Abstract: A vehicle control system executing a voice control system for facilitating voice-based dialog with a driver to enable the driver or autonomous vehicle to control certain operational aspects of an autonomous vehicle is provided. Using environmental and sensor input, the vehicle control system can select optimal routes for operating the vehicle in an autonomous mode or choose a preferred operational mode. Occupants of the autonomous vehicle can change a destination, route or driving mode by engaging with the vehicle control system in a dialog enabled by the voice control system.

Abstract: An automotive processing unit includes an infotainment system having a speech interface, an application suite comprising one or more spatially-cognizant applications, and an automotive assistant that is configured to execute one or more of the spatially-cognizant applications. The speech interface is configured to receive a navigation announcement from a navigator and a touring announcement from one of the spatially-cognizant applications and, in response, to cause a spoken announcement to be made audible in a vehicle's cabin through a loudspeaker. The spoken announcement comprising content from at least one of the touring announcement and the navigation announcement.

Abstract: Touring circuitry for managing an immersion tour as a vehicle traverses a path through a touring theatre receives location information and provides control signals to an augmented-reality system based on a location of the vehicle in the touring theater. The control signals cause the augmented-reality system to stimulate at least two sensory inputs of a passenger.

Abstract: A biometric corroborator receives an enhanced sound file, a vehicular data provided by a vehicle, and telemetry data provided by the vehicle to a telematics server. It then uses these to corroborate each other before deciding whether to authenticate a proposed transaction.

Abstract: An automotive processing unit includes an infotainment system having a speech interface, an application suite comprising one or more spatially-cognizant applications, and an automotive assistant that is configured to execute one or more of the spatially-cognizant applications. The speech interface is configured to receive a navigation announcement from a navigator and a touring announcement from one of the spatially-cognizant applications and, in response, to cause a spoken announcement to be made audible in a vehicle's cabin through a loudspeaker. The spoken announcement comprising content from at least one of the touring announcement and the navigation announcement.

Abstract: While current voice assistants can respond to voice requests, creating smarter assistants that leverage location, past requests, and user data to enhance responses to future requests and to provide robust data about locations is desirable. A method for enhancing a geolocation database (“database”) associates a user-initiated triggering event with a location in a database by sensing user position and orientation within the vehicle and a position and orientation of the vehicle. The triggering event is detected by sensors arranged within a vehicle with respect to the user. The method determines a point of interest (“POI”) near the location based on the user-initiated triggering event. The method, responsive to the user-initiated triggering event, updates the database based on information related to the user-initiated triggering event at an entry of the database associated with the POI. The database and voice assistants can leverage the enhanced data about the POI for future requests.

Abstract: Provided are a system and method of input to a computer in a vehicle. An electronic communication is formed between a first electronic device and a display of a second electronic device that is viewable by a user from a location in the vehicle, including providing by the first electronic device a first input mode for the second electronic device. A multimodal application is executed that permits the user to interact with the display of the second electronic device by a combination of the first input mode and at least one second input mode for the second electronic device. The combination of the first input mode and the at least one second input mode controls the display of the first electronic device.

Abstract: A vehicle control system executing a voice control system for facilitating voice-based dialog with a driver to enable the driver or autonomous vehicle to control certain operational aspects of an autonomous vehicle is provided. Using environmental and sensor input, the vehicle control system can select optimal routes for operating the vehicle in an autonomous mode or choose a preferred operational mode. Occupants of the autonomous vehicle can change a destination, route or driving mode by engaging with the vehicle control system in a dialog enabled by the voice control system.

Abstract: A vehicle control system executing a voice control system for facilitating voice-based dialog with a driver to enable the driver or autonomous vehicle to control certain operational aspects of an autonomous vehicle is provided. Using environmental and sensor input, the vehicle control system can select optimal routes for operating the vehicle in an autonomous mode or choose a preferred operational mode. Occupants of the autonomous vehicle can change a destination, route or driving mode by engaging with the vehicle control system in a dialog enabled by the voice control system.

