VEHICLE SECURITY AND CUSTOMIZATION

摘要

Techniques are described for enhancing security, customization, and/or group interaction of users in vehicles. For instance, a mobile device of an owner of a vehicle may be registered in a manner that allows the mobile device to control operation of the vehicle and authorize guest user operation of the vehicle. In addition, the vehicle may be adapted to receive preferred vehicle settings from mobile devices positioned in the vehicle, such as a mobile device of a guest user, and customize the vehicle settings based on the retrieved preferences. Further, the vehicle may be equipped to communicate with in-pavement vehicle detection systems and enable interaction in an ad hoc group with other vehicles positioned to connect to the in-pavement vehicle detection systems.

主权项

1. A vehicle comprising:
a body carriage having rotatable wheels mounted thereunder, the rotatable wheels configured to roll along a surface of a pavement, each of the rotatable wheels including a tire mounted on a rim; and a vehicle extension system configured to communicate wirelessly with in-pavement vehicle detection systems embedded on or below pavement on which the rotatable wheels are configured to roll, the vehicle communication extension system comprising:
one or more road contact transceivers arranged so that at least one of the one or more road contact transceivers is within a predetermined distance from an in-pavement vehicle detection system based on the rotatable wheels being located on pavement at a position above the in-pavement vehicle detection system, the one or more road contact transceivers being configured to transmit information to and receive information from the in-pavement vehicle detection system based on at least one of the one or more road contact transceivers being within the predetermined distance from the in-pavement vehicle detection system;one or more wireless transceivers that are located in the vehicle and that are configured to communicate with personal mobile communication devices that are located within a passenger compartment of the vehicle; andextension circuitry electrically connected to the one or more road contact transceivers and the one or more wireless transceivers, the extension circuitry being configured to manage communications between the one or more road contact transceivers, the one or more wireless transceivers, in-pavement vehicle detection systems, and personal mobile communication devices, wherein the extension circuitry is configured to:detect a guest personal mobile communication device that is positioned to wirelessly communicate with at least one of the one or more wireless transceivers, the guest personal mobile communication device being a communication device of a guest user that is attempting to use the vehicle;based on detection of the guest personal mobile communication device, monitor for presence of an owner personal mobile communication device in position to wirelessly communicate with at least one of the one or more wireless transceivers, the owner personal mobile communication device having been registered to the extension circuitry as a device that is able to use the vehicle and authorize guests to use the vehicle;based on the monitoring for presence of the owner personal mobile communication device, detect the owner personal mobile communication device in position to wirelessly communicate with at least one of the one or more wireless transceivers;based on detection of the owner personal mobile communication device, authorize use of the vehicle by the guest personal mobile communication device and receive, from the guest personal mobile communication device through at least one of the one or more wireless transceivers, guest vehicle settings stored by the guest personal mobile communication device, the guest vehicle settings defining preferences of the guest user for settings associated with use of the vehicle and settings associated with communications exchanged with in-pavement vehicle detection systems by the guest personal mobile communication device;after authorization of use of the vehicle by the guest personal mobile communication device, detect a passenger personal mobile communication device that is positioned to wirelessly communicate with at least one of the one or more wireless transceivers, the passenger personal mobile communication device being a communication device of a passenger user who is located in the passenger compartment of the vehicle;based on detection of the passenger personal mobile communication device, receive, from the passenger personal mobile communication device through at least one of the one or more wireless transceivers, passenger vehicle settings stored by the passenger personal mobile communication device, the passenger vehicle settings defining preferences of the passenger user for settings associated with use of the vehicle and settings associated with communications exchanged with in-pavement vehicle detection systems by the passenger personal mobile communication device;access, from electronic storage, vehicle rules that define permissible settings for the vehicle, the accessed vehicle rules having been defined based on communication with the owner personal mobile communication device through at least one of the one or more wireless transceivers;evaluate the received guest vehicle settings and the received passenger vehicle settings with respect to the accessed vehicle rules;based on the evaluation, determine current vehicle settings for settings associated with use of the vehicle by the guest user and the passenger user and settings associated with communications exchanged with in-pavement vehicle detection systems by the guest personal mobile communication device and the passenger personal mobile communication device, the current vehicle settings meeting a subset of the preferences of the guest user and a subset of the preferences of the passenger user;monitor for an ability to connect with the in-pavement vehicle detection system through at least one of the one or more road contact transceivers, the in-pavement vehicle detection system being able to simultaneously connect with multiple vehicles through road contact transceivers;based on the monitoring for the ability to communicate with the in-pavement vehicle detection system, detect the ability to communicate with the in-pavement vehicle detection system;based on detection of the ability to communicate with the in-pavement vehicle detection system, add, in accordance with the current vehicle settings, the vehicle to an ad hoc social group that includes the multiple vehicles simultaneously connected to the in-pavement vehicle detection system through road contact transceivers;based on the current vehicle settings, enable the passenger personal mobile communication device to interact with the ad hoc social group without revealing identifying information associated with the passenger personal mobile communication device; andautomatically, without user intervention, disconnect from the ad hoc social group based on the vehicle moving to a position in which the one or more road contact transceivers are outside of the predetermined distance from the in-pavement vehicle detection system.