Abstract: A method for navigating a vehicle automatically from a current location to a destination location without a human operator is disclosed. The method includes identifying a vehicle location using global positioning system (GPS) data regarding the vehicle. Also included is identifying that the vehicle location is near or at a parking location. Then, using mapping data defined for the parking location. The mapping data at least in part is used to find a path at the parking location to avoid a collision of the vehicle with at least one physical structure when the vehicle is automatically moved at the parking location. The method includes instructing the electronics of the vehicle to proceed with controlling the vehicle to automatically move from the current location to the destination location at the parking location. The electronics use as input at least part of the mapping data and sensor data collected from around the vehicle by at least two vehicle sensors.

Abstract: Methods, systems and cloud processing are provided for coordinating and processing user input provided to vehicles during use. One example is for processing voice inputs at a vehicle to identify a mood of a user and then modifying or customizing the vehicle response based on the detected mood, physical characteristic and/or physiological characteristic of the user. One example includes a vehicle having an on-board computer for processing voice input. The vehicle having a microphone interfaced with the on-board computer and memory for storing a sample of audio data received from the microphone. The audio data is a voice input directed to the vehicle. A processor of the on-board computer is configured to process the sample of audio data to identify markers in frequency and/or magnitude. The markers are used to define an audio signature for the voice input, and the audio signature is used to identify a voice profile.

Abstract: Methods and systems for processing communication with electronics associated with a vehicle and with a portable device to provide access to the vehicle. One method includes receiving, at a server, a request from a user via the portable device to grant access to use the vehicle via an electronic key (e-key). The vehicle is pre-associated to a user account that defines use options of the vehicle. The server is configured to generate a unique access code for the request, and the unique access code is configured with privileges for use of the vehicle. The privileges are defined for the unique access code based on an identity of the user and the privileges being active for use of the vehicle. The server is configured to encrypt the unique access code. The encrypting is predefined for decryption by the electronics associated with of the vehicle. The unique access code is sent as an encrypted unique access code to the portable device over a wireless network.

Abstract: Methods, systems and cloud processing are provided for coordinating and processing user input provided to vehicles during use. One example is a method for processing voice inputs at a vehicle is provided. The method includes determining a profile for a user of the vehicle using electronics of the vehicle. The profile is part of a user account and the vehicle is provided with wireless communication circuitry for accessing a server over a network for exchanging information regarding the vehicle, use of the vehicle and use of the profile. The method includes receiving via a microphone of the vehicle a voice command from the user of the vehicle. The electronics of the vehicle processing the voice command to enable a two-way conversation exchange between the user and the vehicle. The method acts to access, by electronics of the vehicle, data for learned behavior of the user. The learned behavior is associated to the profile for the user. The method processes the voice command to identify a type command.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided. One method includes receiving geo-locations of a vehicle and identifying heading direction of the vehicle based on changes in the geo-locations of the vehicle. The method may also include, in some examples, receiving sensor data for a surrounding area of the vehicle. The method includes receiving state information from a connected object that is located within an area of influence associated with a current geo-location of the vehicle and sending an alert to the vehicle when the vehicle is at the current geo-location. In one example, the alert is sent upon determining that the state information changed while the current geo-location of the vehicle remains unchanged for a threshold period of time after the state information changed. In various examples, methods, systems and infrastructure for enabling connected vehicles to communicate with cloud services and with other vehicles or connected objects are provided.

Abstract: Methods, computer systems, and servers for processing collision avoidance feedback to vehicles using vehicle-to-vehicle wireless communication, are provided. One method includes detecting proximity separation between a first vehicle and a second vehicle (e.g., and other vehicles within the proximity separation). At least one of the sensors of the first vehicle or the second vehicle determines that a proximity separation is less than a threshold distance. A pairing algorithm is triggered between electronics of the first and second vehicle to enable direct communication for data exchange between the first and second vehicles. The method includes triggering a warning to one or both of the first and second vehicles if the data exchange determines that a probability exists that a heading of the first or second vehicles will result in a collision between the first and second vehicles.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for cloud processing data streamed from a vehicle and a home associated with a user account. One method includes receiving a data stream from the vehicle entity, where the data stream from the vehicle entity includes metadata from one or more data producing objects of the vehicle entity. And, receiving a data stream from the home entity, where the data stream from the home entity includes metadata from one or more data producing objects of the home entity. The method includes accessing action conditions associated with a user account. The action conditions identify a position where at least one or more states of the metadata from each of the home entity and the vehicle entity intersect. And, each action condition identifies a type or types of control information to be processed. The method includes processing the received metadata from the vehicle entity and the home entity.

