Methods, apparatuses, and computer readable media for portable user and vehicle settings

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for portable user and vehicle settings. In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a computer-implemented method for applying user settings to a vehicle, the method comprising receiving, at a second vehicle, user settings for a first vehicle, and locking access to the user settings on the second vehicle, the user settings being associated with a user; unlocking access to the user settings on the second vehicle based on authenticating a user token associated with the user and a user device, and verifying an identity of the user associated with the user token, and applying the user settings to the second vehicle based on compositing the user settings of the first vehicle onto the second vehicle.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure generally relates to accessing user settings and applying user settings to vehicles, and more specifically to transferring and synthesizing user settings between different vehicles. Background Technology

[0002] Vehicles offer a variety of settings and functions that enhance the safety, comfort, functionality, and enjoyment of vehicle passengers. Vehicle and user settings can include controls for adjusting seat tilt, angle, position, firmness, and temperature; adjusting cabin temperature, airflow, and airflow direction; enabling / disabling airbag deployment based on vehicle occupancy; configuring preset audio stations and other audio and music settings; adjusting user interface (UI) and visual display settings; WiFi settings; adjusting side and rearview mirror angles and tilt; window controls; steering wheel tilt and temperature; and personal information including contact names, phone numbers, and email addresses, among others. However, further improvements and advancements are still needed to develop ways to port and access user settings from one vehicle to different vehicles to overcome the limitations of known technologies and provide additional advantages.

[0003] This section aims to introduce various aspects of the technology that may be relevant to this disclosure. This discussion is intended to provide a framework to facilitate a better understanding of specific aspects of this disclosure. Therefore, it should be understood that this section should be interpreted in this light and not necessarily as an admission of prior art. Attached Figure Description

[0004] Embodiments of this disclosure will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0005] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of an embodiment of a method for transferring user settings between different vehicles according to the present disclosure.

[0006] Figure 2 This is a system-level diagram illustrating an embodiment of the present disclosure for transferring user settings between different vehicles.

[0007] Figure 3 This is a flowchart of an embodiment of the present disclosure for transferring and synthesizing user settings from a first vehicle to a second vehicle.

[0008] Figure 4 This is a block diagram of an example computing device or system for implementing aspects of a system and / or method for porting user settings, according to this disclosure.

[0009] Throughout the accompanying drawings, sometimes only one or fewer instances of an element visible in the view are designated by leader lines and reference numerals, simply for the sake of brevity and to avoid confusion. However, it is understood that in such cases, all other instances are similarly designated and included by the corresponding description. Detailed Implementation

[0010] The following are examples of systems and methods for portable user settings for vehicles based on this disclosure.

[0011] According to one aspect, this disclosure provides a computer-implemented method for applying user settings to a vehicle, the method comprising receiving user settings for a first vehicle on a second vehicle and locking access to the user settings on the second vehicle, the user settings being associated with a user; unlocking access to the user settings on the second vehicle based on: authenticating a user token and the user settings associated with the user, and verifying the identity of the user associated with the user token; and applying the user settings to the second vehicle based on synthesizing the user settings of the first vehicle into the second vehicle.

[0012] According to an example embodiment, the user token is stored on an electronic device associated with the user.

[0013] According to an example embodiment, the user token is stored on a key card associated with the user.

[0014] According to the example embodiment, user token authentication is based on detecting user tokens within the vicinity of a second vehicle.

[0015] According to an example embodiment, detecting a user token includes the use of a wireless communication protocol.

[0016] According to an example embodiment, the wireless communication protocol includes at least one of WiFi, RFID, Bluetooth™, and NFC.

[0017] According to an example embodiment, applying user settings to a vehicle may further include locking access to the user settings after a fixed period of time following a driving trip.

[0018] According to the example embodiment, applying user settings to a vehicle may further include locked access to the user settings after the driving trip is completed without detecting a user token.

[0019] According to an example embodiment, locked access to user settings includes locking access to private user settings and keeping access to non-private user settings unlocked.

[0020] According to the example embodiment, private user settings include user contact information.

[0021] According to the example embodiment, non-private user settings include seat settings and mirror settings.

[0022] According to an example embodiment, applying user settings to a vehicle may further include obtaining a setting offset based on comparing the user settings of a first vehicle with a first plurality of other user settings of the first vehicle; obtaining a baseline setting for a second vehicle based on a second plurality of other user settings of a second vehicle; wherein synthesizing the user settings of the first vehicle to the second vehicle includes applying the setting offset to the baseline setting for the second vehicle.

