SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR APPLYING VEHICLE SETTINGS - Patent application

Abstract

The disclosure provides, in one aspect, a computer-implemented method for modifying vehicle settings for a vehicle, the method including identifying a vehicle occupant having a personalized set of vehicle settings for the vehicle, identifying condition qualifiers associated with the vehicle occupant and the personalized set of vehicle settings, and applying vehicle settings from the set of vehicle settings based on the condition qualifiers, the condition qualifiers comprising a first condition qualifier and a second condition qualifier, the first condition qualifier associated with a seating location of the vehicle occupant and the second condition qualifier associated with a vehicle condition.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] (CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS) This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 17 / 474,900, filed September 14, 2021. The disclosure of the prior application is considered part of (and is incorporated by reference into) the disclosure of this application.

[0002] (Field) The present disclosure relates generally to applying vehicle settings, and more particularly to applying vehicle settings based on vehicle occupancy, and even more particularly to applying vehicle settings based on occupant identification and conditional modifiers. [Background technology]

[0003] (background) Vehicles offer a variety of settings and features that improve safety, comfort, and enjoyment for vehicle occupants. Vehicle settings and features include controls for adjusting seat tilt, angle, position, hardness, and temperature, adjusting cabin temperature, airflow, and airflow direction, enabling / disabling airbag deployment based on vehicle occupancy, configuring pre-set audio stations and other audio and music settings, adjusting user interface (UI) settings and visual display settings, adjusting WiFi settings, angle and tilt of side and rearview mirrors, controlling windows, steering wheel tilt, and temperature, etc. However, it remains desirable to develop further improvements and advancements in the context of personalizing vehicle settings for occupants to overcome shortcomings of known techniques and provide additional benefits.

[0004] This section is intended to introduce various aspects of the art that may be related to the present disclosure. The discussion is believed to help provide a framework to facilitate a better understanding of certain aspects of the present disclosure. As such, it should be understood that this section is to be read in this light, and not necessarily as admissions of prior art. Summary of the Invention [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] Below are examples of systems and methods for applying vehicle settings according to the present disclosure.

[0006] According to one aspect, the present disclosure provides a computer-implemented method for applying vehicle settings, the computer-implemented method including identifying a vehicle occupant having a personalized set of vehicle settings for the vehicle, identifying a condition qualifier associated with the vehicle occupant and the personalized set of vehicle settings, and applying a vehicle setting from the set of vehicle settings based on the condition qualifier.

[0007] According to an exemplary embodiment, the condition qualifier is associated with the seating location of a vehicle occupant.

[0008] According to an exemplary embodiment, the condition qualifier comprises a first condition qualifier and a second condition qualifier, the first condition qualifier being associated with a seating location of a vehicle occupant and the second condition qualifier being associated with a vehicle condition.

[0009] According to an exemplary embodiment, the vehicle condition is the vehicle cabin temperature.

[0010] According to an example embodiment, applying the vehicle settings includes applying the vehicle settings to a first zone within the vehicle, the first zone being associated with a seating location of a vehicle occupant.

[0011] According to an exemplary embodiment, applying the vehicle settings includes applying the vehicle settings to a plurality of zones within the vehicle, at least one of the plurality of zones not including a seating location for a vehicle occupant.

[0012] According to an exemplary embodiment, identifying the vehicle occupant includes capturing a facial image of the vehicle occupant, retrieving a verified facial image of the vehicle occupant, and comparing the captured facial image of the vehicle occupant with the verified facial image of the vehicle occupant using a facial recognition algorithm.

[0013] According to an example embodiment, identifying the vehicle includes identifying an electronic device associated with the vehicle.

[0014] According to an example embodiment, identifying the vehicle includes prompting a vehicle occupant to provide authentication credentials, retrieving the vehicle occupant's verified authentication credentials, and comparing the provided authentication credentials to the verified authentication credentials.

[0015] According to an example embodiment, the condition qualifier further comprises a third condition qualifier, the third condition qualifier being associated with a seating location of another vehicle occupant.

[0016] According to an exemplary embodiment, applying the vehicle settings includes identifying a first area within the vehicle associated with a seating location of a vehicle occupant, identifying a second area within the vehicle associated with a seating location of another vehicle occupant, applying the vehicle settings to the first area, and preventing the vehicle settings from being applied to the second area.

[0017] According to an exemplary embodiment, applying the vehicle settings further includes requesting confirmation from the vehicle applicant to apply the vehicle settings, and selectively applying the vehicle settings based on the confirmation provided by the vehicle occupant.

[0018] According to one aspect, the disclosure provides a non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform a method for applying vehicle settings for a vehicle, the method including identifying an identity of a vehicle occupant, retrieving a personalized set of vehicle settings associated with the vehicle occupant, identifying condition qualifiers associated with the vehicle occupant and the personalized set of vehicle settings, and applying vehicle settings from the personalized set of vehicle settings based on the condition qualifiers.

[0019] According to an exemplary embodiment, the condition qualifier comprises a first condition qualifier and a second condition qualifier, the first condition qualifier being associated with a seating location of a vehicle occupant and the second condition qualifier being associated with a vehicle condition.

[0020] According to an example embodiment, applying the vehicle settings includes applying the vehicle settings to a first zone within the vehicle, the first zone being associated with a seating location of a vehicle occupant.

[0021] According to an exemplary embodiment, identifying the vehicle occupant includes capturing a facial image of the vehicle occupant, retrieving a verified facial image of the vehicle occupant, and comparing the captured facial image of the vehicle occupant with the verified facial image of the vehicle occupant using a facial recognition algorithm.

[0022] According to an example embodiment, the condition qualifier further comprises a third condition qualifier, the third condition qualifier being associated with a seating location of another vehicle occupant.

