System and method for recommending a remote office

Abstract

The present disclosure provides "Systems and methods for recommending remote offices". A vehicle that helps a user identify remote offices along a route is disclosed. The vehicle can include a transceiver and a processor. The transceiver can receive a request from a user to activate a predefined vehicle mode. The processor can activate the vehicle mode in response to obtaining the request. In response to activating the vehicle mode, the processor can also determine that the user has an event scheduled at a predefined time based on calendar information associated with the user. The processor can additionally determine an estimated time of arrival (ETA) of the vehicle to a destination location in response to determining that the event is scheduled at the predefined time. The processor can further output a notification including information associated with a remote office located between a current vehicle location and the destination location in response to determining that the ETA is later than the predefined time.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to vehicles, and more specifically to systems and methods for recommending remote offices along vehicle routes. Background Technology

[0002] Many users have busy schedules, tasks, meetings, deadlines, and so on throughout their workday. If such tasks or meetings are scheduled in the user's office in the early morning, the user may have difficulty arriving on time due to morning traffic rush or because the user must perform other activities before arriving at the office (such as taking the child to school).

[0003] In many such situations, users may attempt to multitask while driving to the office. For example, when a user knows they may not be able to arrive at the office on time for a meeting, they may sometimes virtually join the meeting and / or type and send emails or messages while driving. Such situations can be inconvenient for the user. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This disclosure describes a vehicle that can identify and recommend one or more “remote offices” along its route to a user for temporary work, for example, when the user may be late for a meeting or has urgent deadlines to meet or complete pending tasks. As used herein, the term “remote office” can refer to any location where a user can work temporarily. Examples of such remote offices include, but are not limited to, coffee shops, restaurants, shared workspaces, libraries, etc.

[0005] It is understandable that users typically have meetings scheduled in the morning, urgent deadlines to meet, or pending office tasks to complete. If such meetings and / or deadlines are scheduled in the early morning, users may have difficulty arriving at their office (or "destination location") on time due to morning rush hour traffic or because they need to perform one or more tasks before reaching the destination location (e.g., taking their child to school). To support users in such scenarios, as disclosed in this disclosure, a vehicle can identify and recommend one or more remote offices along the route between the user's home (or "source location") and the user's office, where the user can stop and temporarily work (e.g., attend virtual meetings, type and send emails / messages, complete project work / presentations, etc.) before resuming their journey to the office. An exemplary process implemented by the vehicle to identify and recommend remote offices along the vehicle's route is briefly described below.

[0006] In some aspects, the vehicle may first activate its remote office locator mode when the user may be about to begin traveling on a route to their destination or when the user may already be traveling on the route. In an exemplary aspect, the vehicle may activate the remote office locator mode in response to receiving an activation request from the user via a user device or vehicle human-machine interface (HMI). In response to activating the remote office locator mode, the vehicle may retrieve such information from a server / cloud after receiving authorization from the user to retrieve calendar information associated with the user. In some aspects, the calendar information may include information associated with the user's scheduled meetings, deadlines, pending tasks, etc., for the day and week.

[0007] The vehicle can analyze calendar information to check if the user has any events scheduled (e.g., meetings). In response to determining, based on calendar information, that the user may have scheduled an event at a predefined time (e.g., 8:00 AM), the vehicle can determine the estimated time of arrival (ETA) to reach the destination location. The vehicle can then compare the ETA to the predefined time of the event. When the vehicle determines that the ETA is later than the predefined time, it can identify one or more remote offices for the user along the route between the current vehicle location and the destination location. In other words, when the vehicle determines that the user may be late and may not arrive at the destination location (or the user's office) at the scheduled event / meeting time, it can identify remote offices for the user. Additionally, the vehicle can identify remote offices that may not be 100% or perfectly aligned with the route between the current vehicle location and the destination location, and may need to deviate slightly from the route (e.g., this might require the user to take a detour of several miles). In this case, the identified remote offices can be within a predefined distance tolerance range that can be preset by the user (e.g., up to 3 or 5 miles). In some respects, the vehicle can additionally provide / output switching options to the user, such as "show only the office options along the main route" as yes or no, and the vehicle can identify remote offices for the user based on the user's selection of switching options.

[0008] In response to the identification of a remote office, the vehicle may output a notification on the user device and / or the vehicle's HMI, the notification including information associated with the remote office. Examples of such information include, but are not limited to, the geographic location associated with the remote office, the estimated travel time from the vehicle's current location to the remote office, user ratings or feedback associated with the remote office, information associated with amenities at the remote office, parking availability at the remote office, etc. In an exemplary aspect, the notification may include information associated with each remote office's ratings by other users, availability of indoor or street parking, availability of disabled parking or street parking, distance from the vehicle's current location, and an artificial intelligence (AI)-driven ranking based on the above information to output a total score associated with the remote office to the user, helping the user make informed decisions when choosing a remote office to work at.

[0009] Users can view / hear notifications, select a remote office to work from based on the information included in the notification, and then accept permission to travel to the selected remote office. In response to user acceptance, the vehicle can navigate from its current location (e.g., autonomous navigation or assisted driving) to the geographic location associated with the remote office. Upon arrival at the remote office, the user can work from there (e.g., virtually attending a meeting at 8:00 AM). If the user-selected remote office requires deviating from the original route, the vehicle can additionally provide a rerouting function to guide the user from the remote office to the destination location.

[0010] In this way, the vehicle helps users fulfill their official commitments by working remotely from their office on the route to their workplace, without missing any deadlines or scheduled meetings, and without having to multitask or work from the vehicle. The vehicle can further "learn" over time the user's driving patterns, remote office selection behavior, typical office hours, meeting schedules, user preferences, etc., and can recommend optimized daily travel plans to the user before they begin their journey each morning.

[0011] In some respects, vehicles can offer users additional features that enhance their experience of operating the vehicle. For example, when a vehicle determines, based on calendar information, that a user may have overlapping or conflicting meetings at substantially the same time, the vehicle can (via the HMI or user device) request confirmation from the user of which meeting they wish to attend (or confirmation of the priority of the user's meetings). Based on the user's response, the vehicle can determine the meetings the user can attend and, accordingly, perform a process to identify the user's remote office.

[0012] On another front, in response to activating the remote office locator mode, the vehicle can automatically sync with the user's email and instant messaging (IM) applications or accounts and change its status to "driving" to notify others that the user is driving the vehicle, and therefore may not be able to immediately respond to emails and messages or attend meetings until the vehicle stops.

[0013] This disclosure discloses a vehicle that identifies one or more optimal remote offices where a user can stop and temporarily work while traveling to their office. By working from a remote office along the route, the user is not required to multitask from the vehicle, and the probability of missing any official commitments is significantly reduced. Over time, the vehicle further learns from the user's behavior and driving patterns to better recommend customized daily schedules for commuting and work, thereby significantly enhancing user convenience and daily planning.

[0014] This document provides in detail these and other advantages of the present disclosure. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Specific embodiments are illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numerals may be used to indicate similar or identical items. Various embodiments may utilize elements and / or components other than those shown in the drawings, and some elements and / or components may not be present in various embodiments. Elements and / or components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. Throughout this disclosure, singular and plural terms may be used interchangeably, depending on the context.

[0016] Figure 1 An exemplary environment in which the techniques and structures for providing the systems and methods disclosed herein can be implemented is described.

[0017] Figure 2 A block diagram of a system for recommending remote offices to users, according to this disclosure, is depicted.

[0018] Figure 3 An exemplary first view of a vehicle human-machine interface (HMI) according to this disclosure is depicted.

[0019] Figure 4 An exemplary second view of a vehicle HMI according to this disclosure is depicted.

[0020] Figure 5 A flowchart depicts an exemplary method for recommending remote offices to users according to this disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0021] The present disclosure will be described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure and are not intended to be limiting.

[0022] Figure 1 An exemplary environment 100 is depicted in which techniques and structures for providing the systems and methods disclosed herein can be implemented. Environment 100 may include a vehicle 102 that may be traveling (or about to begin traveling) on ​​a vehicle route 104. In an exemplary aspect, route 104 may begin at a user's source location 106 (which may be, for example, the user's home) and end at a destination location 108 (which may be, for example, the user's office, a scheduled meeting location, or the location of any scheduled event).

[0023] Vehicle 102 can take the form of any passenger or commercial vehicle, such as an automobile, work vehicle, crossover, truck, van, minivan, taxi, bus, etc. Vehicle 102 can be a manually driven vehicle or can be configured to operate in a partially / fully autonomous mode. In addition, vehicle 102 can include any powertrain system, such as a gasoline engine, one or more electric actuators, or a hybrid system.

[0024] In an exemplary aspect, the owner / user of vehicle 102 (“User”, not shown) may have scheduled an event at a predefined time (e.g., 8:00 AM) when the User may be traveling (or about to begin) on route 104 via vehicle 102. Examples of events include, but are not limited to, scheduled meetings at destination location 108, deadlines, or pending tasks that need to be completed / delivered before a predefined time.

[0025] It is understandable that when such events are scheduled in the morning, users may have difficulty arriving at destination location 108 on time due to morning rush hour traffic or because they need to perform one or more tasks before reaching destination location 108 (e.g., taking their child to school). To support users in such scenarios, vehicle 102 can identify and recommend one or more “remote offices” on route 104 between source location 106 and destination location 108, where users can stop and temporarily work (e.g., attend virtual meetings, type and send emails / messages, complete project work / presentations, etc.) before resuming their journey to destination location 108. The term “remote office” as used in this disclosure can refer to any location where a user can temporarily work. Examples of such remote offices include, but are not limited to, coffee shops, restaurants, shared workspaces, libraries, etc. These are briefly described below and will be discussed later. Figure 2 A detailed description of an exemplary process implemented by vehicle 102 to identify and recommend remote offices on route 104 to the user.

[0026] In some respects, when a user enters vehicle 102 and is about to begin a journey on route 104, vehicle 102 may first activate a predefined vehicle mode (e.g., "remote office locator mode"). In other respects, vehicle 102 may activate a remote office locator mode when vehicle 102 may already be traveling on route 104. Vehicle 102 may respond to, for example, a user device (in... Figure 2 The diagram shows user device 201 and vehicle human-machine interface (HMI). Figure 2 The remote office locator mode is activated by receiving an activation request from the user, such as an HMI 236, voice command, or gesture command. As an example, whenever a user is late for the aforementioned event, the user can transmit an activation request to vehicle 102, and the vehicle may be needed to assist the user in identifying the remote office on route 104.

[0027] In response to activating the remote office locator mode, vehicle 102 can be accessed from the server (in... Figure 2 The diagram illustrates server 202 obtaining calendar information associated with a user (or the user's schedule). Calendar information may include information associated with the user's scheduled meetings, deadlines, pending tasks, etc., for the current day and week. In some aspects, vehicle 102 may obtain the user's calendar information from the server in response to receiving confirmation / authorization from the user.

[0028] Then, vehicle 102 can determine, based on the obtained calendar information, that the user may have events (e.g., meetings) scheduled at a predefined time (e.g., 8:00 AM). Vehicle 102 can also determine the estimated time of arrival (ETA) of vehicle 102 to destination location 108 based on one or more parameters, such as the distance between the current vehicle location (which may be the same as or different from the source location 106 depending on when the user transmits the activation request to vehicle 102) and destination location 108, real-time traffic information associated with traffic on route 104, weather information associated with route 104, road gradient information, etc.

[0029] Vehicle 102 can then compare the ETA with a predefined time (e.g., the time of a scheduled meeting). When the ETA might be later than the predefined time, vehicle 102 can begin identifying one or more remote offices for the user along route 104 between the current vehicle location and destination location 108. For example, when the ETA might be 8:30 AM and the predefined time might be 8:00 AM, vehicle 102 can begin identifying remote offices along route 104 for the user. It is understood that in this scenario, the user may not arrive at destination location 108 or their office at the scheduled meeting time and may therefore need to participate in the meeting virtually while seated in a remote office.

[0030] To identify one or more optimal remote offices on route 104 for a user, vehicle 102 may first identify multiple remote offices 110a, 110b, 110c, 110n (collectively referred to as remote offices 110), which may be located on (or near) route 104 between the current vehicle location and the destination location 108. Vehicle 102 may then identify one or more optimal remote offices (from the remote offices 110) to recommend to the user based on one or more parameters, such as the user's historical selections of remote offices, user preferences, historical user driving patterns, the distance between the remote office and the current vehicle location, the estimated travel time from the current vehicle location to the remote office, user ratings or feedback associated with the remote office, information associated with amenities at the remote office, parking availability at the remote office, and a predefined time for the event / meeting (i.e., 8:00 AM). As an example, vehicle 102 can identify remote offices 110a and 110b as the user's best remote offices because these offices may have available parking spaces, and the user can arrive at these offices before 8:00 AM (and therefore can easily virtually attend scheduled meetings). As another example, if user preferences indicate a preference for remote offices with a rating of three stars or higher (out of five), and remote offices 110a and 110b have a rating of three stars or higher, then vehicle 102 can identify these offices as the user's best remote offices. As yet another example, if the user has historically selected remote office 110a, worked in that office, and provided positive feedback / ratings to that office, then vehicle 102 can identify that remote office as the user's best remote office.

[0031] In some respects, the optimal remote office identified by vehicle 102 does not always need to be on route 104. In an exemplary respect, vehicle 102 can identify remote office 110c as the user's optimal remote office based on the parameters described above (even if remote office 110c needs to deviate from route 104). For example, if the user has previously worked at remote office 110c and enjoys the services provided by that office, vehicle 102 can identify that remote office as the user's optimal remote office. In some respects, the user can preset a "distance tolerance" or "detour tolerance" from route 104 that the user is willing to accept when selecting a remote office to work at on vehicle 102.

[0032] In response to identifying the optimal remote office (e.g., remote offices 110a, 110b) for the user, vehicle 102 may output a notification on the user device or vehicle HMI, the notification including information associated with the identified optimal remote office 110a, 110b. This information may include, for example, the geographic location associated with remote office 110a, 110b, the estimated travel time from the current vehicle location to the corresponding remote office 110a, 110b, user ratings or feedback associated with each remote office 110a, 110b, information associated with amenities at each remote office 110a, 110b, parking availability at each remote office 110a, 110b, etc. In one exemplary aspect, the notification may include information correlated with other users' ratings of each remote office 110a, 110b, availability of indoor or street parking, availability of disabled parking or street parking, distance from the vehicle's current location, and an AI-driven ranking based on the above information to output a total score associated with remote offices 110a, 110b to the user, helping the user make informed decisions when choosing a remote office to work in. In another exemplary aspect, remote offices may be evaluated based on their suitability for a given task (e.g., a busy coffee shop might be appropriate for a user to send urgent emails, but a dedicated meeting room in a shared workspace might be necessary if the user needs to actively attend meetings), and the recommendation may take this into account.

[0033] Users can view / hear this information and can choose (or accept) to go to one of the recommended remote offices (e.g., remote office 110a) to work. In an exemplary aspect, a user can select / accept remote office 110a by providing a voice command or gesture command to vehicle 102.

[0034] In some aspects, in response to receiving a user's selection of remote office 110a, vehicle 102 can output navigation commands on the user device or vehicle HMI to facilitate user navigation from the current vehicle location to remote office 110a. In other aspects, in response to receiving a user's selection of remote office 110a, vehicle 102 can autonomously navigate from the current vehicle location to remote office 110a. Upon arrival at remote office 110a, the user can work from remote office 110a (e.g., virtually attending a meeting at 8:00 AM). If the remote office selected by the user requires deviating from the original route 104 (e.g., if the user selects remote office 110c for work), vehicle 102 can additionally provide a rerouting function to guide the user from remote office 110c to destination location 108.

