System and Method for Monitoring Apps in a Vehicle to Reduce Driver Distraction

• US 20140106726A1
• Filed: 03/08/2013
• Published: 04/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Excelfore Corp.
• Original Assignee: Excelfore Corp.
• Inventors: Balakrishnan, Anoop, Acharya, Shrikant, Crosbie, John Edward, Acharaya, Shrinath
• Granted Patent: US 8,914,012 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/11 Instrument graphical user interfaces or menu aspects
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/143 Touch sensitive instrument input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1442 Emulation of input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/186 Displaying information according to relevancy
• 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 2360/197 Blocking or enabling of input functions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/566 Mobile devices displaying vehicle information
• 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 35/22 Display screens
• 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 35/654 the user being the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/656 the user being a passenger
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/80 Arrangements for controlling instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/81 for controlling displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1635 Stackable modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6091 including a wireless interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 : to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 : including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/48 : for in-vehicle communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 : Service provisioning or reconfiguring

Abstract

A system and method for monitoring apps in a vehicle to reduce driver distraction is disclosed. A controller operating inside or in combination with the head unit of the vehicle may monitor operation of the vehicle, and generate alerts indicative of operation of the vehicle (such as an alert indicative that the vehicle is operating at a predetermined speed). In response to the alert, the operation of the app in the vehicle may be modified.

Claims

12-1. The controller of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine whether or how to control operation of the app by determining an output device for use with the app.

21. A controller of a head unit in a vehicle, the head unit in communication with a portable electronic device, the controller configured to:

receive information regarding a current operation or a current environment of the vehicle;

generate an alert, the alert indicative of the current operation or the current environment of the vehicle; and

send the alert to the portable electronic device, the alert used by the portable electronic device to determine whether or how to control operation of an app executed by the portable electronic device,

wherein the app comprises a software application downloaded from a server to the portable electronic device.

22. The controller of claim 21, wherein the portable electronic device comprises a smartphone in communication with the head unit of the vehicle.

23. The controller of claim 21, wherein the controller is further configured to determine whether to communicate with the app by determining a type of the app.

24. The controller of claim 22, wherein the type of app comprises whether the app is controllable by the controller in order to reduce distraction to a driver of the vehicle;

and

wherein the controller is further configured to determine whether to communicate with the app depending on whether the app is controllable by the controller in order to reduce distraction to the driver of the vehicle.

25. The controller of claim 24, wherein the controller is configured to determine not to communicate with the app if it is determined that the app is not controller by the controller to reduce distraction to the driver of the vehicle.

26. An app configured for execution on a smartphone, the app configured to:

request, via a transceiver on the smartphone, communication with a head unit of a vehicle;

receive, via the transceiver, an alert, the alert indicative of the current operation or a current environment of the vehicle; and

analyze the alert to determine whether or how to control operation of the app,

wherein the app comprises a software application downloaded from a server to the portable electronic device.

27. The app of claim 26, wherein the app is configured to request communication with the head unit by sending information as to a type of app, the type of app comprises whether the app is controllable by the controller in order to reduce distraction to a driver of the vehicle.

28. The app of claim 26, wherein the app is configured to analyze the alert to determine whether or how to control operation of the app by:

determining whether the alert indicates a speed of the vehicle; and

modifying operation of the app based on the speed of the vehicle.