Method and apparatus for interacting with a personal computing device such as a smart phone using portable and self-contained hardware that is adapted for use in a motor vehicle
First Claim
1. A motor vehicle mounted device for controlling a personal computing device in a motor vehicle, the motor vehicle mounted device including:
- a steering wheel cover;
a plurality of touch sensors mounted in the steering wheel cover; and
a uni-directional communication interface mounted in the steering wheel cover and electrically connected to the plurality of touch sensors,wherein the uni-directional communication interface is configured to;
transmit a first message to the personal computing device in the motor vehicle in response to a first one of the plurality of touch sensors being triggered by a driver of the motor vehicle,the first message including first information for identifying the triggered first one of the plurality of touch sensors, the first information dedicated to a first function in a HUB software application on the personal computing device, the first function instructing the HUB software application to select another software application on the personal computing device,transmit a second message to the personal computing device in the motor vehicle in response to a second one of the plurality of touch sensors being triggered by a driver of the motor vehicle, andthe second message including second information for identifying the triggered second one of the plurality of touch sensors, the second information associated with a second function in the another software application, the second function instructing the another software application to perform an action within the another software application,wherein;
the first information is transmitted each time the first one of the plurality of touch sensors is triggered, irrespective of the software application being executed on the personal computing device, and instructs the HUB software application to cycle through a changeable plurality of different software applications on the personal computing device, the changeable plurality of different software applications including third party software applications, and each of the changeable plurality of different software applications are identified by the HUB software application as being compatible with the HUB software application and are selected by the HUB software application to be controlled by the HUB software application,the second information is transmitted each time the second one of the plurality of touch sensors is triggered, irrespective of the software application being executed on the personal computing device, andthe second information is associated with a respective function in the plurality of different software applications on the personal computing device, such that the second one of the plurality of touch sensors is configured to perform a different action within each of the plurality of different software applications by transmitting the second information to the personal computing device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed is a method and apparatus for interacting with a personal computing device such as a smart phone using portable, self-contained hardware that is adapted for use in a motor vehicle. The apparatus includes a user interface designed to receive user input, including tactile user input, from the occupant of the motor vehicle, an electronic interface, electrically coupled to the user interface, removably connectable to the personal computing device, and configured to relay information about the user input to a software application running on the personal computing device, and one or more mounting structures, at least one of which is configured for containing the user interface, at least one of which is configured for containing the electronic interface, and all of which are removably attachable to a portion of the motor vehicle.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A motor vehicle mounted device for controlling a personal computing device in a motor vehicle, the motor vehicle mounted device including:
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a steering wheel cover; a plurality of touch sensors mounted in the steering wheel cover; and a uni-directional communication interface mounted in the steering wheel cover and electrically connected to the plurality of touch sensors, wherein the uni-directional communication interface is configured to; transmit a first message to the personal computing device in the motor vehicle in response to a first one of the plurality of touch sensors being triggered by a driver of the motor vehicle, the first message including first information for identifying the triggered first one of the plurality of touch sensors, the first information dedicated to a first function in a HUB software application on the personal computing device, the first function instructing the HUB software application to select another software application on the personal computing device, transmit a second message to the personal computing device in the motor vehicle in response to a second one of the plurality of touch sensors being triggered by a driver of the motor vehicle, and the second message including second information for identifying the triggered second one of the plurality of touch sensors, the second information associated with a second function in the another software application, the second function instructing the another software application to perform an action within the another software application, wherein; the first information is transmitted each time the first one of the plurality of touch sensors is triggered, irrespective of the software application being executed on the personal computing device, and instructs the HUB software application to cycle through a changeable plurality of different software applications on the personal computing device, the changeable plurality of different software applications including third party software applications, and each of the changeable plurality of different software applications are identified by the HUB software application as being compatible with the HUB software application and are selected by the HUB software application to be controlled by the HUB software application, the second information is transmitted each time the second one of the plurality of touch sensors is triggered, irrespective of the software application being executed on the personal computing device, and the second information is associated with a respective function in the plurality of different software applications on the personal computing device, such that the second one of the plurality of touch sensors is configured to perform a different action within each of the plurality of different software applications by transmitting the second information to the personal computing device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A personal computing device in a vehicle being controlled by a vehicle mounted device having a touch sensor, the personal computing device including:
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a processor; a memory device electrically connected to the processor; and a communication interface connected to the processor configured to receive a message from a uni-directional communication interface of the vehicle mounted device, the communication interface configured to; receive a first message in response to a first one of a plurality of touch sensors of a motor vehicle mounted device being triggered by a driver of the motor vehicle, the first message including first information for identifying the triggered first one of the plurality of touch sensors, the first information dedicated to a first function in a HUB software application in the memory device of the personal computing device, receive a second message in response to a second one of the plurality of touch sensors of the motor vehicle mounted device being triggered by the driver of the motor vehicle, the second message including second information for identifying the triggered second one of the plurality of touch sensors, the second information associated with a second function in another software application in the memory device, and wherein the processor, without transmitting a message to the vehicle mounted device, is configured to; interpret the first information of the first message to execute the first function instructing the HUB software application to select the another software application, and interpret the second information of the second message to execute the second function instructing the another software application to perform an action within the another software application, and wherein; the first information is received each time the first one of the plurality of touch sensors is triggered, irrespective of the software application being executed on the personal computing device, and instructs the HUB software application to cycle through a changeable plurality of different software applications on the personal computing device, the changeable plurality of different software applications including third party software applications, and each of the changeable plurality of different software applications are identified by the HUB software application as being compatible with the HUB software application and are selected by the HUB software application to be controlled by the HUB software application, the second information is received each time the second one of the plurality of touch sensors is triggered, irrespective of the software application being executed on the personal computing device, and the second information is associated with a respective function in the plurality of different software applications on the personal computing device, such that the personal computing device is configured to perform a different action within each of the plurality of different software applications in response to receiving the second information. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A vehicle system including:
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a personal computing device including; a processor, a memory device electrically connected to the processor, the memory device including a HUB software application and another software application, a communication interface connected to the processor; and a mounting structure attached to the vehicle, the mounting structure including; a plurality of touch sensors on a surface of the mounting structure; and a wireless uni-directional communication interface inside the mounting structure and electrically connected to the plurality of touch sensors, wherein the wireless uni-directional communication interface is configured to; transmit a first message to the personal computing device in the motor vehicle each time a first one of the plurality of touch sensors being triggered by a driver of the motor vehicle, irrespective of the software application being executed on the personal computing device, the first information dedicated to a first function in the HUB software application, and transmit a second message to the personal computing device in the motor vehicle each time a second one of the plurality of touch sensors being triggered by a driver of the motor vehicle, irrespective of the software application being executed on the personal computing device, the second information associated with a second function in the another software application, wherein the personal computing device, without transmitting a message to the mounting structure, is configured to; interpret the first information of the first message to execute the first function instructing the HUB software application to cycle through a changeable plurality of different software applications on the personal computing device, the changeable plurality of different software applications including third party software applications, and each of the changeable plurality of different software applications are identified by the HUB software application as being compatible with the HUB software application and are selected by the HUB software application to be controlled by the HUB software application, and interpret the second information of the second message to execute the second function instructing one of the plurality of different software applications to perform an action within the one of the plurality of different software applications, and wherein the second information is associated with a respective function in the plurality of different software applications being executed on the personal computing device, such that the second one of the plurality of touch sensors is configured to perform a different action within each of the plurality of different software applications by transmitting the second information to the personal computing device. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification