SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING INCOMING MESSAGES IN A VEHICLE

• US 20140303842A1
• Filed: 08/31/2011
• Published: 10/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Qoros Automotive Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Qoros Automotive Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Boelter, Markus Andreas, Yun, Zi, Liu, Yilin, Kuo, Linying, Zhang, Leizhong
• Application Number:
  US14/342,372
• Publication Number:
  US 20140303842A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/04 of the electric storage means for propulsion exchanging batteries for electric propulsion of vehicles B60L53/80; for auxiliary purposes only B60R16/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/11 Instrument graphical user interfaces or menu aspects
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1442 Emulation of input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/164 Infotainment
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/566 Mobile devices displaying vehicle information
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/5894 SIM cards
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/11 Graphical user interfaces or menu aspects
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/1442 Emulation of input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/164 Infotainment
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/566 Mobile devices displaying vehicle information
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/5894 SIM cards
• 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 35/28 characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/80 Arrangements for controlling instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/85 Arrangements for transferring vehicle- or driver-related data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0098 Details of control systems ensuring comfort, safety or stability not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

The present inventive concepts relate to a system and a method for managing incoming messages in a vehicle. The system may include a receiver unit configured to receive incoming messages, a detection unit configured to determine a driving situation of the vehicle and to generate a notification control signal in response to the determined driving situation, and a notification unit coupled to the receiver unit and the detection unit, the notification unit comprising a touch screen configured to notify a driver of a received message in one of a number of different formats in response to the notification control signal.

Claims

1. A system for managing incoming messages in a vehicle, the system including:

a receiver unit configured for receiving incoming messages,

a detection unit configured to determine a driving situation of the vehicle and generate a notification control signal in response to the determined driving situation, and

a notification unit coupled to the receiver unit and the detection unit, the notification unit comprising a touch screen configured to notify a driver of a received message in one of a number of different formats for notifying a driver based on the notification control signal.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the detection unit is configured to classify a determined driving situation into one of at least two driving conditions, including a critical driving condition and a noncritical driving condition.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the detection unit is configured to generate the notification control signal, said notification control signal having one of at least two states, including a notification enable state and a notification disable state.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the notification unit is configured to delay driver notification in response to the notification control signal.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the notification unit is configured to prioritize incoming messages for notifying a driver of a received message in response to the notification control signal and a message priority.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said formats for notifying the driver comprise a message accept/reject screen, a message blocked screen, and a message summary screen.

7. The system of claims 6, wherein the notification unit is configured to display said message accept/reject screen in one of a number of different formats in response to the notification control signal and the message priority.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein, in one of said formats, the touch screen is configured to receive a user input anywhere on the surface of the touch screen.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein, in said one format, the touch screen is configured to differentiate user inputs as at least one of a sweep from left to right, a sweep from right to left, and a tap anywhere on the surface of the screen.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the touch screen is configured to differentiate user inputs in different-ones of predefined fractions of the screen greater than or equal to approximately one-quarter of the screen surface.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the detection unit comprises at least one sensor for detecting at least one of vehicle operating data, environment data, driver activity data, and vehicle passenger activity data.

12. A method for managing incoming messages in a vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving an incoming message in the vehicle,

determining a driving situation of the vehicle and generating a notification control signal based on the determined driving situation, and

notifying a driver of a received message on a touch screen in one of a number of different formats in response to the notification control signal.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising classifying a determined driving situation into one of at least two driving conditions, including a critical driving condition and a noncritical driving condition.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising generating the notification control signal having one of at least two states, including a notification enable state and a notification disable state.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein driver notification delayed in response to the notification control signal.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising prioritizing incoming messages and notifying a driver of a received message in one of a number of different formats in response to the notification control signal and a message priority.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein one of a message accept/reject screen, a message blocked screen, and a message summary screen is displayed when an incoming message has been received.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein, in response to the notification control signal and the message priority, said message accept/reject screen is displayed in a selected one of at least two different formats, and a user inputs a control signal by swiping or tapping on the touch screen anywhere on the surface of the touch screen.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein determining a driving situation comprises detecting at least one of vehicle operating data, environment data, driver activity data, and vehicle passenger activity data.

24. A computer-readable medium containing instructions that, when executed by a control device of a vehicle, cause the control device to perform the method of claim 12.

20-23. -23. (canceled)