Method and apparatus for logging into a vehicle computer system

• US 6,606,543 B1
• Filed: 01/09/2002
• Issued: 08/12/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Sproule, William David, Huff, Polita Mila
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): To, Tuan C
• Application Number:
  US10/043,576
• Time in Patent Office: 580 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/36, 340/980, 340/705, 340/711, 340/439, 340/459, 340/5.21, 340/5.2, 340/5.22, 340/5.51, 340/5.4, 340/5.74, 340/5.8, 340/5.81, 340/5.85, 348/837, 345/339, 345/146, 345/970, 345/661, 345/650, 345/676, 725/10, 725/11, 725/13, 725/25, 725/28, 725/30, 725/34, 725/53
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes

Abstract

A vehicle computer system includes a first button that initiates a user login procedure. A second button allows a user to select among multiple password characters. A display device displays the multiple password characters including a currently selected password character. Another button is used to enter the selected password characters for validation. The second button may be rotatable, such that the user of the vehicle computer system is able to scroll through the list of multiple password characters by rotating the second button.

Claims

1. A vehicle computer system comprising:

a first button configured to initiate a login procedure;

a second button configured to select among a plurality of password characters; and

a display device coupled to the second button and configured to display the plurality of password characters, wherein the display device further displays a currently selected password character.

2. A vehicle computer system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a third button configured to enter the selected password characters.

3. A vehicle computer system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a fourth button configured to identify a particular user of the vehicle computer system.

4. A vehicle computer system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a fourth button configured to identify completion of the selection of password characters.

5. A vehicle computer system as recited in claim 1, wherein the second button is rotatable.

6. A vehicle computer system as recited in claim 5, wherein the second button selects among the plurality of password characters by scrolling through the plurality of password characters when the second button is rotated.

7. A vehicle computer system as recited in claim 1, wherein the password character is an audible sound.

8. A vehicle computer system as recited in claim 1, wherein the second button has multiple positions.

9. A vehicle computer system as recited in claim 8, wherein the second button selects among the plurality of password characters by scrolling through the password characters in a first direction when the second button is moved to a first position and scrolling through the password characters in an opposite direction when the second button is moved to a second position.

10. A vehicle computer system comprising:

a first button configured to initiate a login procedure;

a second set of buttons configured to identify a user initiating the login procedure;

a third button configured to select among a plurality of password characters; and

a display device coupled to the third button and configured to display the plurality of password characters.

11. A vehicle computer system as recited in claim 10, wherein the display device is further configured to display a currently selected password character.

12. A vehicle computer system as recited in claim 10, wherein the display device is further configured to simultaneously display a subset of the plurality of password characters, wherein one of the subset of the plurality of password characters is highlighted.

13. A vehicle computer system as recited in claim 10, further comprising a fourth button configured to enter a plurality selected password characters.

14. A vehicle computer system as recited in claim 10, wherein the third button is rotatable to select among the plurality of password characters by scrolling through the plurality of password characters when the third button is rotated.

15. A user interface for a vehicle stereo system, the user interface comprising:

a first button configured to initiate a login procedure;

a second button that is rotatable in a first direction and an opposite direction, the second button configured to scroll through a plurality of password characters, the second button further configured to select a highlighted password character when the second button is pressed; and

a display device coupled to the second button for displaying the highlighted password character.

16. A user interface as recited in claim 15, wherein rotating the second button in the first direction scrolls through the plurality of password characters in a first direction and rotating the second button in the opposite direction scrolls through the plurality of password characters in a second direction, wherein the second direction is opposite the first direction.

17. A user interface as recited in claim 15, further comprising a third button configured to enter a plurality of selected password characters.

18. A user interface as recited in claim 15, further comprising a third button configured to terminate selection of password characters.

19. A user interface as recited in claim 15, wherein the second button is further configured to adjust an audio volume of the vehicle stereo system.

20. A user interface for a vehicle stereo system, the user interface comprising:

a first button configured to initiate a login procedure;

a second button that has a first position and a second position, the second button configured to scroll through a plurality of password characters in a first direction when the second button is in the first position, and the second button further configured to scroll through the plurality of password characters in an opposite direction when the second button is in the second position;

a third button configured to select a highlighted password character; and

a display device coupled to the second button for displaying the highlighted password character.

