Method and apparatus for integrating controls
First Claim
1. A method of controlling a vehicle electronic system, the vehicle electronic system comprising a plurality of electronic devices coupled by a gateway to an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) control, the method comprising the steps of:
- establishing one of a plurality of operating contexts of the vehicle electronic system, wherein each operating context of the plurality of operating contexts is associated with an operation of an electronic device of the plurality of electronic devices;
receiving an input from the OEM control;
determining whether the operating context is an operating context associated with a first electronic device of the plurality of electronic devices; and
modifying the OEM control for providing control data appropriate to the operation of the first electronic device when the operating context is the operating context associated with the first electronic device.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Electronic devices (38) are added to the electrical system (10) of a motor vehicle and utilize controls (20-26) and indicators (14) existing within the vehicle. The add-on electronic devices (34-38) interact with a gateway (30), and the gateway (30) is coupled to the electrical system (10). The function of the controls (20-26) and indicators (14) within the vehicle are context controlled relative to the operating context of the existing vehicle electronic systems and the add-on electronic devices (34-38).
107 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method of controlling a vehicle electronic system, the vehicle electronic system comprising a plurality of electronic devices coupled by a gateway to an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) control, the method comprising the steps of:
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establishing one of a plurality of operating contexts of the vehicle electronic system, wherein each operating context of the plurality of operating contexts is associated with an operation of an electronic device of the plurality of electronic devices;
receiving an input from the OEM control;
determining whether the operating context is an operating context associated with a first electronic device of the plurality of electronic devices; and
modifying the OEM control for providing control data appropriate to the operation of the first electronic device when the operating context is the operating context associated with the first electronic device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
providing indication data from the first electronic device and indicating the indication data on the indicator.
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7. The method of claim 6, wherein the indication data indicates the operating context.
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8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining comprises a step of determining whether the operating context is an operating context associated with a first electronic device of the plurality of electronic devices or with a second electronic device of the plurality of electronic devices, and wherein the step of modifying comprises steps of:
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modifying the control for providing control data appropriate to the operation of the first electronic device when the operating context is the operating context associated with the first electronic device; and
modifying the control for providing control data appropriate to the operation of the second electronic device when the operating context is the operating context associated with the second electronic device.
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9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first electronic device is operably coupled to the gateway via a device bus and wherein the second electronic device is operably coupled to the gateway via a vehicle bus.
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10. A vehicle electronic system comprising:
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an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) control;
a gateway operably coupled to the OEM control;
a plurality of electronic devices coupled to the gateway;
the vehicle electronic system having at least one operating context associated with each electronic device of the plurality of electronic devices; and
wherein the gateway contains data identifying the operating context associated with each electronic device and further contains control data associated with the operation of the electronic device, and within the operating context, provides control data to the electronic device responsive to an input from the OEM control, allowing the OEM control to control each device based on the operating context. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification