Configurable dash display based on detected location and preferences

Abstract

A vehicle control system can determine a location of the vehicle and evaluate laws and rules of the location to determine if changes to an instrument display are required. The vehicle control system can automatically configure the instrument display for the location. The vehicle control system can image and translate traffic signs in the location. The vehicle control system can also determine if the location is associated with an interruption of a communication network, identify an alternate communication network, and automatically transfer to the alternate communication network. An alert may be generated by the vehicle control system that includes information related to traffic rules, languages, and communication networks of the location that are different than a previous location of the vehicle.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method, comprising:
 displaying, by a microprocessor executable dash configuration module, an instrument display of a vehicle in a first configuration while the vehicle is in a first geographical area, wherein the instrument display comprises one or more instruments that indicate a state of the vehicle;   determining, by a microprocessor executable traffic law module, that a second configuration of the instrument display is required in a second geographical area, the first and second configurations being different;   determining, by the microprocessor executable dash configuration module, that the vehicle has entered, or is about to enter, the second geographical area;   presenting, by a microprocessor executable alert module and in response to determining that the vehicle has entered, or is about to enter, the second geographical area, an alert configured to notify a user of the vehicle that the second configuration is required while the vehicle is in the second geographical area; and   displaying, by the microprocessor executable dash configuration module and in response to determining that the vehicle has entered, or is about to enter, the second geographical area, the instrument display in the second configuration.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the instrument display in the second configuration includes at least one instrument that is not included in the first configuration, and wherein the at least one instrument includes an identifier indicating that the at least one instrument is required in the second geographical area. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising:
 preventing the at least one instrument from being hidden or deleted from the instrument display while the vehicle is in the second geographical area.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the one or more instruments include at least one of a speedometer, an odometer, a tachometer, a trip odometer, a fuel gage, a coolant temperature gage, and a battery charge meter. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the second configuration includes at least one instrument not displayed by the first configuration, wherein determining that the second configuration of the instrument display is required includes changing a language of at least one instrument displayed in the first configuration. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the first configuration includes at least one instrument not displayed by the second configuration. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 presenting, by a microprocessor executable alert module, an alert on a communication device associated with the vehicle, wherein the alert includes information about traffic rules of the second geographical area that are different than traffic rules of the first geographical area, and wherein the alert includes information about the differences between the first configuration and the second configuration.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 retrieving, by the microprocessor executable traffic law module, one or more traffic laws and vehicle regulations for the second geographical area from an external memory of the vehicle, wherein the traffic law module determines that the second configuration of the instrument display is required in the second area by interpreting the one or more traffic laws and vehicle regulations applicable in the second geographical area.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 determining, by the microprocessor executable traffic law module, that the vehicle is approaching the second geographical area, wherein the microprocessor executable traffic law module determines that the vehicle is approaching the second geographical area after a least one of receiving one or more signals sent from a plurality of sensing elements associated with the vehicle, receiving a location of the vehicle from a vehicle navigation system, receiving the location of the vehicle from a communication device, and receiving a destination of the vehicle entered into the vehicle navigation system; and   selecting, by the dash configuration module, the second configuration.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the microprocessor executable traffic law module, one or more signals sent from a plurality of sensing elements associated with the vehicle;   retrieving, by the microprocessor executable traffic law module, rules that define a plurality of signal conditions corresponding to a plurality of emergency events;   interpreting, by the microprocessor executable traffic law module, the one or more signals using the rules to determine that one of the plurality of emergency events has occurred; and   automatically displaying, by a microprocessor executable alert module, an emergency alert on the instrument display.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the emergency event comprises one of:
 the vehicle travelling in a wrong direction in a lane of a road;   the vehicle travelling in a wrong lane of the road;   the vehicle travelling in a restricted lane of the road; and   the vehicle travelling too fast.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 determining, by the microprocessor executable traffic law module, that a second language is used in the second geographical area;   imaging, by one or more sensors of the vehicle, road signs in the second geographical area;   translating, by a microprocessor executable traffic sign translation module, the imaged road signs into a first language of the user of the vehicle, wherein the first language is stored in a user profile associated with the user; and   displaying the text of the translated road sign on the instrument display.   
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 determining, by a microprocessor executable network monitoring module, that at least one of data rate and voice rates charged by a service provider will change in the second geographical area;   determining, by the microprocessor executable network monitoring module, if an alternate provider is available in the second geographical area;   providing, by a microprocessor executable alert module, an alert to the user of the vehicle, wherein the alert includes information associated with:
 the change of the at least one data rate and voice rate in the second geographical area; 
 a way to maximize data and voice usage in the second geographical area; and 
 the alternate provider; and 
   switching, by the microprocessor executable network monitoring module, to the alternate provider.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 determining, by the microprocessor executable network monitoring module, that the second geographical area is associated with an interruption of service for at least one of a data provider and a voice provider;   determining, by the microprocessor executable network monitoring module, if an alternate provider is available in the second geographical area associated with the interruption of service;   providing, by a microprocessor executable alert module, an alert to the user of the vehicle, wherein the alert includes information associated with:
 the interruption of service; and 
 the alternate provider; and 
   switching, by the microprocessor executable network monitoring module, to the alternate provider.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the communication device is not within the vehicle, and wherein the communication device comprises one or more of a smart phone, a laptop, and a computer. 
     