[0023] According to an exemplary embodiment, applying the vehicle settings further includes requesting confirmation from the vehicle applicant to apply the vehicle settings, and selectively applying the vehicle settings based on the confirmation provided by the vehicle occupant.

[0024] Embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying figures. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0025] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a flowchart of one embodiment of a method for identifying passengers and their associated user profiles or accounts according to the present disclosure, including generating, configuring, and applying their associated vehicle settings based on conditional qualifiers.

[0026] [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a flow chart of an embodiment of a method for sending a request to an external party using a vehicle identification number (VIN), a user identification (User ID), or a combination of both, according to the present disclosure.

[0027] [Figure 3A] FIG. 3A is a top view of the open interior of a vehicle equipped with a single camera embodiment of a system and method for identifying occupants and applying their associated sets of vehicle settings according to the present disclosure.

[0028] [Figure 3B] FIG. 3B is a top view of the open interior of the vehicle illustrated in FIG. 3A further equipped with a multi-camera embodiment of the system and method for identifying occupants and applying their associated sets of vehicle settings according to the present disclosure.

[0029] [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a top view of the open interior of a vehicle equipped with a camera-less embodiment of a system and method for identifying occupants based on their associated devices and applying their associated set of vehicle settings according to the present disclosure.

[0030] [Diagram 5]FIG. 5 is a top view of the open interior of a vehicle equipped with a hybrid embodiment of a system and method for identifying occupants based on facial recognition and / or associated devices and applying their associated set of vehicle settings in accordance with the present disclosure.

[0031] [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a top view of the open interior of a vehicle having multiple air vents for which settings can be personalized, controlled, and applied in accordance with an embodiment of the systems and methods of the present disclosure.

[0032] [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a top view of the open interior of a vehicle having multiple air vents and multiple zones, each zone associated with one or more controls or features that can be personalized, controlled, and applied, in accordance with an embodiment of the systems and methods of the present disclosure.

[0033] [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram of an interactive user interface (UI) display for a user profile or account having associated vehicle information for a passenger and vehicle setting information in accordance with the present disclosure.

[0034] [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a block diagram of an example computing device or system for implementing systems and / or methods for applying vehicle settings according to the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0035] Throughout the drawings, at times, only one or less than all instances of an element visible in the figure are designated by a leader line and reference letter for simplicity only and to avoid clutter, however, in such cases, it should be understood that every other instance is likewise designated and encompassed by the corresponding description, in accordance with the corresponding description. (Detailed Description)

[0036] The systems and methods for applying vehicle settings disclosed herein generally include identifying occupants or objects in a vehicle and applying their associated vehicle settings to one or more areas in the vehicle, where the vehicle settings are further based on conditional modifiers associated with the occupants or objects. The conditional modifiers function to modify the vehicle settings that are applied based on triggering one or more conditions. Examples of conditional modifiers include, but are not limited to, the location of the occupants or objects in the vehicle, the combination of occupants and objects in the vehicle, environmental conditions such as time of day, season, type of weather, or temperature inside / outside the vehicle, type of trip that may affect the occupant's outfit and thus may affect the automobile settings such as the cabin temperature, e.g., having a lower temperature setting potentially for a suitable outfit when commuting to work or wearing workout outfits while returning home after a workout or hiking trip, and / or other factors that may affect the comfort, safety, enjoyment, or desired environment for the occupants or objects in the vehicle. In one example aspect, an occupant or object may have an associated set of vehicle settings that are triggered based on multiple conditions, such as where they are seated in the vehicle (e.g., driver's seat, passenger seat, middle or back row seat, center seat, window seat, multiple seats), in combination with other factors such as environmental conditions (e.g., outside vehicle temperature, time of day) or the number and / or identity of other occupants in the vehicle.

[0037] 1 is a flow chart of one embodiment of a method 100 for configuring, creating, modifying, and applying vehicle settings according to the present disclosure. Method 100 includes an initial step 110 of identifying one or more occupants present in the vehicle. Embodiments for identifying vehicle occupants include, but are not limited to, facial recognition, manual sign-in or self-identification, and / or detecting a device associated with the occupant, such as a key fob, smartphone, smartwatch, tablet, laptop, or other electronic device. For example, vehicles may be equipped with cameras and facial recognition algorithms to identify occupants and objects inside the vehicle, and vehicles may be equipped with WiFi, Bluetooth, Near Field Communication (NFC), Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), and / or other wireless communication standards for use in passively or actively detecting devices associated with occupants or objects, such as key fobs, smartphones, smart watches, tablets, laptops, or other electronic devices; similarly, occupants may self-identify themselves, such as by using voice commands or manual sign-in through the in-vehicle system, or may sign in remotely using a software application running on a laptop, tablet, smartphone, or other electronic device that communicates with the vehicle.

[0038] Method 100 may make an assessment 120 as to whether the passenger is identifiable. Passengers identified as having an associated user profile or account may then be provided access to their associated vehicle settings via an interactive in-vehicle display or via a remote display, such as on a display of an electronic device, such as a laptop, tablet, smartphone, smartwatch, and / or other electronic device that launches a software application that communicates with the vehicle. Method 100 includes a further step 150 for the user / passenger to access their account (or create a new account via step 140) and create or modify an associated set of vehicle settings. In some embodiments, after a passenger is identified as having an associated user profile or account, the passenger may be further prompted to confirm or prove their identity using a password or other authentication method to sign in or access their account.

[0039] When it is not possible to identify the passenger, method 100 may include a further step 130 of prompting the passenger to self-identify if they already have an existing user profile or account. If the unidentified passenger identifies an associated user profile or account, the passenger may be further prompted to provide a password or complete an authentication process to gain access to the user profile or account. Upon gaining access to the user profile or account, the passenger may then proceed to step 150, which allows the passenger to modify or create an associated set of vehicle settings.