21. A user interface as recited in claim 20, wherein the second button has a third position in which the scrolling of the plurality of passwords stops.

22. A user interface as recited in claim 20, further comprising a fourth button configured to terminate selection of password characters.

23. A user interface as recited in claim 20, wherein the second button is further configured to adjust an audio volume of the vehicle stereo system.

24. A user interface as recited in claim 20, wherein the second button is further configured to change radio frequencies.

25. A user interface as recited in claim 20, wherein the second button is further configured to change music tracks on a CD.

26. A method comprising:

receiving a first login request from a first user of a vehicle computer system;

displaying a password prompt to the first user of the vehicle computer system;

receiving a first password from the first user of the vehicle computer system;

validating the first password;

receiving a second login request from a second user of the vehicle computer system;

displaying the password prompt to the second user of the vehicle computer system;

receiving a second password from the second user of the vehicle computer system; and

validating the second password.

27. A method as recited in claim 26, wherein the first password is received through a user interface of the vehicle computer system.

28. A method as recited in claim 26, wherein the first login request is received from a first button of the vehicle computer system.

29. A method as recited in claim 26, wherein the first password is entered by the first user through a rotatable control.

30. A method as recited in claim 26, wherein the second password is entered by the second user through a rotatable control.

31. A method as recited in claim 26, further comprising displaying information associated with the first user.

32. A method as recited in claim 26, further comprising displaying music favorites associated with the first user.

33. A method as recited in claim 26, further comprising displaying information associated with the first user and the second user.

34. A method as recited in claim 26, further comprising displaying music favorites associated with the first user and displaying music favorites associated with the second user.

35. A method as recited in claim 26, further comprising displaying favorite radio stations associated with the first user and displaying favorite radio stations associated with the second user.

36. A method comprising:

activating a first button to initiate a login procedure on a vehicle computer system;

activating a second button to identify a plurality of password characters; and

activating a third button to select one of the plurality of password characters.

37. A method as recited in claim 36, wherein activating the second button includes manipulating the second button to highlight a desired password character.

38. A method as recited in claim 36, wherein activating the second button includes rotating the second button to highlight a desired password character.

39. A method as recited in claim 36, further comprising activating a fourth button to identify completion of the selection of password characters.

40. A method as recited in claim 36, further comprising reactivating the first button to initiate the login procedure on the vehicle computer system.

41. A method comprising:

receiving login information from a first vehicle computer system user;

identifying a first set of profile information associated with the first vehicle computer system user;

receiving login information from a second vehicle computer system user;

identifying a second set of profile information associated with the second vehicle computer system user;

merging the first set of profile information with the second set of profile information to create a merged set of profile information; and

displaying at least a portion of the merged set of profile information.

42. A method as recited in claim 41, wherein the first set of profile information includes radio presets defined by the first vehicle computer system user.

43. A method as recited in claim 41, wherein the second set of profile information includes radio presets defined by the second vehicle computer system user.

44. A method as recited in claim 41, wherein the merged set of profile information includes radio presets defined by the first vehicle computer system user and radio presets defined by the second vehicle computer system user.

45. A method as recited in claim 41, wherein displaying at least a portion of the merged set of profile information includes displaying a subset of the radio presets defined by the first vehicle computer system and displaying a subset of the radio presets defined by the second vehicle computer system.

46. A method as recited in claim 41, wherein the first set of profile information includes favorite music identified by the first vehicle computer system user and the second set of profile information includes favorite music identified by the second vehicle computer system user.

47. A method as recited in claim 41, wherein displaying at least a portion of the merged set of profile information includes displaying a subset of the favorite music identified by the first vehicle computer system user and displaying a subset of the favorite music identified by the second vehicle computer system user.

48. One or more computer-readable media having stored thereon a computer program that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to:

display a login prompt on a vehicle computer system;

receive a login request from a user of the vehicle computer system;

display a password prompt on the vehicle computer system;

receive a password from the user of the vehicle computer system, wherein the password is entered using a multi-position control button;

validate the received password; and

allow the user to operate the vehicle computer system if the received password is validated.

49. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 48, wherein the multi-position control button is a rotatable control button.

50. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 48, wherein the one or more processors further receive a login request from a second user of the vehicle computer system.

51. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 48, wherein the one or more processors further display information regarding the user of the vehicle computer system if the received password is validated.