ON BOARD VEHICLE MEDIA CONTROLLER

• US 20130205412A1
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Published: 08/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: AutoConnect Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Flextronics America LLC (Flextronics International Limited)
• Inventors: Ricci, Christopher P.
• Application Number:
  US13/829,058
• Publication Number:
  US 20130205412A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/29
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0739 in a data processing system embedded in automotive or aircraft systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/076 by exceeding a count or rate limit, e.g. word- or bit count limit
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• 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: H04L 2012/40215 Controller Area Network CAN
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/40273 the transportation system being a vehicle

Abstract

The present disclosure describes a microprocessor executable media controller on board a vehicle operable (a) to determine a first spatial location of an external communication device, the external communication device being in wireless communication with the on board media controller and the first spatial location being associated with a first set of restrictions, the first set of restrictions being at least one of a control on connectivity access by the external communication device, a restriction on the connectivity access, and a restriction on one or more functions of the external communication device and (b), in response, to apply the first set of restrictions.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising a microprocessor executable media controller on board the vehicle operable (a) to determine a first spatial location of an external communication device, the external communication device being in wireless communication with the on board media controller and the first spatial location being associated with a first set of restrictions, the first set of restrictions being at least one of a control on connectivity access by the external communication device, a restriction on the connectivity access, and a restriction on one or more functions of the external communication device and (b), in response, to apply the first set of restrictions.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein, as a result of applying the first set of restrictions, the media controller declines to accept connectivity access by the external communication device.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein, as a result of applying the first set of restrictions, the media controller applies a restriction on the connectivity access.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein, as a result of applying the first set of restrictions, the media controller restricts the one or more functions of the external communication device.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the media controller measures, at a plurality of connectivity access points, a respective signal strength associated with a transmission by the external communication device, and, based on the measurements, determines the first spatial location by triangulation.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein a second spatial location is associated with a second set of restrictions, the first and second sets of restrictions being different from one another.

7. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the media controller monitors the external communication for a change from the first to the second spatial locations and, upon detecting the change, applies the second set of restrictions.

8. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the media controller is operable to receive a media stream from a remote node, the received media stream being for an occupant associated with at least one of an on board vehicle input/output system and external communication device, identify which on board vehicle input/output systems and/or external communication devices are restricted by the first set of restrictions and provide the media stream, in compliance with the first set of restrictions, to a selected input/output system and/or external communication device associated with the occupant.

10. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the media stream is for all occupants of the vehicle but is provided only to unrestricted input/output systems and/or external communication devices, the unrestricted input/output systems and/or external communication devices being a subset of all input/output systems and/or external communication devices on board the vehicle.

11. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the restriction is as a result of a governing law and wherein the media controller, for a current satellite-positioning-system based position of the vehicle, current state of the vehicle, and a selected input/output system and/or external communication device determines that a law restricts the input/output system and/or external communication device from performing at least one of the following functions:

texting from an on board input/output system and/or external communication device, displaying streaming video content to an on board input/output system and/or external communication device, initiating and/or continuing a cellular call, and providing a media channel of a multimedia media stream.

9. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the first set of restrictions are applied as a due to operator command and/or as a result of a governing law.

12. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the selected input/output system and/or external communication device is associated with the vehicle operator and the current state of the vehicle is one or more of moving and in gear.

13. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the function is providing a media channel of a multimedia media stream and wherein the media controller presents a first channel, but not a second, of the multimedia stream to the selected input/output system and/or external communication device.

14. A method, comprising:

a microprocessor executable media controller determining a first spatial location of an external communication device, the external communication device being in wireless communication with the on board media controller and the first spatial location being associated with a first set of restrictions, the first set of restrictions being at least one of a control on connectivity access by the external communication device, a restriction on the connectivity access, and a restriction on one or more functions of the external communication device, and

in response, microprocessor executable media controller applying the first set of restrictions.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein, as a result of applying the first set of restrictions, the media controller declines to accept connectivity access by the external communication device.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein, as a result of applying the first set of restrictions, the media controller applies a restriction on the connectivity access.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein, as a result of applying the first set of restrictions, the media controller restricts the one or more functions of the external communication device.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the media controller measures, at a plurality of connectivity access points, a respective signal strength associated with a transmission by the external communication device, and, based on the measurements, determines the first spatial location by triangulation.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein a second spatial location is associated with a second set of restrictions, the first and second sets of restrictions being different from one another.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the media controller monitors the external communication for a change from the first to the second spatial locations and, upon detecting the change, applies the second set of restrictions.

21. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

the media controller receiving a media stream from a remote node, the received media stream being for an occupant associated with at least one of an on board vehicle input/output system and external communication device,

the media controller identifying which on board vehicle input/output systems and/or external communication devices are restricted by the first set of restrictions, and

the media controller providing the media stream, in compliance with the first set of restrictions, to a selected input/output system and/or external communication device associated with the occupant.

22. The method of claim 14, wherein the first set of restrictions are applied as a due to operator command and/or as a result of a governing law.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the media stream is for all occupants of the vehicle but is provided only to unrestricted input/output systems and/or external communication devices, the unrestricted input/output systems and/or external communication devices being a subset of all input/output systems and/or external communication devices on board the vehicle.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the restriction is as a result of a governing law and wherein the media controller, for a current satellite-positioning-system based position of the vehicle, current state of the vehicle, and a selected input/output system and/or external communication device determines that a law restricts the input/output system and/or external communication device from performing at least one of the following functions:

texting from an on board input/output system and/or external communication device, displaying streaming video content to an on board input/output system and/or external communication device, initiating and/or continuing a cellular call, and providing a media channel of a multimedia media stream.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the selected input/output system and/or external communication device is associated with the vehicle operator and the current state of the vehicle is one or more of moving and in gear.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the function is providing a media channel of a multimedia media stream and wherein the media controller presents a first channel, but not a second, of the multimedia stream to the selected input/output system and/or external communication device.

27. A non-transient, tangible computer readable medium comprising a microprocessor executable media controller on board a vehicle, the media controller being in the form of computer executable instructions that, when executed, determine a first spatial location of an external communication device, the external communication device being in wireless communication with the on board media controller and the first spatial location being associated with a first set of restrictions, the first set of restrictions being at least one of a control on connectivity access by the external communication device, a restriction on the connectivity access, and a restriction on one or more functions of the external communication device, and, in response, apply the first set of restrictions.

28. The computer readable medium of claim 27, wherein, as a result of applying the first set of restrictions, the media controller declines to accept connectivity access by the external communication device.

29. The computer readable medium of claim 27, wherein, as a result of applying the first set of restrictions, the media controller applies a restriction on the connectivity access.

30. The computer readable medium of claim 27, wherein, as a result of applying the first set of restrictions, the media controller restricts the one or more functions of the external communication device.

31. The computer readable medium of claim 27, wherein the media controller measures, at a plurality of connectivity access points, a respective signal strength associated with a transmission by the external communication device, and, based on the measurements, determines the first spatial location by triangulation.

32. The computer readable medium of claim 27, wherein a second spatial location is associated with a second set of restrictions, the first and second sets of restrictions being different from one another.

33. The computer readable medium of claim 32, wherein the media controller monitors the external communication for a change from the first to the second spatial locations and, upon detecting the change, applies the second set of restrictions.

34. The computer readable medium of claim 27, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the media controller to:

receive a media stream from a remote node, the received media stream being for an occupant associated with at least one of an on board vehicle input/output system and external communication device,

identify which on board vehicle input/output systems and/or external communication devices are restricted by the first set of restrictions, and

provide the media stream, in compliance with the first set of restrictions, to a selected input/output system and/or external communication device associated with the occupant.

35. The computer readable medium of claim 34, wherein the first set of restrictions are applied as a due to operator command and/or as a result of a governing law.

36. The computer readable medium of claim 35, wherein the media stream is for all occupants of the vehicle but is provided only to unrestricted input/output systems and/or external communication devices, the unrestricted input/output systems and/or external communication devices being a subset of all input/output systems and/or external communication devices on board the vehicle.

37. The computer readable medium of claim 36, wherein the restriction is as a result of a governing law and wherein the media controller, for a current satellite-positioning-system based position of the vehicle, current state of the vehicle, and a selected input/output system and/or external communication device determines that a law restricts the input/output system and/or external communication device from performing at least one of the following functions:

texting from an on board input/output system and/or external communication device, displaying streaming video content to an on board input/output system and/or external communication device, initiating and/or continuing a cellular call, and providing a media channel of a multimedia media stream.

38. The computer readable medium of claim 37, wherein the selected input/output system and/or external communication device is associated with the vehicle operator and the current state of the vehicle is one or more of moving and in gear.

39. The computer readable medium of claim 38, wherein the function is providing a media channel of a multimedia media stream and wherein the media controller presents a first channel, but not a second, of the multimedia stream to the selected input/output system and/or external communication device.