Method and Apparatus for Infotainment System Control Through a Wireless Device Operating-System-Independent Protocol

• US 20160167516A1
• Filed: 02/19/2016
• Published: 06/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Tonshal, Basavaraj, Chen, Yifan, Mitra, Pramita, Rao, Jayanthi
• Application Number:
  US15/047,751
• Publication Number:
  US 20160167516A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/184 Displaying the same information on different displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/55 Remote control arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/589 Wireless data transfers
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• 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 35/80 Arrangements for controlling instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/81 for controlling displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/85 Arrangements for transferring vehicle- or driver-related data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications

Abstract

A system includes a wireless device processor configured to communicate wirelessly with a remote vehicle infotainment system. The processor is also configured to receive web-based control display instructions from the vehicle infotainment system. The processor is further configured to display, in a web-browser, a vehicle infotainment control interface, in accordance with the display instructions. The processor is also configured to receive vehicle infotainment control instructions through the interface and submit a request to control the vehicle infotainment system in accordance with the received control instructions.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a wireless device processor configured to;

communicate wirelessly with a remote vehicle infotainment system;

receive web-based control display instructions from the vehicle infotainment system;

display, in a web browser, a vehicle infotainment control interface in accordance with the display instructions;

receive vehicle infotainment control instructions through the interface; and

submit a request to control the vehicle infotainment system in accordance with the received control instructions.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the control interface replicates a control interface displayed on a vehicle display.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to submit a control authorization request prior to display of the control interface.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the control interface displays a limited number of controllable vehicle infotainment features in accordance with permissions assigned to a device including the wireless device processor.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the request to control the infotainment system in accordance with the received control instructions includes a device identifier.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein communication between the wireless device and the infotainment system is facilitated utilizing a web-based protocol.

7. A computer-implemented method, executed by a portable device, comprising:

displaying, in a web browser, a vehicle infotainment control interface in accordance with display instructions received wirelessly from a vehicle infotainment system; and

transmitting a request to control the vehicle infotainment system in accordance with vehicle infotainment control instructions received through the vehicle infotainment control interface.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the control interface replicates a control interface displayed on a vehicle display.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising transmitting a control authorization request prior to display of the control interface.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the control interface includes a limited number of controllable vehicle infotainment features in accordance with permissions assigned to the portable device.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the request to control the infotainment system in accordance with the received control instructions includes a device identifier.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein communication between the portable device and the infotainment system includes communication utilizing a web-based protocol.

13. A non-transitory storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor of a portable device, cause the portable device to perform a method comprising:

in response to receiving authorization from a vehicle infotainment system, displaying, in a web browser, controllable vehicle infotainment features in accordance with portable device permissions in an infotainment control interface; and

communicating web-based protocol requests to control the vehicle infotainment system based on input to the infotainment control interface.

14. The storage medium of claim 13, wherein the infotainment control interface replicates a control interface displayed on a vehicle display.

15. The storage medium of claim 13, the method further comprising receiving web-based instructions from the vehicle infotainment system.

16. The storage medium of claim 13, wherein the infotainment control interface displays a subset of controllable vehicle infotainment features based on the portable device permissions relative to features available on a control interface of a vehicle display.

17. The storage medium of claim 13, wherein the web-based protocol requests include a device identifier.

18. The storage medium of claim 13, wherein the infotainment control interface replicates a control interface of a vehicle display.