Vehicle dashboard wireless display system

• US 8,914,187 B2
• Filed: 11/01/2012
• Issued: 12/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Wang, Xiaodong, Raveendran, Vijayalakshmi R., Huang, Xiaolong, Froelicher, Jeff S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Mary
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sweeney, Brian P
• Application Number:
  US13/666,121
• Publication Number:
  US 20130179029A1
• Time in Patent Office: 775 Days
• Field of Search: 701/32.7, 370/474
• US Class Current: 701/32.7
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/589 Wireless data transfers
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/5911 Bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/85 Arrangements for transferring vehicle- or driver-related data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/613 for the control of the source by the destination control signals issued by the client directed to the server or network components specially adapted for selective content distribution H04N21/637
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 Parsing or analysis of headers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724098 Interfacing with an on-board device of a vehicle for hands-free speaking in vehicles H04M1/6075
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces

Abstract

A wireless source and an automobile dashboard configured to function as a wireless sink device are configured to communicate with one another including authenticating the source device for communications with the dashboard sink, transmitting user inputs received at the dashboard sink back to the wireless source device to enable a user to control the source device and interact with and control the content that is being transmitted from the source device to the dashboard sink, controlling the operational state of the source device based on the operational state of the automobile in which the dashboard sink is arranged, and transmitting data generated by the automobile from the dashboard sink to the source device so as to enable the source device to process at least some of the data.

Claims

1. A method of transmitting user input data from a vehicle dashboard configured to a wireless source device, the method comprising:

obtaining user input data at a display device of a vehicle dashboard, wherein the vehicle dashboard is configured to function as a wireless sink device;

generating a data packet header, wherein the data packet header comprises a field to identify an input category of the user input data;

generating a data packet comprising the data packet header and payload data;

transmitting the data packet to the wireless source device;

receiving, by the vehicle dashboard, data packets comprising headers and payload data from the source device, wherein the payload data comprises encoded video data;

decoding, by a video decoder of the vehicle dashboard, the encoded video data; and

rendering a graphical user interface of at least one application resident on the source device based on the decoded video data; and

outputting, at the display device of the vehicle dashboard, the graphical user interface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user input data comprises data indicating user interaction at the display device of the vehicle dashboard with the graphical user interface of the at least one application resident on the source device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the user input data comprises data indicating user interaction at the display device of the vehicle dashboard with one or more applications resident on the source device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the vehicle dashboard, data comprising an authentication key from the source device;

determining whether to open a communication session with the source device based on the authentication key; and

transmitting a message to the source device indicating that the source device is authenticated for communications with the vehicle dashboard.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein receiving, by the vehicle dashboard, data comprising the authentication key comprises receiving, by the vehicle dashboard, encrypted data comprising the authentication key from the source device, and further comprising decrypting the data.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising transmitting data comprising a challenge key to the wireless source device, and wherein the authentication key is associated with at least some of the data comprising the challenge key.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting, by the vehicle dashboard, a message to the source device indicative of an operational state of a vehicle in which the vehicle dashboard is arranged so as to cause an operational state of the source device to be set based on the operational state of the vehicle.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the message indicates that the vehicle is moving, and further comprising transmitting, by the vehicle dashboard, a command to the source device configured to cause the source device to limit access to one or more functions of the source device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the command is configured to cause the source device to limit access to one or more user functions comprising at least one of telephone calling, text messaging, and electronic mail functions.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining, by the vehicle dashboard, data relating to the operation of a vehicle in which the vehicle dashboard is arranged; and

transmitting the data relating to the operation of the vehicle to the source device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the data relating to the operation of the vehicle comprises at least one of vehicle speed, acceleration, braking, gas mileage, error codes, and diagnostic data.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle comprises an automobile.

13. A vehicle dashboard configured to function as a wireless sink device and to transmit user input data to a wireless source device, the vehicle dashboard comprising:

memory storing instructions;

a display device configured to obtain user input data;

one or more processors configured to execute the instructions, wherein upon execution of the instructions the one or more processors cause;

generating a data packet header, wherein the data packet header comprises a field to identify an input category of the user input data;

generating a data packet comprising the data packet header and payload data; and

a transport unit to transmit the data packet to the wireless source device;

and further comprising a video decoder, and wherein the transport unit receives data packets comprising headers and payload data from the source device, wherein the payload data comprises encoded video data, the video decoder of the vehicle dashboard decodes the encoded video data, and upon execution of the instructions the one or more processors cause;

rendering a graphical user interface of at least one application resident on the source device based on the decoded video data; and

outputting, at the display device, the graphical user interface.

14. The vehicle dashboard of claim 13, wherein the user input data comprises data indicating user interaction at the display device of the vehicle dashboard with the graphical user interface of the at least one application resident on the source device.

15. The vehicle dashboard of claim 13, wherein the user input data comprises data indicating user interaction at the display device of the vehicle dashboard with one or more applications resident on the source device.

16. The vehicle dashboard of claim 13, further comprising:

the transport unit receiving data comprising an authentication key from the source device;

upon execution of the instructions the one or more processors cause determining whether to open a communication session with the source device based on the authentication key; and

the transport unit transmitting a message to the source device indicating that the source device is authenticated for communications with the vehicle dashboard.

17. The vehicle dashboard of claim 16, further comprising the transport unit receiving encrypted data comprising an authentication key from the source device, and upon execution of the instructions the one or more processors cause decrypting the data.

18. The vehicle dashboard of claim 16, wherein the transport unit transmits data comprising a challenge key to the wireless source device, and wherein the authentication key is associated with at least some of the data comprising the challenge key.

19. The vehicle dashboard of claim 13, further comprising the transport unit transmitting a message to the source device indicative of an operational state of a vehicle in which the vehicle dashboard is arranged so as to cause an operational state of the source device to be set based on the operational state of the vehicle.

20. The vehicle dashboard of claim 19, wherein the message indicates that the vehicle is moving, and further comprising the transport unit transmitting a command to the source device configured to cause the source device to limit access to one or more functions of the source device.

21. The vehicle dashboard of claim 20, wherein the command is configured to cause the source device to limit access to one or more user functions comprising at least one of telephone calling, text messaging, and electronic mail functions.

22. The vehicle dashboard of claim 13, further comprising:

upon execution of the instructions the one or more processors cause obtaining data relating to the operation of a vehicle in which the vehicle dashboard is arranged; and

the transport unit transmitting the data relating to the operation of the vehicle to the source device.

23. The vehicle dashboard of claim 22, wherein the data relating to the operation of the vehicle comprises at least one of vehicle speed, acceleration, braking, gas mileage, error codes, and diagnostic data.

24. The vehicle dashboard of claim 13, wherein the vehicle comprises an automobile.

25. A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that upon execution by one or more processors cause the one or more processors to perform a method of transmitting user input data from a vehicle dashboard configured to function as a wireless sink device to a wireless source device, the method comprising:

obtaining user input data at a display device of the vehicle dashboard;

generating a data packet header, wherein the data packet header comprises a field to identify an input category of the user input data;

generating a data packet comprising the data packet header and payload data;

transmitting the data packet to the wireless source device;

receiving, by the vehicle dashboard, data packets comprising headers and payload data from the source device, wherein the payload data comprises encoded video data;

decoding, by a video decoder of the vehicle dashboard, the encoded video data; and

rendering a graphical user interface of at least one application resident on the source device based on the decoded video data; and

outputting, at the display device of the vehicle dashboard, the graphical user interface.

26. A vehicle dashboard configured to transmit user input data to a wireless source device, the vehicle dashboard comprising:

means for obtaining user input data at a display device of the vehicle dashboard, wherein the vehicle dashboard is configured to function as a wireless sink device;

means for generating a data packet header, wherein the data packet header comprises a field to identify an input category of the user input data;

means for generating a data packet comprising the data packet header and payload data;

means for transmitting the data packet to the wireless source device;

and further comprising means for decoding video, and wherein the means for transmitting the data packet to the wireless source device receives data packets comprising headers and payload data from the source device, wherein the payload data comprises encoded video data, the means for decoding video of the vehicle dashboard decodes the encoded video data, and upon execution of the instructions the one or more processors cause;

rendering a graphical user interface of at least one application resident on the source device based on the decoded video data; and

outputting, at the display device, the graphical user interface.