Abstract: Methods, systems, charge units, computer readable media, and combinations thereof are provided. One example method includes receiving data, at a server, indicative that a user account has accessed a charging unit for charging an electric vehicle. The charging unit has an indicator that identifies an active charging status while the electric vehicle is connected to the charging unit for charging a battery of the electric vehicle using the charging unit. The charging unit is configured to identify a complete charging status when the electric vehicle is finished charging said battery using the charging unit. The method includes receiving data, at the server, indicative of a status of charge of the electric vehicle during the charging. Sending a notification to a device having access to the user account, regarding said status of charge during the charging of the electric vehicle.

Abstract: Battery carriers that provide replaceable and exchangeable batteries and systems are provided. One example battery carrier is for batteries used in electric vehicles. The battery carrier includes a housing having a plurality of slots, and each of the slots is configured to receive a battery that is configured for hand-insertion and hand-removal from the battery carrier. Each slot and each battery has a form factor that is dimensioned to at least partially fit within ones of the slots. A plurality of electrical connectors is also provided. Each electrical connector is disposed inside respective ones of the slots and each electrical connector is configured to mate with an electrical connector of the battery when present in a slot of the plurality of slots and each electrical connector is configured to provide power transfer between a power source to which the battery carrier is connected and a battery when present in one of the slots. Further provided is electronics integrated with the battery carrier.

Abstract: Methods, systems and cloud processing are provided for coordinating and processing user input provided to vehicles during use. One example is for processing voice inputs at a vehicle to identify a mood of a user and then modifying or customizing the vehicle response based on the detected mood, physical characteristic and/or physiological characteristic of the user. One example includes a vehicle having an on-board computer for processing voice input. The vehicle having a microphone interfaced with the on-board computer and memory for storing a sample of audio data received from the microphone. The audio data is a voice input directed to the vehicle. A processor of the on-board computer is configured to process the sample of audio data to identify markers in frequency and/or magnitude. The markers are used to define an audio signature for the voice input, and the audio signature is used to identify a voice profile.

Abstract: Methods for managing charge status of an electric vehicle (EV) at a charge unit (CU) and systems that use cloud processing, are provided. One method includes detecting connection of a charging connector of the charge unit to a vehicle charge port of the EV. The method also includes receiving charge status of the EV while the charging connector is connected to the CU and activating a visual indicator at the CU. The visual indicator is set indicative of the charge status of the EV. The method includes changing the visual indicator as the charge status of the EV changes. The method enables a user device to receive notifications of charge status and communicate with cloud processing to request changing of the visual indicator of the CU to a non-full state even when the EV is at a full state of charging.

Abstract: Methods, computer systems, and servers are provided for navigating a vehicle automatically from a current location to a destination location with or without a human operator controlling primary navigation of the vehicle. One example method includes identifying a vehicle location and determining if the vehicle location is near a self-park location. The method accesses mapping data for the self-park location and receiving a request to initiate a self-park process for the vehicle. The method includes forwarding instructions to the vehicle to proceed with the self-park process. The self-park process acting to control the vehicle to automatically move from a current location to a destination location in the self-park location, and the current location and the destination location are updated dynamically as the current location of the vehicle changes and based on conditions of the destination location.

Abstract: Methods and systems for processing communication with electronics associated with a vehicle and with a portable device to provide access to the vehicle. One method includes receiving, at a server, a request from a user via the portable device to grant access to use the vehicle via an electronic key (e-key). The vehicle is pre-associated to a user account that defines use options of the vehicle. The server is configured to generate a unique access code for the request, and the unique access code is configured with privileges for use of the vehicle. The privileges are defined for the unique access code based on an identity of the user and the privileges being active for use of the vehicle. The server is configured to encrypt the unique access code. The encrypting is predefined for decryption by the electronics associated with of the vehicle. The unique access code is sent as an encrypted unique access code to the portable device over a wireless network.

