Abstract: Methods and systems for sharing digital electronic keys (e-keys) to use a vehicle with the e-key are provided. One example method includes sending, via a first application of a first mobile device, a message to a second mobile device to initiate providing access to the vehicle via the e-key. The method includes receiving, by the first mobile device, data confirming from the second mobile device indicating receipt and creating the e-key at the second mobile device for the vehicle with a level of access that was set via the first application of the first mobile device. The data confirming receipt for the e-key is authenticated by the first mobile device. The method includes sending, by the first mobile device, verification of the e-key for use via the second mobile device. The e-key is registered with a server to enable activation of the e-key on the second mobile device. A second application of the second mobile device provides a user interface for access of the e-key for unlocking and starting the vehicle.

Abstract: Electric vehicles that use replaceable and exchangeable batteries and systems are provided. A 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 and systems are disclosed for vehicles configured for performing a self-parking operation without a human operator. The vehicle includes an on-board computer for receiving a wireless signal from a portable device. The wireless signal is configured to instruct the on-board computer to perform the self-parking operation. The on-board computer of the vehicle is configured for processing instructions to communicate with sensors of the vehicle, and the sensors are located along a front and a rear of the vehicle, and the sensors along the front and the rear include a combination of one or more cameras and ultrasonic sensors. The on-board computer is configured for receiving data from the combination of said one or more cameras and said ultrasonic sensors. The on-board computer is configured for determining that a space in front of said vehicle is clear to enable movement of the vehicle using said data from the combination of said camera and said ultrasonic sensors from said front of the vehicle.

Abstract: Methods and systems are described. One system is a light switch having a housing configured for a circuit for a switch and a wireless chip for wireless communication with an end-node. The light switch further includes a processor chip and memory for executing instructions and interfacing with the wireless chip and the switch. A microphone is integrated with the housing and a speaker is integrated with the housing. The instructions are processed by the processor chip in response to voice commands received by the microphone, and the processing of instructions is further configured to send data to the end node and receive data from the end node. The data received from the end node is used to provide an audible voice reply to one or more of the voice commands received by the microphone of the housing of the light switch.

Abstract: A system for charging a battery of a vehicle using inductive charging is provided. The system includes a charging pad for inductive charge transfer. The charge pad is configured with electronics that enables wireless communication. A self-aligning mechanism is part of the charging pad, and the self-aligning mechanism is configured to adjust positioning of the charging pad when the vehicle is disposed over the charging pad. A computer associated with the charging pad is configured to execute method operations for communicating with electronics of the vehicle to enable charging of the battery of the vehicle. The electronics of the vehicle is configured to identify a user account for charging the vehicle. An application associated with the user account is configured to receive updates regarding a charging status of the vehicle responsive to said inductive charge transfer being enabled.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for cloud processing data streamed from a vehicle and a home (e.g., any location) 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: A system for navigating a vehicle automatically from a current location to a destination location without a human operator is provided. The system of the vehicle includes a global positioning system (GPS) for identifying a vehicle location and a communications system for communicating with a server of a cloud system. The server is configured to identify that the vehicle location is near or at a parking location. The communications system is configured to receive mapping data for the parking location from the server, and the mapping data is at least in part used to find a path at the parking location to avoid a collision of the vehicle with at least one physical object when the vehicle is automatically moved at the parking location.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided. One example method is for interfacing a mobile device with a vehicle. The method includes providing a connection to the Internet for the vehicle via wireless connection circuitry associated with an on-board computer of the vehicle. The connection used to communicate with a server of a cloud service provider for the vehicle. The cloud service provider is configured to manage user accounts to enable one or more vehicles to connect with the cloud service provider. A user account is assigned to a user and the user account is associated with custom settings of the user. The method includes enabling communication, by the on-board computer, with a mobile device proximate to the vehicle. The communication provides for pairing the mobile device with the on-board computer using credentials saved by the on-board computer from a previous paring or pairing the mobile device with the on-board computer via a pairing routine processed between the on-board computer and the mobile device.

Abstract: Computer implemented methods, systems and computer readable media are provided for processing and managing electronic messaging. In one example, a system includes a client interface for enabling access to users of the electronic messaging system. Each user is provided with an inbox for electronically receiving messages and a sent box for electronically sending messages. The client interface is configured to receive an input for setting a lifetime setting for a message that is composed by a sender to a recipient via the client interface. Further provided is processing logic of the electronic messaging system for tracking messages having a lifetime setting and processing logic for deleting a message having a lifetime setting after expiration of a time period defined by the lifetime setting. The deleting is configured to remove the message from the sent box of the sender and the inbox of the recipient.

Abstract: Methods and systems for inter-user communication that can provide data transmission management for more efficient communications are disclosed. The methods and systems can provide enhanced electronic communications, such as via electronic mail or text messaging. Improved communication tools can be provided to better management and/or control communications. The enhanced communication tools can be implemented by electronic devices, namely, computing devices, including portable or handheld electronic devices.

Abstract: Systems and methods of a vehicle for sharing vehicle controls are provided. One example system is for sharing vehicle system control of the vehicle with a passenger. The system uses an on-board computer and communications circuitry of the vehicle. The communications circuitry is configured to use a wireless network for accessing the internet and the on-board computer is configured to enable the communications circuitry to provide a wireless connection to a portable device of the passenger of the vehicle. The on-board computer has access to one or more vehicle systems of the vehicle, and via the wireless connection, the on-board computer provides the portable device access to at least one graphical user interface, the graphical user interface includes input options that enable control of settings or functions of one or more of said vehicle systems. The on-board computer is configured to process information associated with a wireless signal of the portable device.