[0023] According to the example embodiment, synthesizing the user settings of the first vehicle into the second vehicle is based on the mapping between the model of the first vehicle and the model of the second vehicle.

[0024] According to an example embodiment, applying user settings to a vehicle may further include removing the user settings from a second vehicle in response to a removal event.

[0025] According to the example embodiment, the second vehicle includes a rental vehicle, and the removal event includes a fixed time associated with the rental contract for the rental vehicle.

[0026] According to the example embodiment, the second vehicle includes fleet vehicles, and the removal event includes assigning the user to a different fleet vehicle.

[0027] According to the example embodiment, the removal event includes a fixed time period.

[0028] According to an example embodiment, the removal event includes the user selectively deleting user settings.

[0029] According to one aspect, this disclosure provides an apparatus for applying user settings to a vehicle, the apparatus comprising: a processor, and a memory communicatively coupled to the processor for storing instructions thereon; wherein the processor is configured to perform the steps of applying user settings to a vehicle according to the method disclosed herein.

[0030] According to one aspect, this disclosure provides a non-transient computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method of applying user settings to a vehicle according to this disclosure.

[0031] This disclosure provides systems and methods for portable user settings that enhance data security and privacy, improve portability and access to user settings across different vehicles, and improve the overall user experience of using a vehicle, among other advantages disclosed herein. The systems and methods disclosed herein typically provide user settings to follow users (such as drivers or passengers) as they access and use different vehicles. In the absence of vehicle-specific user settings, the systems and methods disclosed herein can synthesize known settings to apply to new vehicles. Furthermore, the systems and methods disclosed herein typically provide user settings with transient characteristics, allowing access to user settings to be temporarily restricted, locked, or otherwise removed from the vehicle based on events associated with vehicle use. Among other advantages, transient user settings can provide enhanced security in rental vehicle scenarios, fleet vehicle scenarios, or other shared vehicle scenarios where multiple different users may be using or accessing the same vehicle and wish to ensure the security and privacy of their user settings and data, and otherwise prevent access by other users. The systems and methods disclosed herein generally include retrieving and securely caching user settings on a vehicle, and further unlocking access to the user settings based on an identifier associated with the settings and authentication based on a key (such as a software key), user token, or other authentication method associated with the user and their settings. Once unlocked, users can access their settings, save and update their settings, and / or have the vehicle automatically apply their settings. Aspects of the systems and methods disclosed herein may include synthesizing user settings associated with a first vehicle for use with a second vehicle different from the first vehicle. Aspects of the systems and methods disclosed herein may include temporary access to user settings, or removal and / or deletion of user settings from the vehicle based on how the vehicle is used.

[0032] Figure 1 A method 100 for migrating user settings from a first vehicle to a second vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated. The operation of method 100 is not intended to be limiting, but rather to illustrate an example of migrating user settings between vehicles. In some embodiments, method 100 may be accomplished by one or more additional operations not described, and / or one or more operations not required to be described. Similarly, the order in which the operations of method 100 are described and illustrated below is not intended to be limiting, but rather to illustrate an example of migrating user settings according to the present disclosure.

[0033] In some embodiments, method 100 may be implemented in one or more processing devices (e.g., digital processors, analog processors, digital circuits designed for processing information, analog circuits designed for processing information, computing networks implemented in the cloud, state machines, and / or other mechanisms for electronically processing information). For example, one or more operations associated with method 100 may be performed on one or more processing devices that may be embedded in or controlled by a vehicle; and one or more operations associated with method 100 may be performed in the cloud, along with other operations performed on or by the vehicle. The one or more processing devices may include one or more devices that perform some or all of the operations of method 100 in response to instructions stored electronically on an electronic storage medium. The one or more processing devices may include one or more devices configured by hardware, firmware, and / or software that are specifically designed to perform one or more operations of method 100.

[0034] Method 100 may include operation 110 for storing user settings for a vehicle, such as storing user settings for a first vehicle that the user may be driving or carrying passengers. Embodiments of the user settings may include settings for multiple different vehicles, such as vehicles of different brands and models. Embodiments of operation 110 may include storing and encrypting the user settings on a server remote to the vehicle, allowing other vehicles to retrieve the user settings from the remote storage. For example, the first vehicle may collect user settings from the vehicle via various sensors and transmit them to a remote server via a communication network. Embodiments of operation 110 may include storing and encrypting the user settings on a portable electronic device associated with the user, such as a mobile phone, smartwatch, or tablet.

