MOBILE INTEGRATION PLATFORM (MIP) INTEGRATED HANDSET APPLICATION PROXY (HAP)

• US 20130244634A1
• Filed: 09/06/2012
• Published: 09/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karma Automotive LLC (Wanxiang Group Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Airbiquity Incorporated
• Inventors: Garrett, Darren L., Hong, Leon
• Granted Patent: US 9,002,574 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/445 Program loading or initiating bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44536 Selecting among different versions
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6091 including a wireless interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72406 by software upgrading or downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring

Abstract

Systems, software and methods are disclosed for using a mobile phone (1640) in conjunction with a head unit (1620) of a vehicle. The user interface of a user application program (1644) executing on the mobile phone is extended to utilize a generic display screen (2104) of the head unit, so that custom or per application development of head unit software can be avoided. Preferably, a handset application proxy (HAP) software application (1642) is installed and executable in the mobile phone; and a head unit proxy (HUP) software component (1630) is executable on the head unit. The HAP and the HUP communicate messages (1814, 1824) between the head unit and the mobile phone. Preferably, the HAP (1700) includes a scripting language component (1710) associated with the user application (Nomadic App_n), and having a template message translator component (1712).

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a vehicle head unit, the head unit implementing at least one type of generic application display screen;

a server computer, the server computer arranged for communications over a mobile network to a mobile phone;

wherein the server computer is further arranged to deliver phone application information associated with a specific user application program executable on a mobile phone, and the server delivers the phone application information to the mobile phone via the mobile network; and

wherein the phone application information enables extending a user interface of the specific user application program to utilize the generic application display screen of the vehicle head unit.

2. The system of claim 1 including:

a handset application proxy (HAP) software application executable in a mobile phone; and

a head unit proxy (HUP) software application executable on the head unit;

wherein the HAP and the HUP are arranged to communicate messages or events between them, and to utilize aspects of the phone application information to enable the specific user application program on the mobile phone to interact with the generic application display screen of the vehicle head unit.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the head unit does not install or execute HMI display application logic specifically developed to interact with the specific user application program on the mobile phone.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the handset application proxy (HAP) is arranged to send one or more of content, text and images to the a head unit proxy (HUP) for rendering on the generic application display screen in accordance with a predetermined template layout of the generic application display screen.

5. The system of claim 2 wherein the handset application proxy (HAP) software application and the head unit proxy (HUP) software application are each implemented in a scripting language.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the phone application information includes data for implementing a safety policy in connection with execution of the specific user application program.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein:

the HAP includes a message handling component, and at least one protocol stack coupled to the message handling component, for communications with the head unit;

the message handling component includes at least one scripting language component associated with a specific user application program; and

the scripting language component includes a corresponding template message translator component, the message translator component configured for translating request and response messages generated by the corresponding user application program into a format compatible with a template-based generic application display screen(s) of a vehicle head unit.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the scripting language component includes corresponding user application logic to obviate specific user application logic in the head unit.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the scripting language component maintains application state for the corresponding user application logic to obviate maintaining state in the head unit.

10. A computer-implemented method for use in a mobile phone, comprising:

identifying a user application program installed on a mobile phone;

requesting information specific to the identified user application from a remote server;

receiving phone application information downloaded from a remote server responsive to the information request, wherein the phone application information enables extending a user interface of the identified user application program to utilize a generic application display screen of a vehicle head unit.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 including:

installing a handset application proxy (HAP) software application on the mobile phone; and

installing a head unit proxy (HUP) software application executable on a vehicle head unit;

wherein the HAP and the HUP are arranged to communicate messages or events between them, and to utilize aspects of the phone application information to enable the identified user application program on the mobile phone to interact with the generic application display screen of the vehicle head unit.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 including:

in the handset application proxy (HAP) software application, translating request and response messages generated by the corresponding user application program into a format compatible with a template-based generic application display screen(s) of a vehicle head unit.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 including:

in the handset application proxy (HAP) software application, translating messages or events received from the vehicle head unit into a format compatible with the corresponding user application program.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 including:

in the handset application proxy (HAP) software application, translating a request message generated by the corresponding user application program into a format compatible with a template-based generic application display screen(s) of a vehicle head unit so as to render one or more of content, text and images on a generic application display screen of the vehicle head unit.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 including:

receiving a message from the head unit;

interacting with the user application program responsive to the received message; and

returning a result provided by the user application program to the head unit.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 15 including translating the result into a format compatible with the template-based generic application display screen(s) of the vehicle head unit.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 15 including translating the button press event message from the head unit based on a current user application program state and based on a button identifier previously sent to the head unit for display.

18. A method for extending a user interface of a smart phone user application to an HMI of a vehicle head unit, the method comprising:

installing a user application program in a smart phone;

communicatively coupling the smart phone to a head unit (HU) of a vehicle; and

executing a handset application proxy (HAP) software component in the smart phone;

wherein the HAP includes an API for interfacing to the user application, and an interface for communicating with a vehicle head unit; and

further comprising;

receiving in the HAP a button press notification from the HU-HMI;

in the HAP, mapping the button press notification to a UI control specific to the executing user application; and

in the HAP, communicating the UI control to the executing user application.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the mapping is based on a visual button identifier previously sent from the HAP to the head unit for display to visually identify a selected button on a generic touch screen display of a vehicle head unit.

20. The method of claim 18 including maintaining user application program status in the HAP so as to obviate maintaining user application program status in the head unit.