METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING DRIVING SITUATION BASED INFOTAINMENT

• US 20160327399A1
• Filed: 05/05/2016
• Published: 11/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation (AB Volvo)
• Original Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation (AB Volvo)
• Inventors: RONNANG, Magnus, DAVIDSSON, Staffan
• Granted Patent: US 10,704,915 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/48 for in-vehicle communication

Abstract

A method performed by an infotainment providing system for providing driving situation based infotainment in a vehicle. The infotainment providing system determines a current position of the vehicle, determines from a digital map associated with the vehicle one or more road attributes of a current or subsequent road segment assumed or known to be ahead of the vehicle. The infotainment providing system selects, in consideration of the one or more road attributes, at least a first piece of media content from a media content source, and provides the at least first piece of media content in the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method performed by an infotainment providing system for providing driving situation based infotainment in a vehicle, the method comprising:

determining, via a determining unit, a current position of the vehicle based on input data;

determining from a digital map associated with the vehicle, one or more road attributes of a current or subsequent road segment assumed or known to be ahead of the vehicle;

selecting, in consideration of the one or more road attributes, at least a first piece of media content from a media content source; and

providing, via a providing unit, the at least first piece of media content in the vehicle.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

determining that one or more road attributes of a subsequent road segment differ(s) from one or more road attributes of a current road segment along which the vehicle is positioned; and

estimating a remaining time for the vehicle to reach the subsequent road segment;

wherein selecting further comprises selecting at least a first piece of media content having a duration time shorter than or equal to the remaining time.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein selecting further comprises:

selecting at least a first piece of media content associated with the one or more road attributes; and

wherein providing comprises providing the at least first piece of media content in the vehicle while the vehicle is positioned along the road segment.

4. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

adding the at least first piece of media content to an infotainment media playlist comprised in the infotainment providing system, which infotainment media playlist is accessible by an occupant of the vehicle.

5. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

presenting at least a portion of content of the at least first piece of media content, via a media content presentation medium associated with the vehicle and/or associated with a user device on-board the vehicle.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the at least first piece of media content comprises an audio clip comprising one or a combination of:

music;

news;

advertisement; and

/or

information.

7. An infotainment providing system adapted for providing driving situation based infotainment in a vehicle, the infotainment providing system comprising:

a position determining unit adapted for determining a current position of the vehicle;

a road segment determining unit adapted for determining from a digital map associated with the vehicle, one or more road attributes of a current or subsequent road segment assumed or known to be ahead of the vehicle;

a selecting unit adapted for selecting, in consideration of the one or more road attributes, at least a first piece of media content from a media content source; and

a providing unit adapted for providing the at least first piece of media content in the vehicle.

8. The infotainment providing system according to claim 7

wherein the road segment determining unit further is adapted for determining that one or more road attributes of a subsequent road segment differ(s) from one or more road attributes of a current road segment along which the vehicle is positioned;

wherein the infotainment providing system further comprises an estimating unit adapted for estimating a remaining time for the vehicle to reach the subsequent road segment; and

wherein the selecting unit further is adapted for selecting at least a first piece of media content having a duration time shorter than or equal to the remaining time.

9. The infotainment providing system according to claim 7 wherein the selecting unit is adapted for:

selecting at least a first piece of media content associated with the one or more road attributes; and

wherein the providing unit is adapted for providing the at least first piece of media content in the vehicle, while the vehicle is positioned along the road segment.

10. The infotainment providing system according to claim 7 further comprising:

an adding unit adapted for adding the at least first piece of media content to an infotainment media playlist comprised in the infotainment providing system, which infotainment media playlist is accessible by an occupant of the vehicle.

11. The infotainment providing system according to claim 7 further comprising:

a presenting unit adapted for presenting at least a portion of content of the at least first piece of media content, via a media content presentation medium associated with the vehicle and/or associated with a user device on-board the vehicle.

12. The infotainment providing system according to claim 7 wherein the at least first piece of media content comprises an audio clip comprising one or a combination of:

music;

news;

advertisement; and

/or

information.

13. A vehicle comprising at least a portion of an infotainment providing system according to claim 7.

14. A user device comprising at least a portion of an infotainment providing system according to claim 7.

15. A non-transitory storage medium comprising computer executable instructions for use in an infotainment providing system for providing driving situation based infotainment in a vehicle, wherein when the instructions are executed the infotainment providing system is operable to:

determine a current position of the vehicle;

determine from a digital map associated with the vehicle, one or more road attributes of a current or subsequent road segment assumed or known to be ahead of the vehicle;

select, in consideration of the one or more road attributes, at least a first piece of media content from a media content source; and

provide the at least first piece of media content in the vehicle.