[0040] If the passenger is unidentifiable, has no associated user profile or account, or otherwise desires to create a new user profile or account, method 100 may take the further step 140 of prompting the passenger as to whether they wish to create a new user profile or account. If the passenger wishes to create a new profile or account, method 100 may retain data acquired for purposes of identifying the passenger, such as an image taken for facial recognition purposes, or metadata of electronic devices associated with the passenger. Such data may be stored in memory local to the vehicle, on a remote database or server, in the cloud, on a portable storage device such as a USB key or drive, and / or on a device associated with the user / passenger, such as on a laptop, tablet, or smartphone.

[0041] When creating a new profile, the method 100 may prompt the passenger to provide a desired username and password for use in accessing the new user profile or account. Such a prompt may be provided to an electronic device, such as a smartphone, smartwatch, tablet, laptop, or other electronic device in communication with the vehicle, via an in-vehicle system, such as a dashboard console or display, or remotely. In some embodiments, the systems and methods disclosed herein include generating and issuing an identification tag or unique ID, such as a user ID, to be associated with the user profile or account, either at the time of profile or account creation, or subsequently, optionally upon request from the user / passenger, allowing the user an additional measure of privacy. In some embodiments, the user / passenger may receive an automatically generated identification tag or unique ID, or be prompted to request a new identification tag or unique ID. Thus, rather than being able to create a user profile or account without typing in any personal information, a user / passenger may rely on an identification tag or unique ID to access their profile or account, which serves to obfuscate any personal information of the user / passenger and / or provide a measure of privacy from personal information otherwise associated with a personalized vehicle configuration. The associated user / passenger may then use the identification tag or unique ID to log into their associated user profile or account, optionally using an additional authentication method such as a password. In some embodiments, the identification tag or unique ID is associated with a vehicle identification number (VIN). In some embodiments, the identification tag or unique ID is based on the VIN. In some embodiments, the user / passenger may selectively choose to share only a portion of their personal information, in which case the vehicle associated with the user configuration is identified only by the license plate number associated with the vehicle.In some embodiments, a user / passenger may selectively choose to share only some of their personal information, in which case the vehicle associated with the user configuration is identified only by the VIN associated with the vehicle. In some embodiments, a user / passenger may selectively choose not to share any of their personal information, in which case the vehicle associated with the user configuration is identified only by a uniquely generated identification tag or unique ID.

[0042] Once a user profile or account has been created, the rider may access step 150 and create and / or modify an associated set of vehicle settings. If the rider does not wish to create a user profile or account, method 100 terminates activity with the rider in final step 142. In one embodiment, when the new rider does not wish to create a new user profile or account, the systems and methods disclosed herein delete or remove any information stored in association with the new rider, for example, deleting any images that may have been taken for purposes of identifying the new rider using facial recognition or otherwise obfuscating any identifying image of the rider in any reserved images, and / or deleting any metadata obtained from electronic devices associated with the new rider.

[0043] Step 150 allows the passenger to create and modify vehicle settings configurations for their user account or profile. Vehicle settings include, but are not limited to, seat settings (tilt, hardness, displacement along floor, height above floor, head rest position, heater, etc.), HVAC settings (e.g., temperature, air conditioning on / off, airflow strength, airflow direction, vents open / closed, etc.), audio settings (e.g., pre-configured AM / FM / satellite radio settings, pre-configured apps for music, pre-configured music or playlists, volume, bass, etc.), mirror settings (e.g., side and rearview mirror angle, tilt, and displacement), steering wheel settings (e.g., heater, steering wheel angle, steering wheel displacement, etc.), user interface (UI) settings (e.g., colors and symbols used to display information on the dashboard or other in-vehicle display, type of information displayed, where the information is displayed, etc.), connectivity settings (e.g., WiFi, Bluetooth, etc.), and any other vehicle settings that a user may modify to change the environment within the automobile.

[0044] Each set of vehicle settings is associated with one or more conditional modifiers that enable the systems and methods disclosed herein to identify an associated set of vehicle settings to apply for a given passenger. Thus, the user / passenger provides conditions associated with their personalized set of vehicle settings, enabling the systems and methods disclosed herein to automatically identify the settings the user / passenger desires to use. For example, the user / passenger may generate different sets of HVAC settings for conditions to apply based on one or more conditions, such as outside temperature, in combination with where the user / passenger is seated in the vehicle, or simply based on outside temperature alone. Thus, the user / passenger may generate a first set of HVAC settings, conditioned on being the driver and the only passenger in the vehicle, in combination with an outside temperature of 25 degrees Celsius or higher; a second set of HVAC settings, conditioned on being the driver and the only passenger in the vehicle and the outside temperature being minus 5 degrees Celsius or lower; a third set of HVAC settings, conditioned on being the driver and the presence of one or more other passengers in the vehicle, and so on.

[0045] Conditional modifiers include, but are not limited to, conditions inside the vehicle, such as where a vehicle occupant is seated within the vehicle (e.g., driver's seat, passenger seat, middle or back row seat, center seat, window seat, multiple seats), the number and / or identity of other occupants in the vehicle, and / or conditions outside the vehicle, such as environmental conditions (e.g., outside vehicle temperature, time of day, season), or other conditions / factors that may affect how a vehicle occupant may want to adjust their environment within the vehicle.

[0046] Some vehicle settings, such as seat settings, are necessarily localized to a particular location within the vehicle. Other settings, such as HVAC settings, can be both localized to a particular area or zone within the vehicle, or can be more universally applied across the entire vehicle. For example, HVAC settings for climate control and maximum airflow can be applied to all air vents within the vehicle, or simply to the vents for an area or zone within the vehicle associated with a passenger, such as the zone or zone associated with the driver's seat. Thus, users / passengers can additionally create or modify a set of vehicle settings to apply only locally to where they are seated or other areas or zones within the vehicle.

