SYSTEMS, METHODS AND ARTICLES FOR A COMMUNICATIONS DEVICE PROVIDING COMMUNICATIONS AND SERVICES INVOLVING AUTOMOBILE HEAD UNITS

• US 20140066014A1
• Filed: 01/31/2013
• Published: 03/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cerence Operating Company (Cerence Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Tweddle Group Incorporated (CJK Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Nicholson, Jonas Kolba, Dreher, Christopher Mark, Vanak, Abbas Ali, Klassen, Paul John Henry, Terry, Troy, Kinlin, Alexander, Radko, Ronald Otto, Gil, Tomasz J., Rane, Nilesh, Starkey, Ryan B., Clauson, Erik Andrew, Wigzell, Mark William, Lu, Xiaobin
• Granted Patent: US 8,831,585 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 11/00 Colour television systems details H04N9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/088 using filters or firewalls

Abstract

Network communications, Web-based services and customized services using the Web-based services may be provided to drivers and users via the automobile head unit in the vehicle and via their mobile device. The automobile head unit in the vehicle and the mobile device are communicatively linked via a short range wireless connection. Also, these devices may communicate over a network such as a cellular network to a service provider that provides entertainment and informational services to the mobile device and the head unit of the vehicle. The user'"'"'s profile and preferences are able to follow the user to various locations and into vehicles because this information is stored at a server accessible by the user'"'"'s mobile device, and in some embodiments, also the head unit. The mobile device may provide services to the head unit if it does not have wider network connectivity over the short range wireless connection.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of providing communications between a head unit of an automobile and a communications device having a handheld form factor, the method comprising:

facilitating, by the processor of the communications device, establishment of a communications link that communicatively couples the head unit and the communications device based on an authentication or a verification of authorization involving one or more of;

the head unit, a vehicle identifier of the automobile, the communications device, a user account and user credentials;

receiving, by the processor of the communications device, information from the head unit; and

electronically providing, by the processor of the communications device, a service based on the information received from the head unit and user-specific preference or user identification information stored on the communications device.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the providing the service based on the information received from the head unit and the user-specific preference or user identification information stored on the communications device comprises:

receiving, by the processor of the communications device, while the communications link that communicatively couples the head unit and the communications device is still established, access control information from a remote server via a different communications link that is indicative of whether the service is authorized to be used by the head unit and having a value based on the information received from the head unit and the user-specific preference or user identification information;

determining, by the processor of the communications device, whether the service is authorized to be used by the head unit based on the access control information received from the remote server; and

if it is determined that the service is authorized to be used by the head unit based on the access control information received from the remote server, then electronically providing, by the processor of the communications device, the service to the head unit via the communications device.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 wherein the information received from the head unit includes a request for the service and wherein the determining whether the particular service is authorized to be used by the head unit based on the access control information includes determining, by the processor of the communications device, in response to receiving the request for the service from the head unit, whether the service is authorized to be used by the head unit.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 further comprising:

receiving, by the processor of the communications device, a plurality of requests from the head unit; and

filtering out at least one request from the plurality of requests, by the processor of the communications device, that is for a service the head unit is not authorized to receive, based on the access control information received from the remote server; and

denying the head unit, by the processor of the communications device, the filtered-out at least one request.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 further comprising:

sending, by the processor of the communications device, a response message to the filtered-out at least one request, the response message configured to be seen or heard by a user as output from the head unit and indicative of a reason why the head unit is not authorized to receive a service requested by the filtered out at least one request.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, further comprising determining, by the processor of the communications device, that the reason why the head unit is not authorized to receive the service requested by the filtered out at least one request is that the service requested by the filtered out at least one request is not included in a level of service of an account associated with the user identification information stored on the communications device.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the communications device is a wireless mobile device, the communications link is a wireless link and the receiving the information from the head unit includes wirelessly receiving, by the processor of the communications device, the information from the head unit.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the information received from the head unit includes a request for information available on the Internet as indicated by a particular uniform resource locator (URL) and wherein the providing the service based on the information received from the head unit and the user-specific preference or user identification information stored on the communications device comprises:

determining, by the processor of the communications device, whether access to the URL is authorized by the head unit; and