Abstract: A method for managing location-aware reminders in an automobile includes monitoring a geographic location of the automobile using a computer system installed in the vehicle. The computer system detects that the automobile has entered a geographic region associated with a location-aware reminder and issues a reminder message associated with the location-aware reminder to a driver of the automobile based on the detecting.

Abstract: A shared mobility vehicle hosts a moving “info kiosk” that provides information assistance to potential passengers (or other individuals) and to on-board passenger. The approach is applicable to human-operated vehicles, and a particularly applicable to autonomous vehicles where no human operator is available to provide assistance.

Abstract: A haptic-communication system includes a fabric, a frame that supports the fabric, and a haptic element that is integral with a textile that forms the fabric. A transition of the haptic element between first and second states thereof provides communication with a person in contact with the haptic element.

Abstract: While current voice assistants can respond to voice requests, creating smarter assistants that leverage location, past requests, and user data to enhance responses to future requests and to provide robust data about locations is desirable. A method for enhancing a geolocation database (“database”) associates a user-initiated triggering event with a location in a database by sensing user position and orientation within the vehicle and a position and orientation of the vehicle. The triggering event is detected by sensors arranged within a vehicle with respect to the user. The method determines a point of interest (“POI”) near the location based on the user-initiated triggering event. The method, responsive to the user-initiated triggering event, updates the database based on information related to the user-initiated triggering event at an entry of the database associated with the POI. The database and voice assistants can leverage the enhanced data about the POI for future requests.

Abstract: Touring circuitry for managing an immersion tour as a vehicle traverses a path through a touring theatre receives location information and provides control signals to an augmented-reality system based on a location of the vehicle in the touring theater. The control signals cause the augmented-reality system to stimulate at least two sensory inputs of a passenger.

Abstract: A system for detecting the presence of a person in an automobile includes a computing device and a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) sensor integrated into the automobile and configured to generate sensor data representing movement of the person in the automobile, the MEMS sensor being in operative communication with the computing device. The computing device is configured to process the sensor data from the MEMS sensor to detect the presence of a person in the automobile when the automobile is parked.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising an infotainment system including a proactive automotive assistant that executes a first action and a second action, wherein the first action is that of permitting spontaneous communication to an occupant in a vehicle and the second action is that of providing information indicating that spontaneous communication with the occupant is impermissible. The automotive assistant is configured to receive information selected from the group consisting of vehicle-status information concerning operation of the vehicle and occupant-status information concerning the occupant and to base the first and second actions at least in part on the information.

Abstract: A method includes receiving, at a voice assistant, data representing a number of requests spoken by a number of speakers, processing the data representing the number of requests to identify a number of commands associated with the number of requests, processing the number of commands to determine a number of responses corresponding to the number of requests, ordering the number of responses according to a sequencing objective, and providing the ordered number of responses for presentation to the number of speakers.

Abstract: An automotive processing unit includes an infotainment system having a speech interface, an application suite comprising one or more spatially-cognizant applications, and an automotive assistant that is configured to execute one or more of the spatially-cognizant applications. The speech interface is configured to receive a navigation announcement from a navigator and a touring announcement from one of the spatially-cognizant applications and, in response, to cause a spoken announcement to be made audible in a vehicle's cabin through a loudspeaker. The spoken announcement comprising content from at least one of the touring announcement and the navigation announcement.

Abstract: A haptic-communication system includes a fabric, a frame that supports the fabric, and a haptic element that is integral with a textile that forms the fabric. A transition of the haptic element between first and second states thereof provides communication with a person in contact with the haptic element.

Abstract: While current voice assistants can respond to voice requests, creating smarter assistants that leverage location, past requests, and user data to enhance responses to future requests and to provide robust data about locations is desirable. A method for enhancing a geolocation database (“database”) associates a user-initiated triggering event with a location in a database by sensing user position and orientation within the vehicle and a position and orientation of the vehicle. The triggering event is detected by sensors arranged within a vehicle with respect to the user. The method determines a point of interest (“POI”) near the location based on the user-initiated triggering event. The method, responsive to the user-initiated triggering event, updates the database based on information related to the user-initiated triggering event at an entry of the database associated with the POI. The database and voice assistants can leverage the enhanced data about the POI for future requests.