[0047] Method 100 further includes a step 160 for monitoring conditional qualifiers associated with any of the sets of vehicle settings related to any involved passenger's activated user profile and account. The vehicle may monitor such conditional qualifiers using sensors such as cameras, proximity sensors, or other location sensors and devices to determine the seat, area, or zone of the vehicle in which the passenger is located, may use temperature sensors to monitor the vehicle's exterior and interior temperatures, may interpret clocks, calendars, or other timing information to determine the time of day or season, etc. In some embodiments, the systems and methods disclosed herein continuously monitor the conditional qualifiers in real time. In some embodiments, the systems and methods disclosed herein monitor the conditional qualifiers at preset time intervals, such as monitoring the condition once every 30 seconds.

[0048] Method 100 may further include step 170 for determining whether a change in the conditional modifier is sufficient to trigger a different set of associated vehicle settings. For example, upon entering the vehicle, a passenger may sit in a seat in the rear row on the passenger side of the vehicle, triggering a first set of associated vehicle settings based on the conditions of where the passenger sits. However, during the ride, the passenger may shift their position in the rear row from the passenger side to the driver's side, and the systems and methods disclosed herein can monitor and detect the seat change and further assess whether a particular change in seat conditions triggers a different set of associated vehicle settings for the passenger. If the conditional modifier triggers a change to a different set of associated vehicle settings, method 100 includes a further step 180 of applying the associated set of vehicle settings. After the settings have been applied (or not applied), method 100 continues to monitor the conditional modifier via step 160. In some embodiments, the associated set of vehicle settings is automatically applied without prompting the passenger. In some embodiments, the systems and methods disclosed herein prompt a passenger to confirm whether they want to apply changes in the vehicle settings, such as by prompting the passenger with an audio or visual cue. In some embodiments, the audio or visual cue is provided via an in-vehicle audio or display system, such as a dashboard console or display. In some embodiments, the audio or visual cue is provided remotely, such as via an app running on a laptop, tablet, smartphone, smartwatch, and / or other electronic device associated with the passenger.

[0049] Method 100 includes step 190 for selectively navigating the passenger back to step 150 to modify or generate a set of vehicle settings for the user's associated user profile or account. Although method 100 depicts engaging in step 190 after applying any vehicle settings in step 180, this is merely for illustrative purposes and one skilled in the art will understand that the user / passenger may access their user profile or account to change settings virtually at any time. In some embodiments, the user / passenger may access their settings remotely outside the vehicle via a laptop, tablet, smartphone, smartwatch, and / or other electronic device that runs a software app that is communicatively coupled to the vehicle. In some embodiments, the systems and methods disclosed herein include a safety feature that limits the driver's access to change settings while the automobile is in motion in an attempt to prevent distracted driving.

[0050] Method 100 may also include step 182 of exiting or disabling the methods and systems disclosed herein for manually changing and controlling vehicle settings. Such manual override may be accessed or engaged at any time.

[0051] FIG. 2 is a flow chart of an embodiment of a method 200 for a vehicle occupant to communicate with an external party or third party that may obfuscate or limit the amount of personal information shared with the external party or third party according to the present disclosure. The method 200 includes an initial step 210 of identifying one or more occupants present in the vehicle and a subsequent step 220 of determining whether the occupants have a VIN-derived user ID. For example, in response to a driver starting the engine, the systems and methods disclosed herein may identify one or more occupants, such as by using facial recognition, and then subsequently proceed to determining whether the occupants have an associated VIN-derived user ID. If the occupant does not have a VIN-derived user ID, the method 200 proceeds to step 230, generates a VIN-derived user ID, and then proceeds to step 240. If a determination is made that the occupant already has a VIN-derived user ID, the method 200 instead skips step 230 and proceeds directly from step 220 to step 240.

[0052] In light of the occupant having a VIN-derived user ID, method 200 further includes step 240 of assessing whether the occupant also has a personal user ID. If the method determines that the occupant has a personal user ID, the occupant may proceed to step 260 for communicating with an external party via a number of options. If the method determines that the occupant does not have a personal user ID, the method proceeds to step 250 and prompts the occupant as to whether they wish to generate a personal user ID, after which the occupant may proceed to step 260 for communicating with an external party via an option associated with their decision as to whether to generate a personal user ID.

[0053] A passenger who is determined to already have a personal user ID via step 240, or who elects to generate a personal user ID via step 250, may proceed to step 260 for communicating with an external party, and may selectively communicate with the external party using any one of steps 260a, 260b, or 260c. In particular, step 260a communicates with the external party using the passenger's VIN-derived user ID and personal user ID, step 260b communicates with the external party using only the passenger's personal user ID, and step 260c communicates with the external party using only the passenger's VIN-derived user ID. In this regard, the passenger may select a mode of communication that obfuscates the level of personal information shared with the external party. For example, a passenger who elects to communicate with the external party via step 260c need only share their VIN-derived user ID, which acts to obfuscate their personal information from the external party. In other words, communications to external parties are anonymized based on the VIN-derived user ID, and the communications are considered to originate from the vehicle, rather than a specific person or occupant. Conversely, the personal user ID may be associated with personal information that the occupant may willingly share with external parties if the occupant elects to communicate using their personal user ID via steps 260a or 260b. Occupants who elect not to generate a personal user ID via step 250 are limited to communicating with external parties in step 260 using only their VIN-derived user ID via step 260c, and therefore cannot take advantage of either steps 260a or 260b, since such occupants would not have a personal user ID to associate with their communications.According to the present disclosure, occupants may communicate with external parties via any number of devices or interfaces or communication standards, including, but not limited to, in-vehicle systems such as dashboard interfaces and car seat interfaces, smartphones, smart watches, tablets, laptops, and other electronic devices, and wireless standards including at least 802.11, 3G, 4G, 5G, LTE, NFC, Bluetooth, WiFi, and RF.

