Abstract: Vehicular navigation system updating system includes condition detectors that detect presence of an object or condition potentially interfering with movement of vehicles on a roadway, each condition detector being located on or alongside the roadway or in a vehicle. A signal, data or information about the detected presence of the object or condition is transmitted to a remote site at which a processor generates an update for a map based on the detected presence of the object or condition and directs communication of the map update to vehicles in a vicinity of a location at which the condition detector detected the presence of the object or condition. The vehicular navigation system of each vehicle uses the map with the map update to display or otherwise indicate the presence of the object or condition. Another map update is generated when the absence of the object or condition is determined.

Abstract: Electrical system for a vehicle that provides power and communications to vehicular devices includes a (singular) electrical bus having elongate wires, and connector assemblies situated at different locations along the wires. The connector assemblies include a splice housing defining an inlet and outlet for the wires, the wires passing from the inlet to the outlet through the splice housing without being interrupted, and a connector attached to the splice housing. An electrical conduit, such as one or more wires, is attached at one end region to each connector and at an opposite end region to a respective cluster or cluster control unit. Each cluster or cluster control unit is electrically coupled to at least one vehicular device. Power and communications are provided to the vehicular devices by a power source and communications source through the bus.

Abstract: Vehicle including a seat on which an occupant sits, a set of at least one electric field antenna arranged in the seat, and a control unit coupled to the antenna set and configured to direct one or more antennas to transmit an oscillating electric field at a frequency that enables the electric field to be conducted through the seated occupant. An electrical circuit is coupled to a vehicular component and has a conductive surface in a position accessible by the occupant's finger. Proximity of the occupant's finger to or contact with the conductive surface, when an antenna is transmitting an oscillating electric field conducted through the occupant, causes a capacitive coupling to develop between the occupant and the conductive surface and completion of the circuit. This enables control of the component by the occupant's finger, which may be adjustment or change in the state, condition or operation of the component.

Abstract: System and method for maintaining functionality of software includes initially providing the vehicle with software resident on computer-readable medium to enable it to operate and interact with components thereof and updating the vehicle software by receiving a wireless transmission from one or more remote locations, e.g., a location maintained by a dealer or manufacturer of the vehicle. The software may be diagnostic software for a diagnostic module which diagnoses operability of components of the vehicle. Different remote locations may be responsible for different portions of the vehicle-resident software and may therefore provide different software upgrades, based on need.

Abstract: Vehicular arrangement for obtaining information about objects exterior to the vehicle includes distance measuring systems fixed to the vehicle along the windshield, an edge or side of the vehicle, each including a camera that obtains images of objects exterior of the vehicle and a processor that determines a distance between the vehicle and objects included in images obtained by the camera and a speed of the objects based on the successive distance determinations. A reactive system is arranged on the vehicle and coupled to the distance measuring systems, and considers distance between the objects and the vehicle and the speed of the objects and reacts accordingly. A position of the distance measuring systems is selected to encompass an area in front of the vehicle, an area behind the vehicle and an area on each side of the vehicle in the fixed fields of view of the distance measuring systems.

Abstract: Vehicle including a seat on which an occupant sits, a set of at least one electric field antenna arranged in the seat, and a control unit coupled to the antenna set and configured to direct one or more antennas to generate an oscillating electric field at a frequency that enables the electric field to be conducted through the seated occupant. An electrical circuit is coupled to a vehicular component and has a conductive surface in a position accessible by the occupant's finger. Proximity of the occupant's finger to or contact with the conductive surface, when an antenna is generating an oscillating electric field conducted through the occupant, causes a capacitive coupling to develop between the occupant and the conductive surface and completion of the circuit. This enables control of the component by the occupant's finger, which may be adjustment or change in the state, condition or operation of the component.

Abstract: Method for controlling a vehicle including a smartphone-engaging coupling element. Data about operational status of the vehicle is transferred from one or more vehicle-resident systems to a smartphone when the smartphone is engaged with the coupling element. Commands are received by the vehicle from the smartphone when the smartphone is engaged with the coupling element, which commands being based in part on data previously transferred from the vehicle-resident system(s) to the smartphone when the smartphone is engaged with the coupling element. A vehicular system, e.g., seat positioning system, mirror positioning system, passenger compartment temperature control system, route guidance or navigation system, changes its operation in accordance with the commands received by the vehicle from the smartphone when the smartphone is engaged with the coupling element.

Abstract: Interior monitoring system of a vehicle wherein at least one transducer is arranged on a first side of the structure of the vehicle and transmits waves toward an opposite, second side of the structure so that any objects contained in the interior space of the structure are situated between the first and second sides. Each transducer receives waves reflected from any objects between the first and second sides. A processor is coupled to each transducer and obtains information about any objects from which waves have been reflected and received thereby. Each transducer may be arranged to transmit infrared waves into the interior space, e.g., infrared waves in an eye-safe range.

Abstract: Method and system for guiding a person to a location includes providing a processor, coupling an operator control such as a user interface to the processor to enable the person to enter a phone number which is provided to the processor, the processor being arranged to determine a physical location associated with the entered phone number, and guiding the person to the physical location associated with the entered phone number as determined by the processor. The method may be implemented in a vehicle context whereby the processor is arranged on a vehicle and the person is guided to the physical location by controlling a steering system, a throttle and/or brakes of the vehicle to automatically guide the vehicle to the physical location. Alternatively, the person may be guided to the physical location by providing audible and/or visual directions to the person operating the vehicle.

