Smartphone-based vehicle control method to avoid collisions

Abstract

Vehicular control method to avoid collisions in which a smartphone is coupled to the vehicle while in a vehicular compartment. Data is generated from vehicle-resident sensors about operation of the vehicle and transferred from the vehicle to the smartphone while the smartphone is coupled to the vehicle. A communications network with another vehicle is established using the smartphone and the data transferred from the vehicle to the smartphone and data from sensors on the smartphone is transmitted via the smartphone and established communications network to other vehicle, the data including data about location and movement of the vehicle. Then, while the smartphone is coupled to the vehicle, a vehicular operational function is controlled based in part on data transmitted using the smartphone and established communications network to cause movement of the vehicle to change in order to avoid a collision with the other vehicle.

1 . A method for vehicular control to avoid collisions, comprising:
 coupling a smartphone to the vehicle while the smartphone is in a compartment defined by the vehicle, the smartphone being usable for voice and data communications independent of the vehicle when outside of the compartment defined by the vehicle;   causing data to be generated from one or more vehicle-resident sensors about operation of the vehicle while the smartphone is coupled to the vehicle;   causing the data generated by the vehicle-resident sensors to be transferred from the vehicle to the smartphone while the smartphone is coupled to the vehicle;   establishing a communications network with at least one other vehicle using the smartphone and transmitting via the smartphone and established communications network, the data transferred from the vehicle to the smartphone while the smartphone is coupled to the vehicle and data from at least one sensor on the smartphone, to the at least one other vehicle, the data including data about location and movement of the vehicle; and   controlling, while the smartphone is coupled to the vehicle, a vehicular operational function based in part on data being transmitted using the smartphone and established communications network to cause movement of the vehicle to change in order to avoid a collision with the at least one other vehicle.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising transmitting via the smartphone and established communications network, data from at least one sensor on the smartphone to the site separate and apart from the smartphone and vehicle. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising analyzing the data generated from one or more vehicle-resident sensors about operation of the vehicle while the smartphone is coupled to the vehicle. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising communicating analysis of the data to an occupant of the vehicle. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising analyzing the data generated from one or more vehicle-resident sensors about operation of the vehicle while the smartphone is coupled to the vehicle and data from at least one sensor on the smartphone. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising communicating a path of travel of the vehicle to the other vehicle using the established communications network. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of establishing the communications network with at least one other vehicle using the smartphone comprises limiting establishing of the communications network only to other vehicles nearby the vehicle. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of establishing the communications network with at least one other vehicle using the smartphone comprises attempting to use a plurality of different communications channels that the smartphone is capable of using. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data about movement of the vehicle includes velocity of the vehicle. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising causing the smartphone to obtain data from one or more of vehicle-resident actuators, antennas and displays, the data obtained from the vehicle-resident actuators, antennas and displays being transferred to the smartphone when the smartphone is coupled to the vehicle such that the vehicular operational function is controlled using the smartphone based on the data from one or more of the vehicle-resident sensors and one or more of the vehicle-resident actuators, antennas and displays. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 processing, using a processor on the smartphone, data generated by the vehicle-resident sensors and transferred from the vehicle to the smartphone; and   causing the smartphone to undertake an action in response to the processing of the data generated by the vehicle-resident sensors and transferred from the vehicle to the smartphone.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 causing the smartphone to obtain additional data using at least one sensor on the smartphone; and   causing the smartphone to undertake an action in response to the processing of the data generated by the vehicle-resident sensors and transferred from the vehicle to the smartphone and the additional data obtained using the at least one sensor on the smartphone   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises an optical sensor such that the additional data is visual data obtained by the optical sensor on the smartphone. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises a microphone such that the additional data is commands spoken by the occupant obtained by the microphone on the smartphone. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises an alcohol sensor such that the additional data is data about alcohol content of a driver obtained by the alcohol sensor on the smartphone. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 coupling the smartphone to the Internet when coupled to the vehicle; and   accessing the Internet to cause transfer of data relating to the vehicle from the smartphone to a remote site linked to the Internet or transfer of data from a remote site to the vehicle or to another personal computing device on the vehicle via the smartphone thereby using the smartphone as a link between the other personal computing device and the Internet.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 causing information about environmental, road or traffic conditions around the vehicle to be obtained using at least one vehicle-resident sensor; and   transmitting the information about environmental, road or traffic conditions around the vehicle obtained using the at least one vehicle-resident sensor to the at least one vehicle via the smartphone.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a coupling element in the vehicle is arranged in connection with a vehicle bus to which vehicle-resident sensors, displays, actuators or antennas are connected, the step of coupling the smartphone to the vehicle while the smartphone is in the vehicle comprising engaging the smartphone with the coupling element to thereby enable the smartphone to receive data from the vehicle-resident sensors and actuators via the vehicular bus. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the coupling of the smartphone to the vehicle is via Bluetooth. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising configuring the smartphone to perform at least one vehicular computational, communications or control function of a vehicle-resident component that is performed by a vehicle-resident computing system when the smartphone is not coupled to the vehicle.