[0054] Once the drive is completed via step 270, method 200 proceeds to step 280, where the passenger has various options for retaining data and information associated with the VIN-derived user ID, allowing the passenger to selectively choose one of steps 280a, 280b, and 280c. For example, via step 280a, the passenger can choose to retain their VIN-derived user ID and associate it with a stamp ID that is encrypted and stored with a memory associated with the vehicle, such as a local memory, a remote server or database, or a cloud-based memory system. In one embodiment, the stamp ID is a hash of a facial profile used to identify the passenger, so that when the passenger returns, their VIN-derived user ID can be retrieved from the memory associated with the vehicle based on the passenger's facial profile and the associated stamp ID. Via step 280b, the passenger may simply choose to retain their VIN-derived user ID and, optionally, have the VIN-derived user ID deleted after a period of inactivity. The rider may simply elect to delete their VIN-derived user ID, via step 280c. In one embodiment, the rider may pre-select the option to retain and / or delete their VIN-derived user ID under step 280, rather than waiting for step 270 when the ride ends.

[0055] 3A is a top view of an open interior of a vehicle 310 equipped with an embodiment of a system and method for applying vehicle settings according to the present disclosure. The vehicle 310 includes a first occupant 331 seated in a first seat 351, a second occupant 332 seated in a second seat 352, and a third occupant 333 seated in a third seat 353. Separate fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh seats 354, 355, 356, and 357 are unoccupied. The vehicle 310 is further equipped with a camera 321 for capturing facial images of the vehicle occupants, in particular for capturing facial images 341, 342, and 343 of the first, second, and third occupants 331, 332, and 333, respectively. Images 341, 342, and 343 are used to match the passenger with their associated user profile or account and their associated set of vehicle settings. If the image cannot be matched to a user profile or account, the passenger may be further prompted to self-identify or authenticate their user profile or account by other means, or to create a new account if no pre-existing user profile or account exists. In some embodiments, the camera captures a single facial image of the passenger. In some embodiments, the camera captures multiple facial images of the passenger.

[0056] Generally, facial recognition algorithms rely on capturing facial images or certain characteristics of facial images for comparison against previously captured facial images or their corresponding identifying characteristics associated with a confirmed identity. Thus, by capturing an image, facial recognition can attempt to compare whether the live image matches the confirmed identity. In one embodiment, the facial recognition algorithm compares a live image of the passenger / user to an image captured at the time of creating a user profile or account. In one embodiment, a live image of the confirmed user / passenger is captured to update a stored image used to confirm their identity. For example, a live image of the driver may be captured while driving, including capturing an image of the side of their face when looking over their shoulder.

[0057] 3B is a top view of the open interior of the embodiment of the vehicle 310 illustrated in FIG. 3A further equipped with multiple cameras, in particular a first camera 321, a second camera 322 mounted behind the seat 351, a third camera 323 mounted behind the seat 352, a fourth camera 324 mounted behind the seat 353, and a fifth camera 325 mounted behind the seat 354. The multi-camera embodiment may advantageously provide improved vantage points for capturing facial images of passengers, which may be located at vantage points within the vehicle that may be remote from or otherwise obscured from the view from the first camera 321 located in the front row of the vehicle. In this multi-camera embodiment, the first camera 321 captures facial images 341 and 342 of the first passenger 331 and the second passenger 332, respectively, and the third camera 323 captures facial image 343 of the third passenger 333. Facial images 341, 342, and 343 are used to match riders with their associated user profiles or accounts.

[0058] 4 is a top view of the open interior of a vehicle 410 equipped with an embodiment of a system and method for applying vehicle settings according to the present disclosure. The vehicle 410 includes the same passengers 331, 332, and 333, the same seats 351, 352, 353, 354, 355, 356, and 357, and the same seating arrangement as the vehicle 310 depicted in FIGS. 3A and 3B. However, the vehicle 410 does not include a camera 321 for capturing facial images of the passengers 331, 332, and 333 for use in matching the passengers to their associated user profiles or accounts using facial recognition algorithms. Rather, the vehicle 410 matches the passengers using different devices 461, 462, and 463 associated with each passenger. For example, a key fob 461 in close proximity to the vehicle 410 and associated with a first occupant 331 may be used to passively emit or receive a signal to identify when the first occupant 331 is in the vicinity of the vehicle 410 for use in matching the first occupant 331 to their associated user profile or account. A tablet 462 associated with a second occupant 332 may be used to passively emit or receive a signal to identify when the second occupant 332 is in the vicinity of the vehicle 410 for use in matching the second occupant 332 to their associated user profile or account. Alternatively, the second occupant 332 may launch a software application on the tablet 462 to remotely log into their associated user profile or account. Similarly, a smartphone 463 in close proximity to the vehicle 410 and further associated with a third occupant 333 may be used to passively emit or receive signals to identify when the third occupant 333 is in the vicinity of the vehicle 410, for use in matching the third occupant 333 to their associated user profile or account. Alternatively, the third occupant 333 may launch a software application on the smartphone 463 to remotely log into their associated user profile or account.Once a passenger has been identified with an associated user profile or account, or has created a new account, they may be further prompted to submit a password or other authentication details to gain access to their user profile or account to further create a new set of vehicle settings or modify an existing set of vehicle settings. In an embodiment, the passenger may be prompted to self-identify the seat in which they are seated. Embodiments of devices that may be associated with a passenger for use in identifying the passenger and matching them to their user profile or account include, but are not limited to, RFID tags, key fobs, smartphones, smart watches, plug-and-play devices such as laptops, tablets, USB keys, or other electronic devices having communication capabilities compatible with wireless communication standards such as 802.11, 3G, 4G, 5G, LTE, NFC, Bluetooth, WiFi, RF, or other communication standards or methods such as audible signals, for use in passively or actively identifying devices associated with the passenger.

