METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR EXCHANGING MULTIMEDIA DATA WITHIN A MODULAR UPGRADEABLE VEHICLE INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM

• US 20170078112A1
• Filed: 09/09/2016
• Published: 03/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: TROEMEL, HANS ALFRED Jr., BURNS, THOMAS RAY, DAVIS, GERALD CLINTON
• Application Number:
  US15/261,456
• Publication Number:
  US 20170078112A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/589 Wireless data transfers
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/828 Mounting or fastening exchangeable modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/589 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/828 Exchangeable modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/50 Instruments characterised by their means of attachment to or integration in the vehicle B60K35/231 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/85 Arrangements for transferring vehicle- or driver-related data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/40273 the transportation system being a vehicle

Abstract

An infotainment arrangement for a motor vehicle includes a permanent portion permanently installed in the vehicle. The permanent portion includes a plurality of non-upgradeable electronic components. A non-permanent upgradeable portion is non-permanently installed in the vehicle and is replaceable in the vehicle. A bi-directional digital link interconnects the permanent portion and the non-permanent upgradeable portion. The link has an uncompressed bandwidth of at least three gigabits per second.

Claims

1. An infotainment arrangement for a motor vehicle, comprising:

a permanent portion configured to be permanently installed in the vehicle, the permanent portion including a plurality of non-upgradeable electronic components;

a non-permanent upgradeable portion configured to be non-permanently installed in the vehicle and to be replaceable in the vehicle; and

a bi-directional digital link interconnecting the permanent portion and the non-permanent upgradeable portion, the link having an uncompressed bandwidth of at least three gigabits per second.

2. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the link is configured to transfer data bi-directionally, wherein the data includes high definition video data and/or multi-channel audio data.

3. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the non-permanent upgradeable portion is configured to be communicatively coupled to a personal electronic device, wherein the non-permanent upgradeable portion is configured to use a processor in the personal electronic device to perform a majority of processing required by the arrangement.

4. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the link comprises a multi-conductor, controlled impedance cable.

5. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the non-permanent upgradeable portion is configured to be removed from the vehicle by pulling the non-permanent upgradeable portion out of the vehicle in a first single, linear motion in a first direction, and the non-permanent upgradeable portion is configured to be installed in the vehicle by pushing the non-permanent upgradeable portion into a recess of the vehicle in a second single, linear motion in a second direction opposite to the first direction until the non-permanent upgradeable portion snaps into place.

6. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the permanent portion includes at least one camera, at least one microphone, an instrument cluster, a user interface, at least one antenna, and at least one loudspeaker.

7. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the non-permanent upgradeable portion includes a microprocessor and at least one communication port.

8. A method of maintaining an infotainment system in a motor vehicle, comprising:

permanently installing a permanent portion of the infotainment system in the vehicle, the permanent portion including a plurality of non-upgradeable electronic components;

non-permanently installing a non-permanent upgradeable portion of the infotainment system in the vehicle; and

performing electronic communication between the permanent portion and the non-permanent upgradeable portion over a bi-directional digital link, wherein the communication includes authorizing the non-permanent upgradeable portion via an encrypted authorization process.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the link comprises a wired link.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the link comprises a wireless link.

11. The method of claim 8 further comprising communicatively coupling the non-permanent upgradeable portion to a personal electronic device, and using a processor in the personal electronic device to perform a majority of processing required by the system.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the authorizing is performed during initialization of the non-permanent upgradeable portion.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein the authorizing is performed periodically and/or continuously during operation of the non-permanent upgradeable portion.

14. A motor vehicle, comprising an infotainment arrangement including:

a permanent portion permanently installed in the vehicle, the permanent portion having a plurality of non-upgradeable electronic components;

a non-permanent upgradeable portion non-permanently installed in the vehicle and being replaceable in the vehicle; and

a single bi-directional high speed serial bus communicatively interconnecting the permanent portion and the non-permanent upgradeable portion.

15. The arrangement of claim 14 wherein the bus is configured to carry all communication between the permanent portion and the non-permanent upgradeable portion.

16. The arrangement of claim 14 wherein the non-permanent upgradeable portion is configured to be communicatively coupled to a personal electronic device and to use a processor in the personal electronic device to perform a majority of processing required by the arrangement.

17. The arrangement of claim 14 wherein communication between the permanent portion and the non-permanent upgradeable portion is conducted via PCIe over cable.

18. The arrangement of claim 14 wherein the permanent portion is contained within a first housing, and the non-permanent upgradeable portion is contained within a second housing.

19. The arrangement of claim 14 wherein the permanent portion includes at least one camera, at least one microphone, an instrument cluster, a user interface, at least one antenna, and at least one loudspeaker.

20. The arrangement of claim 14 wherein the non-permanent upgradeable portion includes a microprocessor and at least one communication port.