IP Library › Granted Patent US 12675105

Granted Patent B2

US 12675105 · App. 18/500,010 · Granted Jul 7, 2026

Systems and methods for enabling vehicle movement via an external interface

Inventors: Pietro Buttolo (Dearborn Heights, MI); Scott Steadmon Thompson (Belleville, MI); David Hancock (South Rockwood, MI); John Eric Rollinger (Troy, MI); Joseph Dorigo (Plymouth, MI); Matthew Ryan Preston (Whitmore Lake, MI)

G05D1/0016 B60R25/24 G05D1/0022 G05D1/0223 B60R2325/103

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12675105
App. No.: 18/500,010
Granted: Jul 7, 2026
Kind: B2

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Abstract

A vehicle including a transceiver, a vehicle sensor unit and a processor is disclosed. The transceiver may be configured to receive interface information from an interface sensor unit associated with an external interface. The external interface may be configured to be removably attached to a plurality of connection ports disposed on the vehicle. The vehicle sensor unit may be configured to determine vehicle information associated with at least one of a vehicle movement and the plurality of connection ports. The processor may obtain the interface information and/or the vehicle information. The processor may further determine an interface location relative to the vehicle based on the interface information and/or the vehicle information. Further, the processor may control a vehicle speed and/or a vehicle steering wheel rotation based on the interface location.

Claims (53)

1 . A vehicle comprising:

a transceiver configured to receive interface information from an interface sensor unit associated with an external interface, wherein the external interface is configured to be removably attached to a plurality of connection ports disposed on the vehicle, and wherein the interface information is associated with an external interface movement;

a vehicle sensor unit configured to determine vehicle information associated with at least one of a vehicle movement or the plurality of connection ports;

a processor communicatively coupled with the transceiver and the vehicle sensor unit, wherein the processor is configured to:

determine that a trigger event has occurred;

obtain at least one of the interface information or the vehicle information responsive to determining that the trigger event has occurred;

determine an interface location and interface orientation relative to the vehicle based on the at least one of the interface information or the vehicle information; and

control at least one of a vehicle speed or a vehicle steering wheel rotation based on the interface location and interface orientation relative to the vehicle,

wherein the processor is further configured to determine the interface location and interface orientation relative to the vehicle based on comparing a first axial rate of change of a speed pattern of the interface with a second axial rate of change of a speed pattern of the vehicle.

2 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine a maximum permissible distance the vehicle is configured to move based on the interface location and interface orientation relative to the vehicle; and

enable the vehicle movement to the maximum permissible distance.

3 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

correlate the interface information and the vehicle information associated with the vehicle movement;

determine, based on correlating the interface information and the vehicle information associated with the vehicle movement, that the interface location is in the vehicle;

determine at least one of a first maximum permissible vehicle speed or a first maximum permissible vehicle steering wheel rotation angle responsive to determining that the interface location is in the vehicle; and

control the at least one of the vehicle speed or the vehicle steering wheel rotation based on the first maximum permissible vehicle speed and the first maximum permissible vehicle steering wheel rotation angle.

4 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the transceiver is further configured to receive user device information from a user device associated with a user, and wherein the processor is further configured to determine the interface location based on the user device information.

5 . The vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

correlate the user device information, the interface information and the vehicle information associated with the vehicle movement;

determine, based on correlating the user device information, the interface information and the vehicle information associated with the vehicle movement, that the interface location is outside the vehicle;

determine at least one of a second maximum permissible vehicle speed or a second maximum permissible vehicle steering wheel rotation angle responsive to determining that the interface location is outside the vehicle; and

control the at least one of the vehicle speed or the vehicle steering wheel rotation based on the second maximum permissible vehicle speed and the second maximum permissible vehicle steering wheel rotation angle.

6 . The vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the processor is further configured to authenticate the user, and wherein the processor determines that the trigger event has occurred when the user is authenticated.

7 . The vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine a user location, wherein the processor determines that the trigger event has occurred when the user location is within a predefined distance from the vehicle.