[0059] Figure 5 is a top view of the open interior of a vehicle 510 equipped with an embodiment of a system and method for applying vehicle settings according to the present disclosure. Vehicle 510 includes the same occupants 331, 332, and 333, the same seats 351, 352, 353, 354, 355, 356, and 357, and the same seating arrangement as vehicle 310 depicted in Figures 3A and 3B and vehicle 410 depicted in Figure 4. Vehicle 510 uses facial recognition and / or detects devices associated with the occupants to match them to their associated user profiles or accounts. For example, camera 521 may capture facial images of passengers seated in first seat 351, second seat 352, third seat 353, or fourth seat 354, while second camera 524 and third camera 525 may be used to obtain facial images of passengers seated in fifth seat 355, sixth seat 356, and / or seventh seat 357. Alternatively, passengers may use other methods according to this disclosure to match themselves to their associated user profile or account. For example, camera 521 may capture facial image 541 of first passenger 331 for use in matching first passenger 331 to an associated user profile or account. The second occupant 332 may have an associated tablet 522 for use in passively emitting or receiving a signal to indicate that the second occupant 332 is in the vicinity of the vehicle 510, or alternatively, the second occupant 332 may use the tablet 522 to remotely log into their associated user profile or account. Similarly, the third occupant 333 may have an associated smartphone 523 for use in passively emitting or receiving a signal to indicate that the third occupant 333 is in the vicinity of the vehicle 510, or alternatively, the third occupant 333 may use the smartphone to remotely log into their associated user profile or account.

[0060] Figure 6 is a top view of the open interior of a vehicle 610 equipped with an embodiment of a system and method for applying vehicle settings according to the present disclosure. Vehicle 610 includes the same passengers 331, 332, and 333, the same seats 351, 352, 353, 354, 355, 356, and 357, and the same seating arrangement as vehicle 310 depicted in Figures 3A and 3B, vehicle 410 depicted in Figure 4, and vehicle 510 depicted in Figure 5. Vehicle 610 includes multiple air vents 681, 682, 683, 684, 685, 686, 687, and 688 that control airflow and otherwise moderate temperature within the vehicle. Depending on the vehicle settings, some vents may enable airflow, some vents may be closed or disabled and not allow any airflow, some vents may provide warm airflow, and some vents may provide cool or conditioned airflow. Additionally, airflow intensity and airflow direction may be set independently for each vent. For example, the first occupant 351 may prefer the first vent 681 to have airflow directed toward their center at a medium level of intensity. However, according to the present disclosure, the first occupant is not limited to personalizing one set of settings, but rather may create multiple settings associated with their user profile or account that are conditionally triggered.For example, a first occupant 331 may have a first set of vehicle settings that trigger when the first occupant is seated in seat 351 and the outside vehicle temperature is between 18 degrees Celsius and 23 degrees Celsius, and the first vent 681 is configured to direct airflow at low intensity, at medium temperature, and toward the center of the first occupant's 331 body, and a second set of vehicle settings that trigger when the first occupant is seated in seat 351 and the outside vehicle temperature is above 23 degrees Celsius, and the first vent 681 is configured to direct airflow toward the face of the first occupant 331 at low intensity and in a conditioned room. and a third set of vehicle settings that triggers when the first occupant 331 is seated in any one of the seats 353, 354, 355, 356, or 357, and the seventh vent 687 and the eighth vent 688 are both turned off and the fifth vent 685 and the sixth vent 686 are both emitting airflow at a low intensity setting. The second occupant 332 and the third occupant 333 may similarly generate sets of personalized vehicle settings, including associated settings for the vents, and having associated conditions that modify which vents need to be turned on / off.

[0061] A personalized set of vehicle settings is not limited to air vents, for example, the first occupant 331 may have preferred seat settings regarding backrest hardness and angle that may be applied to the given seat in which he or she is seated. Settings within a vehicle that may be personalized include, but are not limited to, seat settings (tilt, hardness, displacement along the floor, height above the floor, head rest position, heater, etc.), HVAC settings (e.g., temperature, air conditioning on / off, airflow strength, airflow direction, vents open / closed, etc.), audio settings (e.g., pre-configured AM / FM / satellite radio settings, pre-configured apps for music, pre-configured music or playlists, volume, bass, etc.), mirror settings (e.g., angle, tilt, and displacement of side and rearview mirrors), steering wheel settings (e.g., heater, steering wheel angle, steering wheel displacement, etc.), user interface (UI) settings (e.g., colors and symbols used to display information on the dashboard or other in-vehicle display, type of information displayed, location where the information is displayed, etc.), connectivity settings (e.g., WiFi, Bluetooth, etc.), and any other vehicle settings that a user may modify to change the environment within the automobile.

[0062] In some embodiments, when a condition triggers to modify the set of applied vehicle settings, the new settings are automatically applied. In some embodiments, when a condition triggers to modify the set of applied vehicle settings, the associated occupant is prompted to confirm whether they wish to apply the new settings or keep their current settings. Embodiments of conditions that modify the set of applied vehicle settings include, but are not limited to, conditions inherent to the vehicle, such as where the occupant is seated within the vehicle (e.g., driver's seat, passenger seat, middle or back row seat, center seat, window seat, multiple seats), the number and / or identity of other occupants in the vehicle, and / or conditions external to the vehicle, such as environmental conditions (e.g., outside temperature of the vehicle, time of day, season) or other conditions / factors that may affect how the vehicle occupant may wish to adjust their environment within the vehicle. Thus, occupants / users can create or modify a personalized set of vehicle settings with their user profile or account that may be automatically (or manually) applied when an associated conditional modifier is triggered.