[0035] In this way, vehicle 102 helps users fulfill their official commitments by working from a remote office on route 104 without missing any deadlines or scheduled meetings, and without having to multitask or work from vehicle 102. Over time, vehicle 102 can further “learn” the user’s driving patterns, remote office selection behavior, typical office hours, meeting schedules, user preferences, etc., and can recommend optimized daily travel plans to the user before the user begins their journey on route 104 each morning. For example, vehicle 102 can use artificial intelligence (AI) to learn the above parameters over time and recommend daily plans to the user, which may include leaving source location 106 at 7:30 a.m., arriving at remote office 110a at 7:50 a.m., attending a scheduled meeting at remote office 110a at 8:00 a.m., leaving remote office 110a at 8:45 a.m., picking up coffee from a coffee shop located between remote office 110a and destination location 108 at 9:00 a.m., and arriving at destination location 108 at 9:20 a.m. (e.g., attending another meeting scheduled at destination location 108 at 9:30 a.m.), etc.

[0036] In some respects, vehicle 102 can offer users additional features that enhance their experience of operating vehicle 102. For example, when vehicle 102 determines, based on calendar information, that a user may have overlapping or conflicting meetings at substantially the same time, vehicle 102 can (via HMI or user device) request confirmation from the user of which meeting they wish to attend (or confirmation of the priority of the user's meetings). Based on the user's response, vehicle 102 can determine the meetings the user can attend and, accordingly, perform a process to identify the user's remote office.

[0037] In another aspect, in response to activating the remote office locator mode, vehicle 102 can automatically synchronize with the user's email and instant messaging applications or accounts and change its status to "driving" to notify others that the user is driving vehicle 102, and therefore may not be able to immediately respond to emails and messages or attend meetings until vehicle 102 stops.

[0038] The following is combined with Figure 2 Describe the details of another vehicle, 102.

[0039] Vehicle 102 shall implement and / or perform the operations described herein in accordance with the owner's manual and safety guidelines. Furthermore, any actions taken by the user based on notifications provided by vehicle 102 shall comply with all rules specific to the location (e.g., federal, state, national, city, etc.) and operation of vehicle 102. Notifications provided by vehicle 102 shall be considered advice and shall be followed only in accordance with any rules specific to the location and operation of vehicle 102.

[0040] Figure 2 A block diagram of a system 200 for recommending remote offices to users, according to this disclosure, is depicted. In the description... Figure 2 At that time, will refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4 .

[0041] System 200 may include a vehicle 102, a user device 201, and one or more servers 202 (or servers 204) that can be communicatively coupled to each other via one or more networks 204. The user device 201 may be associated with a vehicle owner / user and may be, for example, a mobile phone, laptop computer, computer, tablet computer, smartwatch, or any other similar device with communication capabilities. Server 202 may be part of a cloud-based computing infrastructure and may be associated with and / or include a Telematics Service Delivery Network (SDN), which delivers services to vehicle 102 and other vehicles that may be part of a vehicle fleet. Figure 2 (Not shown) provides digital data services. In another aspect, server 202 can store calendar information associated with the user and can transmit this information to vehicle 102 when vehicle 102 sends a request to server 202 to obtain calendar information. As described above, calendar information may include information associated with the user's scheduled meetings, deadlines, pending tasks, etc., for the current day and week.

[0042] Server 202 can also store real-time traffic information, map or navigation information, weather information, road gradient information, etc., associated with route 104. Server 202 can also additionally store information associated with multiple remote offices 110, such as their geographical locations, user ratings or feedback associated with each remote office 110, information associated with amenities at each remote office 110, real-time parking availability at each remote office 110, etc. Server 202 can transmit such route-related information and remote office-related information to vehicle 102 at a predefined frequency or when vehicle 102 sends a request to server 202 for such information.

[0043] Network 204 illustrates examples of communication infrastructure in which connected devices discussed in various embodiments of this disclosure can communicate. Network 204 may be and / or include the Internet, a private network, a public network, or other configurations operating using any one or more known communication protocols such as Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol (TCP / IP), Bluetooth, etc. ®Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), Wi-Fi based on the IEEE standard 802.11, Ultra Wideband (UWB), and cellular technologies such as Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), High-Speed ​​Packet Access (HSPDA), Long Term Evolution (LTE), Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), and 5G, to name just a few.

[0044] Vehicle 102 may include multiple units, including but not limited to vehicle computer 206, vehicle control unit (VCU) 208, and office locator unit 210 (or unit 210). VCU 208 may include multiple electronic control units (ECUs) 212 that communicate with vehicle computer 206.

[0045] In some respects, according to this disclosure, the vehicle computer 206 and / or unit 210 can be installed anywhere within the vehicle 102. Furthermore, the vehicle computer 206 can operate as a functional part of unit 210. The vehicle computer 206 can be or include an electronic vehicle controller having one or more processors 214 and memory 216. Additionally, unit 210 can be separate from the vehicle computer 206 (e.g., Figure 2 (as shown in the diagram), or it can be integrated as part of the vehicle computer 206.