[0035] User and / or vehicle settings may include, but are not limited to, one or more of the following: driving settings and driving mode settings, such as sport mode or fuel-saving mode; seat settings such as seat tilt, angle, position, firmness, and temperature; cabin temperature, airflow, airflow direction, and other climate control settings; enabling / disabling airbag deployment based on the number of occupants in the vehicle; preset audio stations and other audio and music settings; user interface (UI) settings and visual display settings; WiFi settings; side and rearview mirror angles and tilts; window settings; steering wheel tilt and temperature; private information including contact names, phone numbers, and email addresses, and / or access permissions for connected devices (such as mobile phones, smartwatches, or other portable electronic devices, such as laptops or tablets); and so on. Embodiments of this disclosure may include classifying user settings into different categories. For example, user settings may be classified into multiple different categories, each associated with different security, access, or privacy restrictions. For example, the first type of user settings may be associated with private or sensitive user settings (such as contact names and numbers) that may require a higher level of security, access, or privacy restrictions; the second type of user settings may be associated with non-private or non-sensitive user settings (such as climate controls) that may require a lower level of security, privacy, or access restrictions, and so on.

[0036] Method 100 may include operations 120 for generating, creating, or associating a user token with user settings and a user, such as user settings saved according to operation 110. Embodiments of this disclosure include using a remote server (such as a cloud implementation) to generate, create, and / or associate a user token with a user and their user settings. Embodiments of this disclosure may include using one or more processing devices embedded in a vehicle or other electronic device (such as a mobile phone) to generate, create, and / or associate a user token with a user and their user settings.

[0037] Implementations of user tokens may include software keys, encryption / decryption keys, access keys, user-created passwords, or other credentials used to authenticate the user and grant, decrypt, and / or unlock access to user settings. Implementations of user tokens may be stored on or associated with a device, such as a key card or electronic device, including a mobile phone, smartwatch, or other electronic device suitable for storing the user token, such as a mobile phone, smartwatch, tablet, or USB key associated with the corresponding user. Implementations of user tokens may also include hardware devices, such as RFID tags, key cards, or other devices that act as physical keys or tokens associated with the user and their settings. In some implementations, operation 120 may be performed prior to operation 110 to authenticate the user using the user token, and the user may save the user settings of the first vehicle on a remote server.

[0038] Method 100 may include operations 130 for downloading and / or retrieving user settings from the first vehicle to the second vehicle. For example, the second vehicle may utilize nearby WiFi, hotspots, data connections, or other means to retrieve the user settings from the first vehicle from a remote server, nearby electronic devices, or other devices physically connected to the second vehicle (such as a USB key connected to the second vehicle). As a further example, a remote server (such as one available in a cloud implementation) communicating with both the first and second vehicles, or other electronic devices communicating with or storing the user settings thereon, may push the user settings to the second vehicle. In some cases, a user token is used to authenticate the user, allowing the user to download or retrieve the user settings from the first vehicle to the second vehicle. The second vehicle may securely store the user settings locally on the vehicle, making the user settings easily accessible while restricting access by unauthorized users. For example, the user settings may be encrypted or securely stored on the second vehicle in a manner that prevents users, drivers, or passengers from accessing or viewing any user settings without authentication of the user and the user token associated with the user settings, thus providing a security and privacy measure for protecting sensitive information such as contact names and numbers from unauthorized access. In this embodiment, the second vehicle is the same as the first vehicle.

[0039] Method 100 may include operations 140 for identifying a user and authenticating a user token associated with the user to grant access to user settings stored on the vehicle. Identifying the user may include, but is not limited to, using facial recognition algorithms, usernames and passwords, temporary passwords that can be provided upon request to a device associated with the user (such as a mobile phone), verifying biometrics associated with the user, and other methods of authenticating the user's identity. Authenticating the user token may include detecting the user token on a nearby device wirelessly, such as via WiFi, Bluetooth™, Near Field Communication (NFC), Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), and / or other wireless communication standards, for passive or active detection of the user token on a device (such as a key card, mobile phone, smartwatch, tablet, laptop, or other electronic device). Embodiments of verifying the user token may further include actively connecting a physical device with the user token to the vehicle, such as inserting a key into the vehicle (e.g., locking a door or igniting the ignition), connecting a USB key or other electronic device to the vehicle, and so on. In some embodiments, if the user token is authenticated, the user's identity is also authenticated and the user is identified. Once a user is identified and their user token is authenticated, access restrictions on user settings may be removed, relaxed, or waived to allow the user temporary access to their user settings.