if it is determined that the access to the URL is authorized for the head unit, then electronically providing, by the processor of the communications device, the service to the head unit via the communications device, wherein the service includes providing access to the head unit of the uniform resource locator (URL) for the information available on the Internet.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the information received from the head unit includes a request for a particular data type and wherein the providing the service based on the information received from the head unit and the user-specific preference or user identification information stored on the communications device comprises:

determining, by the processor of the communications device, whether access to the particular data type is authorized by the head unit; and

if it is determined that the access to the particular data type is authorized for the head unit, then electronically providing, by the processor of the communications device, the service to the head unit via the communications device, wherein the service includes providing access to the particular data type.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 wherein the determining whether access to the particular data type is authorized by the head unit includes:

receiving information from a remote server, by the processor of the communications device, on which the determining of whether access to the particular data type is authorized is at least partially based and that changes based on one or more of;

a subscription level of an account associated with the user account or the user identification information, characteristics of the head unit and characteristics of the communications device.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the providing the service based on the information received from the head unit and the user-specific preference or user identification information stored on the communications device comprises:

providing, by the processor of the communications device, while the communications link that communicatively couples the head unit and the communications device is still established, customized error messages to the head unit in response to particular requests for services included in the information received from the head unit being for a services that are not able to be provided, wherein the customized error messages indicate one or more reasons for the customized error messages that include one or more of;

lack of capabilities, functionalities or compatibility of the head unit, insufficient status or subscription level of the user account as identified by the user credentials, lack of capabilities, functionalities or compatibility of the communications device, settings included in the user-specific preference information, and a media device being used by the head unit.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the providing the service based on the information received from the head unit and the user-specific preference or user identification information stored on the communications device includes:

sending or receiving, by the processor of the communications device, data in a compressed format to or from the remote server in providing the service in response to at least one request for the service included in the information received from the head unit.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, by the processor of the communications device, information from one or more additional head units, and wherein the electronically providing, by the processor of the communications device, the service based on the information received from the head unit and user-specific preference or user identification information stored on the communications device includes;

electronically providing, by the processor of the communications device, a service based on the information received from the head unit and the information received from the one or more additional head units regarding one or more of;

a location of the head unit, one or more locations of the one or more additional head units, selectively sending information to the head unit, selectively sending information to the one or more additional head units; and

wherein communications links between the communications device and the one or more additional head units and the communications link that communicatively couples the head unit and the communications device are secure communication channels.

14. A computer-implemented method of providing a head unit of an automobile access to services and information from remote devices, the method comprising:

receiving, by a processor of a wireless mobile device, multiple service requests from the head unit, wherein the wireless mobile device and head unit are communicating on a short range wireless communications link;

evaluating, by the processor of the wireless mobile device, each of the multiple received service requests, to determine, for each of the multiple received service requests, how to process the received service request according to a particular service that is being requested by the received service request and based on one or more of;

a user account associated with the service request, the head unit, a vehicle identifier of the automobile, the wireless mobile device, a user account, user credentials, and user-specific preference or user identification information; and

processing, by the processor of the wireless mobile device, the multiple received service requests according to the evaluation.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14 wherein the processing the multiple received service requests according to the evaluation, includes:

sending, by the processor of the mobile device, a request of the multiple received service requests and some of the user-specific preference or user identification information to a remote server;

receiving, by the processor of the mobile device, a response from the remote server customized according to the user-specific preference or user identification information; and

sending the response to the head unit.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 14 wherein the processing the multiple received service requests according to the evaluation, includes:

injecting, by the processor of the communications device, the user credentials into at least one of the multiple service requests received from the head unit to avoid saving the credentials on the head unit;

sending, by the processor of the mobile device, the request, into which the user credentials were injected, to a remote server that requires the user credentials for specific information;

receiving a response from the remote server including the specific information; and

sending the response to the head unit including the specific information.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 14 further including:

storing, by the processor of the mobile device, statistical information regarding how many multiple service requests were received from the head unit.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 14 further including storing, by the processor of the mobile device, the statistical information to provide one or more of the following:

data regarding customer behavior, data regarding denial of service attacks, data regarding misuse of service and improvement of customer service.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 14 wherein the receiving multiple service requests from the head unit includes receiving multiple service requests for multiple concurrent connections to a remote server, and the processing the multiple received service requests includes establishing the multiple concurrent connections to the remote server.

