Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090048742 | RECONFIGURABLE VEHICLE MODEL - In one embodiment, a vehicle model is disclosed. The vehicle model includes a main vehicle module including a primary base and a number of components. The number of main vehicle module components is moveably mounted to the main vehicle module primary base. The vehicle model also includes a secondary vehicle module including a number of components. The main vehicle module and secondary vehicle modules are relatively positionable relative to one another to obtain a first and second vehicle configuration. The first and second vehicle configurations are different from each other. | 02-19-2009 |
20110187518 | STEERING WHEEL HUMAN/MACHINE INTERFACE SYSTEM AND METHOD - A system and methods for communicating to a motor vehicle driver a desired direction to turn a steering wheel. The desired direction may be determined by, for example, a turn-by-turn navigation system, a lane-keeping aid system, and/or a forward collision warning system. A plurality of lights disposed on the steering wheel in a circumferentially extending array are illuminated in a pattern, the pattern comprises illuminating at least some of the plurality of lights in a repeating sequence beginning at a first position of the array away from the desired direction and progressing toward a second position of the array adjacent the desired direction. The pattern comprises a sequential illumination of the lights to communicate a direction of control action, a frequency of illumination to communicate a desired timing of the control action, and a color of illumination to communicate a positive or negative aspect. | 08-04-2011 |
20120179311 | Methods and Apparatus for Reporting State of Charge in Electric Vehicles - A computer-implemented method of displaying vehicle range includes receiving input corresponding to a level of charge remaining in a vehicle having at least a partial electric power source usable for vehicle locomotion. The method also includes determining a maximum remaining range which the vehicle can travel based at least on the level of charge. The method further includes displaying a maximum range boundary overlaid on a map, including at least an indicator at the center of the range indicating a current location of the vehicle. | 07-12-2012 |
20120179318 | Information Display System And Method - A vehicle display may convey vehicle trip information and vehicle range information graphically to assist drivers in qualitatively visualizing and determining whether they can successfully make it to their destination before an on-board energy source is depleted. A trip gauge may include indicators corresponding to the relative locations of the vehicle, the destination, and a projected zero charge location associated with the vehicle's range or distance to empty value. The positions of the indicators relative to one another may indicate whether the excess energy is available for the vehicle to reach the destination or whether the energy available is insufficient. A battery gauge may also convey information associated with the vehicle range. Portions of the trip gauge and the battery gauge, as well as one or more of the associated indicators, may assigned various color values for display based upon energy consumption, vehicle range, and target distance information. | 07-12-2012 |
20120179319 | Information Display System And Method - A vehicle display may convey vehicle trip information and vehicle range information graphically to assist drivers in qualitatively visualizing and determining whether they can successfully make it to their destination before an on-board energy source is depleted. A trip gauge may include indicators corresponding to the relative locations of the vehicle, the destination, and a projected zero charge location associated with the vehicle's range or distance to empty value. The positions of the indicators relative to one another may indicate whether the excess energy is available for the vehicle to reach the destination or whether the energy available is insufficient. A battery gauge may also convey information associated with the vehicle range. Portions of the trip gauge and the battery gauge, as well as one or more of the associated indicators, may assigned various color values for display based upon energy consumption, vehicle range, and target distance information. | 07-12-2012 |
20120179346 | Regenerative Braking Feedback Display And Method - Driver braking performance feedback may be conveyed to a vehicle operator as a braking efficiency score using a vehicle display system. The display system may include a vehicle display for displaying a braking efficiency indicator or gauge corresponding to the braking efficiency score. The braking efficiency score may be based on a comparison of the total regenerative braking energy recaptured during at least one braking event to a either a maximum amount of braking energy that may be recaptured during the at least one braking event or an actual total braking energy expended during the at least one braking event. The braking efficiency score may be displayed upon the completion of a braking event or upon a completion of a trip including a plurality of braking events. The display may also convey a distance corresponding to a portion of a trip distance achieved through regenerative braking. | 07-12-2012 |
20120179347 | Regenerative Braking Feedback Display And Method - Driver braking performance feedback may be conveyed to a vehicle operator as a braking efficiency score using a vehicle display system. The display system may include a vehicle display for displaying a braking efficiency indicator or gauge corresponding to the braking efficiency score. The braking efficiency score may be based on a comparison of the total regenerative braking energy recaptured during at least one braking event to a either a maximum amount of braking energy that may be recaptured during the at least one braking event or an actual total braking energy expended during the at least one braking event. The braking efficiency score may be displayed upon the completion of a braking event or upon a completion of a trip including a plurality of braking events. The display may also convey a distance corresponding to a portion of a trip distance achieved through regenerative braking. | 07-12-2012 |
