Dongles for controlling vehicle drive assist systems
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorMichael Serebrennikov
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Method and apparatus are disclosed for dongles for controlling vehicle drive-assist systems. An example vehicle includes an electronic control unit for performing an autonomous motive function, an OBD port configured to receive a dongle to communicatively couple to the dongle, and a driver-assist controller. The driver-assist controller is configured to receive instructions from the dongle when the vehicle is at a racing event location responsive to the OBD port receiving the dongle and deactivate the autonomous motive function when receiving the instructions.
Claims18
A vehicle comprising:
- an electronic control unit for performing an autonomous motive function;
- an on-board diagnostic (OBD) port configured to receive a dongle to communicatively couple to the dongle;
- and
- a drive-assist controller configured to, responsive to the OBD port receiving the dongle:
- wirelessly communicate, via the dongle, with at least one external database storing information of an event defined at a predetermined location at a predetermined time;
- determine, via the dongle, whether the vehicle is positioned in the predetermined location at the predetermined time;
- responsive to determining that the vehicle is positioned in the predetermined location at the predetermined time, receive instructions from the dongle;
- and
- deactivate the autonomous motive function when receiving the instructions.
A dongle comprising:
- a connector configured to couple to a port of a vehicle;
- a global positioning system (GPS) receiver configured to determine a dongle location;
- a communication module configured to receive, from a remote control unit storing information of an event defined at a predetermined location at a predetermined time, instructions for deactivating an autonomous motive function of the vehicle;
- and
- a processor configured to send the instructions to the vehicle responsive to:
- (1) the connector being coupled to the port;
- (2) determining that the dongle location corresponds to the predetermined location;
- and (3) determining that the vehicle is positioned at the predetermined location at the predetermined time.
A method comprising:
- determining a dongle location of a dongle via a global positioning system (GPS) receiver;
- receiving, via a communication module of the dongle, instructions from a remote control unit storing information of an event defined at a predetermined location at a predetermined time to deactivate an autonomous motive function of a vehicle;
- and
- sending, via a processor of the dongle, the instructions to the vehicle responsive to:
- (1) the dongle being coupled to a port of the vehicle;
- (2) the dongle location corresponding to the predetermined location;
- and (3) the vehicle being positioned at the predetermined location at the predetermined time.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.