20. A wireless mobile communications device comprising:

a computer processor; and

at least one non-transitory computer processor-readable storage medium coupled to the computer processor, the storage medium having processor-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause the computer processor to;

receive a request from a head unit of an automobile using network file system protocols to access files of the wireless mobile communications device;

evaluate the request from the head unit of the automobile, to determine how to process the received service request according to a particular service that is being requested by the received request and based on one or more of;

a user account associated with the request, the head unit, a vehicle identifier of the automobile, a user account, user credentials, and user-specific preference or user identification information; and

send a response to the request providing the requested access to the file system according to the evaluation.

21. The wireless mobile communications device of claim 20 wherein the processor-executable instructions stored thereon, when executed, cause the computer processor to:

receive multiple service requests from the head unit; and

redirect many of the received multiple service requests.

22. The wireless mobile communications device of claim 20 wherein the processor-executable instructions stored thereon, when executed, cause the computer processor to:

receive multiple communication requests from various other automobile head units; and

provide a communication channel to remote devices to each of the various other automobile head units via the wireless mobile communications device.

23. The wireless mobile communications device of claim 20, further comprising:

a non-transitory storage device coupled to the processor configured to cache and store data for users and head units of the users'"'"' automobiles.

24. An article of manufacture including a non-transitory computer processor-readable storage medium having computer processor-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause a computer processor of a wireless mobile device to:

receive multiple service requests from a head unit of an automobile for streaming media, wherein the wireless mobile device and the head unit are communicating over a short range wireless communications link;

evaluate each of the multiple received service requests, to determine, for each of the multiple received service requests how to process the received service request based on a capability and functionality of the head unit to decode and play the streaming media;

based on the evaluation, select an option to stream and decode the requested streaming media using the processor if a capability and functionality of the head unit to play the streaming media falls below a particular level, and to stream the requested streaming media for the head unit to decode and play if the capability and functionality of the head unit to play the streaming media does not fall below the particular level; and

based on the evaluation, select an option to stream and decode the requested streaming media by streaming the requested streaming media from the if the capability and functionality of the head unit to play the streaming media falls below a determined level.

25. The article of manufacture of claim 24 wherein the processor-executable instructions, when executed, further cause the computer processor to:

receive a request from the head unit over Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) to route socket network traffic; and

authenticate and route the socket network traffic in response to the particular service that is being requested by the received service request and based on one or more of;

a user account associated with the service request, the head unit, a vehicle identifier of the automobile, the wireless mobile device, a user account, user credentials, and user-specific preference or user identification information; and

processing, by the processor of the wireless mobile device, the multiple received service requests according to the evaluation.

26. The article of manufacture of claim 24 wherein the processor-executable instructions, when executed, further cause the computer processor to:

upon detection that the wireless mobile device and head unit are communicating over the short range wireless communications link, disable usage of selected particular applications of the mobile wireless device that had been previously selected as unsafe to use while driving.

27. The article of manufacture of claim 24 wherein the processor-executable instructions, when executed, further cause the computer processor to:

upon detection that the wireless mobile device and head unit are compatible, force an update of the mobile wireless device.

28. The article of manufacture of claim 24 wherein the processor-executable instructions, when executed, further cause the computer processor to:

cause one central application on the wireless mobile device to communicate to other applications in working work together on the wireless mobile device in providing services to the head unit.

29. The article of manufacture of claim 24 wherein the processor-executable instructions, when executed, further cause the computer processor to:

facilitate monitoring of bandwidth use for user of the wireless mobile device.

30. The article of manufacture of claim 24 wherein the processor-executable instructions, when executed, further cause the computer processor to:

determine which mode of location should be used by the wireless mobile device based on an application'"'"'s accuracy requirements that is running on the wireless mobile device and the environment the wireless mobile device is in during location acquisition of the mobile wireless device; and

automatically change a configuration of software on the mobile wireless device to be directed to a specific test server based on a specific type of the wireless mobile device and a specific test run for test and automation of the wireless mobile device, wherein the automatically changing the configuration of the software on the mobile wireless device for testing occurs without having to rebuild a code base of the software.