[0040] Method 100 may include operations 150 for synthesizing user settings of a first vehicle into a second vehicle. For example, user settings may include seat and mirror settings of the first vehicle, but may lack any such prior settings of the second vehicle. For example, the second vehicle may be a vehicle that the user has not previously driven or ridden in, and the second vehicle may be different from the first vehicle, and may require mapping, transformation, reconciliation, or other synthesis means of the user settings of the first vehicle to recreate their application on the second vehicle in the same or similar manner. Embodiments of operation 150 may include using one or more processing devices, such as those implemented remotely in a cloud implementation, to synthesize user settings of the first vehicle into the second vehicle.

[0041] An embodiment of operation 150 may include using machine learning, artificial intelligence, or other pattern recognition algorithms to determine how a user sets or modifies their user settings in a first vehicle, in order to develop a user behavior model and / or how a user sets their user settings. This model can be used to synthesize the user settings of the first vehicle to recreate the same or similar user settings in a second vehicle.

[0042] An embodiment of operation 150 may include the application of ergonomic profiles for the vehicle. For example, user settings may include user profiles or body measurements, such as weight, arm length, torso length, leg length, and other body measurements, for applying user settings based on the ergonomic profiles of the second vehicle.

[0043] An embodiment of operation 150 may include applying a setting offset. For example, the setting offset may be determined by comparing the user settings of the first vehicle with multiple different user settings of the first vehicle (e.g., multiple user settings of other users of the first vehicle) to determine the user's relationship to multiple other users or to compare the offset. For example, comparing multiple user settings may reveal that, relative to the average of multiple different users, the user prefers their seat further back and reclined more. A similar exercise can be performed with a second vehicle to synthesize the settings of the first vehicle into the second vehicle based on a baseline setting applied to the second vehicle. The baseline settings of the second vehicle may be based on multiple other user settings of the second vehicle (e.g., the average of multiple seat settings of other users of the second vehicle). In some cases, other users have similar body measurements to this user (e.g., weight, arm length, torso length, and leg length).

[0044] An embodiment of operation 150 may include applying a profile offset. For example, a first user may have previously used only a first vehicle, while a second user may have previously used both the first and second vehicles. In such a scenario, the profile offset can be determined based on the differences in user settings between the first and second vehicles. For example, the profile offset can be generated based on the differences in settings between the second user for the first and second vehicles to provide a mapping of how user settings change between the first and second vehicles. This profile offset can be used to generate user settings for the first user in the second vehicle based on the settings of the first user in the first vehicle to which this profile offset is applied. This process can be repeated indefinitely to map overlapping chains of users to synthesize user settings from the first vehicle across multiple different vehicles.

[0045] An embodiment of operation 150 may include application settings based on common parameters. For example, audio settings may be measured based on sound pressure in the first vehicle and set in the second vehicle based on generating the same sound pressure as the first vehicle. As a further example, sensors may be used to determine the distance and angle of view between the driver and their side and / or rearview mirrors in the first vehicle to create the same or similar field of view in the second vehicle.

[0046] Method 100 may include operation 160 for modifying or saving user settings for a second vehicle. For example, a user may prefer to further adjust, modify, or save their settings for the second vehicle. For example, after synthesizing user settings for a first vehicle and applying them to the second vehicle, a user may wish to further adjust their user settings. Embodiments of operation 160 may include aspects similar to or the same as operation 110 for saving user settings on a server remotely connected to the vehicle, allowing other vehicles to retrieve user settings; may include saving user settings on a portable electronic device, such as a mobile phone, smartwatch, or tablet; and may include classifying the user settings of the second vehicle into different categories of security, privacy, and access restrictions. Embodiments of operation 160 may be performed automatically in response to user activity; for example, the second vehicle may automatically save and / or store user settings in response to a user's selection. Similarly, electronic devices communicating with the second vehicle (such as a mobile phone under user control) may save and / or store user settings, or push updated user settings to a central or remote server, provided, for example, via the cloud. Furthermore, a remote server communicating with the second vehicle, such as those provided in a cloud implementation, can similarly save and / or store user settings in response to user choices.