[0063] 7 is a top view of the open interior of a vehicle 710 equipped with an embodiment of a system and method for applying vehicle settings according to the present disclosure. Vehicle 710 includes the same seats 351, 352, 353, 354, 355, 356, and 357 as vehicles 310, 410, 510, and 610 depicted in FIGS. 3A-3B, 4, 5, and 6, respectively, and includes the same air vents 681-688 depicted in FIG. 6. Vehicle 710 is further illustrated as having a number of zones 791, 792, 793, 794, 795, and 796, depicted generally as rectangular dashed lines forming a perimeter around the seats or general area within vehicle 710. Each zone may be associated with one or more aspects of the vehicle settings within the vehicle that are located within the particular zone. For example, the first zone 791 is associated with the first seat 351 and the first vent 681, the second zone 792 is associated with the second seat 352 and the second vent 682, etc. Some vehicle features may also be associated with more than one zone. For example, the fifth vent 685 may be associated with either the fourth zone 794 or the fifth zone 795. Similarly, the sixth vent 686 may be associated with either the third zone 793 or the fifth zone 795.

[0064] A zone may provide additional control of how a set of vehicle settings may be applied. For example, a passenger seated in the fourth seat 354 may be limited to apply their personalized set of vehicle settings only to the controls and features in the associated fourth zone 794. In some embodiments, a set of vehicle settings may be applied to more than one zone. For example, a passenger seated in the fourth seat 354 may apply their personalized set of vehicle settings to the controls and features in other zones if certain criteria are met, regardless of whether the passenger is seated in the other zones, etc. For example, a passenger seated in the fourth seat 354 may apply their personalized set of vehicle settings to the controls and features in their own associated zone 794 and in the third zone 793, provided that no passenger is seated in the third seat 353. Similarly, a driver seated in the first seat 351 may apply their personalized set of vehicle settings to the first zone 791, and potentially to all other zones in the vehicle, depending on the vehicle occupancy. In an embodiment, the first user may apply their settings to the zone associated with the second user, depending on authorization from the second user. In an embodiment, the driver or an authorized user may create, modify, or apply a set of vehicle settings for all zones in the vehicle without requiring authorization from other passengers. In an embodiment, one or more sensors are used to detect the presence of a passenger in a particular zone. In an embodiment, the sensors may include cameras, pressure sensors, seat sensors, heat sensors, proximity sensors, and other sensors known in the art to localize and otherwise identify the location of a passenger in the vehicle.

[0065] 8 is a schematic diagram of a user interface (UI) 800 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The UI 800 includes multiple UI panels 801, 802, 803, 804, 805, and 806 that display temperature, time, and date, and provide interactive information related to a user profile, associated vehicle settings, and other vehicle performance indicators. In particular, a first panel 801 includes profile or user information related to an associated occupant, a second panel 802 provides an indication of a driving mode associated with the occupant and the vehicle, a third panel 803 provides an indication of a vehicle fuel status, a fourth panel 804 provides an indication of a set of vehicle settings associated with the occupant for one or more air vents, i.e., settings related to temperature, fan speed, and airflow direction, a fifth panel 805 provides an indication of the audio system, including a current playlist, artist, song title, and album, and a sixth panel 806 may be customizable for each associated occupant direction. The rider may configure the UI panel 806 to display particular information in particular locations within the panel, including adjusting various aspects of the information displayed within the panel, such as the size, color, tint, and type of associated symbology used to display the information. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that FIG. 7 is but one implementation of an interactive UI display for a user profile or account with an associated set of vehicle settings, and that virtually limitless design variations are possible without departing from the scope of the disclosure herein.

[0066] The UI 800 may be provided on a display associated with the vehicle, such as on an interactive dashboard console or other display, such as a touch screen display, located within the vehicle. The UI 800 may also be deployed as part of a software application running on a smartphone, smartwatch, tablet, laptop, or other electronic device that may communicate remotely with the vehicle. In an embodiment, the UI display includes multiple UI display panels, each of which is customizable. In an embodiment, a passenger may create a new user profile or account, including creating an associated set of vehicle settings. In an embodiment, a user may remotely access their user profile or account from an electronic device and create or modify their associated set of vehicle settings. In an embodiment, a user may remotely create a new user profile or account from an electronic device and subsequently create or modify an associated set of vehicle settings.

[0067] FIG. 9 is a block diagram of an example computerized device or system 900 that may be used in implementing one or more aspects or components of an embodiment of a system and method for applying vehicle settings, such as may be implemented on at least one of vehicles 310, 410, 510, 610, and 710, according to the present disclosure.

[0068] The computerized system 900 may include one or more of a processor 902, a memory 904, a mass storage device 910, an input / output (I / O) interface 906, and a communication subsystem 908. Additionally, the system 900 may comprise more than one, such as multiple processors 902 and / or multiple memories 904. The processor 902 may comprise one or more of a digital processor, an analog processor, a digital circuit designed to process information, an analog circuit designed to process information, a state machine, and / or other mechanisms for electronically processing information. These processing units may be physically located within the same device, or the processor 902 may represent the processing functionality of multiple devices acting in conjunction. The processor 902 may be configured to execute modules or otherwise perform functionality according to the modules through software, hardware, firmware, some combination of software, hardware, and / or firmware, and / or other mechanisms for configuring processing power on the processor 902, and may include one or more physical processors during execution of processor-readable instructions, processor-readable instructions, circuitry, hardware, storage media, or any other components.

[0069] One or more of the components or subsystems of the computerized system 900 may be interconnected using one or more buses 912 or in any other suitable manner.

[0070] The bus 912 may be one or more of any type of several bus architectures, including a memory bus, a storage bus, a memory controller bus, a peripheral bus, or the like. The CPU 902 may comprise any type of electronic data processor. The memory 904 may comprise 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, or the like. In one embodiment, the memory may include ROM for use at boot-up and DRAM for program and data storage for use while executing programs.