     
         36 . A tangible and non-transient computer readable medium including microprocessor executable instructions that, when executed, perform at least the following functions:
 displaying, by a microprocessor executable dash configuration module, an instrument display of a vehicle in a first configuration while the vehicle is in a first geographical area, wherein the instrument display comprises one or more instruments that indicate a state of the vehicle;   determining, by a microprocessor executable traffic law module, that a second configuration of the instrument display is required in a second geographical area, the first and second configurations being different;   determining, by the microprocessor executable dash configuration module, that the vehicle has entered, or is about to enter, the second geographical area;   presenting, by a microprocessor executable alert module and in response to determining that the vehicle has entered, or is about to enter, the second geographical area, an alert configured to notify a user of the vehicle that the second configuration is required while the vehicle is in the second geographical area; and   displaying, by the microprocessor executable dash configuration module and in response to determining that the vehicle has entered, or is about to enter, the second geographical area, the instrument display in the second configuration.   
     
     
         37 . The computer readable medium of  claim 36 , further comprising:
 retrieving, by the microprocessor executable traffic law module, one or more traffic laws and vehicle regulations for the second geographical area from an external memory of the vehicle, wherein the microprocessor executable traffic law module determines that the second configuration of the instrument display is required in the second geographical area by interpreting the one or more traffic laws and vehicle regulations applicable in the second geographical area; and   determining by the microprocessor executable traffic law module, that the vehicle is approaching the second geographical area, wherein the microprocessor executable traffic law module determines that the vehicle is approaching the second geographical area after a least one of:   receiving one or more signals sent from a plurality of sensing elements associated with the vehicle, receiving a location of the vehicle from a vehicle navigation system,   receiving the location of the vehicle from a communication device, and   receiving a destination of the vehicle entered into the vehicle navigation system.   
     
     
         38 . The computer readable medium of  claim 37 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the microprocessor executable traffic law module, one or more signals sent from a plurality of sensing elements associated with the vehicle;   retrieving, by the microprocessor executable traffic law module, rules that define a plurality of signal conditions corresponding to a plurality of emergency events;   interpreting, by the microprocessor executable traffic law module, the one or more signals using the rules to determine that one of the plurality of emergency events has occurred; and   automatically displaying, by a microprocessor executable alert module, an emergency alert on the instrument display.   
     
     
         39 . A vehicle control system of a vehicle, comprising:
 a memory; and   a microprocessor in communication with the memory, the microprocessor operable to:
 display an instrument display of the vehicle in a first configuration while the vehicle is in a first geographical area, wherein the instrument display comprises one or more instruments that indicate a state of the vehicle; 
 determine that a second configuration of the instrument display is required in a second geographical area based on one or more traffic laws and vehicle regulations for the second geographical area, the first and second configurations being different; 
 determine that the vehicle has entered, or is about to enter, the second geographical area; 
 present, in response to determining that the vehicle has entered, or is about to enter, the second geographical area, an alert configured to notify a user of the vehicle that the second configuration is required while the vehicle is in the second geographical area; and 
 display, in response to determining that the vehicle has entered, or is about to enter, the second geographical area, the instrument display in the second configuration. 
   
     
     
         40 . The vehicle control system of claim  19 , wherein the microprocessor is further operable to:
 receive one or more signals sent from a plurality of sensing elements associated with the vehicle;   retrieve rules that define a plurality of signal conditions corresponding to a plurality of emergency events;   interpret the one or more signals using the rules to determine that one of the plurality of emergency events has occurred; and   automatically display an emergency alert on the instrument display.