[0046] Processor 214 can communicate with one or more memory devices (e.g., memory 216 and / or memory) of a corresponding computing system. Figure 2 The processor 214 may communicate with one or more external databases (not shown). The processor 214 may utilize the memory 216 to store programs in code form and / or store data to execute aspects of this disclosure. The memory 216 may be a non-transitory computer-readable medium or memory storing remote office locator program code. The memory 216 may include any or a combination of volatile memory elements (e.g., dynamic random access memory (DRAM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), etc.) and may include any one or more non-volatile memory elements (e.g., erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), flash memory, electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), etc.).

[0047] According to some aspects, VCU 208 can share a power bus with vehicle computer 206 and can be configured and / or programmed to coordinate the systems of vehicle 102, connected servers (e.g., server 202), user devices 201, and other vehicles operating as part of a vehicle fleet. Figure 2Data between (not shown in the image). VCU 208 may include or communicate with any combination of ECUs 212, such as Body Control Module (BCM) 218, Engine Control Module (ECM) 220, Transmission Control Module (TCM) 222, Telematics Control Unit (TCU) 224, Driver Assistance Technology (DAT) Controller 226, etc.

[0048] VCU 208 may also include and / or communicate with a vehicle perception system (VPS) 228, which has connectivity with and / or controls one or more vehicle sensing systems 230 (or “sensor units”). The vehicle sensing system 230 may include one or more vehicle sensors, including but not limited to radio detection and ranging (radar) sensors, seating area latch sensors, seating area sensors, light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensors, door sensors, proximity sensors, temperature sensors, wheel sensors, ambient weather sensors, ambient light sensors, vehicle interior and exterior cameras, one or more rain sensors, humidity sensors, tire pressure sensors, ultrasonic sensors, one or more microphones, etc., configured to detect and locate objects inside and outside the vehicle 102 using radio waves.

[0049] In some respects, VCU 208 can control vehicle operation aspects and implement one or more instruction sets received from user equipment 201, one or more instruction sets stored in memory 216, including instructions that operate as part of unit 210.

[0050] TCU 224 can provide vehicle connectivity to wireless computing systems on and outside the vehicle 102, and may include a navigation (NAV) receiver 232 for receiving and processing GPS signals, a BLE module (BLEM) 234, a Wi-Fi transceiver, a UWB transceiver, and / or other wireless transceivers that can be configured for wireless communication (including cellular communication) between the vehicle 102 and other systems (e.g., user device 201, key fob, NFC device, etc.), computers, and modules. Figure 2 (Not shown in the image). NAV receiver 232 can be configured to determine the real-time geographical location of the vehicle. TCU 224 can communicate with ECU 212 via a bus.

[0051] ECU 212 can use inputs from the human driver, inputs from the autonomous vehicle controller, inputs from unit 210, and / or wireless signal inputs received from other connected devices (such as user device 201, server 202, etc.) via wireless connection to control various aspects of vehicle operation and communication.

[0052] The BCM 218 typically integrates sensors, vehicle performance indicators, and variable reactors associated with vehicle systems. It may also include processor-based power distribution circuitry that controls functions associated with the vehicle body, such as lights, windows, safety devices, cameras, fans, headlights, audio systems, speakers, wipers, door locks and entry controls, side mirrors, and various comfort controls. The BCM 218 can also operate as a gateway for bus and network interfaces to communicate with remote ECUs ( Figure 2 Interact with (not shown in the image).

[0053] The DAT controller 226 can provide Level 1 to Level 3 automated driving and driver assistance functionality, which may include features such as active parking assist, vehicle reversing assist, and adaptive cruise control. The DAT controller 226 can also provide various aspects of user and environmental inputs that can be used for user authentication.

[0054] In some respects, the vehicle computer 206 may connect to the infotainment system 236 (or the vehicle human-machine interface (HMI) 236). The infotainment system 236 may include a touchscreen interface portion and may include voice recognition features, and the ability to identify users based on facial recognition, voice recognition, fingerprint recognition, or other biometric methods. In other respects, the infotainment system 236 may also receive user commands / inputs via the touchscreen interface portion, and / or display notifications / recommendations, navigation maps, etc., on the touchscreen interface portion.

[0055] The computing system architecture of the automotive computer 206, VCU 208, and / or unit 210 may omit certain computing modules. This should be easily understood. Figure 2 The computing environment depicted herein is an example of possible implementations of this disclosure and should therefore not be considered limiting or exclusive.

[0056] Depending on some aspects, unit 210 may be integrated with and / or performed as part of ECU 212. Unit 210 may include transceiver 238, processor 240, and computer-readable storage 242, whether it is integrated with vehicle computer 206 or ECU 212, or whether it operates as a stand-alone computing system in vehicle 102.

[0057] Transceiver 238 can receive information / input from one or more external devices or systems (e.g., user device 201, server 202, etc.) via network 204. For example, transceiver 238 can receive user calendar information, route-related information, remote office-related information, etc., from server 202 via network 204. Transceiver 238 can also transmit notifications / data / signals to external devices or systems. Additionally, transceiver 238 can receive information / input from vehicle 102 components (such as infotainment system 236, VCU 208 (e.g., vehicle sensing system 230), etc.). Furthermore, transceiver 238 can transmit notification / command signals to vehicle 102 components (such as VCU 208, infotainment system 236, BCM 218, etc.).

