Abstract: Systems and methods for providing visual notifications in the peripheral vision of a driver. The system includes a memory that stores instructions for executing processes for providing visual notifications in the peripheral vision of a driver. The system also includes a processor configured to execute the instructions. The instructions cause the processor to: generate a notification based on an output of a driver assistance system, with the output being generated based on one or more objects detected by a sensor of a vehicle or based on a navigational database of the vehicle; and illuminate an indicator embedded in a top portion of a dashboard of the vehicle for providing the notification in the peripheral vision of the driver.

Abstract: A projected route between a first location and a second location is determined. A first point-of-interest associated with a third location proximate to the projected route is determined. The first point-of-interest is presented to a user. Additionally or alternatively, a plurality of locations are identified. Each location of the plurality of locations is associated with a respective time. A point-of-interest is received from a user. The point-of-interest is associated with a point-of-interest location. A projected route including the plurality of locations and the point-of-interest location is determined based at least in part on at least one time associated with the plurality of locations.

Abstract: A module executed on a mobile communications device (MCD) to automatically pair the MCD with a vehicle. The module determines whether the MCD's short range communication technology, e.g., Bluetooth® technology is enabled. If not, the module turns on the MCD's short range communication technology. The module also determines whether the MCD is in a discovery mode, which is the mode of the MCD that enables the MCD to pair. If not, the module turns on the MCD's discovery mode. The module then automatically pairs the MCD and the vehicle. In an embodiment the automatic pairing includes setting the vehicle's hands free telephone module to a discovery mode, if the short range communications from the MCD and HFT are being seen by each other than a personal identification number (PIN) is obtained. In an embodiment the PIN is not entered by a user of the MCD or vehicle, but is automatically determined. The MCD and HFT are then securely paired using conventional pairing techniques.

Abstract: One or more embodiments of techniques or systems for enhancing vehicle connectivity are provided herein. In one or more embodiments, rule based actions may be implemented in connection with a vehicle. A system may include input devices or input components associated with a vehicle that may receive vehicle data. Output devices or output components associated with the vehicle may generate actions for the vehicle. A control component may monitor data in connection with a rule or a conditional rule. This data may include input data, remote data, etc. The rule may include conditions and corresponding actions. When the input component receives data which satisfies one or more conditions, an action may be generated. In one or more embodiments, the action may be an action remote to the vehicle or an action local to the vehicle.

Abstract: A projected route between a first location and a second location is determined. A first point-of-interest associated with a third location proximate to the projected route is determined. The first point-of-interest is presented to a user. Additionally or alternatively, a plurality of locations are identified. Each location of the plurality of locations is associated with a respective time. A point-of-interest is received from a user. The point-of-interest is associated with a point-of-interest location. A projected route including the plurality of locations and the point-of-interest location is determined based at least in part on at least one time associated with the plurality of locations.

Abstract: A system and method for connection management between a consumer device and a vehicle. The connection management is performed automatically using a computing device, e.g., an application executing on a smartphone. The system and method configure the vehicle and consumer device in a manner that optimizes the vehicle and consumer device connections based on a variety of factors such as available connections/ports and protocols to be used.

Abstract: A mobile device stores charge status information of an electric vehicle. The charge status information is received by the mobile device from the electric vehicle via a short range wireless communication protocol in response to a triggering event at the vehicle indicating that the vehicle has been stopped. The mobile device at a later point receives a request from a user, the request involving a current state of charge of the electric vehicle. The mobile device attempts to communicate with electric vehicle to obtain information from the vehicle for responding to the request. If the mobile device is not able to communicate with the vehicle, the mobile device respond's to the user's request using the stored charge status information.

Abstract: A system and method for determining the driving conditions during a particular trip/period of interest and then comparing the vehicle economy information of a particular user to other drivers who were driving in similar situations. In one embodiment, a driving level is determined based upon the speed during the trip/period of interest and the number of stops during the trip/period of interest. The speed/stop information can be used to identify the driving level or driving circumstances during the trip/period of interest. This information more accurately reflects the driver's skill in driving economically when compared to only using basic miles per gallon (mpg) information since mpg information does not account for one driver who drives in stop-and-go traffic and another driver who drives on uncongested freeways.

Abstract: A mobile device stores charge status information of an electric vehicle. The charge status information is received by the mobile device from the electric vehicle via a short range wireless communication protocol in response to a triggering event at the vehicle indicating that the vehicle has been stopped. The mobile device at a later point receives a request from a user, the request involving a current state of charge of the electric vehicle. The mobile device attempts to communicate with electric vehicle to obtain information from the vehicle for responding to the request. If the mobile device is not able to communicate with the vehicle, the mobile device respond's to the user's request using the stored charge status information.