20120179395 | Information Display System And Method - An efficiency gauge from a vehicle information display may incorporate vehicle range information in addition to an efficiency indicator. The range information may be displayed as an area on the efficiency gauge indicating a safe operating region for average driving in order for the vehicle to reach a target destination before an on-board energy source is depleted. By maintaining a vehicle's average trip efficiency within the safe operating region through driving behavior, the display may convey that the vehicle will be able to make it to the target destination. Over the course of a trip, the safe operating region may be constantly updated to reflect the current state of the battery and the remaining distance to the target destination. | 07-12-2012 |
20120179420 | Information Display System And Method - A trip gauge for a vehicle information display may convey vehicle trip information and vehicle range information graphically to assist drivers in qualitatively visualizing and determining whether they can successfully make it to their destination before an on-board energy source is depleted. The trip gauge may include indicators corresponding to the relative locations of the vehicle, the destination, and a projected zero charge location associated with the vehicle's range or distance to empty value. Moreover, the positions of the indicators relative to one another may indicate whether the excess energy is available for the vehicle to reach the destination or whether the energy available is insufficient. Accordingly, drivers may be either reassured that they are expected to reach their destination successfully or warned if they are not so the drivers can modify their driving behavior or change their destination. | 07-12-2012 |
20130018545 | TRAFFIC DENSITY ESTIMATIONAANM Prakah-Asante; Kwaku O.AACI Commerce Twp.AAST MIAACO USAAGP Prakah-Asante; Kwaku O. Commerce Twp. MI USAANM Tseng; FlingAACI Ann ArborAAST MIAACO USAAGP Tseng; Fling Ann Arbor MI USAANM Filev; Dimitar PetrovAACI NoviAAST MIAACO USAAGP Filev; Dimitar Petrov Novi MI USAANM Lu; JianboAACI LivoniaAAST MIAACO USAAGP Lu; Jianbo Livonia MI USAANM McGee; Ryan AbrahamAACI Ann ArborAAST MIAACO USAAGP McGee; Ryan Abraham Ann Arbor MI USAANM Greenberg; Jeffrey AllenAACI Ann ArborAAST MIAACO USAAGP Greenberg; Jeffrey Allen Ann Arbor MI USAANM Strumolo; Gary StevenAACI Beverly HillsAAST MIAACO USAAGP Strumolo; Gary Steven Beverly Hills MI US - Traffic density may be estimated by increasing a value of a parameter if an object enters a predefined zone on a side of the vehicle and decreasing the value of the parameter after an object exits the predefined zone such that the value of the parameter increases as traffic in a vicinity of the vehicle increases and decreases as traffic in the vicinity of the vehicle decreases. | 01-17-2013 |
20130066518 | Method and Apparatus for Vehicle Process Emulation and Configuration on a Mobile Platform - A computer-implemented method includes providing an interface on a wireless device corresponding to an interface for vehicle infotainment system control. The method also includes providing simulated functionality of controls on the interface, such that activation of a control informs a user of what would occur if the control were activated on a vehicle interface. Further, the method includes saving at least one user setting input into the interface. The method additionally includes transferring the saved setting to a vehicle computing system (VCS) for use in infotainment system control when the wireless device is in communication with the VCS. | 03-14-2013 |
20140081519 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SCHEDULING DRIVER INTERFACE TASKS BASED ON DRIVER WORKLOAD - A vehicle includes at least one processor that receives an in-coming communication for a driver, routes the in-coming communication to a mail system in response to a driver workload exceeding a predefined value, and after a predetermined period of time following routing the in-coming communication to the mail system, generates a notification for the driver indicating that a communication was received in response to the driver workload being less than the predefined value at an expiration of the predetermined period of time. | 03-20-2014 |
20140163780 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR VEHICLE PROCESS EMULATION AND CONFIGURATION ON A MOBILE PLATFORM - A computer-implemented method includes providing an interface on a wireless device corresponding to an interface for vehicle infotainment system control. The method also includes providing simulated functionality of controls on the interface, such that activation of a control informs a user of what would occur if the control were activated on a vehicle interface. Further, the method includes saving at least one user setting input into the interface. The method additionally includes transferring the saved setting to a vehicle computing system (VCS) for use in infotainment system control when the wireless device is in communication with the VCS. | 06-12-2014 |
20140303839 | USAGE PREDICTION FOR CONTEXTUAL INTERFACE - A vehicle interface system may include an interface configured to present icons representing selectable vehicle features; and a controller programmed to generate a score for each of the features based on a contextual variable including one or all of a vehicle location, vehicle speed, past feature usage information, and a predicted end location for the vehicle, and display certain of the icons and hide other of the icons based on the generated scores. | 10-09-2014 |
20140380240 | System and Method for a Human Machine Interface - A vehicle computer system comprising a wireless transceiver configured to send a nomadic device human machine interface to a nomadic device in a web browser format. The vehicle computer system further comprises a vehicle server utilizing a contextual data aggregator that utilizes vehicle data and off-board data to generate a dynamic human machine interface, the server further configured to generate an in-vehicle human machine interface for output on a vehicle display and generate the nomadic device human machine interface for the nomadic device to display. | 12-25-2014 |