8 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to authenticate the external interface, and wherein the processor determines that the trigger event has occurred when the external interface is authenticated.

9 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein each connection port of the plurality of connection ports comprises one or more pins disposed in a unique orientation, and wherein the processor is further configured to determine the interface location and the interface orientation relative to a front portion of the vehicle based on an engaging of the interface with a connection port comprising the one or more pins disposed in the unique orientation.

10 . The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the vehicle sensor unit is configured to receive a first connection signal from one or more first pins associated with a first connection port, from the plurality of connection ports, when the external interface is attached to the first connection port, wherein the first connection signal is indicative of the unique orientation associated with the one or more first pins, and wherein the vehicle information associated with the plurality of connection ports comprises the first connection signal.

11 . The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

obtain the first connection signal from the vehicle sensor unit;

determine that the interface location is in the vehicle and the external interface is attached to the first connection port based on the first connection signal;

determine at least one of a third maximum permissible vehicle speed or a third maximum permissible vehicle steering wheel rotation angle responsive to determining that the interface location is in the vehicle and the external interface is attached to the first connection port; and

control the at least one of the vehicle speed or the vehicle steering wheel rotation based on the third maximum permissible vehicle speed and the third maximum permissible vehicle steering wheel rotation angle.

12 . The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine a first axial rate of change of a speed pattern of the interface based on determining the interface location and the interface orientation relative to the front portion of the vehicle.

13 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine one or more vehicle speakers, vehicle lights, or vehicle display screens closest to the interface location; and

output one or more notifications via the vehicle speakers, the vehicle lights or the vehicle display screens.

14 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the first axial rate of change of the speed pattern of the interface based on interface information obtained responsive to engaging of the interface with a connection port comprising one or more pins disposed in a unique orientation.

15 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to determine that the interface is located in the vehicle based on a change in interface orientation matching a change in vehicle orientation.

16 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to control the at least one of the vehicle speed or the vehicle steering wheel rotation further based on a mapping of a plurality of interface locations and/or interface orientations with vehicle speeds and/or vehicle steering wheel rotation angles.

17 . A method to control a vehicle speed and a vehicle steering wheel rotation, the method comprising:

determining, by a processor, that a trigger event has occurred;

obtaining, by the processor, interface information from an interface sensor unit associated with an external interface and vehicle information associated with at least one of a vehicle movement or a plurality of connection ports from a vehicle sensor unit responsive to determining that the trigger event has occurred, wherein the external interface is configured to be removably attached to a plurality of connection ports disposed on a vehicle, and wherein the interface information is associated with an external interface movement;

determining, by the processor, an interface location relative to the vehicle based on the at least one of the interface information or the vehicle information, wherein determining, by the processor, the interface location relative to the vehicle based on the at least one of the interface information or the vehicle information comprises determining the interface location relative to the vehicle based on comparing a first axial rate of change of a speed pattern of the interface with a second axial rate of change of a speed pattern of the vehicle; and

controlling, by the processor, at least one of the vehicle speed or the vehicle steering wheel rotation based on the interface location.

18 . A vehicle comprising:

a vehicle sensor unit configured to determine vehicle information associated with at least one of a vehicle movement or the plurality of connection ports, wherein each connection port of the plurality of connection ports comprises one or more pins disposed in a unique orientation;

a processor communicatively coupled with the transceiver and the vehicle sensor unit, wherein the processor is configured to:

determine that a trigger event has occurred;

obtain at least one of the interface information or the vehicle information responsive to determining that the trigger event has occurred;

determine an interface location and interface orientation relative to the vehicle based on the at least one of the interface information or the vehicle information; and

control at least one of a vehicle speed or a vehicle steering wheel rotation based on the interface location and interface orientation relative to the vehicle, wherein the processor is further configured to determine the interface location and the interface orientation relative to a front portion of the vehicle based on an engaging of the interface with a connection port comprising the one or more pins disposed in the unique orientation, wherein the processor is further configured to determine a first axial rate of change of a speed pattern of the interface based on determining the interface location and the interface orientation relative to the front portion of the vehicle.