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, 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 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 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.

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: Cloud systems executing method operations for communicating with connected vehicles of users having user accounts with the cloud system are provided. In one example, a method includes receiving discounts published by merchants for presentation to a network of charging units (CUs), each of the CUs being associated to a geo-location. The method also includes receiving an identification of an electric vehicle that is associated to a user account. The identification of the electric vehicle is received when the electric vehicle has parked over a charging pad of a particular CU, and the charging pad is at a geo-location of the particular CU. The method also includes identifying at least one discount to be presented to a device of the electric vehicle. The identifying is a result of filtering discounts based on user preferences associated with the user account and a proximity of a merchant location to the particular CU having the charging pad over which the vehicle has parked.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided. One method includes receiving, at a server, a geo-location of a vehicle. The method further includes receiving from time to time, at the server, vehicle condition. The method includes identifying a user account for the vehicle. The user account includes preferences associated with a profile of a user. The method also includes sending data to the vehicle. The data is for presentation on a display screen or output via an audio system of the vehicle. The data is selected based on a context of the geo-location and the vehicle condition or the preferences associated with the profile of the user. Interaction modes can be used to define what information is displayed and when information is provided to the display screen.

Abstract: Charge units for charging an electric vehicle and methods for cloud access and programming of data for charge units are provided. In one example, a charging unit is connectable to a charge source (e.g., electricity) and has an connector (cord) for coupling the charge unit to the electric vehicle. The charge unit includes a port for interfacing with and charging an auxiliary battery. A display has a graphical user interface (GUI) for providing charge status information of a main battery of a vehicle and/or the auxiliary battery when connected to the port of the charge unit. The charge unit further including a communications port for providing data of the charge unit to the cloud services, for access and control by a remote computer. An advertising system will serve ads to the charge units, vehicle displays and/or the remote computers while charging or after charging.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided, for automatically causing content items to shift to or from screens of a vehicle. One example includes a system in a vehicle that includes an on-board computer. The system includes a first display screen of the vehicle and a second display screen of the vehicle. Also provided is a processor of the on-board computer for processing instructions to enable rendering of a graphical user interface (GUI) items on each of the first and second display screens. A first GUI item is displayed on the first display screen and a second GUI item is displayed on the second display screen. The instructions processed by the processor automatically causing the first GUI item to shift from being displayed on the first display screen to being displayed on the second display screen. Wherein the shifting occurs in response to processing a safe driving condition.

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 disclosed for a vehicle and for associated methods for handling contact detection of the vehicle. The vehicle includes a computer and a communications system. The communications system is configured to provide the computer of the vehicle with wireless communication with a cloud services system that includes a database that stores a user account that identifies the vehicles as registered with the cloud services system. The user account identifies settings for the vehicle and information for notifying a user of the vehicle. The vehicle includes a plurality of sensors associated to sides of the vehicle, such that contact with a specific side of the vehicle is identified using a sensor of the plurality of sensors. The vehicle further includes a plurality of cameras integrated in the vehicle to enable capturing of image data of an area around the vehicle.

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.