[0071] The mass storage device 910 may comprise any type of storage device configured to store data, programs, and other information and make the data, programs, and other information accessible via the bus 912. The mass storage device 910 may comprise one or more of a solid state drive, a hard disk drive, a magnetic disk drive, an optical disk drive, or the like. In some embodiments, the data, programs, and other information may be stored remotely, for example, in the cloud. The computerized system 900 may transmit information to and receive information from the remote storage device in any suitable manner, including over a network via the communications subsystem 908 or via other data communications media.

[0072] The I / O interface 906 may provide an interface to enable wired and / or wireless communication between the computerized system 900 and one or more other devices or systems. For example, the I / O interface 906 may be used to communicatively couple to a sensor, such as a camera or video camera. Additionally, additional or fewer interfaces may be utilized. For example, one or more serial interfaces (not shown), such as a Universal Serial Bus (USB), may be provided.

[0073] The computerized system 900 may be used to configure, operate, control, monitor, sense, and / or regulate devices, systems, and / or methods according to the present disclosure.

[0074] The communications subsystem 908 may provide for either or both transmitting and receiving signals via any form or medium of digital data communication, including a communications network. Examples of communications networks include local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs), internal networks such as the Internet, and peer-to-peer networks such as ad-hoc peer-to-peer networks. The communications subsystem 908 may include any component or collection of components for enabling communication via one or more wired and wireless interfaces. These interfaces include, but are not limited to, USB, Ethernet (e.g., IEEE 802.3), High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI), Firewire (e.g., IEEE 1394), Thunderbolt, and the like. TM ,Wifi TM (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 Communications (DSRC). The communications subsystem 908 may include one or more ports or other components (not shown) for one or more wired connections. Additionally or alternatively, the communications subsystem 908 may include one or more transmitters, receivers, and / or antenna elements (none of which are shown).

[0075] The computerized system 900 of Figure 9 is an example only 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 of skill in the art.

[0076] In the preceding description, for purposes of explanation, numerous details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that these specific details are not required. In other instances, well-known electrical structures and circuits are shown in block diagram form in order not to obscure the understanding. For example, specific details are not provided about whether the embodiments described herein are implemented as a software routine, a hardware circuit, firmware, or a combination thereof.

[0077] An embodiment of the present disclosure can be represented as a computer program product stored in a machine-readable medium (also referred to as a computer-readable medium, a processor-readable medium, or a computer usable medium having computer-readable program code embodied therein). The machine-readable medium can be any suitable tangible, non-transitory medium, including magnetic, optical, or electrical storage media, including diskettes, compact disk read-only memories (CD-ROMs), memory devices (volatile or non-volatile), or similar storage mechanisms. The machine-readable medium can contain various sets of instructions, code sequences, configuration information, or other data that, when executed, cause a processor to perform steps in a method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that other instructions and operations necessary to implement the described implementations can also be stored on the machine-readable medium. The instructions stored on the machine-readable medium can be executed by a processor or other suitable processing device and can interface with circuitry to perform the described tasks.

[0078] The above-described embodiments are intended to be examples only. Alterations, modifications, and variations may be effected to the particular embodiments by those of skill in the art without departing from the scope, which is defined solely by the claims appended hereto.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method (100) for applying vehicle settings, said method (100) comprising: Identifying a vehicle occupant (110) with a personalized set of vehicle settings for the vehicle (310); identifying (160) condition qualifiers associated with the vehicle occupant and the personalized set of vehicle settings, the condition qualifiers comprising a first condition qualifier and a second condition qualifier, the first condition qualifier being associated with a seating location of the vehicle occupant and the second condition qualifier being associated with a vehicle condition; applying (180) a vehicle setting from the set of vehicle settings based on the condition qualifier, wherein applying the vehicle setting further comprises: requesting confirmation from the vehicle occupant to apply the vehicle settings; selectively applying the vehicle settings based on the confirmation provided by the vehicle occupant; and Including A computer-implemented method (100) comprising:

2. The computer-implemented method (100) of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle condition is a cabin temperature of the vehicle.

3. 2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein applying the vehicle settings includes applying the vehicle settings to a first zone within the vehicle, the first zone being associated with the seating location of the vehicle occupant.

4. 2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein applying the vehicle settings includes applying the vehicle settings to a plurality of zones within the vehicle, at least one of the plurality of zones not including the seating location of the vehicle occupant.

5. Identifying the vehicle occupant includes: capturing a facial image of the vehicle occupant; retrieving a verified facial image of the vehicle occupant; comparing the captured facial image of the vehicle occupant with the verified facial image of the vehicle occupant using a facial recognition algorithm; The computer-implemented method (100) of claim 1, comprising:

6. The computer-implemented method (100) of claim 1 , wherein identifying the vehicle occupant includes identifying an electronic device associated with the vehicle occupant.

7. Identifying the vehicle occupant includes: prompting the vehicle occupant to provide authentication credentials; retrieving verified authentication credentials of said vehicle occupant; comparing the provided authentication credentials with the verified authentication credentials; The computer-implemented method (100) of claim 1, comprising:

8. The computer-implemented method (100) of claim 1, wherein the condition qualifiers further comprise a third condition qualifier, the third condition qualifier being associated with a seating location of another vehicle occupant.

9. Applying the vehicle setting includes: identifying a first zone (791) within the vehicle associated with a seating location of the vehicle occupant; identifying a second zone (792) within the vehicle associated with a seating location of the other vehicle occupant; applying the vehicle settings to the first area (791); preventing said vehicle settings from being applied to said second area (792); The computer-implemented method (100) of claim 8, comprising:

10. A system (900), comprising: A processor (902) a memory (904) storing processor (902) executable instructions, the instructions, when executed by the processor (902), causing the processor (902) to perform a method (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 9; A system (900) comprising:

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform a method (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

Images