Systems and methods of delivering content to an occupant in a vehicle

• US 8,630,659 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2010
• Issued: 01/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Lewis, Derek Lane
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Mahendra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hua, Quan M
• Application Number:
  US12/853,588
• Publication Number:
  US 20120040652A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,253 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1, 455/436, 455/456.1, 455/414.3, 455/420, 455/466, 455/432.1, 455/404.2, 379/88.17, 370328-338, 340328-338
• US Class Current: 455/456.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6091 including a wireless interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/185 wireless packet-switched
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4938 comprising a voice browser which renders and interprets, e.g. VoiceXML
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/48 for in-vehicle communication

Abstract

A method of delivering content to an occupant in a vehicle, the method comprising: establishing an Internet connection using an electronic cellular device, the electronic device being integrated with an HMI system of the vehicle, the HMI system including HMI controls; searching for a content source providing an Internet media stream by selecting a content category using the HMI controls; connecting to the content source using the Internet connection; and playing the Internet media stream using a speaker of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method of delivering content to an occupant in a vehicle, the method comprising:

establishing an Internet connection for an HMI system of the vehicle using an electronic cellular device, the HMI system including HMI controls;

providing an option for a particular program, wherein the option is provided by the HMI system and the electronic cellular device;

receiving a user request for the particular program, the particular program being provided via the internet connection;

searching for a content source providing an Internet media stream of the particular program;

connecting to the content source using the Internet connection;

playing the Internet media stream of the particular program using a speaker of the vehicle;

obtaining vehicle location information using a GPS and wherein searching for an Internet radio stream includes determining the nearest radio station providing the particular program;

obtaining, based on the vehicle location, a location of the nearest radio station that is broadcasting the particular program at a frequency that corresponds to a traditional terrestrial radio station;

automatically switching to the frequency of the nearest radio station when the vehicle is in a predetermined range of the location of the nearest radio station;

automatically switching back to the internet connection, upon a determination that the vehicle exits the predetermined range of the location of the nearest radio station;

storing, by the vehicle, the frequency of the nearest radio station and the predetermined range of the nearest radio station for subsequent use when the vehicle again enters the predetermined range;

retrieving the stored frequency and the stored predetermined range of the nearest radio station;

detecting, based on the stored data, that the vehicle returns to a location within the predetermined range of the nearest radio station; and

using the stored frequency data to establish a connection with the nearest radio station and terminating the internet connection.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the HMI system includes a radio display.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising obtaining vehicle location information using a GPS and wherein the step of searching for an Internet radio stream includes determining the nearest radio station providing the particular program.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a portable electronic cellular device, the method further comprising integrating the portable electronic device with the HMI system of the vehicle.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising mapping the HMI controls of the HMI system to controls of the portable electronic cellular device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of searching for the content source providing the Internet media stream includes searching for an Internet radio station providing an Internet radio broadcast stream.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

the electronic cellular device receiving streaming audio data in packets from the Internet radio station; and

translating the packets to audio data within the vehicle.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of searching for the content source providing the Internet media stream includes connecting to an automated music recommendation service or an Internet radio service.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising controlling the electronic cellular device using the HMI controls.

10. A system for delivering content to an occupant in a vehicle, the system comprising:

a human machine interface (HMI) system;

a head unit having a display including HMI controls;

and an electronic cellular device integrated with the HMI system, wherein the electronic cellular device provides an option for a particular program, and establishes an Internet connection and includes logic that causes the electronic cellular device to search for a content source that provides the particular program on an Internet media stream upon an occupant selection using the electronic cellular device,

connecting to the content source using the Internet connection;

playing the Internet media stream of the particular program using a speaker of the vehicle;

obtaining the vehicle location using a vehicle location navigation system and wherein searching for an Internet radio stream includes determining a radio station that provides the particular program within the vehicle'"'"'s detection range;

wherein upon determining that the vehicle reaches a geographical location with a traditional terrestrial station that broadcasts the particular program, the head unit automatically causes selection of a frequency that corresponds to the traditional terrestrial station to provide the particular program in the vehicle,

wherein the head unit automatically causes a switch back to the internet connection, upon a determination that the vehicle exits the geographical location with the traditional terrestrial station, and

wherein the frequency of the traditional terrestrial station and a broadcast range of the traditional terrestrial station are stored for subsequent use when the vehicle again reaches the geographical location.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the electronic cellular device is a cellular phone.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the head unit includes a radio system and a navigation system.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the electronic cellular device includes an Internet browser and media player.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein controls of the electronic cellular device are different from the HMI controls when searching for a content source.

15. A method of delivering content to an occupant in a vehicle, the method comprising:

integrating a portable electronic cellular device with an HMI system of the vehicle, the HMI system including HMI controls;

establishing an Internet connection using the portable electronic cellular device;

providing an option for a particular program, wherein the option is provided by the HMI system and the electronic cellular device;

searching for the particular program on an Internet radio station providing an Internet radio stream by selecting the particular program using the HMI controls;

connecting to the Internet radio stream using the Internet connection;

playing the Internet media stream using a speaker of the vehicle;

obtaining vehicle location information;

determining, based on the vehicle location information, a terrestrial station that broadcasts a traditional terrestrial station frequency of the particular program;

obtaining the vehicle location information using a vehicle location navigation system and wherein the step of search for an Internet radio stream includes determining the nearest terrestrial station providing the particular program;

upon the vehicle reaching a geographical location for receiving broadcasts from the terrestrial station, automatically disconnecting from the Internet radio stream using the Internet connection and tuning to the terrestrial station broadcast;

upon a determination that the vehicle exits the geographical location of the terrestrial station, automatically disconnecting from the terrestrial station broadcast and connecting to the internet connection; and

storing the frequency of the terrestrial station and a broadcast range of the terrestrial station for subsequent use when the vehicle again enters the geographical location.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the HMI system includes a radio display.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising mapping the HMI controls of the HMI system to controls of the portable electronic cellular device.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

the portable electronic cellular device receiving streaming audio data in packets from the Internet radio station; and

translating the packets to audio data within the vehicle.