[0047] Method 100 may include operation 170 for locking or restricting access to user settings. For example, after a driving event such as arriving at a destination and leaving the vehicle, operation 170 may restrict access to some or all user settings. For example, after a driving event is completed, there may be a situation where the next driver, user, or passenger of the vehicle is a different user, and therefore access to the previous user's settings may need to be pre-restricted or locked to prevent unauthorized access to their user settings and data. User settings may be locked based on one or more criteria, including a security or access classification selected to identify sensitive information that needs to be protected. Thus, operation 170 may lock or restrict access to a first subset of inherently sensitive user settings (e.g., personal information) and allow access to or modification of a second subset of inherently non-sensitive user settings. In an embodiment, operation 170 may restrict or lock access to user settings after a predetermined amount of time has elapsed since the completion of the driving event. In an embodiment, operation 170 may restrict or lock access to user settings when the associated user token is no longer detectable or no longer connected to the vehicle, or when a predetermined amount of time has elapsed since the user token was last authenticated. In one embodiment, after locking access to user settings, method 100 may return to a previous operation (such as operation 140) to further require the user to authenticate their user token and re-verify their identity. In another embodiment, operation 170, after locking access to the second user settings in the second vehicle, may return the second vehicle to its default settings state. Embodiments of operation 170 may be performed by the second vehicle, or, for example, by an electronic device communicating with the second vehicle, such as a mobile phone under user command, or, for example, by a remote server communicating with the second vehicle, as may be provided in a cloud implementation.

[0048] Method 100 may include operation 180 for removing user settings from a second vehicle. For example, a user may rent a vehicle and set a predetermined date and time based on a rental contract associated with the rental vehicle to automatically delete their user settings from the rental vehicle's local memory, preventing subsequent renters or other users from accessing their user settings and data. As a further example, the user may be one of many users in a fleet, and the deletion of their user settings from the fleet vehicle's local memory may be triggered based on when the user is assigned to a different fleet vehicle. In this regard, user settings may include ephemeral or temporary characteristics, where settings may exist only on the vehicle for a fixed period of time. In one embodiment, method 100 may return to a previous operation, such as operation 130, to retrieve and store the user settings on the vehicle after operation 180 for deleting user settings from the vehicle has been completed. Embodiments of operation 180 may be performed by the second vehicle, or, for example, by an electronic device communicating with the second vehicle, such as by a mobile phone under user command, or, for example, by a remote server communicating with the second vehicle, which may be provided in a cloud implementation.

[0049] Figure 2 The illustration shows a diagram for transferring user settings between vehicles according to embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 2 The system includes a first vehicle 210, a user 220, user settings 212 associated with the first vehicle 210 and the user 220, a user token 214 associated with the user settings 212 and the user 220, the user 220's mobile phone 222, a remote server 230, and multiple other vehicles 240, such as a fleet of rental vehicles, that the user 220 can access. The user 220 sets up user settings 212 for use with the first vehicle 210, which they previously drove or rode in as a passenger. User settings 212 may include multiple vehicle settings, such as rearview mirror settings, seat settings, audio settings, and preferred climate control settings, as well as user data, such as contact names and numbers, which may be stored on the mobile phone 222, or may include permissions to access contact names and numbers stored on the mobile phone 222. User settings 212 may be encrypted and stored on the remote server 230, allowing other vehicles, such as the multiple vehicles 240, to retrieve the encrypted settings. In an embodiment, user settings 212 may be encrypted and stored on a device associated with the user, such as the mobile phone 222.

[0050] A user token 214 can be generated and associated with user settings 212 and user 220 to authorize access to user settings 212 in other vehicles, such as when a user can access a vehicle from multiple vehicles 240. User token 214 can be stored on mobile phone 222 or on another device owned by user 220, such as a key card or smartwatch. When user 220 uses a vehicle in the vehicle fleet 240, the user settings can be retrieved from server 230 and stored locally on the corresponding vehicle. Embodiments of this disclosure may include retrieving user settings 212 from server 230 in advance before user 220 accesses or uses the vehicle. For example, when renting a vehicle, encrypted settings may be pre-loaded into the rental car before the user accesses the rental car.

[0051] When using a vehicle from vehicle fleet 240, user 220 can gain access to their user settings 212 on the vehicle by authenticating and verifying their identity using their user token 214, for example, according to one or more operations described in relation to method 100 disclosed herein. Once user 220 gains access to their user settings 212, further synthesis steps can be applied to map or convert the user settings 212 of the first vehicle 210 to the current vehicle, according to one or more operations described in relation to method 100 disclosed herein. In embodiments, user settings 212 may already include settings for the vehicle and may not require a synthesis step. Once user settings 212 are applied, user 220 can further modify, update, or save their settings.