Abstract: Method for enabling interaction with a vehicle including coupling a smartphone to the vehicle via a coupling element whereby the smartphone is removable from the coupling element and thus removable from the vehicle, and transferring data between the smartphone and the vehicle while the smartphone is coupled to the vehicle via the coupling element. The data transfer enables a large number of operations to be performed when the smartphone is coupled to the vehicle, including vehicle ignition authorization, accident prediction, collision avoidance, vehicular diagnostics and prognostics, remote communication capabilities, and optimization of emergency response personnel.

Abstract: Method and system for guiding a person to a location includes providing a processor, coupling an operator control such as a user interface to the processor to enable the person to enter a phone number which is provided to the processor, the processor being arranged to determine a physical location associated with the entered phone number, and guiding the person to the physical location associated with the entered phone number as determined by the processor. The method may be implemented in a vehicle context whereby the processor is arranged on a vehicle and the person is guided to the physical location by controlling a steering system, a throttle and/or brakes of the vehicle to automatically guide the vehicle to the physical location. Alternatively, the person may be guided to the physical location by providing audible and/or visual directions to the person operating the vehicle.

Abstract: Asset including an arrangement for monitoring objects in an interior of the asset includes at least first and second optical imagers for obtaining images of a common area of the interior and which are spaced apart from one another, and processing circuitry coupled to the first and second imagers and arranged to derive information about objects in the interior from images obtained by the first and second imagers. A communication system may be arranged on the asset and coupled to the processing circuitry. The communication system wirelessly transmits the information about the objects to a remote facility. A location determining system may be arranged on the asset to monitor the location of the asset so that the communication system also transmits the location of the asset to the remote facility.

Abstract: System for monitoring an environment, such as a vehicular environment, including at least one sound-receiving/vibration-detecting component that receives sounds from an environment in or around the vehicle, a processor coupled to the at least one sound-receiving/vibration-detecting component and that analyzes the sounds to identify non-speech sounds, and a communications device coupled to the processor that transmits a signal, data or information about analysis by the processor of the identified non-speech sounds.

Abstract: Method and system for monitoring a driver during movement of the vehicle includes an information obtaining system that obtains information about a driver who traveled the same road at a previous time, and a processor that analyzes the obtained information and vehicle movement to determine whether the driver has lost the ability to continue to control the vehicle. The loss of ability to continue to control the vehicle arises from the driver falling asleep or otherwise being incapable of controlling the vehicle after initially having been awake or otherwise capable of controlling the vehicle. A reactive component is affected by the processor's determination that the driver has lost the ability to continue to control the vehicle, and preferably requires action by the driver to indicate regaining of the ability to operate the vehicle or exerting control over the vehicle to slow the vehicle and bring it to a stop.

Abstract: Method and system for mapping terrain including one or more roads includes a vehicle equipped with at least one camera, a position determining system that determines its position and an inertial measurement unit (IMU) that provides at least one inertial property of the vehicle, all of which are in a set configuration relative to one another. A processor at a remote location apart from the vehicle converts images from the camera(s) to a map including objects from the images by identifying common objects in multiple images and using the position information and the inertial measurement information from when the multiple images were obtained and knowledge of the set configuration of the camera(s), the position determining system and the IMU. The images, position information and inertial measurement information are transmitted to the processor by a communications unit on the vehicle.

Abstract: Arrangement for a vehicle including a sensor system arranged on the vehicle for sensing an event requiring an emergency response, a location determining device for determining the location of the vehicle, a communication device arranged on the vehicle for automatically communicating to a remote location when an event has occurred that the event has occurred and providing the remote location with the determined location of the vehicle, and a power source for providing power for the sensor system, the location determining device and the communication device. The communication device communicates to the remote location upon occurrence of the event. The location determining device may be arranged partially or entirely on the vehicle or elsewhere. The remote location may be an emergency response center which can direct aid to the vehicle's location.

Abstract: Control system for controlling at least one part of a vehicle includes a plurality of sensor systems mounted at different locations on the vehicle, each sensor system providing a measurement related to a state thereof system or a measurement related to a state of the mounting location. A processor is coupled to the sensor systems and diagnoses the state of the vehicle itself and optionally its dynamic motion based on the measurements of the sensor systems. The processor controls each part based at least in part on the diagnosed state of the vehicle.

Abstract: Method and arrangement for setting a speed limit for vehicle travelling on a road includes monitoring conditions of the road, determining a speed limit for travel of vehicles on the road based on the monitored conditions, and transmitting the determined speed limit to the vehicles to thereby notify operators of the vehicles of the determined speed limit. Monitoring conditions of the road may entail monitoring weather conditions around the road, monitoring visibility for operators of the vehicles on the roads, monitoring traffic on the road, monitoring accidents on the road or emergency situations of vehicles on the road and/or monitoring the speed of vehicles travelling on the road and a distance between adjacent vehicles.

Abstract: Method for monitoring assets that include a sensor system that obtains data about contents thereof, a processor that derives information about the contents from the sensor data, and a communication system that, when linked to a communications network, wirelessly transmits the information derived by the processor via the Internet. The information is received at a data processing and storage facility, associated with a unique identification code for each asset, and stored in association with the identification code. Access to the stored information is effected via the Internet.

Abstract: Techniques for obtaining information about an object on which a radio-frequency transceiver device is mounted when in a space defined by a vehicular frame. A request is generated at a telecommunications device for the object's location and received at an interrogator on the frame. In response to receipt of the request, the interrogator directs antennas to transmit RF signals into the space. The transceiver device returns a signal if and when it receives any signal or a signal having a particular identification from the antenna(s). Return signals from the transceiver device are received at each antenna and a processor, on the vehicle or the telecommunications device, derives information about the object based on the return signals. The derived information includes a location of the object in the space and/or an identification of the object, and may be displayed on a display of the telecommunications device.