SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR REGULATING CONTROL OF A VEHICLE INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM

• US 20120041633A1
• Filed: 08/16/2010
• Published: 02/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Schunder, Mark, Marchwicki, Julius
• Application Number:
  US12/857,145
• Publication Number:
  US 20120041633A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/29.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/11 Instrument graphical user interfaces or menu aspects
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1442 Emulation of input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/145 Instrument input by combination of touch screen and hardware input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/148 Instrument input by voice
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1868 according to driving situations
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/195 Blocking or enabling display functions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/33 Illumination features
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/06 responsive to incapacity of driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/28 characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/29 Instruments characterised by the way in which information is handled, e.g. showing information on plural displays or prioritising information according to driving conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/81 for controlling displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

One or more embodiments include systems and methods for regulating control of a vehicle infotainment system. In one embodiment, a vehicle computing system includes a user interface which has one or more output components and one or more input components. Software executing in memory of the vehicle computing system may be programmed with rules to reduce driver distraction such as preventing inputs or outputs during vehicle operation. Inputs may be intercepted from the one or more input components of the user interface. Additionally or alternatively, outputs may be intercepted to the output components of the user interface. The intercepted inputs or intercepted outputs may be evaluated for one or more violations based on the rules. If the one or more violations are detected, the inputs or outputs may be prevented during vehicle operation.

Claims

1. A vehicle computing system comprising:

a user interface comprising one or more output components and one or more input components; and

software executing in memory of the vehicle computing system programmed with rules to reduce driver distraction, the rules configured to prevent inputs or outputs during vehicle operation, the software being configured to;

intercept inputs from the one or more input components of the user interface;

intercept outputs to the output components of the user interface;

evaluate the intercepted inputs or intercepted outputs for one or more violations based on the rules; and

prevent inputs or outputs during vehicle operation if the one or more violations are detected.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the inputs are a button press, a turn of a rotary dial, a touchscreen button press, a capacitive button press, a voice input, or combinations thereof.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the outputs are graphical outputs, audible outputs, textual outputs, flashing outputs, or combinations thereof.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the rules define an input count allowed during vehicle operation.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the rules define rules for outputs allowed during vehicle operation selected from the group consisting of an output volume level, output text count, an output count of bytes associated with graphics, an output time, flashing outputs, or combinations thereof.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the rules define a vehicle operational status.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the vehicle operation status includes a threshold speed of the vehicle, wherein the software being configured to evaluate is further configured to:

receive a speed of the vehicle; and

determine if the speed of the vehicle exceeds the threshold speed.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the software is further configured to generate a notification message of the violation.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the software is artificial intelligence software.

10. A computer-implemented method for controlling operation of a vehicle computing system by a user, the method comprising:

communicating with a device having installed one or more software applications configured to execute one or more services or operations via the vehicle computing system;

receiving at the vehicle computing system one or more predefined limits associated with inputs to the vehicle computer system or outputs from the vehicle computing system;

receiving one or more inputs at the vehicle computing system for input to the one or more software applications or one or more outputs from the one or more software applications for output through the vehicle computing system;

determining an operational status of a vehicle;

determining if the inputs or outputs are limited based on the vehicle operational status;

if limited, executing the one or more predefined limits; and

preventing communication with the one or more software applications upon executing the one or more predefined limits.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the device is a nomadic device.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein communicating with the device includes communicating through at least one of Bluetooth, WiFi, cellular, or combinations thereof.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein determining an operational status of the vehicle includes determining a speed of the vehicle.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the method is carried out by software executing in memory of the vehicle computing system.

15. The method of claim 15 further comprising transmitting a violation notification message.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the violation notification message is a voice based notification message.

17. A computer-program product embodied in a computer readable medium including instructions for:

receiving inputs from an input device on a vehicle computer or outputs for output from the vehicle computer;

executing rules for reducing driver distraction defining an input/output count permitted during vehicle operation;

counting the inputs or outputs for detecting a rule violation; and

preventing inputs or outputs upon detecting the violation.

18. The computer program product of claim 17 further comprising instructions for resetting the input/output count permitted during vehicle operation after a period of inactivity.

19. The computer program product of claim 17 further including instructions for detecting a rule violation based on a count of two or more inputs or outputs.

20. The computer program product of claim 17 further including instructions for calculating a count value for when inputs or outputs will be prevented before counting the inputs or outputs.