Abstract: Methods, systems, charge units, computer readable media, and combinations thereof are provided, to enable color coding of charging units (CUs), to provide a visual indication to users of when a CU is available, unavailable, in progress, out of service, etc. The method also include logic for finding charge units and identifying discounts are the identified charge units. The discounts can, in some examples, be provided by merchants that may be proximate or local to a charge unit. The discount can be in the form of a discount for the charge purchased or obtained at the charge unit or discounts for goods or services offered a location of the merchant. The method executed by a processor at a charge unit or by a cloud processing logic, or by a server or servers or over the Internet, or combinations thereof.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for cloud processing data streamed from a vehicle and a home associated with a user account. One method includes receiving metadata from the vehicle regarding one or more data producing objects of the vehicle and receiving metadata from the home regarding one or more data producing objects of the home. The method further includes accessing action rules for the user account. The action rules require at least one condition that relates to the vehicle and at least one condition that relates to the home. The conditions are determined based on content of the received metadata. The method further includes sending control information to one of the vehicle or the home to recommend or make a setting to one of the data producing objects when one of the action rules are satisfied. In one embodiment, explicit preferences and learned preferences are used to filter or adjust when to send control information or to avoid sending control information.

Abstract: Systems and methods for charging an electric battery of a vehicle are provided. The vehicle includes a battery for powering an electric motor of the vehicle. A controller of the vehicle is provided to interface with a battery and to enable control of charging of the battery. The vehicle includes a communications interface for enabling wireless communication with a server, and the server is configured to manage a plurality of user accounts for users. The server is one of a plurality of servers, and the servers providing access to cloud services regarding vehicle use and metrics.

Abstract: A cloud system that includes one or more servers for communicating with vehicles and processing information received from vehicles and processing information sent to vehicles is disclosed. The system processes instructions for establishing a communication link between a computing device associated with a vehicle and a server of the cloud system. The communication link is over a wireless network. The communication link is established in association with a user account that is managed by the cloud system. The communication link is configured to be established for one or more sessions. The system enables receiving, at the server, a plurality of actions associated with inputs made at the vehicle for the vehicle when associated with the user account, and the plurality of actions being received during the one or more sessions. Then, updating, by the server, data associated with the user account to identify certain ones of the plurality of actions at the vehicle.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided. One method is for providing access to a vehicle. The method includes sending, by a server, an access code for the vehicle to a portable device. The access code is configured to be transferred by the portable device to the vehicle. Then, receiving, by the server, data from the portable device that is indicative that the portable device is located outside of the vehicle or proximate thereto. Sending, by the server, validation to the vehicle that the access code received by the vehicle was sent to the portable device, and then the vehicle is configured to send an electronic key to the portable device upon receiving the validation. The electronic key is associated with at least one privilege associated with use of the vehicle, and the at least one privilege is defined based on the access code.

Abstract: Methods, systems and cloud processing are provided for coordinating and processing user input provided to vehicles during use. One example is for processing voice inputs at a vehicle to identify a mood of a user and then modifying or customizing the vehicle response based on the detected mood, physical characteristic and/or physiological characteristic of the user. One example includes sending, to a cloud processing server, data from the vehicle. The vehicle includes an on-board computer for processing instructions for the vehicle and processing wireless communication to exchange data with the cloud processing server. The method then receives, at the vehicle, data for a user account to use the vehicle. The cloud processing server uses the user account to identify a user profile of a user. Then, receiving, from the cloud processing server, voice profiles for the user profile. Each voice profile is associated with a tone identifier or audio signature.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided. One method is for providing access to a vehicle. The method includes sending, by a server, an access code for the vehicle to a portable device. The access code is configured to be transferred by the portable device to the vehicle. Then, receiving, by the server, data from the portable device that is indicative that the portable device is located outside of the vehicle or proximate thereto. Sending, by the server, validation to the vehicle that the access code received by the vehicle was sent to the portable device, and then the vehicle is configured to send an electronic key to the portable device upon receiving the validation. The electronic key is associated with at least one privilege associated with use of the vehicle, and the at least one privilege is defined based on the access code.