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 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: 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 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: Systems and methods of a vehicle for sharing vehicle controls are provided. One example is a vehicle including a system 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 sub-systems, 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 sub-systems.

Abstract: A method is provided, which includes receiving, at a server, a request from a device to find one or more charge units for charging an electric vehicle at a geographic location. The method includes accessing, by the server, a first database to identify charge units that are associated with the geographic location. The method includes accessing, by the server, a second database to identify discounts available at the charge units identified to be associated with the geographic location. One of the identified discounts on one of the charge units is provided by a first merchant having a business location proximate to the one of the charge units. The method includes sending, by the server, data to the device that identifies one or more of the charge units that are associated with the geographic location, the data further including information regarding one or more discounts identified to be available at one or more of the identified charge units.

Abstract: Methods and systems for determining an emotion of a human driver of a vehicle and using the emotion for generating a vehicle response, is provided. One example method includes processing captured voice data from the human driver over a period of time while the human driver operates the vehicle. The method includes analyzing the voice data to assist in prediction of the emotion of the human driver. The method includes generating the vehicle response. The vehicle response is selected in part based on the emotion that was predicted for the human driver.

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: 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: Methods and systems for determining an emotion of a human driver of a vehicle and using the emotion for generating a vehicle response, is provided. One example method includes capturing, by a camera of the vehicle, a face of the human driver. The capturing is configured to capture a plurality of images over a period of time, and the plurality of images are analyzed to identify a facial expression and changes in the facial expression of the human driver over the period of time. The method further includes capturing, by a microphone of the vehicle, voice input of the human driver. The voice input is captured over the period of time. The voice input is analyzed to identify a voice profile and changes in the voice profile of the human driver over the period of time. The method processes, by a processor of the vehicle, a combination of the facial expression and the voice profile captured during the period of time to predict the emotion of the human driver.

Abstract: A vehicle configured to communicate with a server of a cloud system to enable access to use the vehicle via one or more electronic keys is provided. The vehicle includes electronics and a subsystem of the vehicle for enabling unlocking of the vehicle. The subsystem is interfaced with the electronics and a subsystem of the vehicle for enabling starting of the vehicle for use of the vehicle. The vehicle further includes communications circuitry that is interfaced with electronics of the vehicle. The communications circuitry is programmable to communicate with the server of the cloud system and communicate with a mobile device. The communications circuitry of the vehicle is configured to receive a request from the mobile device for unlocking of the vehicle. The request from the mobile device includes coded data obtained by the mobile device from the server to enable sending the request to the vehicle. The coded data is associated with privileges for use of the vehicle.

Abstract: A method for operating an aspect of a vehicle is provided. One example method includes providing an option for setting operations modes of the vehicle via display screen of the vehicle. The operational modes including a restricted use mode that is settable using credentials associated with a user account. The user account has the vehicle pre-associated to a user profile associated with the user account. The method includes receiving selection of the restricted use mode, the selection sets the vehicle to be operation without credentials associated with the user account. The restricted use mode includes limits that restrict access to a plurality of vehicle inputs and restricts access to a geographical zone. The method includes monitoring use data of the vehicle while in the restricted use mode. The use data is communicated to a server of a connected services provider. The use data including one or more violations detected during use of the vehicle in the restricted user mode.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided. One method is providing access to systems of a vehicle from an application. The method includes encoding, by an application, an application programming interface (API) call to the vehicle. The encoding provides for secure communication of the API call to an API subsystem of the vehicle. The API subsystem of the vehicle is configured to decode the encoding. Sending the API call to the vehicle using the encoding. The API call is configured to provide an instruction to obtain information from a subsystem of the vehicle or send an instruction to the subsystem of the vehicle. The sending of the API call to the vehicle is via the application that operates as a third party application that is programmed for communicating with the vehicle via the API call. The method includes receiving, via the third party application, vehicle data sent encoded via the API subsystem of the vehicle responsive to the API call to obtain information.

Abstract: Methods, systems and computer readable media are provided. One example method includes establishing a connection with a vehicle over a wireless network, and associating the vehicle to a user account of an online service, wherein a vehicle type for the vehicle is identified in the user account. The method further includes receiving vehicle data for vehicle status information. The vehicle status information is for one or more vehicle systems of the vehicle. The method includes accessing one or more databases that include diagnostics data for the vehicle type and crowd sourced data for the vehicle type. The method includes processing the vehicle data that is received against the diagnostics data and the crowed sourced data. The processing is configured to select an alert from among a plurality of possible alerts. The crowd sourced data is configured to influence a confidence level for selecting the alert. The method includes sending a notification of the alert to the user account.

Abstract: A vehicle configured to communicate with a server of a cloud system to enable access to use the vehicle via one or more electronic keys is provided. The vehicle includes electronics and a subsystem of the vehicle for enabling unlocking of the vehicle. The subsystem is interfaced with the electronics and a subsystem of the vehicle for enabling starting of the vehicle for use of the vehicle. The vehicle further includes communications circuitry that is interfaced with electronics of the vehicle. The communications circuitry is programmable to communicate with the server of the cloud system and communicate with a mobile device. The communications circuitry of the vehicle is configured to receive a request from the mobile device for unlocking of the vehicle. The request from the mobile device includes a unique access code obtained by the mobile device from the server to enable sending the request to the vehicle. The unique access code is associated with privileges for use of the vehicle.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided. One 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 and a heading direction. 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 receive the geo-location of the vehicle to identify the heading direction of the vehicle.

Abstract: A method and system for diagnosing and providing access to a vehicle for servicing the vehicle are provided. One method is provided for accessing the vehicle for servicing the vehicle. The method includes receiving, by a server, vehicle data that is used for diagnostics of the vehicle. Recommending, via the server, a service job needed for the vehicle based on the diagnostics. Receiving, by the server, approval from a user account associated with the vehicle to process the service job on the vehicle. The approval includes approval of a service provider to perform the service job on the vehicle. Generating an electronic key by the server for the vehicle for performing the service job on the vehicle by the service provider. The electronic key has a set of restrictions that limit types of access and use of the vehicle for when the service provider performs the service job on the vehicle. The method then includes sending the electronic key to the service provider.

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 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 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.