashkan

Classifications

• B60K35/00

  Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles · CPC title

• B60K35/22

  Display screens · CPC title

• B60K35/10

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

• B60K35/50

  Instruments characterised by their means of attachment to or integration in the vehicle (B60K35/231 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60K35/90

  Calibration of instruments, e.g. setting initial or reference parameters; Testing of instruments, e.g. detecting malfunction · CPC title