Integrated Vehicle Cabin With Driver Or Passengers' Prior Conditions And Activities

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016016454-A1
Application number	US-201414337097-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 21, 2014
Priority date	Jul 21, 2014
Publication date	Jan 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Described herein is a system, apparatus, and method for providing an integrated vehicle cabin experience. A wearable device including one or more bio-physical sensors may be configured to sense bio-physical conditions from a wearer of the wearable device and determine a state of the wearer. The state information may then be referenced by a vehicle computing system in order to control one or more vehicle systems and/or components that create a cabin environment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A vehicle computing system for controlling a vehicle cabin environment, comprising:
an interface configured to receive user state information; a memory configured to store cabin adjustment commands corresponding to a user state; and a processor in communication with the interface and the memory, configured to:
receive the user state information;
identify the user state based on the user state information; and
implement the cabin adjustment commands corresponding to the user state.

2 . The vehicle computing system of claim 1 , wherein the user state information is received from a wearable device, and the user state information identifies the user state and includes bio-physical condition information sensed from at least one of a moisture sensor, a heartbeat sensor, a breathing sensor, or a body temperature sensor included on the wearable device.

3 . The vehicle computing system of claim 1 , wherein the user state information is received from a wearable device, and
wherein the user state identified in the user state information is determined by the wearable device based on bio-physical condition information sensed from one or more bio-physical sensors on the wearable device satisfying a set of entry conditions that correspond to the identified user state.

4 . The vehicle computing system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to implement the cabin adjustment commands by controlling at least one of a vehicle HVAC system, one or more power windows, interior lighting, or an entertainment system of a vehicle housing the vehicle computing system.

5 . The vehicle computing system of claim 1 , wherein the memory is further configured to store a set of entry conditions that identify an updated user state, and updated cabin adjustment commands corresponding to the updated user state; and
wherein the processor is further configured to:
receive vehicle sensor information from one or more vehicle sensors;
compare the user state information and vehicle sensor information with the entry conditions that identify the updated user state;
determine whether the entry conditions that identify the updated user state are satisfied based on the comparison; and
implement the cabin adjustment commands when the entry conditions are satisfied.

6 . The vehicle computing system of claim 5 , wherein the vehicle sensor information is received from at least one of a moisture sensor, a heartbeat sensor, a breathing sensor, a body temperature sensor, an ambient temperature sensor, or an in-cabin temperature sensor that are part of a vehicle housing the vehicle computing system.

7 . The vehicle computing system of claim 5 , wherein the entry conditions identify vehicle sensor information thresholds for identifying the updated user state.

8 . A method for controlling a vehicle cabin environment, comprising:
receiving, by a processor, user state information received from a wearable device; storing, on a memory, cabin adjustment commands corresponding to a user state; identifying, by the processor, the user state based on the user state information; and controlling, by the processor, the implementation of the cabin adjustment commands corresponding to the user state.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the user state information identifies the user state and includes bio-physical condition information sensed from at least one of a moisture sensor, a heartbeat sensor, a breathing sensor, or a body temperature sensor included on the wearable device.

10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the user state identified in the user state information is determined by the wearable device based on bio-physical condition information sensed from one or more bio-physical sensors on the wearable device satisfying a set of entry conditions that correspond to the identified user state.

11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein controlling the implementation of the cabin adjustment commands comprises the processor controlling at least one of a vehicle HVAC system, one or more power windows, interior lighting, or an entertainment system of a vehicle housing the vehicle computing system.

12 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
storing, in the memory, a set of entry conditions that identify an updated user state, and updated cabin adjustment commands corresponding to the updated user state receiving vehicle sensor information from one or more vehicle sensors; comparing the user state information and vehicle sensor information with the entry conditions that identify the updated user state; determining whether the entry conditions that identify the updated user state are satisfied based on the comparison; and implementing the cabin adjustment commands when the entry conditions are satisfied.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the vehicle sensor information is received from at least one of a moisture sensor, a heartbeat sensor, a breathing sensor, a body temperature sensor, an ambient temperature sensor, or an in-cabin temperature sensor that are part of a vehicle housing the vehicle computing system.

14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the entry conditions identify vehicle sensor information thresholds for identifying the updated user state.

15 . A vehicle cabin control system, comprising:
a wearable device comprising:
a wearable sensor configured to obtain sensor information from a user;
a memory configured to store entry conditions identifying a user state; and
a processor configured to:
determine the entry conditions identifying the user state are satisfied based on a comparison of the sensor information and the entry conditions; and

a vehicle computing system configured to receive the user state information from the wearable device.

16 . The vehicle cabin control system of claim 15 , wherein the processor of the wearable device is further configured to:
receive an identification signal identifying the vehicle computing system from the vehicle computing system; recognize the vehicle computing system based on the identification signal; and in response to recognizing the vehicle computing system, transmit the user state information to the vehicle computing system.

17 . The vehicle cabin control system of claim 16 , wherein the vehicle computing system comprises:
an interface configured to receive the user state information; a memory configured to store cabin adjustment commands corresponding to a user state; and a processor in communication with the interface and the memory, configured to:
receive the user state information;
identify the user state based on the user state information; and
implement the cabin adjustment commands corresponding to the user state.

18 . The vehicle cabin control system of claim 16 , wherein the vehicle computing system comprises:
an interface configured to receive the sensor information; a memory configured to store a set of entry conditions identifying an updated user state, and updated cabin adjustment commands corresponding to the updated user state; and a processor in communication with the interface and the memory, configured to:
receive vehicle sensor information from one or more vehicle sensors;
compare the user state information and vehicle sensor information with the entry conditions identifying the updated user state;
determine whether the entry conditions identifying the updated user state are satisfied based on the comparison; and
implement the updated cabin adjustment commands when the entry conditions identifying the updated user stat

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Yang Hsin-Hsiang
• Prakah-Asante Kwaku O
• Strumolo Gary Steven

Classifications

• B60R16/037

  for occupant comfort {, e.g. for automatic adjustment of appliances according to personal settings, e.g. seats, mirrors, steering wheel} · CPC title

• B60R16/02 Primary

  electric {constitutive elements} · CPC title

• B60H1/00742 Primary

  by detection of the vehicle occupants' presence; by detection of conditions relating to the body of occupants, e.g. using radiant heat detectors · CPC title

• A61B5/00

  Measuring for diagnostic purposes (radiation diagnosis A61B6/00; diagnosis by ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves A61B8/00); Identification of persons · CPC title