In-vehicle conditional multi-media center

• US 7,616,129 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2006
• Issued: 11/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Discrete Wireless Incorporated (Compagnie Generale DES Etablissements Michelin SCA)
• Original Assignee: Discrete Wireless Incorporated (Compagnie Generale DES Etablissements Michelin SCA)
• Inventors: Thacher, Jeffery W.
• Primary Examiner(s): POPE, DARYL C
• Application Number:
  US11/308,367
• Publication Number:
  US 20070126604A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,332 Days
• Field of Search: 340/905, 340/691.6, 345/8, 701/200, 701/201, 701/202, 701/207, 701/209, 701/211, 701/213
• US Class Current: 340/905
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2040/0818 Inactivity or incapacity of driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/00 Input parameters relating to occupants
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/22 Psychological state; Stress level or workload
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/08 related to drivers or passengers
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages

Abstract

A system for controlling the operation of an in-vehicle multi-media system based on identifying operating conditions for the vehicle. Various operational rules can be applied to the multi-media system based on an identified operating condition. Operating conditions can include a variety of criteria including traffic, weather, vehicle operating parameters, or the like. Once a condition is identified, an operating rule corresponding to that condition can be imposed on the operation of the multi-media system.

Claims

1. An in-vehicle multi-media control system that, based on collected data, controls the multi-media system in a manner to help improve safety of operation, the system comprising:

a multi-media user interface including a graphical display device;

at least one multi-media system operating independent of the control system;

a memory device;

a sensor;

a central control system;

a plurality of traffic probes communicatively coupled to the central control system;

a control process operating within the central control system and being operable to receive traffic related data from the plurality of probes and provide control data to a single processing unit; and

the single processing unit including an interface to the multi-media user interface, the at least one multi-media system, the memory device, the sensor, and being communicatively coupled to the central control system, and executing instructions in the memory device, the processing unit is operable to control the presentation of outputs from the independently operating multi-media system to the multi-media user interface based at least in part on readings from the sensor and on the control data received from the central control system, independently of input from the multi-media user.

2. The in-vehicle multi-media control system of claim 1, wherein the sensor includes a GPS receiver and the processing unit is operable to control the presentation of outputs from the multi-media system based at least in part on location readings from the GPS receiver.

3. The in-vehicle multi-media control system of claim 1, wherein the memory device includes a plurality of rules correlating conditions and allowable operations, and the processing unit is operable to control the presentation of outputs from the multi-media system based at least in part on the rules in view of the readings from the sensor, such reading identifying a condition.

4. The in-vehicle multi-media control system of claim 1, wherein the multi-media user interface includes audio speakers.

5. The in-vehicle multi-media control system of claim 4, wherein the graphical display includes a swivel mount and the sensor includes the ability to identify when the graphical display is swiveled on a horizontal plane so that the driver can view the graphical display.

6. The in-vehicle multi-media control system of claim 5, wherein the processing unit is operable to control the presentation of outputs from the multi-media system based at least in part on the swivel position of the graphical display.

7. The in-vehicle multi-media control system of claim 1, wherein the control process is operable to identify various traffic conditions and the control data is based at least in part on the traffic conditions.

8. The in-vehicle multi-media control system of claim 7, wherein if the control data indicates that the vehicle is in a high-traffic area, the processing unit is operable to enable a first set of capabilities of the multi-media system and if the vehicle is in a low-traffic area, to enable a second set of capabilities.

9. The in-vehicle multi-media control system of claim 8, further comprising a user input interface, and the processing unit is operable to receive an override indication from the user input interface and in response to the override indication, enable a third set of capabilities.

10. The in-vehicle multi-media control system of claim 1, wherein the memory device includes a plurality of rules identifying conditions and allowable operations, and the processing unit is operable to control the presentation of outputs from the multi-media system based at least in part on the rules in view of the control data, and further comprising a user interface that enables a user to define and/or select the plurality of rules.

11. The in-vehicle multi-media control system of claim 3, wherein the rules identify priorities for a plurality of multi-media events and if a new higher priority multi-media event occurs during the provision of a multi-media event at a lower priority, the new multi-media event will override the lower priority multi-media event.

12. A method for controlling the operation of an independently operated in-vehicle multi-media system, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving condition information;

identifying a presentation rule from a plurality of presentation rules based at least in part on the condition information; and

controlling the presentation of the outputs of one or more multi-media devices based upon the identified presentation rule by selectively enabling or disabling the output of the independently operated multi-media system to an output device, independently of input from the multi-media user.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of receiving condition information further comprises the step of receiving location information from a GPS receiver.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of receiving condition information further comprises the step of receiving control information from a central traffic monitoring system.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of receiving condition information further comprises the step of receiving operational information regarding the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the outputs of the one or more independently operated multi-media devices is provided to a display and the step of receiving condition information further comprises the step of receiving information regarding the viewing position of the display.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the identified presentation rule establishes a priority ranking for the one or more multi-media devices and the step of controlling the presentation of the outputs of the one or more independently operated multi-media devices comprises giving precedence to the presentation of the output of a multi-media device that has a higher priority than a currently presented multi-media output.

18. A method for controlling the operation of an independently operated in-vehicle multi-media system, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving traffic related data from a central control system;

receiving location information from a GPS receiver;

providing the location information to the central control system;

identifying a presentation rule from a plurality of presentation rules based at least in part on the traffic related data and the location information; and

controlling the presentation of the outputs of one or more independently operated multi-media devices based upon the identified presentation rule so that one set of multi-media capabilities are available when the traffic related data and location information satisfy a first condition and a second set of multi-media capabilities are available when the traffic related data and location information satisfy a second condition, independently of input from the multi-media user.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of receiving a plurality of user selected presentation rules.