IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,615,391
Granted Patent B2
US 9,615,391 · App. 14/184,181 · Granted Apr 4, 2017

Systems and methods of gesture-based detection of driver mobile device

Inventor: Joel J. Fischer (Royal Oak, MI)
Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
H04W76/023B60K37/00G06F3/04883H04L67/125H04M1/6075H04W4/008H04M1/7253
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,615,391
App. No.
14/184,181
Granted
Apr 4, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

A vehicle may be configured to prompt for a gesture-based identifying action, the action to be performed via moving a device, thereby identifying the device for association as the driver device; identify movement of the device in accordance with the gesture-based identifying action; and associate the device, moved in accordance with the gesture-based identifying action, as the driver device.

Claims (35)

1. A system comprising:

a display;

a wireless transceiver configured to detect presence of mobile devices; and

a controller, configured to

identify multiple mobile devices within a vehicle using the transceiver;

prompt, on the display, an action specifying a designated vehicle location to move a mobile device to allow the controller to identify which of the mobile devices is a driver device;

associate the mobile device moved to the location as the driver device;

receive a second gesture-based identifying action performed using another device; and

replace the device associated as the driver device with the another device responsive to the second gesture-based identifying action.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the action includes one of (i) placing the device within proximity to a device sensor at a designated vehicle location or (ii) tapping the device within proximity to the device sensor at the designated vehicle location.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the designated vehicle location includes one of (i) a vehicle steering wheel, (ii) a vehicle center console, (iii) a vehicle cup holder, or (iv) a vehicle dash.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein to associate the device includes at least one of to (i) load user preferences corresponding to a user associated with the device, or (ii) lock out an input device of the device.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the user preferences include at least one of telematics unit preferences, climate control preferences, seat preferences or mirror preferences.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the display is integrated into a head unit of the vehicle, and the designated vehicle location is a graphical indication on a user interface provided on the display.

7. A method comprising:

prompting, on a vehicle display responsive to a transceiver identifying multiple mobile devices within a vehicle, an action specifying a designated vehicle location to move a mobile device for identifying as a driver device;

associating a device, moved according to the action as determined using a proximity sensor, as the driver device; and

replacing the device with another device, responsive to receiving a second gesture-based identifying action performed using the another device.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the action includes one of (i) placing the device within proximity to a device sensor at a designated vehicle location or (ii) tapping the device within proximity to the device sensor at the designated vehicle location.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the designated vehicle location includes one of (i) a vehicle steering wheel, (ii) a vehicle center console, (iii) a vehicle cup holder, or (iv) a vehicle dash.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein associating the device comprises at least one of (i) loading user preferences corresponding to a user associated with the device, or (ii) locking out an input device of the device.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the user preferences include at least one of telematics unit preferences, climate control preferences, seat preferences or mirror preferences.

12. The method of claim 7 , wherein the display is integrated into a head unit of the vehicle, and further comprising displaying the designated vehicle location as a graphical indication on a user interface provided on the display.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions for identifying a driver device configured to cause at least one controller to:

identify at least one of (i) a plurality of devices within a vehicle or (ii) a plurality of vehicle occupants within the vehicle;

prompt, on a display of the vehicle, an action specifying a designated vehicle location to move a mobile device to identify the mobile device as the driver device;

identify movement of the device in accordance with the action;

associate the device, moved in accordance with the action, as the driver device;

identify movement of a second mobile device in accordance with the action; and

replace the association of the device as the driver device with an association with the second mobile device as the driver device.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the action includes one of (i) placing the device within proximity to a device sensor at a designated vehicle location or (ii) tapping the device within proximity to the device sensor at the designated vehicle location.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the designated vehicle location includes one of (i) a vehicle steering wheel, (ii) a vehicle center console, (iii) a vehicle cup holder, or (iv) a vehicle dash.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein to associate the device includes at least one of to (i) load user preferences corresponding to a user associated with the device, or (ii) lock out an input device of the device.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the user preferences include at least one of telematics unit preferences, climate control preferences, seat preferences or mirror preferences.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the display is integrated into a head unit of the vehicle, and the medium further comprises instructions configured to cause the at least one controller to display the designated vehicle location as a graphical indication on a user interface provided on the display.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 19, 2014
From: FISCHER, JOEL J.
To: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 032247/0360 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20150237662A1 · Aug 20, 2015