Automobile network to communicate with multiple smart devices

• US 10,097,548 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2016
• Issued: 10/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xevo, Inc. (Lear Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Xevo, Inc. (Lear Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Shin
• Primary Examiner(s): Kabir, Jahangir
• Application Number:
  US14/988,333
• Publication Number:
  US 20170195324A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,008 Days
• Field of Search: 726 4, 726 5
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/15 Setup of multiple wireless link connections

Abstract

Embodiments are directed towards establishing a network between mobile devices, an automobile head unit, and a plurality of automobile accessories. A user utilizes a user interface on a mobile device to send an accessory access request to the head unit. The head unit receives the request and determines if the mobile device is authentic. If authentic, the head unit determines if the mobile device has the proper permissions to perform the requested access of the accessory. If permitted, the head unit generates and sends control commands to the accessory or obtains the requested accessory data and provides it to the mobile device.

Claims

1. A method, executing on a head unit of an automobile, to network user mobile devices and accessories in the automobile, comprising:

establishing, by the head unit, a network connection with each of a plurality of user mobile devices;

storing, by the head unit and for each corresponding user mobile device of the plurality of user mobile devices, first authentication information and a separate permission for the corresponding user mobile device to access each of a plurality of accessories within the automobile;

receiving, by the head unit, a first request from a first user mobile device of the plurality of user mobile devices to access a selected accessory of the plurality of accessories within the automobile to provide data from the selected accessory to a second user mobile device of the plurality of user mobile devices, wherein the first request includes second authentication information for the first user mobile device;

determining, by the head unit, the first user mobile device is authentic based on a comparison of the second authentication information with the first authentication information;

in response to the first user mobile device being authentic, determining, by the head unit, the first user mobile device is permitted to access the selected accessory and send data from the selected accessory to the second user mobile device; and

executing, by the head unit and in response to the first user mobile device being permitted to access the selected accessory, an action in response to the first request, including;

sending, by the head unit, a second request to the selected accessory for data in response to the first request received from the first user mobile device;

receiving, by the head unit, a response from the selected accessory with the requested data; and

providing, by the head unit, the requested data to the second user mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein executing the action in response to the first request further includes:

caching data from the selected accessory prior to receiving the first request from the first user mobile device; and

providing the cached data to the second user mobile device in response to receiving the first request.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein executing the action in response to the first request further includes:

generating a command to control an operating parameter of the selected accessory based on the first request; and

sending the command to the selected accessory for execution by the selected accessory.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the requested data to the second user mobile device includes:

generating a message for the second user mobile device to include the requested data; and

sending the message to the second user mobile device via a cellular network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected accessory is one of an automobile body accessory, an infotainment accessory, or a wireless accessory.

6. A head unit of an automobile, comprising:

a memory for storing instructions; and

a processor that executes the instructions to;

establish a network connection with each of a plurality of user mobile devices;

store, for each corresponding user mobile device of the plurality of user mobile devices, first authentication information and a separate permission for the corresponding user mobile device to access each of a plurality of accessories within the automobile;

receive a first request from a first user mobile device of the plurality of user mobile devices to access a selected accessory of the plurality of accessories within the automobile to provide data from the selected accessory to a second user mobile device of the plurality of user mobile devices, wherein the first request includes second authentication information for the first user mobile device;

determine the first user mobile device is authentic based on a comparison of the second authentication information with the first authentication information;

in response to the first user mobile device being authentic, determine the first user mobile device is permitted to access the selected accessory and send data from the selected accessory to the second user mobile device; and

execute, in response to the first user mobile device being permitted to access the selected accessory, an action in response to the first request, including;

send a second request to the selected accessory for data in response to the first request received from the first user mobile device;

receive a response from the selected accessory with the requested data; and

provide the requested data to the second user mobile device.

7. The head unit of claim 6, wherein the execution of the action in response to the first request includes the processor executing further instructions to:

cache data from the selected accessory prior to receiving the first request from the first user mobile device; and

provide the cached data to the second user mobile device in response to receiving the first request.

8. The head unit of claim 6, wherein the execution of the action in response to the first request includes the processor executing further instructions to:

generate a command to control an operating parameter of the selected accessory based on the first request; and

send the command to the selected accessory for execution by the selected accessory.

9. The head unit of claim 6, wherein providing the requested data to the second user mobile device includes:

generate a message for the second user mobile device to include the requested data; and

send the message to the second user mobile device via a cellular network.

10. The head unit of claim 6, wherein the selected accessory is one of an automobile body accessory, an infotainment accessory, or a wireless accessory.

11. A system, comprising:

a plurality of accessories of an automobile; and

a head unit of the automobile, the head unit including;

a memory for storing instructions; and

a processor that executes the instructions to;

establish a network connection with each of a plurality of user mobile devices;

store, for each corresponding user mobile device of the plurality of user mobile devices, first authentication information and a separate permission for the corresponding user mobile device to access each of the plurality of accessories;

receive a first request from a first user mobile device of the plurality of user mobile devices to access a selected accessory of the plurality of accessories within the automobile to provide data from the selected accessory to a second user mobile device of the plurality of user mobile devices, wherein the first request includes second authentication information for the first user mobile device;

determine the first user mobile device is authentic based on a comparison of the second authentication information with the first authentication information;

in response to the first user mobile device being authentic, determine the first user mobile device is permitted to access the selected accessory and send data from the selected accessory to the second user mobile device; and

execute, in response to the first user mobile device being permitted to access the selected accessory, an action in response to the first request, including;

send a second request to the selected accessory for data in response to the first request received from the first user mobile device;

receive a response from the selected accessory with the requested data; and

provide the requested data to the second user mobile device.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the execution of the action in response to the first request includes the processor executing further instructions to:

cache data from the selected accessory prior to receiving the first request from the first user mobile device; and

provide the cached data to the second user mobile device in response to receiving the first request.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the execution of the action in response to the first request includes the processor executing further instructions to:

generate a command to control an operating parameter of the selected accessory based on the first request; and

send the command to the selected accessory for execution by the selected accessory.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein providing the requested data to the second user mobile device includes:

generate a message for the second user mobile device to include the requested data; and

send the message to the second user mobile device via a cellular network.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the selected accessory is one of an automobile body accessory, an infotainment accessory, or a wireless accessory.