27. A method of receiving user input data, at a wireless source device, from a vehicle dashboard, the method comprising:

receiving a data packet from the vehicle dashboard, wherein the data packet comprises a data packet header and payload data, wherein the vehicle dashboard is configured to function as a wireless sink device at;

parsing the data packet header to determine an input category associated with user input data contained in the payload data;

processing the payload data based on the determined input category; and

further comprising capturing, by the source device, video data comprising a graphical user interface of at least one application resident on the source device;

encoding, by a video encoder of the source device, the video data;

transmitting data packets comprising headers and payload data to the vehicle dashboard, wherein the payload data comprises the encoded video data.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the user input data comprises data indicating user interaction at a display device of the vehicle dashboard with the graphical user interface of the at least one application resident on the source device.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the user input data comprises data indicating user interaction at a display device of the vehicle dashboard with one or more applications resident on the source device.

30. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

transmitting data comprising an authentication key from the source device to the vehicle dashboard, wherein the vehicle dashboard is configured to determine whether to open a communication session with the source device based on the authentication key; and

receiving, by the source device, a message from the vehicle dashboard indicating that the source device is authenticated for communications with the vehicle dashboard.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising encrypting, by the source device, the data comprising the authentication key, wherein the vehicle dashboard is configured to decrypt the data.

32. The method of claim 30, further comprising receiving, by the source device, data comprising a challenge key from the vehicle dashboard, and wherein the authentication key is associated with at least some of the data comprising the challenge key.

33. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

receiving, by the source device, a message from the vehicle dashboard indicative of an operational state of a vehicle in which the vehicle dashboard is arranged; and

setting an operational state of the source device based on the operational state of the vehicle.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the message indicates that the vehicle is moving, and further comprising limiting access to one or more functions of the source device while the vehicle is moving.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein limiting access to one or more functions of the source device comprises limiting access to one or more user functions comprising at least one of telephone calling, text messaging, and electronic mail functions.

36. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

receiving, by the source device, a message from the vehicle dashboard, wherein the message comprises data relating to the operation of the vehicle in which the vehicle dashboard is arranged; and

processing, by the source device, at least some of the data in the message transmitted by the vehicle dashboard.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the data relating to the operation of the vehicle comprises at least one of vehicle speed, acceleration, braking, gas mileage, error codes, and diagnostic data.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein processing, by the source device, at least some of the data comprises correlating, by the source device, vehicle gas mileage data to at least one of vehicle speed, acceleration, and braking data.

39. The method of claim 37, wherein processing, by the source device, at least some of the data comprises automatically transmitting, by the source device, an electronic request for service to the vehicle in which the vehicle dashboard is arranged.

40. The method of claim 37, wherein processing, by the source device, at least some of the data comprises automatically generating, by the source device, an electronic reminder to have the vehicle in which the vehicle dashboard is arranged serviced.

41. The method of claim 27, wherein the vehicle comprises an automobile.

42. A wireless source device configured to receive user input data from a vehicle dashboard configured to function as a wireless sink device, the wireless source device comprising:

a transport unit to receive a data packet from the vehicle dashboard, wherein the data packet comprises a data packet header and payload data;

memory storing instructions;

one or more processors configured to execute the instructions, wherein upon execution of the instructions the one or more processors cause;

parsing the data packet header to determine an input category associated with user input data contained in the payload data;

processing the payload data based on the determined input category; and

further comprising a video encoder, and wherein upon execution of the instructions the one or more processors cause capturing video data comprising a graphical user interface of at least one application resident on the source device, the video encoder encodes the video data, and the transport unit transmits data packets comprising headers and payload data to the vehicle dashboard, wherein the payload data comprises the encoded video data.

43. The source device of claim 42, wherein the user input data comprises data indicating user interaction at a display device of the vehicle dashboard with the graphical user interface of the at least one application resident on the source device.

44. The source device of claim 42, wherein the user input data comprises data indicating user interaction at a display device of the vehicle dashboard with one or more applications resident on the source device.

45. The source device of claim 42, wherein the transport unit:

transmits data comprising an authentication key from the source device to the vehicle dashboard, wherein the vehicle dashboard is configured to determine whether to open a communication session with the source device based on the authentication key; and

receives a message from the vehicle dashboard indicating that the source device is authenticated for communications with the vehicle dashboard.

46. The source device of claim 45, further comprising upon execution of the instructions the one or more processors cause encrypting the data comprising the authentication key, wherein the vehicle dashboard is configured to decrypt the data.