Abstract: Energy harvesting Internet of Things (IOT) devices are shown including configurations involving a persistent memory, microcontroller, and flat antenna for electromagnetic RF harvesting. In one embodiment, multiple cycles of energy harvesting are performed by an IOT device, where power harvested via the flat antenna is transferred to a power storage of the device such that when the power storage has an amount of power the microcontroller performs processing resulting in state data stored to persistent memory, then during an additional cycle or cycles of energy harvesting, the device completes a process resulting in a payload that is sent to an end node via wireless transmission. Additional energy harvesting may be provided via an energy harvesting input that provides device input and causes additional energy for harvesting. Configurations include ones where energy harvesting is performed by the device, based on capturing vocal energy from a human voice spoken to the device.

Abstract: A cloud system is configured to execute method operations for communicating with connected vehicles of users having user accounts with the cloud system. One example method includes receiving a signal from of an electric vehicle that is associated to a user account. The signal of the electric vehicle is received in response to the electric vehicle parking over a charging pad of a charging unit, and the charging unit is one of a plurality of charging units located in various geo-locations. The method includes sending instructions to the charging unit to enable initiation of charge transfer to a battery of the electric vehicle upon the cloud system confirming that the user account for the electric vehicle is enabled for automatic charging upon parking over said charging pad of the charging unit.

Abstract: Computer implemented methods, systems and computer readable media are provided for processing and managing electronic messaging. In one example, a system includes a client interface for enabling access to users of the electronic messaging system. Each user is provided with an inbox for electronically receiving messages and a sent box for electronically sending messages. The client interface is configured to receive an input for setting a lifetime setting for a message that is composed by a sender to a recipient via the client interface. Further provided is processing logic of the electronic messaging system for tracking messages having a lifetime setting and processing logic for deleting a message having a lifetime setting after expiration of a time period defined by the lifetime setting. The deleting is configured to remove the message from the sent box of the sender and the inbox of the recipient.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided. One method system is of a vehicle for processing communication with connected objects. The processing by the system uses a processor of the vehicle and processing and data from one or more servers of a cloud system. The connected objects include objects having communication capabilities that are either fixed at specific locations as infrastructure proximate to where the vehicle is located or locations proximate to where the vehicle is moving. The system includes a global positioning system of the vehicle for generating geo-location for the vehicle. The geo-location is configured to be shared with a server of the cloud system using a communications device of the vehicle. The server of the cloud system is configured to use the geo-location of the vehicle to determining a heading direction of the vehicle. The communications device of the vehicle is configured exchange state data with at least one of said connected objects that are proximate in location relative to the vehicle.

Abstract: Methods and systems for communicating with a server of a cloud services system used to interface with vehicles are provided. One method includes receiving, by the server, a request from electronics of a vehicle to access a profile for a user account. The request identifies user information for a user to use the vehicle. The method includes processing, by the server, at least part of the user information to verify the user against data associated with the user account. The profile has a plurality of settings of the user for the vehicle, and at least part of the plurality of settings for the profile being stored on storage accessible to the cloud services system. The method includes transferring, by the server, upon verification of the user information, one or more settings of the plurality of settings to the vehicle.

Abstract: A wireless coded communication (WCC) device and method for using the device are provided. In one example, the device includes a wireless chip and a power pump. The power pump is configured to generate power in response a mechanical force applied to an element of the power pump, and the power is transferred to a power storage cell such that the wireless chip is enabled to execute a predefined function. The predefined function is to send code data to an end node over a wireless link. A mechanism is interfaced with the element of the power pump, and the mechanism is configured to move an incidental trigger coupled to the mechanical force. In this example, moving the mechanism transfers the mechanical force onto the element so as to transition the element from an initial state to the strained state, the transitioning from the initial state to the strained state generates the power that is transferred to the power storage cell.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided. One method includes associating a plurality of sensor devices to a shelf having plurality of physical items. Each of the physical items is capable of being associated with one or more state data in response to user interaction. The method includes detecting user interaction by a user with one of the physical items. The user interactions cause a sensor device associated with the physical item to transmit a message over a network to an end node. The end node is configured to receive the message and process an action for the message. At least one physical item is offered for sale in a retail store and where the user interaction is associated to a user account. An indication of a status of the physical item as to whether the user has touched the physical item, lifted the physical item from the shelf, moved the physical item, or released the physical item in the retail store is associated to a log or status for the user account of the user.

Abstract: An electric vehicle having an electric motor is provided. The electric vehicle having a receptacle slot integrated in the electric vehicle. The receptacle slot provides an electrical connection for providing power to the electric motor. A battery having an elongated form factor, where a first end of the elongated form factor includes a handle and a second end of the elongated form factor includes a connection for interfacing with the electrical connection of the receptacle slot of the vehicle, when the battery is slid into the receptacle slot for electrical engagement. The battery is configured to store and supply charge to power the electric motor of the electric vehicle and the battery is replaceable by sliding the battery out of the receptacle slot and sliding in another battery into the receptacle slot to further supply charge to power the electric motor of the electric vehicle with said another battery.

Abstract: Method of identifying actions of a shopper to account for taken items by the shopper in a cashierless checkout includes sampling a shopping environment using one or more video cameras to generate video features related a shopper in connection to an item and sampling using one or more supplemental sensors to generate supplemental sensor feature data, receiving output of the sampled video and supplemental sensor features as feature inputs to a deep learning model used for making inferences related to the state of a scenario involving shopper action of taking the item into their possession or held and other actions including moving outside a zone initially associated with the item.