[0058] Processor 240 and memory 242 may be the same as or similar to processor 214 and memory 216, respectively. In some aspects, processor 240 may utilize memory 242 to store programs in code form and / or store data for execution of aspects according to this disclosure. Memory 242 may be a non-transitory computer-readable medium or memory storing remote office locator program code.

[0059] In operation, when a user expects vehicle 102 to identify a remote office on route 104, transceiver 238 may first receive a request from the user to activate the vehicle's remote office locator mode. The user can transmit the request to transceiver 238 via user device 201 or HMI 236. In some aspects, the user can transmit the request to transceiver 238 before entering vehicle 102, immediately upon entering vehicle 102, or while vehicle 102 is already traveling on route 104. In this way, the user can request vehicle 102 to activate remote office locator mode before starting to travel on route 104 or while vehicle 102 is traveling on route 104.

[0060] Transceiver 238 can transmit a request to processor 240. Processor 240 can activate the vehicle's remote office locator mode in response to the request. In response to activating the remote office locator mode, processor 240 can transmit or output a calendar information request on user device 201 and / or HMI 236 (via transceiver 238). The calendar information request can be a request to obtain user confirmation or authorization to retrieve the user's calendar information from server 202. The user can view / hear the calendar information request on user device 201 and / or HMI 236, and can accordingly provide user consent or confirmation for retrieving the user's calendar information from server 202.

[0061] Processor 240 can obtain (via transceiver 238) confirmation from the user regarding the calendar information request, and then, in response to obtaining the confirmation, retrieve the user's calendar information from server 202 (via transceiver 238). Processor 240 can examine the user's calendar information to determine, based on the calendar information, that an event (e.g., a meeting) can be scheduled for the user at a predefined time (e.g., 8:00 AM), as described above. Figure 1 As described. In response to determining that an event can be scheduled at a predefined time, processor 240 can determine the ETA (Electronic Time Assurance) for vehicle 102 to reach destination location 108 (which may be the user's office or the event location). In some aspects, processor 240 can determine the ETA for reaching destination location 108 based on route-related information obtained from server 202. Examples of such information include, but are not limited to, the distance between the current vehicle location (determined via TCU 224) and destination location 108, real-time traffic information about route 104, weather information associated with route 104, etc.

[0062] In response to determining the ETA, processor 240 can compare the ETA with a predefined time for the event (e.g., 8:00 AM). In some aspects, when processor 240 determines that the ETA is later than the predefined time, processor 240 can begin (from multiple remote offices 110) to identify one or more optimal remote offices on route 104 between the current vehicle location and destination location 108 where the user can temporarily work. In other words, when processor 240 determines that the user may be late and may not be able to arrive at destination location 108 at the scheduled meeting / event time, processor 240 can begin to identify optimal remote offices for the user. An exemplary process implemented by processor 240 to identify optimal remote offices for a user is described below.

[0063] Processor 240 may first identify all remote offices (e.g., multiple remote offices 110) that may be located on or near route 104 between the current vehicle location and destination location 108, based on route and / or remote office-related information obtained from server 202. Then, processor 240 may identify or select one or more optimal remote offices (e.g., remote offices 110a, 110b) for the user from the multiple remote offices 110 based on one or more parameters, including but not limited to the user's historical selections of remote offices on route 104, user preferences, historical user driving patterns, the distance between the optimal remote office and the current vehicle location, the estimated travel time from the current vehicle location to the optimal remote office, user ratings or feedback associated with the optimal remote office, information associated with amenities at the optimal remote office, parking availability at the optimal remote office, the predefined time of scheduled events / meetings, etc.

[0064] In response to identifying / selecting the optimal remote office for the user as described above, processor 240 may (via transceiver 238) output a notification on user device 201 and / or HMI 236 including information related to the optimal remote office. The information associated with the optimal remote office that may be displayed on user device 201 and / or HMI 236 may include, for example, the name and type of the remote office, the geographical location associated with the remote office, the estimated travel time from the current vehicle location to the remote office, the distance of the remote office from the current vehicle location, user ratings or feedback associated with the remote office, information associated with amenities at the remote office, indoor parking availability at the remote office, disabled parking availability at the remote office, etc. Figure 3 An exemplary view of an HMI 236 that displays information associated with a remote office is depicted.

[0065] Users can view / hear notifications on user device 201 and / or HMI 236 and can select a remote office (e.g., remote office 110a) on route 104 where they may wish to perform temporary work based on the information displayed on the notification. Users can select remote office 110a via voice commands or gestures, or by manually clicking the location icon associated with remote office 110a on user device 201 and / or HMI 236. In response to the user's selection of remote office 110a, processor 240 can obtain user acceptance to travel to remote office 110a (e.g., via user device 201 and / or HMI 236). Processor 240 can then output navigation instructions (such as...) on user device 201 and / or HMI 236. Figure 4(As shown), this can help the user drive vehicle 102 from its current vehicle location to a geographic location associated with remote office 110a. In other aspects, in response to receiving the user's consent, processor 240 can autonomously navigate vehicle 102 from its current vehicle location to a geographic location associated with remote office 110a.

