Application management system with configurable software applications

• US 7,793,136 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2006
• Issued: 09/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Micropairing Technologies Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Eagle Harbor Holdings, L.L.C.
• Inventors: Lutter, Robert Pierce
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, DIEU MINH T
• Application Number:
  US11/616,650
• Publication Number:
  US 20070277175A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,350 Days
• Field of Search: 714/1, 714/2, 714/3, 714/10, 714/13, 718/100, 718/101, 718/102, 718/103, 718/104, 718/106, 718/107
• US Class Current: 714/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/37 Hardware or software details of the signal processing chain
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/468 Specific access rights for resources, e.g. using capability register
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources

Abstract

An application management system identifies a new device. The new device is configured into a multiprocessor system when a type of data used by the new device conforms with a type of data used in the multiprocessor system. An application in the multiprocessor system is identified that uses a same data type used on the new device. The stored application is then used to take over control of the new device and process data received from the new device. A security protocol can be optionally used to control what types of data, applications, or devices are allowed to access the multiprocessor system.

Claims

1. An application management system for a vehicle having multiple on-board processors, comprising:

one or more of the multiple on-board processors coupled together into a multiprocessor system and configured to;

operate a transceiver configured to detect a new device within communication range of the multiprocessor system;

detect a protocol used by the new device;

configure the multiprocessor system to communicate with the new device when the protocol conforms with a protocol used in the multiprocessor system;

identify a particular type of data used in the new device and processed with a first software application controlled and operated by the new device;

identify a second software application from among multiple different software applications located in a memory in the multiprocessor system, wherein the second software application is currently not loaded in or operated by the on-board processors in the multiprocessor system, and wherein the second software application is also configured to process the same particular type of data processed by the first software application controlled and operated by the new device;

select a particular one of the on-board processors for operating the second software application selected from the memory;

move the second software application from the memory in the multiprocessor system to the particular one of the on-board processors;

configure the particular one of the on-board processors to run the second software application moved from the memory, wherein running the second software application causes the particular one of the on-board processors to take over control and operation of the new device;

initiate transfer of the data from the new device to the particular one of the on-board processors and initiate processing of the particular type of data received from the new device with the second software application running on the particular one of the on-board processors; and

prevent at least one of an unauthorized device, unauthorized application, or unauthorized data from accessing at least some of the software applications in the multiprocessor system.

2. The application management system of claim 1 wherein:

the detected new device is a data source that generates streaming audio or video data; and

the second software application is configured to output the streaming audio data to an in-vehicle speaker or output the video data to a display.

3. The application management system of claim 1 wherein the multiprocessor system is configured to:

detect a first and second one of the new devices that generate streaming audio data;

disconnect the streaming audio data generated from the first one of the detected new devices currently connected to the speakers; and

connect streaming audio data generating from the second one of the detected new devices to the speakers according to the inputs received from a display coupled to the multiprocessor system.

4. The application management system of claim 1 wherein the detected new device has an integrated display screen.

5. The application management system of claim 4 wherein at least a portion of content displayed on the display screen of the detected new device is communicated to a display processor in the multiprocessor system for display and generation of information on a display processor display.

6. The application management system of claim 1 wherein the detected new device includes a data storage device selected from the group of a hard disk drive, solid state device, or compact disk.

7. The application management system of claim 1 wherein the detected new device is a wired or wireless audio output device.

8. The application management system of claim 1 wherein the detected new device includes wireless speakers or wireless headphones.

9. The application management system of claim 1 wherein a data storage coupled to the multiprocessor system includes a readable and writeable data storage media selected from the group of solid state device, hard disk drive, or compact disk.

10. The application management system of claim 1 wherein a display processor in the multiprocessor system is coupled to an internal car radio system.

11. The application management system of claim 10 wherein the car radio system receives signals from multiple RF transmitters.

12. The application management system of claim 11 wherein the car radio system is wired to internal vehicle speakers.

13. The application management system of claim 1 wherein the detected new device runs a global positioning system application.

14. The application management system of claim 1 including an external memory, and wherein one of the multiple on-board processors is configured to:

detect a data source when the new device is connected to one of the multiple on-board processors;

identify the detected data source; and

communicate the identity of the detected data source to a display processor in the multiprocessor system for indication on the display.

