Abstract: Electric vehicles that use replaceable and exchangeable batteries and systems are provided. One example system is for managing a supply of batteries for powering an electric vehicle. The system includes a battery carrier for holding a plurality of batteries. The battery carrier is connectable to a power source and the plurality of batteries are rechargeable and replaceable into and out of the battery carrier. The battery carrier includes slots for receiving the plurality of batteries and control systems for communicating over a network. The control systems are configured for identifying presence of batteries in the slots of the battery carrier and charge level of batteries present in the slots. The system further includes a server that communicates over the network with the control systems of the battery carrier. The server is part of a cloud system that manages access to user accounts. The user accounts are accessible via applications executed on user devices.

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: A cloud system that includes one or more servers for communicating with vehicles and processing information received from a vehicle and processing information sent to the vehicle is provided. The system enables establishing a communication link between a computing device associated with the vehicle and a server of the cloud system. The communication link is over a wireless network, and 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. Then, receiving, at the server, a plurality of actions associated with inputs made at the vehicle while the vehicle is associated with the user account, the plurality of actions being received during the one or more sessions. The server updates data associated with the user account to identify the plurality of actions at the vehicle and then generates a recommendation to apply a setting at the vehicle.

Abstract: A cloud system that includes one or more servers for communicating with vehicles and processing information received from a vehicle and processing information sent to the vehicle is provided. The system enables establishing a communication link between a computing device associated with the vehicle and a server of the cloud system. The communication link is over a wireless network, and 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. Then, receiving, at the server, a plurality of actions associated with inputs made at the vehicle while the vehicle is associated with the user account, the plurality of actions being received during the one or more sessions. The server updates data associated with the user account to identify the plurality of actions at the vehicle and then generates a recommendation to apply a setting at the vehicle.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provide access to cloud services over the Internet for customizing a user interface of a vehicle. The method includes providing selection options to identify a vehicle type among a plurality of vehicle types, where each vehicle type is associated with a system component native to the vehicle type. The system component providing native interfaces for the vehicle type. The method includes identifying a plurality of applications available for the vehicle type. Each of the applications provided with predefined code for communicating with at least one control interface of the system component. The method generates a custom configuration of the user interface for the vehicle type that includes native interfaces for components native to the vehicle type and the app interface for the application. The methods also define a learning module that learns user input to the user interface and provides for automatic programming of features.

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: A cloud system for interfacing with an electric vehicle, wherein the electric vehicle has a battery that is rechargeable. The electric vehicle further has an on-board computer and a wireless communication system that is interfaced with the on-board computer. The on-board computer is configured to monitor a charge level of the battery and display the level on a display screen of the electric vehicle. The electric vehicle has global positioning system (GPS) logic for identifying geo-location of the electric vehicle. The cloud system is configured to manage a user account for the electric vehicle and store data associated with the user account. The data includes information regarding charge parameters received from the user. The cloud system is thus configured to interface with on-board computer of the electric vehicle via the wireless communication system.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided, for sharing mobile device applications with a vehicle computer. One example method includes detecting a mobile device present in a vehicle, by a vehicle computer of the vehicle and generating a user interface on a display screen of the vehicle, as instructed by the vehicle computer. The method further includes identifying by the vehicle computer, a plurality of native applications of the vehicle for the user interface and identifying a plurality of mobile device applications from the mobile device for the user interface, while the mobile devices is present in the vehicle. The method enables system controls, using the vehicle computer, to enable access to the plurality of native applications and the plurality of mobile device applications, the system controls including one or more of button inputs of the vehicle, touch screen inputs via the user interface of the display screen of the vehicle, and voice input via microphones of the vehicle.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provide access to cloud services over the Internet for managing a user profile of a vehicle on a cloud processing system connected to the Internet. One example method includes receiving requests to access the user profile to define settings for one or more vehicles. The method includes receiving input to user settings at the vehicle at the cloud processing system. The method includes processing the input over time to learn behavior associated with the input to the use settings. The method includes transmitting settings to the vehicle to be automatically implemented based on the learned behavior. The method being executed by a processor. The profile can be transferred to one or more vehicles, can be set for a temporary period of time, can be set with wireless payment systems, and is accessible over the Internet to accept changes or updates.

Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for providing access to safety ratings of parking locations and access alerts associated with vehicles, including processing of notifications to user accounts associated with monitored vehicles. One example method includes receiving at a server, over time, safety alerts from a plurality of vehicles. Each safety alert is associated with a geographic location. The method associates, by the server, one or more safety alerts to parking locations corresponding to geographic locations from where the safety alerts were received. The server then generates a safety grade for one or more of the parking locations, and the safety grade is based on a number of safety alerts associated to the parking location and a safety type of the safety alerts.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for processing information associated with vehicles via one or more servers of a cloud system. One example method includes establishing a communication link between a computing device associated with a vehicle and a server. The communication link is over a wireless network and the communication link is established in association with a user account. The communication link is established for one or more sessions The method further includes receiving, at the server, a plurality of actions associated with inputs to the vehicle. The plurality of actions are received during the one or more sessions, and generating, by the server, a recommendation to program a setting at the vehicle. One or more of the plurality of actions at the vehicle during the one or more sessions are processed to determine a confidence score associated with generating the recommendation to program the setting. Generation of the recommendation occurs upon reaching or exceeding a predefined threshold.

