Notifications Involved with Attaching or Detaching Connectable Vehicles

Abstract

Navigation devices, systems, and methods for transmitting notifications to and/or receiving notifications from electronic devices associated with passengers of connectable vehicles are described herein. In one example, a method is provided for sending a notification regarding a planned detachment of a designated vehicle from a plurality of connected vehicles. The method includes receiving a navigation destination for a passenger of an initial vehicle, calculating a detachment time or detachment location of the designated vehicle from the plurality of connected vehicles based on the received navigation destination, and transmitting a personalized notification to an electronic device associated with the passenger regarding the detachment time or detachment location of the designated vehicle from the plurality of connected vehicles.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for processing transmission requests to connect vehicles, the apparatus comprising:
 at least one processor; and   at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs; the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least perform:   receive a transmission comprising a navigation destination for a passenger of a first vehicle and request to connect with at least one additional vehicle;   determine, based on the received navigation route, a second vehicle to connect with the first vehicle;   transmit, to an electronic device associated with the second vehicle, a request to connect the first vehicle and the second vehicle; and   receive a transmission from the electronic device associated with the second vehicle authorizing or declining the connection of the first vehicle and the second vehicle.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic device associated with the second vehicle has authorized the connection, and wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to cause the apparatus to further perform:
 transmit navigation instructions to connect the first vehicle and the second vehicle.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein, following a connection of the first vehicle and the second vehicle, the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to cause the apparatus to further perform:
 transmit, to an electronic device associated with the first vehicle, a notification.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the notification includes a detachment time of the first vehicle from the second vehicle. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the notification includes a detachment location of the first vehicle from the second vehicle. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the electronic device is a navigation system of the second vehicle. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the electronic device is a mobile phone associated with the second vehicle. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the electronic device is a wearable device associated with the second vehicle. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to cause the apparatus to further perform:
 calculate a shared path for the first vehicle and the second vehicle.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the shared path is defined by a plurality of road segments. 
     
     
         11 . An apparatus for processing transmission requests to connect vehicles with each other, the apparatus comprising:
 a communication interface configured to receive a transmission comprising a navigation destination for a passenger of a first vehicle and request to connect with at least one additional vehicle; and   a controller configured to determine, based on the received navigation route, a second vehicle to connect with the first vehicle and generate a request, for an electronic device associated with the second vehicle, to connect the first vehicle and the second vehicle, wherein the controller is configured to determine whether a transmission from the electronic device associated with the second vehicle authorizes or declines the connection of the first vehicle and the second vehicle.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the controller is configured to generate navigation instructions to connect the first vehicle and the second vehicle. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein, following a connection of the first vehicle and the second vehicle, the controller is configured to generate a notification. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the notification includes a detachment time of the first vehicle from the second vehicle. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the notification includes a detachment location of the first vehicle from the second vehicle. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the electronic device is a navigation system of the second vehicle, a mobile phone associated with the second vehicle, or a wearable device associated with the second vehicle. 
     
     
         17 . A method comprising:
 receiving a transmission comprising a navigation destination for a passenger of a first vehicle and a request to connect with at least one additional vehicle;   determining, based on the received navigation route, a second vehicle to connect with the first vehicle;   transmitting, to an electronic device associated with the second vehicle, a request to connect the first vehicle and the second vehicle; and   receiving a transmission from the electronic device associated with the second vehicle authorizing or declining the connection of the first vehicle and the second vehicle.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 transmitting navigation instructions to connect the first vehicle and the second vehicle.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 transmitting, to an electronic device associated with the first vehicle, a notification including a detachment time of the first vehicle from the second vehicle or a detachment location of the first vehicle from the second vehicle.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 calculating a shared path for the first vehicle and the second vehicle, wherein the shared path is defined by a plurality of road segments.