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EP-4737183-A1 - SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MOBILE DEVICE CONTROL OF VEHICLE CABIN COMFORT FEATURES

EP4737183A1EP 4737183 A1EP4737183 A1EP 4737183A1EP-4737183-A1

Abstract

In at least one embodiment, a system for controlling comfort features in a vehicle is provided. The system includes a memory device and at least one first controller. The at least one first controller is programmed to receive a first signal indicative of a location of the vehicle and to receive a second signal indicative of a weather pattern experienced by the vehicle over an elapsed period of time. The at least one first controller is further programmed to provide one or more selections fields on a display for selection thereof based on the first signal and the second signal, the one or more selection fields corresponding to recommended comfort features to be one or activated or deactivated in the vehicle and to transmit a command to the vehicle to one of activate or deactivate the recommended comfort features in the vehicle.

Inventors

  • HAYASHI, NAOKI
  • GINGERICH, Devin Allen

Assignees

  • Harman International Industries, Inc.

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20251030

Claims (15)

  1. A system for controlling comfort features in a vehicle, the system comprising: a memory device; and at least one first controller including the memory, the at least one first controller programmed to: receive a first signal indicative of a location of the vehicle; receive a second signal indicative of a weather pattern experienced by the vehicle over an elapsed period of time; provide one or more selections fields on a display for selection thereof based on the first signal and the second signal, the one or more selection fields corresponding to recommended comfort features to be one of activated or deactivated in the vehicle; and transmit a command to the vehicle to one of activate or deactivate the recommended comfort features in the vehicle in response to a selection of the one or more selection fields on the display.
  2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a vehicle controller programmed to one of activate and deactivate the recommended comfort features in the vehicle in response to the command.
  3. The system of claim 1, wherein the command corresponds to at least one of the following: activating or deactivating one of a driver heated seat or a passenger heated seat, activating or deactivating a rear passenger heated seat, activating a defrost operation for one of a front window, a rear window, or a side mirror, specifying a predetermined temperature for an interior of the vehicle, activating a heated steering wheel operation.
  4. The system of any preceding claim, wherein the at least one first controller is further programmed to associate the weather pattern experienced by the vehicle over the elapsed period of time to the location of the vehicle prior to providing the one or more selections fields on the display for selection thereof for the recommended comfort features.
  5. The system of any preceding claim, wherein the at least one first controller is further programmed to employ a predetermined lighting scheme for the one or more selections fields on the display for selection thereof based on the first signal and the second signal.
  6. The system of any preceding claim, wherein the at least one first controller is further programmed to provide a preselected set of selection fields for selection to cool an interior of the vehicle.
  7. The system of claim 6, wherein the preselected set of selection fields includes a roll down window command and wherein the at least one first controller transmits the roll down window command to the vehicle to roll down any one or more of a front or rear door window to cool the interior of the vehicle.
  8. The system of any preceding claim, wherein the at least one first controller is further programmed to provide a preselected set of selection fields for selection to heat an interior of the vehicle.
  9. A method for controlling comfort features in a vehicle, the method comprising: receiving a first signal indicative of a location of the vehicle; receiving a second signal indicative of a weather pattern experience by the vehicle over an elapsed period of time; providing one or more selections fields on a display for selection thereof based on the first signal and the second signal, the one or more selection fields corresponding to recommended comfort features to be one or activated or deactivated in the vehicle; and transmitting a command to the vehicle to one of activate or deactivate the recommended comfort features in the vehicle in response to a selection of the one or more selection fields on the display.
  10. The method of claim 9 further comprising associating the weather pattern for the vehicle over the elapsed period of time to the location of the vehicle prior to providing the one or more selections fields on the display for selection thereof for the recommended comfort features.
  11. The method of claim 9 or 10 further comprising employing a predetermined lighting scheme for the one or more selections fields on the display for selection thereof based on the first signal and the second signal.
  12. The method of any of claims 9 to 11, further comprising providing a preselected set of selection fields for selection to cool an interior of the vehicle and preferably the the preselected set of selection fields includes a roll down window command.
  13. The method of claim 12 further comprising transmitting the roll down window command to the vehicle to roll down any one or more of a front or rear door window to cool the interior of the vehicle.