Abstract: Electric vehicles that use replaceable and exchangeable batteries, applications for communicating with a service that provides access to kiosks of batteries, and methods and systems for finding charged batteries, reserving batteries, and paying for use of the batteries, are disclosed. One example is a system that includes at least one server that is capable of communication with a plurality of kiosks. Each kiosk is configured to hold one or more rechargeable batteries and dispense batteries to user with user accounts. The system manages inventory at the kiosks, enables payment for use or charges a user's account, enables locating of kiosks with batteries proximate to a user's vehicle location and optionally enables users to reserve batteries. The system provides access to the network of kiosks and information regarding battery availability via applications, such as smartphone applications, tablets, connected commuters and/or computers of a vehicle.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided. One method includes receiving a request, at a server, to grant e-keys to a recipient for use of a vehicle, the vehicle being pre-associated to a user account. The method further includes generating a unique access code, at the server, in response to receiving the request. The method then encrypts the access code, at the server, using a vehicle public key associated with the vehicle, the vehicle public key is associated with the user account. The method includes sending the encrypted access code to the recipient for receipt by a device of the recipient. The encrypted access code is defined for transmission to the vehicle by way of the device of the recipient, and the encrypted access code is associated with instructions to cause the vehicle to decrypt the access code using a private key of the vehicle and to transmit the access code after decryption back to the device of the recipient along with privilege settings for the use of the vehicle.

Abstract: Electric vehicles that use replaceable and exchangeable batteries, applications for communicating with a service that provides access to kiosks of batteries, and methods and systems for finding charged batteries, reserving batteries, and paying for use of the batteries, are disclosed. One example is a system that includes at least one server that is capable of communication with a plurality of kiosks. Each kiosk is configured to hold one or more rechargeable batteries and dispense batteries to user with user accounts. The system manages inventory at the kiosks, enables payment for use or charges a user's account, enables locating of kiosks with batteries proximate to a user's vehicle location and optionally enables users to reserve batteries. The system provides access to the network of kiosks and information regarding battery availability via applications, such as smartphone applications, tablets, connected commuters and/or computers of a vehicle.

Abstract: A method for managing charge status of an electric vehicle (EV) at a charge unit (CU), charge units, 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 light at the CU. The light is set to a color that is indicative of the charge status of the EV. The method then includes changing the color of the light as the charge status of the EV changes. The method executed by a processor at a charge unit or on cloud processing logic over the Internet, or combinations thereof.

Abstract: Electric vehicles that use replaceable and exchangeable batteries, applications for communicating with a service that provides access to kiosks of batteries, and methods and systems for finding charged batteries, reserving batteries, and paying for use of the batteries, are disclosed. One example is an electric vehicle having an electric motor and at least two receptacle slots formed in the electric vehicle. The receptacle slots having at least one connection to the electric motor and at least two batteries configured for hand-insertion into the receptacle slots to enable electrical engagement of the batteries with the at least one connection when disposed in the receptacle slots and each of the batteries are further configured for hand-removal out of the receptacle slots. The vehicle further includes wireless communication circuitry configured for wireless communication between the electric vehicle and a device when linked for wireless communication with an application of the device.

Abstract: Electric vehicles that use replaceable and exchangeable batteries, applications for communicating with a service that provides access to kiosks of batteries, and methods and systems for finding charged batteries, reserving batteries, and paying for use of the batteries, are disclosed. One example is a system for managing access to and exchange of batteries for use by electric vehicles. The electric vehicles have receptacle slots for receiving batteries for powering an electric motor of the electric vehicle. The system includes a kiosk having a plurality of receptacle slots for holding a plurality of batteries, and at least one of the plurality of receptacle slots is accessible to enable access of a battery from the kiosk. each receptacle slot having a connection disposed therein that connects to a power source.

Abstract: Methods are provide access to cloud services over the Internet for locating and providing access to a shared vehicle of a shared vehicle network. One method includes receiving a request from a user device of a user to locate a vehicle to use for a shared period of time. The method enables providing an option of vehicles within a range of a location identified by the request. Then, detecting proximity of the user device to a selected vehicle proximate to the location identified by the request. The method enables transfer of a user profile of the user to the vehicle. The profile is configured to automatically set one or more user preferences of the vehicle. The method further includes receiving use data of the vehicle while the user profile is set for the vehicle. The user profile is deactivated on the selected vehicle when use of the vehicle is discontinued.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for processing information associated with vehicles via one or more servers of a cloud system. One example method includes establishing a communication link between a computing device associated with a vehicle and a server. The communication link is over a wireless network and the communication link is established in association with a user account. The communication link is established for one or more sessions The method further includes receiving, at the server, a plurality of actions associated with inputs to the vehicle. The plurality of actions are received during the one or more sessions, and generating, by the server, a recommendation to program a setting at the vehicle. One or more of the plurality of actions at the vehicle during the one or more sessions are processed to determine a confidence score associated with generating the recommendation to program the setting. Generation of the recommendation occurs upon reaching or exceeding a predefined threshold.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided. One method includes receiving a request, at a server, to define an advisor account for a vehicle associated with a user account. The request identifies an advisor entity, a vehicle aspect to be assigned to the advisor entity, and privileges assigned to the advisor entity for the vehicle aspect. The method further includes generating the advisor account for the advisor entity as a sub-account of the user account that is associated with the vehicle. The method includes sending instruction data to the vehicle from the server, wherein the instruction data defines that the vehicle aspect is associated with the advisor account. The method also includes receiving data updates, at the server, from the vehicle for the vehicle aspect, from time to time. The data updates are displayable on a user interface that is accessible to the advisor entity, the user interface being rendered by the server that provides access to the advisor account.