[0066] Upon arrival at remote office 110a, the user can complete office work from remote office 110a (e.g., virtually attend a scheduled meeting) and then resume the journey to destination location 108. If the remote office chosen by the user for work requires a detour from the original route 104, processor 240 can additionally provide a rerouting function to guide the user from the remote office to destination location 108.

[0067] In this way, vehicle 102 helps users fulfill their official commitments by working from a remote office on route 104 without missing any deadlines or scheduled meetings, and without having to multitask or work from vehicle 102.

[0068] It is understood that since the user can activate the vehicle's remote office locator mode (as described above) before starting a trip on route 104 or at any time while traveling on route 104, the processor 240 can identify a remote office for the user and output a notification associated with the identified remote office before the vehicle 102 starts traveling on route 104 or at any time while the vehicle 102 is traveling on route 104.

[0069] In another aspect, processor 240 can be an AI-based processor that can analyze user data that changes over time (e.g., user calendar events, chosen remote office, driving mode, preferences, etc.) to learn user routines, predict future needs, and suggest / recommend personalized daily plans, as combined with the above. Figure 1 As described, processor 240 can recommend such personalized daily plans regardless of whether the user has scheduled meetings, deadlines, etc. If no meeting is scheduled before the arrival time at destination location 108, processor 240 can suggest locations for completing work-related tasks during the commute or near destination location 108 based on AI-generated daily plans and user preferences. The AI ​​algorithm can continuously learn from user choices, feedback, and driving patterns, thereby improving its daily plan recommendations and increasing its accuracy over time.

[0070] Although this disclosure is described in the context of a user going to the office, the teachings of this disclosure can also be applied in the context of other users with similar requirements (e.g., truck drivers who may need one or more rest stops along their routes).

[0071] Figure 5 A flowchart depicts an exemplary method 500 for recommending remote offices to users according to this disclosure. Further description can be made with reference to the preceding figures. Figure 5 The following process is exemplary and is not limited to the steps described below. Furthermore, alternative embodiments may include more or fewer steps than shown or described herein, and may include these steps in a different order than that described in the following example embodiments.

[0072] Method 500 begins at step 502. At step 504, method 500 may include the processor 240 activating the vehicle's remote office locator mode in response to receiving an activation request from the user. At step 506, method 500 may include, in response to activating the remote office locator mode, the processor 240 determining, based on calendar information obtained from server 202, that the user has scheduled one or more events at a predefined time or throughout the day.

[0073] At step 508, method 500 may include the processor 240 confirming with the user which event the user can attend at a predefined time (or throughout the day). At step 510, method 500 may include the processor 240 activating or changing the user's status to "driving" on their email and / or instant messaging application or account while the vehicle 102 is moving on the road. This may notify others that the user is driving the vehicle 102 and may therefore be unable to immediately respond to emails and messages or attend meetings until the vehicle 102 comes to a stop.

[0074] At step 512, method 500 may include, in response to determining that a user has scheduled an event at a predefined time or in response to receiving a user selection that the user may attend the event at the predefined time, processor 240 determines the ETA for the vehicle 102 to arrive at destination location 108. At step 514, method 500 may include, by processor 240, comparing the ETA with the predefined time. At step 516, method 500 may include, in response to determining that the ETA is later than the predefined time, processor 240 outputting a notification including information associated with an identified optimal remote office located between the current vehicle location and destination location 108.

[0075] At step 518, method 500 can stop.

[0076] In the foregoing disclosure, reference has been made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of the foregoing disclosure, illustrating specific implementations in which the present disclosure may be practiced. It should be understood that other implementations and structural changes may be utilized without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. References to “an embodiment,” “embodiment,” “example embodiment,” etc., in the specification indicate that the described embodiment may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but each embodiment may not necessarily include that particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Furthermore, such phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Moreover, when features, structures, or characteristics are described in connection with embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize such features, structures, or characteristics in conjunction with other embodiments, whether explicitly described or not.

[0077] Additionally, where appropriate, the functions described herein may be performed by one or more of the following: hardware, software, firmware, digital components, or analog components. For example, one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) may be programmed to perform one or more of the systems and programs described herein. Certain terms are used throughout the specification and claims to refer to specific system components. As those skilled in the art will appreciate, components may be referred to by different names. This document is not intended to distinguish between components with different names but identical functions.

[0078] It should also be understood that the word “example” as used herein is intended to be non-exclusive and non-restrictive in nature. More specifically, the word “example” as used herein refers to one of several examples, and it should be understood that there is no undue emphasis or preference for any particular example described.

[0079] Computer-readable media (also known as processor-readable media) include any non-transitory (e.g., tangible) medium that contributes to providing data (e.g., instructions) that can be read by a computer (e.g., by the computer's processor). Such media can take many forms, including but not limited to non-volatile and volatile media. A computing device may include computer-executable instructions, wherein the instructions may be executable by one or more computing devices (such as those listed above) and stored on a computer-readable medium.

[0080] Regarding the processes, systems, methods, heuristics, etc., described herein, it should be understood that although the steps of such processes, etc., are described as occurring in a certain ordered order, such processes can be practiced by performing the described steps in a different order than that described herein. It should also be understood that some steps may be performed simultaneously, other steps may be added, or some steps described herein may be omitted. In other words, the description of processes herein is provided for the purpose of illustrating various embodiments and should in no way be construed as limiting the claims.

