Abstract: A system having a resource-availability module configured to cause the processing unit to determine whether a resource scarcity condition exists in connection with providing map data to a mobile navigation unit. The system also includes a tuning-parameter module configured to cause the processing unit to, in response to determining that the resource scarcity condition exists, determine a tuning parameter to use in preparing map data to provide to the mobile navigation unit. The system further includes an encoding module configured to cause the processing unit to encode map data based on the tuning parameter, and a map-data-delivery module configured to cause the processing unit to provide or make available the encoded map data to the mobile navigation unit.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed for providing autonomous driving system functions. The apparatus includes a communication system configured to receive traffic information from an external entity, a guidance system configured to provide guiding signals for guiding a vehicle, and a vehicle control system configured to generate control signals for controlling the vehicle based on the guiding signals. The guidance system is configured to determine a lane guidance signal based on the received traffic information and to instruct the vehicle control system to change a lane of a road having multiple lanes for the same driving direction. The guidance system is configured to map the road by a state machine having individual states representing lanes of a road and longitudinal segments of the road, such that a route of the vehicle is determined as a sequence of states of the state machine.

Abstract: A system and method having a number of technological elements, one of which being a controller, which causes improvements to the controller and creates significantly more than the original default controller functionality. The elements collaborating to cause the controller to operate a camera to record images of a visual content; store the recorded images to a memory, the recorded images being in a digital form as digital images; perform a visual recognition module to identify at least one targeted object within at least one digital image; produce the identification results of the visual recognition module; compare the identification results to the vehicle-reservation information; generate reservation information derived from the comparison outcome of the identification results to the vehicle-reservation information; and operate the display to exhibit the reservation information.

Abstract: Disclosed are NFC-enabled communication systems for provisioning wireless vehicle communication, control logic for operating such systems, and motor vehicles equipped with an onboard NFC-enabled device for short-range communication with one or more off-board NFC-enabled devices. A disclosed method for provisioning data exchange between an onboard electronic device of a motor vehicle and an off-board electronic device includes detecting if NFC-enabled components of the onboard and off-board electronic devices are within a predetermined proximity of each other and, if the components are within proximity, establishing a wireless communications session between the devices. After establishing the wireless communications session, determining whether or not to grant the off-board electronic device access to an NFC tag in the NFC-enabled component of the onboard electronic device.

Abstract: A system to implement a vehicle-reservation reliability prognosis prior to a reservation is herein presented. The system includes a memory, controller, and vehicle. The memory is configured to have one or more executable instructions and one or more vehicle-share records. The controller is configured to execute the executable instructions and communicate with the vehicle-share records. The vehicle includes one or more vehicle systems configured to generate system function information and is configured to communicate with the controller. Moreover, the executable instructions enable the controller to: retrieve system function information from one or more vehicle systems of the vehicle; deliver the vehicle-reservation reliability prognosis based, at least in part, on the system function information; and modify the vehicle-share records based upon the vehicle-reservation reliability prognosis.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a plurality of exterior lamps each arranged to cast a light pattern in a vicinity of the vehicle. The vehicle also includes at least one imaging device configured to capture image data indicative of the vicinity including at least one light pattern. The vehicle further includes a controller programmed to cause a variance action by a particular one of the plurality of exterior lamps, and monitor the image data for a change in a light pattern associated with the particular one of the exterior lamps. The controller is also programmed to generate a signal indicative of a fault condition associated with the particular one of the exterior lamps in response to no change in the light pattern.

Abstract: A method for generating and transmitting a reminder message includes obtaining a unique user profile. The user profile includes a user identification (ID) indicative of a unique user, an object ID indicative of a unique object, and a device ID indicative of a unique mobile device. The processor is configured to predict a spatial relationship between the user, the object, and the mobile device. The prediction is based, in part, on the user ID, the object ID, and the device ID, where the prediction includes a geographic location for the user, the object, and/or the mobile device. The processor compares a location of at least two of the user, the object and the mobile device with the prediction of the user's spatial relationship with the object and the mobile device. The processor transmits a reminder message when the prediction of the spatial relationship exceeds a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: A system and method having a number of technological elements, one of which being a controller, which causes improvements to the controller and creates significantly more than the original default controller functionality. The elements collaborating to cause the controller to operate access at least one vehicle-share record; retrieve information from the vehicle-share record; receive vehicle system information from the vehicle; calculate a Return Time based, at least in part, on the vehicle system information received from the vehicle; compare the Return Time to the information retrieved from the vehicle-share record; modify vehicle-share record when the Return Time is greater than a value derived from the information retrieved from the vehicle-share record; and generate a notification when the Return Time is greater than the value derived from the information retrieved from the vehicle-share record.

Abstract: A gateway apparatus for managing local-device access to vehicle data, including an input/output component for receiving requests for vehicle data from a local device and sending vehicle data to the local device. The apparatus also includes a tangible processing unit in communication with the input/output component and the input/output component, and a non-transitory computer-readable storage device. An access unit of the apparatus has access-unit code that receives, by way of the input/output component, a request for the vehicle data from a local device and determines whether the gateway apparatus may satisfy the request. A control unit has control-unit code that, when executed by the processing unit, determines what vehicle data will be provided. A data unit has data-unit code that prepares the vehicle data to be provided to the local device, and sends the vehicle data to the local device by way of the input/output component.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a vision system configured to output a signal indicative of exterior conditions in a vicinity of the vehicle and a temperature sensor configured to output a signal indicative of an interior temperature of the vehicle. The vehicle also includes a plurality of articulable openings arranged to allow fluid flow communication between an interior and an exterior of the vehicle. The vehicle further includes a controller programmed to adjust at least one articulable opening toward an open position in response to the interior temperature exceeding a temperature threshold. The controller is also programmed to adjust at least one articulable opening toward a closed position in response to detection via the vision system of a threat condition in the vicinity of the vehicle.

Abstract: A system to exhibit vehicle information is presented herein. The system includes a data center, vehicle, and sign. The data center includes a memory, long-range transceiver, and server. The memory is configured to have one or more vehicle share records. The long-range transceiver is configured to transmit and receive one or more data transmissions over a long-range communication channel. The server is configured to communicably couple with the memory and long-range transceiver. The server is also configured to operate the long-range transceiver to transmit the vehicle-share records as data transmissions over the long-range communication channel.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for receiving local data via a vehicle sensing module of a vehicle control system, receiving remote data via a cloud interface unit of the vehicle control system from a cloud server, and processing the local data and the remote data via a processing unit of the vehicle control system. Based on the processing of the local data and the remote data, at least one vehicle feature is controlled. The local data and the remote data are associated with processing priority levels. The processing unit varies a frequency of processing based on the processing priority levels. Further provided is a cloud server for transmitting remote data to a crowd of vehicles. The cloud server comprises a first module configured to allocate vehicles to a plurality of groups based at least on location data received from the vehicles. A second module of the cloud server is configured to determine different remote data for each group.

Abstract: A system and method having a number of technological elements, one of which being a controller, which causes improvements to the controller and creates significantly more than the original default controller functionality. The elements collaborating to cause the controller to operate a camera to record images of a visual content; store the recorded images to a memory, the recorded images being in a digital form as digital images; perform a visual recognition module to identify at least one targeted object within at least one digital image; produce the identification results of the visual recognition module; compare the identification results to the vehicle-reservation information; generate reservation information derived from the comparison outcome of the identification results to the vehicle-reservation information; and operate the display to exhibit the reservation information.

Abstract: A system and method having a number of technological elements, one of which being a controller, which causes improvements to the controller and creates significantly more than the original default controller functionality. The elements collaborating to cause the controller to operate a camera to record images of the visual content, operate a display to exhibit the visual content, perform a recognition module to identify the target object, produce identification results of the recognition module, compare the identification results to one or more vehicle share records, generate a 3D model having information based upon the comparison made of the identification results and vehicle share records, and operate the display to exhibit the 3D Model being overlaid onto the visual content.

Abstract: A vehicle includes at least one image capture device and a user display configured to display images receive from the at least one image capture device. The vehicle also includes a controller programmed to generate a user prompt to set a home vehicle position in response the vehicle entering a first parked state. The controller is also programmed to store at least one reference image indicative of an area in a vicinity of the vehicle corresponding to the home vehicle position. The controller is further programmed to collect a current image corresponding to a current vehicle position in response to a subsequent approach toward the vicinity, and compare the current image to the reference image. The controller is further programmed to generate a user display depicting the vicinity, the current vehicle position, and the home vehicle position.

Abstract: A system and method for providing navigation routing options to a vehicle driver, including estimated fuel consumption and fuel cost. A server collects data from a large number of road vehicles driving different routes, where the data includes road grade, average speed, stop/start and acceleration/deceleration info and vehicle specifications, and the data is collected via a telematics or other wireless system. The server also receives map data, point of interest data and real-time traffic data from their respective providers. When a driver of a road vehicle requests navigation routing from a start point to a destination, the server provides multiple routing options including not only distance and time for each routing option, but also fuel consumption and cost. The estimated fuel consumption is computed using models based on the crowd-sensed data from the other vehicles driving the routes, where the models include a physics-based model and a machine learning model.

Abstract: A system for analyzing driver fitness to drive with consideration given to any of various conditions such as driver drowsiness, fatigue, and anxiety. The system includes a processing hardware unit, and a non-transitory computer-readable storage device comprising various modules to determine if the driver is impaired. The modules include an input interface module that, when executed by the processing unit, receives sensor data indicating a present driver health factor. A database module includes pre-established driver-profile data particular to a driver. And the modules include an activity module that, when executed by the processing unit, obtains the driver-profile data and the sensor data, and determines, based on the present health factor and the pre-established driver-profile data, fitness of the driver to drive. The disclosure relates in various embodiments to a computer-readable storage device, separately, and processes performed by the system and device.

Abstract: A method of providing advertising content targeted to an operator of a vehicle. Vehicle data acquisition devices are employed to collect operator attribute information from vehicle trace data of the vehicle as the operator operates the vehicle. A processor of the vehicle applies a statistical analysis on the operator attribute information for determining a probability of demographic characteristics of the operator of the vehicle. The demographic characteristics of the operator are identified as a function of the determined probability. The vehicle communicates the targeted advertising content to the operator of the vehicle.

Abstract: A method of detecting an intrusion includes sending an activation command to an intrusion detection system. In response to the activation command, at least one camera is activated. At least one image is obtained from the at least one camera representative of a surrounding area of the at least one camera. The at least one image is analyzed to determine if the intrusion is detected. An operator is then notified of the presence or absence of the intrusion.

Abstract: A portable or embedded system including a hardware-based processing unit and a non-transitory storage device. The storage device includes a vehicle-context module that, via the hardware-based processing unit, obtains vehicle-context data, and includes an application-manager module that, via the hardware-based processing unit, obtains application data relating to an application at a host device. The storage device also includes a policy engine that, via the hardware-based processing unit, determines, based on the vehicle-context data and the application data received, a corresponding policy to be effected at the host device, and an output module that, via the hardware-based processing unit, sends to the host-device a communication indicating a host-device action, corresponding to the policy determined, for affecting host-device operation according to the host-device action. The technology also includes the storage device and methods for performing the referenced functions.