15. The application management system of claim 1 wherein a display in the multiprocessor system includes a user interface that includes a touch screen.

16. The application management system of claim 15 wherein the user interface initiates control operations carried out by one or more of the on-board processors in the multiprocessor system.

17. The application management system of claim 15 wherein the user interface generates feedback to a user of the vehicle, which feedback is derived from information displayed on the display.

18. A method for reconfiguring applications in multiple processors within a vehicle, comprising:

operating a wireless device manager in one of the multiple processors in a multiprocessor system, the wireless device manager configured to;

monitor for wireless signals from a new device not currently coupled to the multiprocessor system and moved into the vehicle, wherein the new device runs a first software application that processes a first type of data; and

wirelessly connect the new device to the multiprocessor system;

operating a configuration manager in one of the multiple processors in the multiprocessor system, the configuration manager configured to;

monitor operations of the multiple processors in the multiprocessor system;

identify data codes in the wireless signals from the new device and use the data codes to identify the first type of data processed by the first software application running on the new device;

responsive to identifying the data codes from the new device, select a second software application from among multiple different software applications stored within memory in the multiprocessor system, wherein the second software application is associated with the first type of data processed by the new device and is not currently loaded into a particular one of the multiple processors in the multiprocessor system;

download a copy of the second software application selected from the memory to the particular one of the multiple processors in the multiprocessor system;

reconfigure the particular one of the multiple processors in the multiprocessor system to run the second software application downloaded from the memory and take over control and operation of the new device; and

process data from the new device with the second software application operating in and controlled by the particular one of the multiple processors in the multiprocessor system; and

operating a security manager configured to determine authority to access at least some of the software applications or access vehicle data used in the multiprocessor system.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the new device is an audio device, and further comprising receiving streaming audio data from the audio device with one of the multiple processors in the multiprocessor system.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the new device is a cellular telephone.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein the new device is an audio device that includes an integrated display screen.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising a display in the vehicle, and communicating at least a portion of content displayed on the integrated display screen of the new device to the display in the vehicle.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the display in the vehicle communicates with a vehicle radio system.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising receiving at the vehicle radio system signals from multiple RF transmitters.

25. The method of claim 22 wherein the vehicle includes a plurality of speakers, and further comprising (i) displaying images representing at least some of the speakers on the display in the vehicle, and (ii) operating one of the multiple processors to route audio signals from the detected audio device to selected ones of the speakers represented on the display.

26. The method of claim 22 further comprising:

operating the device manager to monitor for wireless signals from at least a second new device not currently coupled to the network;

determining whether a wireless communication interface used by the second new device is compatible with at least one protocol used in the multiprocessor system;

adding the second new device to the multiprocessor system; and

using the second new device in the mobile vehicle.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprising operating the first and second new devices to communicate with the multiprocessor system using Bluetooth signals.

28. The method of claim 18 wherein the new device includes a data storage device selected from the group of a hard disk drive, solid state device, or compact disk, and further comprising wirelessly receiving data from the data storage device with one of the multiple processors in the multiprocessor system.

29. The method of claim 18 wherein the new device is a wired or wireless speaker, and further comprising communicating audio signals from one of the processors in the multiprocessor system to the speaker.

30. The method of claim 18 wherein the new device comprises a global positioning device, and further comprising receiving with the global positioning device data from a satellite network.

31. An apparatus, comprising:

a multiprocessor system configured to;

identify a new device that is not currently coupled to the multiprocessor system;

detect a communication protocol used by the new device and connect the new device to the multiprocessor system when signaling from the new device conforms to a communication protocol used in the multiprocessor system;

configure the new device into the multiprocessor system when a data protocol operated by the new device conforms with a data protocol used in the multiprocessor system;

display an image representing the new device on a graphical interface;

identify data codes in the signaling from the new device identifying an application running on the new device, a data type used on the new device, and a security level associated with data stored in the new device;

use the identified security level to prevent unauthorized data from being loaded into the multiprocessor system;

identify a stored application in memory in the multiprocessor system that uses the same data type used on the new device and download the stored application from memory into a processor in the multiprocessor system;

display an image on the graphical user interface representing the stored application loaded into the processor in the multiprocessor system; and

use the stored application to direct data exchanged with the portable device to a selectable output or a selectable input identified on the graphical interface.