[0081] Therefore, it should be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative rather than restrictive. Many embodiments and applications beyond the examples provided will become apparent upon reading the above description. The scope should not be determined by reference to the above description, but rather by reference to the appended claims and the full scope of their equivalents. Future developments in the technology discussed herein are anticipated and expected, and the disclosed systems and methods will be incorporated into such future embodiments. In conclusion, it should be understood that modifications and changes are possible with this application.

[0082] Unless expressly indicated otherwise herein, all terms used in the claims are intended to be given their ordinary meaning as understood by one skilled in the art as described herein. Specifically, unless the claims explicitly limit the recitation to the contrary, the use of singular articles such as “a,” “the,” or “the” should be interpreted as one or more of the elements indicated by the recitation. Unless otherwise specifically stated or otherwise understood in the context of use, conditional language such as, in particular, “can,” “may,” “may,” or “may” is generally intended to express that some embodiments may include certain features, elements, and / or steps, while other embodiments may not include certain features, elements, and / or steps. Therefore, such conditional language is generally not intended to imply that one or more embodiments require each feature, element, and / or step in any way.

[0083] In one aspect of the invention, the method includes: outputting a calendar information request in response to activating the predefined vehicle mode; obtaining confirmation from the user in response to outputting the calendar information request; and obtaining the calendar information from a server in response to obtaining the confirmation.

[0084] In one aspect of the invention, the event is at least one of the following: a scheduled meeting, a deadline, or a task to be completed.

[0085] In one aspect of the invention, the destination location is at least one of the following: the user's office location or the event location.

[0086] In one aspect of the invention, determining the estimated arrival time includes determining the estimated arrival time based on at least one of the following: the distance between the current vehicle location and the destination location, real-time traffic information, or weather information.

[0087] According to the present invention, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium is provided having instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to: activate the predefined vehicle mode in response to a request from a user to activate a predefined vehicle mode associated with a vehicle; determine, based on calendar information associated with the user, that the user has scheduled an event at a predefined time in response to activating the predefined vehicle mode; determine, in response to determining that the user has scheduled the event at the predefined time, an estimated arrival time for the vehicle to reach a destination location on the vehicle route; compare the estimated arrival time with the predefined time; and output a notification including information associated with a remote office located between the current vehicle location and the destination location in response to determining that the estimated arrival time is later than the predefined time.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising: A transceiver configured to receive a request from a user to activate a predefined vehicle mode; and Processor, the processor being configured to: Activate the predefined vehicle mode in response to receiving the request; It is determined that the user has scheduled an event at a predefined time based on calendar information associated with the user; Determine the estimated arrival time of the vehicle to its destination location on the vehicle route; Compare the estimated arrival time with the predefined time; as well as In response to determining that the estimated arrival time is later than the predefined time, a notification is output including information associated with a remote office located between the current vehicle location and the destination location.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the transceiver receives the request from the user via a user device or a vehicle human-machine interface (HMI).

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the transceiver is further configured to receive the calendar information associated with the user from the server.

4. The vehicle of claim 3, wherein the processor is further configured to: In response to activating the predefined vehicle mode, a calendar information request is output; In response to the request to output the calendar information, confirmation is obtained from the user; and The calendar information is obtained from the server in response to receiving the confirmation.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the event is at least one of the following: a scheduled meeting, a deadline, or a task to be completed.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the destination location is at least one of the following: the user's office location or the event location.

7. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the processor determines the estimated arrival time to the destination location based on at least one of: the distance between the current vehicle location and the destination location, real-time traffic information, or weather information.

8. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the processor outputs the notification on a user device or a vehicle human-machine interface (HMI).

9. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the information associated with the remote office includes at least one of the following: a geographic location associated with the remote office, an estimated travel time from the current vehicle location to the remote office, user ratings or feedback associated with the remote office, information associated with amenities at the remote office, or parking availability at the remote office.

10. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to: Identify multiple remote offices located between the current vehicle location and the destination location; Select the remote office from the plurality of remote offices; and The notification is output in response to the selection of the remote office.

11. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the processor selects the remote office based on at least one of the following: a user's historical selection of remote offices, user preferences, historical user driving patterns, the distance between the remote office and the current vehicle location, the estimated travel time from the current vehicle location to the remote office, user ratings or feedback associated with the remote office, information associated with amenities at the remote office, parking availability at the remote office, or the predefined time.

12. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to: In response to the output of the notification, the user accepts permission to go to the remote office; and In response to receiving the user's acceptance, the vehicle is navigated from its current location to a geographic location associated with the remote office.

13. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the processor outputs the notification before the vehicle begins to travel on the vehicle route.

14. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the processor outputs the notification while the vehicle is traveling on the vehicle route.

15. A method comprising: The predefined vehicle mode is activated by the processor in response to a request from the user to activate a predefined vehicle mode associated with the vehicle. The processor determines, based on calendar information associated with the user, that the user has scheduled an event at a predefined time; The processor determines the estimated arrival time of the vehicle to its destination location on the vehicle route; The processor compares the estimated arrival time with the predefined time. as well as The processor outputs a notification, including information associated with a remote office located between the current vehicle location and the destination location, in response to determining that the estimated arrival time is later than the predefined time.

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