METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR A VEHICLE COMPUTING SYSTEM TO COMMUNICATE WITH A NOMADIC DEVICE VIA AN AUXILIARY PORT

• US 20160006858A1
• Filed: 07/01/2014
• Published: 01/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: GROVER, Joey Ray
• Granted Patent: US 9,961,188 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6083 by interfacing with the vehicle audio system
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724098 Interfacing with an on-board device of a vehicle for hands-free speaking in vehicles H04M1/6075
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72442 for playing music files

Abstract

A vehicle computing system comprising a vehicle auxiliary port and at least one controller. The controller configured to communicate with a nomadic device via a wired connection established between the vehicle auxiliary port and a nomadic device auxiliary port. The controller further configured to transmit data to the nomadic device over the wired auxiliary port connection. The data including one or more control commands for the nomadic device.

Claims

1. A vehicle computing system comprising:

a vehicle auxiliary port; and

at least one controller configured to;

communicate with a nomadic device via a wired connection established between the vehicle auxiliary port and a nomadic device auxiliary port; and

transmit data to the nomadic device over the wired auxiliary port connection, the data including one or more control commands for the nomadic device.

2. The vehicle computing system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to receive meta-data from the nomadic device over the wired auxiliary port connection, the meta-data providing information relating to a main data stream from the nomadic device.

3. The vehicle computing system of claim 2, wherein the data stream is music bytes.

4. The vehicle computing system of claim 2, wherein the meta-data is at least one of song title, duration of song, and album information.

5. The vehicle computing system of claim 1, wherein the one or more commands is a control function via an application protocol interface of one or more applications at the nomadic device.

6. The vehicle computing system of claim 5, wherein the control function is at least one of play, pause, and skip commands.

7. The vehicle computing system of claim 1, wherein the wired connection communication is a protocol comprising a pattern of signal input and output that coincides with the nomadic device and the at least one controller.

8. The vehicle computing system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle auxiliary port is configured to receive a connector comprising at least one of a left stereo terminal, a right stereo terminal, a microphone terminal.

9. The vehicle computing system of claim 5, wherein the vehicle auxiliary port is capable of providing a power source to the nomadic device via the wired connection between the vehicle auxiliary port and the nomadic device auxiliary port.

10. A mobile device comprising:

at least one controller configured to;

communicate with a vehicle computing system (VCS) via a wired auxiliary port connection;

receive an application activation command from the VCS over the wired auxiliary port connection; and

activate the mobile application responsive to the activation command.

11. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein the at least one controller is further configured to transmit data based on the mobile application via the wired auxiliary port connection.

12. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the data is meta-data providing information relating to a main data stream from the mobile application.

13. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the main data stream is navigation information comprising at least one of audio directions and display directions.

14. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein the at least one controller is further configured to receive one or more control commands from a vehicle computing system via the wired auxiliary port connection.

15. The mobile device of claim 14, wherein the one or more control commands is a control function via an application protocol interface of one or more applications.

16. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein the control function is at least one of destination input, route opinions, and other traffic data.

17. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein the wired auxiliary port connection is configured to receive a connector comprising at least one of a left stereo terminal, a right stereo terminal, and a microphone terminal.

18. An auxiliary port adapter comprising:

an upper terminal, configured to receive a connector including an left input stereo terminal, an right input stereo terminal, and an microphone input terminal; and

a lower terminal, including an left output stereo terminal, an right output stereo terminal, and an microphone output terminal, wherein the adapter is configured to;

receive a signal over the right input stereo terminal or the left input stereo terminal, via the upper terminal and pass the signal to the microphone output terminal.

19. The auxiliary port adapter of claim 18, wherein the adapter further includes a processor configured to:

differentiate between received signals intended for a right output stereo terminal, a left output stereo terminal and a microphone output stereo terminal; and

pass the received signals to intended output terminals based on the differentiation.

20. The auxiliary port adapter of claim 19, wherein differentiation is performed based on header information included with the signals.