System And Method For Transport Layer Agnostic Programming Interface For Use With Smartphones

• US 20140018129A1
• Filed: 07/11/2013
• Published: 01/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Livio, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Myine Electronics, Inc. (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: BALDINI, Massimo, SIGAL, Jacob R., DANNE, Philip J., SMEREKA, Scott W., GROVER, Joey R., LENOX, Andrew T.
• Granted Patent: US 9,078,088 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/557
• 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 9/54 Interprogram communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6091 including a wireless interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0012 Details of application programming interfaces [API] for telephone networks; Arrangements which combine a telephonic communication equipment and a computer, i.e. computer telephony integration [CPI] arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0015 First party call control architectures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

An application programming interface (API) is disclosed for interfacing a vehicle electronic component with a smartphone, wherein the vehicle electronic component and the smartphone each make use of a short range wireless transceiver for wirelessly communicating with the other, and wherein the smartphone includes an application running thereon. The API has an interconnect API disposed in the electronic component. The interconnect API also has a software library of command and function definitions that are able to be implemented by the API. A connect library is also used which resides within the smartphone and which is configured to communicate with the application running on the smartphone. The interconnect API and the connect library cooperatively operate as a translation mechanism to implement a plurality of functionalities when communicating with the application, according to the electronic device'"'"'s capabilities.

Claims

1. An application programming interface (API) for interfacing a vehicle electronic component with a smartphone, wherein the vehicle electronic component and the smartphone each make use of a short range wireless transceiver for wirelessly communicating with the other, and wherein the smartphone includes an application running thereon, the API comprising:

an interconnect API disposed in the electronic component;

the interconnect API including a software library of command and function definitions that are able to be implemented by the API;

a connect library residing within the smartphone and configured to communicate with the application running on the smartphone, the connect library being at least substantially identical to the software library;

a packet API for generating data packets according to a predetermined specification; and

wherein the interconnect API and the connect library cooperatively operate as a translation mechanism for translating packets of information received from the electronic device, at least some of the packets forming commands, into commands recognizable by the application running on the smartphone, and to enable a predetermined desired response to the received commands, to thus enable the electronic device to implement a plurality of functionalities when communicating with the application running on the smartphone according to the electronic device'"'"'s capabilities.

2. The API of claim 1, wherein the connect library further comprises a utilities layer for translating from abstract data structures that are meaningful to the smartphone application to binary packets used by the API during communication with the electronic device.

3. The API of claim 1, wherein the connect library includes an external accessory framework for connecting to at least one external device.

4. The API of claim 1, wherein the connect library includes a gamekit framework for implementing testing and emulator activities.

5. The API of claim 1, wherein the API separates information received from function keys and number keys on the electronic device into separate command types.

6. The API of claim 1, wherein the interconnect API associated with the electronic device is configured to receive function attributes for each of the functions that the electronic device is able to implement from the connect library, after the electronic device informs the application running on the smartphone of the predetermined plurality of functions that the electronic device is able to implement.

7. The API of claim 1, wherein the function attributes are streamed one after another to the electronic device.

8. An application programming interface (API) for interfacing a vehicle radio system with a smartphone, wherein the radio system has a user interface, and wherein the radio system and the smartphone each make use of a short range wireless transceiver for wirelessly communicating with the other, and wherein the smartphone includes an application running thereon, the API comprising:

an interconnect API disposed in the radio system;

the interconnect API including a software library of command and function definitions that are able to be implemented by the API;

a connect library residing within the smartphone and configured to communicate with the application running on the smartphone, the connect library being at least substantially identical to the software library and including a packet API for generating data packets according to a predetermined specification; and

wherein the interconnect API and the connect library cooperatively operate as a translation mechanism to enable the application running on the smartphone to accommodate and operate in accordance with functional capabilities of the interface of the radio system.

9. The API of claim 8, wherein the interconnect API and the connect library translate packets of information received from the radio system, at least some of the packets forming commands, into commands recognizable by the application running on the smartphone, and to enable a predetermined desired response to the received commands, to thus enable the electronic device to implement a plurality of functionalities in accordance with the functional capabilities when communicating with the application running on the smartphone according to the electronic device'"'"'s capabilities.

10. The API of claim 8, wherein the connect library further comprises a utilities layer for translating from abstract data structures that are meaningful to the smartphone application to binary packets used by the API during communication with the radio system.

11. The API of claim 8, wherein the connect library includes an external accessory framework for connecting to at least one external device.

12. The API of claim 8, wherein the connect library includes a gamekit framework for implementing testing and emulator activities.

13. The API of claim 8, wherein the API separates information received from function keys and number keys on the radio system into separate command types.

14. A method for interfacing a vehicle electronic component with a smartphone, wherein the vehicle electronic component and the smartphone each make use of a short range wireless transceiver for wirelessly communicating with the other, and wherein the smartphone includes an application running thereon, the method including:

using an application programming interface (API) configured to include an interconnect API running on electronic device, and a connect library residing on the smartphone and communicating with an application running on the smartphone;

using a software library in communication with the interconnect API, and operating on the component, to contain command and function definitions that are able to be implemented by the API;

using a connect library residing within the smartphone and configured to communicate with the application running on the smartphone, the connect library being at least substantially identical to the software library;

using a packet API for generating data packets according to a predetermined specification; and

using the interconnect API and the connect library to cooperatively operate as a translation mechanism to enable the application running on the smartphone to accommodate and operate in accordance with functional capabilities of the interface of the electronic device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the connect library and the interconnect API cooperatively translate packets of information received from the electronic device, at least some of the packets forming commands, into commands recognizable by the application running on the smartphone, and to enable a predetermined desired response to the received commands, to thus enable the electronic device to implement a plurality of functionalities when communicating with the application running on the smartphone according to the electronic device'"'"'s capabilities.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising using a utilities layer for translating from abstract data structures that are meaningful to the smartphone application to binary packets used by the API during communication with the electronic device.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising configuring the connect library to include an external accessory framework for connecting to at least one external device.