[0052] Embodiments of this disclosure may provide temporary access to user settings 212 to help secure and protect data from other users who may have access to the vehicle. For example, the ability to access, modify, or save user settings 212 may be locked or restricted according to one or more operations described in relation to method 100 disclosed herein. For example, after completing a driving trip, user 220 may leave the vehicle and move user token 214 out of the vehicle's detectable range. In response to the inability to detect or access user token 214, the vehicle may lock access to user settings 212 to prevent subsequent users from accessing user settings 212 without authenticating user token 214 and verifying user 220's identity. In embodiments, access to user settings 212 may be locked or restricted after a predetermined amount of time following a driving event (such as after arriving at a travel destination). In embodiments, access to a subset of user settings 212 may be permitted even in the absence of user token 214. According to embodiments of this disclosure, temporary storage of user settings may also be provided on the vehicle according to one or more operations described in relation to method 100 disclosed herein. For example, rental cars can be configured to have user settings 212 deleted or removed from local storage based on the expected end date and time associated with the rental contract for the vehicle. Therefore, it is even possible to remove the ability to access user settings 212 to prevent subsequent rental drivers or other users from gaining access to sensitive information that may be contained within user settings 212.

[0053] Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of applying user settings to a vehicle according to the present disclosure. In this illustrative example, the steps disclosed herein, such as those relating to the operation of method 100, can be performed by one or more processing devices that may be implemented in cloud 300, first vehicle 301, or second vehicle 302. In some embodiments, cloud 300 may be a remote server.

[0054] The first vehicle 301 may perform step 310 for modifying and / or saving user settings in response to a user's selection regarding the use of the first vehicle 301. The first vehicle 301 may store the user settings in a memory communicatively coupled to the first vehicle 301.

[0055] The first vehicle 301 can perform step 320 for uploading the user settings of the first vehicle to the cloud 300. In an embodiment, the user can selectively cause the first vehicle 301 to upload the user settings to the cloud 300.

[0056] Cloud 300 can perform step 330 for generating or creating a user token to associate with a user and their user settings. Cloud 300 can provide the user token to the user for storage on an electronic device or other item owned by the user, such as a key card. In an embodiment, a key card including the user token associated with the user is provided to the user. The user token can be used to assist in identifying the user and unlocking access to their user settings, for example, by acting as an encryption key to decrypt the user settings. In some cases, step 330 can be performed before step 320. For example, the key card can be provided to the user in advance so that the key card can be used to authenticate the user and allow the user to upload user settings.

[0057] The second vehicle 302 can perform step 340 to notify the cloud 300 that the user is accessing the second vehicle 302. This notification can prompt the cloud 300 to take further steps disclosed herein, such as encrypting user settings and / or pushing user settings to the second vehicle 302 for storage thereon and access.

[0058] Cloud 300 can perform step 350 to encrypt user settings based on a user token. Cloud 300 can also perform step 360 to push user settings (e.g., user settings of the first vehicle) in encrypted format to the second vehicle 302 for storage thereon in encrypted format.

[0059] The second vehicle 302 may perform step 370 to authenticate the user and their user token in order to unlock access to user settings on the second vehicle 302. Unlocking access may include, for example, decrypting the user token to allow further modification, updating, alteration, or application of the user settings to the second vehicle 302.

[0060] The second vehicle 302 can perform step 380 to synthesize user settings into the second vehicle 302 according to this disclosure. For example, the user settings may reflect the user settings of the first vehicle 301 in a manner that does not allow the user settings to be directly applied to the second vehicle 302, which may stem from different designs between vehicles 301 and 302. Therefore, a synthesis step can be performed to map, transform, or synthesize user settings from the first vehicle 301 to provide a similar, comparable, or identical experience on the second vehicle 302. In this respect, settings synthesis can allow a user to port their user settings to multiple different vehicles and further automatically provide a similar user settings experience across multiple vehicles. In an embodiment, the second vehicle 302 may notify the cloud 300 to synthesize the user settings of the second vehicle, and the cloud 300 may perform the synthesis and push the synthesized user settings to the second vehicle 302.

[0061] The second vehicle 302 may perform step 390 to modify and / or save user settings in response to a user's selection regarding the use of the second vehicle 302. The second vehicle 302 may store the user settings on a memory communicatively coupled to the second vehicle 302. The second vehicle 302 may further upload the user settings for the second vehicle to the cloud 300. In an embodiment, the user may selectively cause the second vehicle 302 to upload user settings to the cloud 300. In an embodiment, the cloud 300 or other storage device may store user settings including multiple user settings, each user setting for a different vehicle.

[0062] The second vehicle 302 may perform step 392 to lock or restrict access to user settings on the second vehicle 302. For example, after a period of inactivity or other events associated with user departure, or after other events indicating the end of the usage period, the second vehicle 302 may take action to restrict access to user settings, thereby preventing other subsequent users from accessing user settings or a subset of user settings, because user settings may include private or sensitive information, such as contact names and address information that can be displayed or accessed from the infotainment system associated with the second vehicle 302.

[0063] Figure 3 The illustrative examples are not intended to be limiting, but rather to illustrate examples of saving and transferring user settings between vehicles. In some embodiments, the same content may be accomplished through one or more additional steps not described, and / or one or more steps described are unnecessary, and / or may be performed by different participants. Similarly, for Figure 3 The order in which the steps are described and illustrated is not intended to be limiting, but rather to illustrate examples of porting and synthesizing user settings according to this disclosure.

[0064] Figure 4 This is a block diagram of an exemplary computerized device or system 400, which can be used to implement one or more aspects or components of an embodiment of a system and method for porting user settings for a vehicle according to the present disclosure.

[0065] Computerized system 400 may include one or more of the following: processor 402, memory 404, mass storage device 410, input / output (I / O) interface 406, and communication subsystem 408. Furthermore, system 400 may include multiple, such as multiple processors 402 and / or multiple memories 404. Processor 402 may include one or more of the following: digital processor, analog processor, digital circuitry designed for processing information, analog circuitry designed for processing information, state machine, and / or other mechanisms for electronically processing information. These processing units may be physically located within the same device, or processor 402 may represent the processing functions of multiple devices operating in coordination. Processor 402 may be configured to execute modules; hardware; firmware; a combination of software, hardware, and / or firmware; and / or other mechanisms for configuring processing capabilities on processor 402 or performing functions belonging to modules, and may include one or more physical processors during the execution of processor-readable instructions, circuitry, hardware, storage media, or any other component.

[0066] One or more components or subsystems of the computerized system 400 may be interconnected via one or more buses 412 or in any other suitable manner.

[0067] Bus 412 can be one or more of several bus architectures of any type, including memory bus, storage device bus, memory controller bus, peripheral bus, etc. CPU 402 can include any type of electronic data processor. Memory 404 can include any type of system memory, such as dynamic random access memory (DRAM), static random access memory (SRAM), synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), read-only memory (ROM), combinations thereof, etc. In embodiments, the memory can include ROM for use at startup, and DRAM for program and data storage used during program execution.

[0068] Mass storage device 410 may include any type of storage device configured to store data, programs, and other information and make the data, programs, and other information accessible via bus 412. Mass storage device 410 may include one or more of solid-state drives, hard disk drives, disk drives, optical disk drives, etc. In some embodiments, data, programs, or other information may be stored remotely, such as in the cloud. Computerized system 400 may send or receive information to or from remote storage in any suitable manner, including via a communication subsystem 408 on a network or other data communication medium.

[0069] I / O interface 406 can provide an interface for enabling wired and / or wireless communication between computerized system 400 and one or more other devices or systems. For example, I / O interface 406 can be used for communication coupling with sensors such as cameras or camcorders. Furthermore, additional or fewer interfaces can be utilized. For example, one or more serial interfaces, such as Universal Serial Bus (USB) (not shown), can be provided.

[0070] The computerized system 400 can be used to configure, operate, control, monitor, sense and / or adjust devices, systems and / or methods in accordance with this disclosure.

[0071] A communication subsystem 408 may be provided for transmitting and receiving signals, or both, through digital data communication (including communication networks) in any form or medium. Examples of communication networks include local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs), interconnected networks such as the Internet, and peer-to-peer networks such as self-organizing peer-to-peer networks. The communication subsystem 408 may include any component or set of components for enabling communication through one or more wired and wireless interfaces. These interfaces may include, but are not limited to, USB, Ethernet (e.g., IEEE 802.3), High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI), FireWire™ (e.g., IEEE 1394), Thunderbolt™, WiFi™ (e.g., IEEE 802.11), WiMAX (e.g., IEEE 802.16), Bluetooth™ or Near Field Communication (NFC), as well as GPRS, UMTS, LTE, LTE-A, and Dedicated Short Range Communication (DSRC). The communication subsystem 408 may include one or more ports or other components (not shown) for one or more wired connections. Additionally or alternatively, the communication subsystem 408 may include one or more transmitters, receivers, and / or antenna elements (all not shown).

[0072] Figure 4 The computerized system 400 is merely an example and is not intended to be limiting. Various embodiments may utilize some or all of the components shown or described. Some embodiments may use other components not shown or described but known to those skilled in the art.

[0073] In the foregoing description, numerous details have been set forth for illustrative purposes in order to provide a comprehensive understanding of the embodiments. However, these specific details are unnecessary and will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. In other instances, well-known electrical structures and circuits are represented in block diagram form to avoid obscuring the meaning. For example, no specific details are provided regarding whether the embodiments described herein are implemented as software routines, hardware circuits, firmware, or a combination thereof.