Abstract: A text-to-speech (TTS) system implemented in an automotive vehicle is dynamically tuned to increase intelligibility over a wide variety of vehicle operating states and environmental conditions by tuning characteristics of the synthesized voice in response to measured operating states. To decrease distractions to an operator of the vehicle, an embodiment of the invention prevents updates to the synthesized voice character from taking effect while a message phrase is being played. Instead, voice characteristics are updated only during natural phrase breaks. In another embodiment of the invention, a damping filter is applied to calculated changes in voice characteristics to prevent excessively rapid changes from being applied, reducing the likelihood of distracting the vehicle operator. In another embodiment of the invention, both phrase-break detectors and damping filters are employed.

Abstract: A module executed on a mobile communications device (MCD) to automatically pair the MCD with a vehicle. The module determines whether the MCD's short range communication technology, e.g., Bluetooth® technology is enabled. If not, the module turns on the MCD's short range communication technology. The module also determines whether the MCD is in a discovery mode, which is the mode of the MCD that enables the MCD to pair. If not, the module turns on the MCD's discovery mode. The module then automatically pairs the MCD and the vehicle. In an embodiment the automatic pairing includes setting the vehicle's hands free telephone module to a discovery mode, if the short range communications from the MCD and HFT are being seen by each other than a personal identification number (PIN) is obtained. In an embodiment the PIN is not entered by a user of the MCD or vehicle, but is automatically determined. The MCD and HFT are then securely paired using conventional pairing techniques.

Abstract: A method and a system are provided for dynamically updating voice recognition commands available for controlling a device in a vehicle. A receiver unit of a voice recognition system, located in the vehicle, receives a remotely transmitted broadcast signal. A processor of the voice recognition system extracts voice recognition data from a remaining portion of the broadcast signal and updates voice recognition commands stored in a memory unit, coupled to the processor, with the extracted voice recognition data. A voice input device of the voice recognition system receives a spoken command from a user. A voice recognition engine, coupled to the voice input device and the memory unit, determines whether the spoken command matches one of the stored voice recognition commands in the memory unit. If a match occurs, a recognized voice command is generated. The recognized voice command is sent to an affected device in the vehicle.

Abstract: A text-to-speech (TTS) system implemented in an automotive vehicle is dynamically tuned to improve intelligibility over a wide variety of vehicle operating states and environmental conditions. In one embodiment of the present invention, a TTS system is interfaced to one or more vehicle sensors to measure parameters including vehicle speed, interior noise, visibility conditions, and road roughness, among others. In response to measurements of these operating parameters, TTS voice volume, pitch, and speed, among other parameters, may be tuned in order to improve intelligibility of the TTS voice system and increase its effectiveness for the operator of the vehicle.

Abstract: A text-to-speech (TTS) system implemented in an automotive vehicle is dynamically tuned to increase intelligibility over a wide variety of vehicle operating states and environmental conditions by tuning characteristics of the synthesized voice in response to measured operating states. To decrease distractions to an operator of the vehicle, an embodiment of the invention prevents updates to the synthesized voice character from taking effect while a message phrase is being played. Instead, voice characteristics are updated only during natural phrase breaks. In another embodiment of the invention, a damping filter is applied to calculated changes in voice characteristics to prevent excessively rapid changes from being applied, reducing the likelihood of distracting the vehicle operator. In another embodiment of the invention, both phrase-break detectors and damping filters are employed.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for preventing vehicle theft and carjackings. There is provided a method comprising generating an immobilization profile based on the received current vehicle data, and sending the immobilization profile to the vehicle over a wireless communication network. There is also provided a method generally comprising determining current vehicle data regarding vehicle dynamics and driving conditions, obtaining an immobilization profile based on the received current vehicle data, and adjusting vehicle throttle and/or braking (e.g., friction-type braking, engine braking, etc.) so that vehicle speed approximates the immobilization profile. In one embodiment, the above described methods further comprise communicating with the vehicle operator prior to implementing vehicle immobilization profiles.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for improved speech synthesis, wherein text data is pre-processed according to updated grammar rules or a selected group of grammar rules. In one embodiment, the TTS system comprises a first memory adapted to store a text information database, a second memory adapted to store grammar rules, and a receiver adapted to receive update data regarding the grammar rules. The system also includes a TTS engine adapted to retrieve at least one text entry from the text information database, pre-process the at least one text entry by applying the updated grammar rules to the at least one text entry, and generate speech based at least in part on the least one pre-processed text entry.

Abstract: A method is provided for remotely and dynamically updating voice recognition commands available for controlling a device in a vehicle comprising the steps of: (a) receiving a broadcast signal comprising voice recognition data; (b) filtering the received broadcast signal by separating the voice recognition data from a remainder of the broadcast signal; (c) updating the a database containing previously stored voice recognition data with the received voice recognition data; (d) receiving a spoken command from an input device; (e) determining whether the received spoken command matches the voice recognition data stored in the database; and (f) generating a recognized voice command based at least in part on matching the received spoken command with the voice recognition data stored in the database.