System and method for providing vehicle participation in a social network

Abstract

A system and method that allow non-human autonomous agents to participate in a social internet network. The system defines the autonomous agent by a standard email address, website address, or other such identification, that allows human participants of the social network to contact the non-human autonomous agent to perform some operation through the Internet. In one non-limiting example, the non-human autonomous agent is a vehicle that allows the vehicle owner, or user, to contact the vehicle through the social network to perform some operation, such as unlocking the vehicle doors, and allow authorized participants of the social network to see the vehicle as a participant of the network to gain information therefrom, such as the location of the vehicle.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device including a processor being programmed for:
 establishing communication between the device and a social network server;   transmitting a unique identification from the device to the social network server over the established communication that identifies the device;   transmitting a device profile associated with the device from the device to the social network server over the established communication; and   receiving social network information included in the device profile from the social network server in response to a requester input to the social network server.   
     
     
         2 . The device according to  claim 1  wherein the device is a vehicle and the processor is a vehicle computing system. 
     
     
         3 . The device according to  claim 2  wherein the requester is an owner or user of the vehicle. 
     
     
         4 . The device according to  claim 2  wherein the social network information is selected from the group consisting of a vehicle location request, an estimated time of arrival request, a door unlock request and a roadside assistance request. 
     
     
         5 . The device according to  claim 2  wherein the device profile includes information selected from the group consisting of vehicle location, vehicle estimated time of arrival at a destination, identification of a destination, diagnostic status, upcoming maintenance and service appointments. 
     
     
         6 . The device according to  claim 1  wherein the unique identification is an email address. 
     
     
         7 . The device according to  claim 1  wherein the unique identification is an internet protocol address. 
     
     
         8 . The device according to  claim 1  wherein the unique identification includes a vehicle identification number. 
     
     
         9 . The device according to  claim 1  wherein the processor communicates using a communications link to a wireless vehicle network. 
     
     
         10 . The device according to  claim 9  wherein the wireless vehicle network is OnStar™. 
     
     
         11 . A device including a processor being programmed for:
 establishing communication between the device and a social network server;   transmitting a unique identification from the device to the social network server over the established communication that identifies a device profile associated with the device;   receiving social network information from the social network server requesting device information based on requester input at the social network server; and   in response to receiving the social network information, transmitting the requested device information to the social network server for display at the device profile.   
     
     
         12 . The device according to  claim 11  wherein the device is a vehicle and the processor is a vehicle computing system. 
     
     
         13 . The device according to  claim 12  wherein the social network information is at least one of a vehicle location request, an estimated time of arrival request, a door unlock request and a roadside assistance request. 
     
     
         14 . The device according to  claim 12  wherein the device information is at least one of vehicle location, vehicle estimated time of arrival at a destination, identification of a destination, diagnostic status, upcoming maintenance and service appointments. 
     
     
         15 . The device according to  claim 11  wherein the requester is an owner or user of the vehicle. 
     
     
         16 . A vehicle including a processor in communication with a wireless vehicle network and being programmed for:
 establishing a wireless communications link with a social network server;   receiving a device profile based on a unique identification associated with the vehicle where the device profile provides at least one of a vehicle location request, an estimated time of arrival request, an unlock door request and a roadside assistance request;   controlling a vehicle system based on the device profile; and   transmitting vehicle information to the device profile.   
     
     
         17 . The vehicle according to  claim 16  wherein the unique identification is an email address. 
     
     
         18 . The vehicle according to  claim 16  wherein the unique identification is an internet protocol address. 
     
     
         19 . The vehicle according to  claim 16  wherein the unique identification includes a vehicle identification number. 
     
     
         20 . The vehicle according to  claim 16  wherein the wireless vehicle network is OnStar™.