  14. A computer-program product embodied in a non-transitory computer read-able medium that is programmed and executable by one or more controllers to control comfort features in a vehicle, the computer-program product comprising instructions for: receiving a first signal indicative of a location of the vehicle; receiving a second signal indicative of a weather pattern experienced by the vehicle over an elapsed period of time; providing one or more selections fields on a display for selection thereof based on the first signal and the second signal, the one or more selection fields corresponding to recommended comfort features to be one or activated or deactivated in the vehicle; and transmitting a command to the vehicle to one of activate or deactivate the recommended comfort features in the vehicle in response to a selection of the one or more selection fields on the display.
  15. The computer-program product of claim 14 further comprising associating the weather pattern for the vehicle over the elapsed period of time to the location of the vehicle prior to providing the one or more selections fields on the display for selection thereof for the recommended comfort features.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD Aspects disclosed herein generally related to a system and method for mobile device control of vehicle cabin comfort features. These features and others will be described in more detail below. BACKGROUND There are multiple automaker specific applications (i.e., apps) for various vehicles that support the functionality of remotely turning on a cabin climate control setting. However, current applications turn on or activate a main heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system for heating/cooling and do not provide the owner with the ability to control other features such as the heated steering wheel and heated seats. Such temperature control features utilize a significant amount of energy. This aspect may be especially impactful on electric vehicles (EVs) in extremely cold environments. Some applications may allow control over windshield heating. However, such applications may not have the ability to know whether or not it's necessary to heat the windshield since there may not be a connection or referencing capability to external weather conditions. Additionally, the limited comfort features that are able to be controlled via an app do not incorporate predictive behaviors based on calendar and location data. Therefore, it is not possible to send push notifications to a user to provide suggestions for turning comfort features on. SUMMARY In at least one embodiment, a system for controlling comfort features in a vehicle is provided. The system includes a memory device and at least one first controller. The at least one first controller is programmed to receive a first signal indicative of a location of the vehicle and to receive a second signal indicative of a weather pattern for the vehicle over an elapsed period of time. The at least one first controller is further programmed to provide one or more selections fields on a display for selection thereof based on the first signal and the second signal, the one or more selection fields corresponding to recommended comfort features to be one of activated or deactivated in the vehicle and to transmit a command to the vehicle to one of activate or deactivate the recommended comfort features in the vehicle. In at least another embodiment, a method for controlling comfort features in a vehicle is provided. The method includes receiving a first signal indicative of a location of the vehicle and receiving a second signal indicative of a weather pattern experienced by the vehicle over an elapsed period of time. The method further includes providing one or more selections fields on a display for selection thereof based on the first signal and the second signal, the one or more selection fields corresponding to recommended comfort features to be one or activated or deactivated in the vehicle and transmitting a command to the vehicle to one of activate or deactivate the recommended comfort features in the vehicle in response to a selection of the one or more selection fields on the display. In at least another embodiment, a computer-program product embodied in a non-transitory computer read-able medium that is programmed and executable by one or more controllers to control comfort features in a vehicle is provided. The computer-program product comprises instructions for receiving a first signal indicative of a location of the vehicle and for receiving a second signal indicative of a weather pattern experienced by the vehicle over an elapsed period of time. The computer-program product further comprises providing one or more selections fields on a display for selection thereof based on the first signal and the second signal, the one or more selection fields corresponding to recommended comfort features to be one of activated or deactivated in the vehicle and transmitting a command to the vehicle to one of activate or deactivate the recommended comfort features in the vehicle in response to a selection of the one or more selection fields on the display. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The embodiments of the present disclosure are pointed out with particularity in the appended claims. However, other features of the various embodiments will become more apparent and will be best understood by referring to the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompany drawings in which: FIGURE 1 generally depicts a vehicle system in accordance with one embodiment;FIGURE 2 generally depicts a primary application interface associated with a mobile device in accordance with one embodiment;FIGURE 3 generally depicts a cold weather preparation user interface associated with the mobile device in accordance with one embodiment;FIGURE 4 generally depicts a warm/hot weather preparation user interface associated with the mobile device in accordance with one embodiment;FIGURE 5 generally depicts a recommended cabin preparation user interface associated with the mobile device in accordance with one embodiment;FIGURE 6 generally depicts a saved lists user int