47. The source device of claim 45, further comprising the transport unit receiving data comprising a challenge key from the vehicle dashboard, and wherein the authentication key is associated with at least some of the data comprising the challenge key.

48. The source device of claim 42, further comprising:

the transport unit receiving a message from the vehicle dashboard indicative of an operational state of a vehicle in which the vehicle dashboard is arranged; and

upon execution of the instructions the one or more processors cause setting an operational state of the source device based on the operational state of the vehicle.

49. The source device of claim 48, wherein the message indicates that the vehicle is moving, and further comprising upon execution of the instructions the one or more processors cause limiting access to one or more functions of the source device while the vehicle is moving.

50. The source device of claim 49, wherein upon execution of the instructions the one or more processors cause limiting access to one or more functions of the source device comprises limiting access to one or more user functions comprising at least one of telephone calling, text messaging, and electronic mail functions.

51. The source device of claim 42, further comprising:

the transport unit receiving a message from the vehicle dashboard, wherein the message comprises data relating to the operation of the vehicle in which the vehicle dashboard is arranged; and

upon execution of the instructions the one or more processors cause processing at least some of the data in the message transmitted by the vehicle dashboard.

52. The source device of claim 51, wherein the data relating to the operation of the vehicle comprises at least one of vehicle speed, acceleration, braking, gas mileage, error codes, and diagnostic data.

53. The source device of claim 52, wherein upon execution of the instructions the one or more processors cause processing at least some of the data comprises correlating, by the source device, vehicle gas mileage data to at least one of vehicle speed, acceleration, and braking data.

54. The source device of claim 52, wherein upon execution of the instructions the one or more processors cause processing at least some of the data comprises causing the transport unit to transmit an electronic request for service to the vehicle in which the vehicle dashboard is arranged.

55. The source device of claim 52, wherein upon execution of the instructions the one or more processors cause processing at least some of the data comprises automatically generating an electronic reminder to have the vehicle in which the vehicle dashboard is arranged serviced.

56. The source device of claim 42, wherein the vehicle comprises an automobile.

57. A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that upon execution by one or more processors cause the one or more processors to perform a method of receiving user input data from a vehicle dashboard configured to function as a wireless sink device at a wireless source device, the method comprising:

receiving a data packet from the vehicle dashboard, wherein the data packet comprises a data packet header and payload data;

parsing the data packet header to determine an input category associated with user input data contained in the payload data;

processing the payload data based on the determined input category; and

further comprising a video encoder, and wherein upon execution of the instructions the one or more processors cause capturing video data comprising a graphical user interface of at least one application resident on the source device, the video encoder encodes the video data, and the transport unit transmits data packets comprising headers and payload data to the vehicle dashboard, wherein the payload data comprises the encoded video data.

58. A wireless source device configured to receive user input data from a vehicle dashboard configured to function as a wireless sink device, the wireless source device comprising:

means for receiving a data packet from the vehicle dashboard, wherein the data packet comprises a data packet header and payload data;

means for parsing the data packet header to determine an input category associated with user input data contained in the payload data;

means for processing the payload data based on the determined input category; and

further comprising means for encoding video, and wherein upon execution of the instructions the one or more processors cause capturing video data comprising a graphical user interface of at least one application resident on the source device, the means for encoding video encodes the video data, and the means for transporting the data packet transmits data packets comprising headers and payload data to the vehicle dashboard, wherein the payload data comprises the encoded video data.

59. A method of communicating between a vehicle dashboard configured to function as a wireless sink device and a wireless source device, the method comprising:

authenticating the source device to communicate with the vehicle dashboard;

communicating data indicative of the operational state of a vehicle in which the vehicle dashboard is arranged from the vehicle dashboard to the source device;

setting the operational state of the source device based on the operational state of the vehicle;

communicating at least one of user input data and vehicle data from the vehicle dashboard sink to the source device;

receiving, by the vehicle dashboard, data packets comprising headers and payload data from the source device, wherein the payload data comprises encoded video data;

decoding, by a video decoder of the vehicle dashboard, the encoded video data; and

rendering a graphical user interface of at least one application resident on the source device based on the decoded video data; and

outputting, at the display device of the vehicle dashboard, the graphical user interface.