[0074] Embodiments of this disclosure can be represented as a computer program product stored in a machine-readable medium (also referred to as a computer-readable medium, processor-readable medium, or computer-usable medium having computer-readable program code contained therein). A machine-readable medium can be any suitable tangible, non-transient medium, including magnetic, optical, or electrical storage media (including floppy disks, optical disks, read-only memories (CD-ROMs), storage devices (volatile or non-volatile), or similar storage mechanisms). The machine-readable medium can contain various sets of instructions, sequences of code, configuration information, or other data that, when executed, cause a processor to perform the steps in the methods according to embodiments of this disclosure. Those skilled in the art will understand that additional instructions and operations necessary to implement the described implementations can also be stored on the machine-readable medium. Instructions stored on the machine-readable medium can be executed by a processor or other suitable processing device and can be connected to circuitry to perform the described tasks.

[0075] The embodiments described above are intended to be illustrative only. Those skilled in the art can make changes, modifications, and variations to specific embodiments without departing from the scope defined solely by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for applying user settings to vehicles (210, 240), comprising: Receive a first user setting (212) for the first vehicle (210, 301) at the second vehicle (240, 302) and lock access to the first user setting (212) on the second vehicle (240, 302), the first user setting being associated with the first user (220); Based on the second user settings associated with the second user, a contour offset is generated for the differences between the first vehicle and the second vehicle, both of which have been used by the second user, and the contour offset provides a mapping of how the second user settings change between the first vehicle (210, 301) and the second vehicle (240, 302). Access to the first user settings (212) on the second vehicle (240, 302) is unlocked based on the following: Authentication (140, 370) of the user token (214) associated with the first user and the first user settings (212), and Verify the identity of the first user (220) associated with the user token (214), and The first user settings (212) of the first vehicle (210, 301) are synthesized (150, 380) into the second vehicle (240, 302), and the first user settings (212) are applied to the second vehicle, wherein the synthesis of the first user settings (212) of the first vehicle into the second vehicle is based on applying the generated contour offset to the first user settings (212) of the first vehicle (210, 301).

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the user token (214) is stored on an electronic device (222) associated with the first user (220); or wherein the user token (214) is stored on a key card associated with the first user (220).

3. The method of claim 2, wherein authentication of the user token (214) is based on detecting the user token (214) in the vicinity of the second vehicle (240, 302).

4. The method of claim 3, wherein detecting the user token (214) includes the use of a wireless communication protocol.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the wireless communication protocol includes at least one of WiFi, RFID, Bluetooth™, and NFC.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising: Access to the first user setting (212) may be locked after a fixed period of time following the driving trip; or it may also include locking access to the first user setting (212) after the driving trip is completed without the user token (214) being detected.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein locking access to the first user setting (212) comprises: Lock access to private user settings and keep access to non-private user settings unlocked.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the private user settings include user contact information; and / or wherein the non-private user settings include seat settings and mirror settings.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising: The setting offset is obtained by comparing the first user settings of the first vehicle (210, 301) with a first plurality of other user settings of the first vehicle (210, 301); as well as Based on a second plurality of other user settings of the second vehicle (240, 302), a baseline setting for the second vehicle (240, 302) is obtained; The synthesis of the first user settings (212) of the first vehicle (210, 301) into the second vehicle (240, 302) includes: applying the settings offset to the baseline settings for the second vehicle (240, 302).

10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein synthesizing the first user settings (212) of the first vehicle (210, 301) into the second vehicle (240, 302) is based on a mapping between the model of the first vehicle (210, 301) and the model of the second vehicle (240, 302).

11. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising: In response to the removal event, the first user setting (212) is removed from the second vehicle (240, 302).

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the second vehicle (240, 302) comprises a rental vehicle, and the removal event comprises a fixed time associated with a rental contract for the rental vehicle; or wherein the second vehicle (240, 302) comprises a fleet vehicle, and the removal event comprises assigning the first user to a different fleet vehicle.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the removal event comprises a fixed time period; or wherein the removal event comprises the first user selectively deleting the user settings.

14. A device (400) for applying user settings to a vehicle, the device (400) comprising: Processor (402), and A memory (404) communicatively coupled to the processor (402) is used to store instructions thereon; The processor (402) is configured to perform the method steps according to any one of claims 1 to 13.

15. A computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor (402), cause the processor (402) to perform the method steps according to any one of claims 1 to 13.

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