Dashboard including rules to display data

• US 9,187,038 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2010
• Issued: 11/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ent Services Development Corporation LP (DXC Technology Company)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Patel, Rikin, Bejcek, William E., Nowaczyk, David J., Rueda, Alejandro Anzures
• Primary Examiner(s): HOFSASS, JEFFERY A
• Application Number:
  US13/822,374
• Publication Number:
  US 20130207794A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,861 Days
• Field of Search: 340/425.5, 340/438, 340/461, 340/462, 701/1, 345/30
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/11 Instrument graphical user interfaces or menu aspects
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1438 Touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/151 Instrument output devices for configurable output
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/166 Navigation
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/167 Vehicle dynamics information
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/184 Displaying the same information on different displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/349 Adjustment of brightness
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/46 Electrical connections
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/566 Mobile devices displaying vehicle information
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/573 Mobile devices controlling vehicle functions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/589 Wireless data transfers
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/11 Graphical user interfaces or menu aspects
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/1438 Touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/151 Reconfigurable output
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/152 Displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/1533 Flexible displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/155 Virtual instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/166 Navigation
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/167 Vehicle dynamics information
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/184 Displaying the same information on different displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/349 : Adjustment of brightness
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/46 : Electrical connections
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/52 : Control of displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/566 : Mobile devices displaying vehicle information
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/573 : Mobile devices controlling vehicle functions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/589 : Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/67 : Foldable or movable displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/73 : with special adaptation to the user or to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/736 : the user being the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/744 : Position adjustable by user
• 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 35/20 : Output arrangements, i.e. from vehicle to user, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/213 : Virtual instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/22 : Display screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/223 : Flexible displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/28 : characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/29 : Instruments characterised by the way in which information is handled, e.g. showing information on plural displays or prioritising information according to driving conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/53 : Movable instruments, e.g. slidable
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/60 : Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/65 : Instruments specially adapted for specific vehicle types or users, e.g. for left- or right-hand drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/654 : the user being the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/658 : the instruments being ergonomically adjustable to the user
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/80 : Arrangements for controlling instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/81 : for controlling displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/85 : Arrangements for transferring vehicle- or driver-related data
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 37/06 : of controls, e.g. controls knobs
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/00 : Optical viewing arrangements; Real-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted for use in or on vehicles

Abstract

According to one example of the present invention, there is provided apparatus for displaying a dashboard display in a vehicle. The apparatus comprises a vehicle data bus interface for communicating with vehicle subsystems of a vehicle management system, a rules store for storing a set of dashboard display rules, and a dashboard display module. The dashboard display module is arranged to obtain a dashboard display definition, to determine whether the dashboard display definition is in compliance with the dashboard display rules; to obtain, where it is so determined, data from one or more of the vehicle subsystems in accordance with the dashboard display definition, and to display the obtained data in accordance with the dashboard display definition.

Claims

1. Apparatus for displaying a dashboard display in a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

a vehicle data bus interface for communicating with vehicle subsystems of a vehicle management system;

a rules store for storing a set of dashboard display rules;

a dashboard display module for;

obtaining a dashboard display definition;

determining whether the dashboard display definition is in compliance with the dashboard display rules;

obtaining, where it is so determined, data from one or more of the vehicle subsystems in accordance with the dashboard display definition; and

displaying the obtained data in accordance with the dashboard display definition.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the dashboard display module is further configured to, where it is determined that the dashboard display definition is not in compliance with the dashboard display rules, modify the dashboard display definition to bring it into conformity with the dashboard display rules.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the vehicle data bus interface communicates with the vehicle subsystems through a vehicle data access manager of the vehicle management system.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one set of rules stored in the rules store are obtained from the vehicle management system.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one set of rules stored in the rules store are obtained from other than the vehicle management system.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the dashboard display module is further configured to obtain a geographical location of the vehicle and to determine compliance with at least some of the rules based on the obtained geographical location.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a user interface module for receiving user inputs and for sending control signals in response thereto to at least one of the vehicle subsystems.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is a computing device removably attachable to the vehicle.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the dashboard display is displayed on one of either a display element integral to the computing device or a display element external to the computing device.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the user interface module is configured to receive user inputs from at least one of the computing device, a display element integral to the computing device and a display element external to the computing device.

11. A computer implemented method of displaying a dashboard comprising:

obtaining, by a processor, a dashboard definition file;

determining, by the processor, whether the dashboard definition file complies with a set of dashboard display rules;

obtaining, by the processor, vehicle data from a vehicle management system in accordance with the dashboard definition file; and

displaying, on a display element coupled to the processor, the vehicle data in accordance with the dashboard definition file.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving, at the processor, user inputs associated with a vehicle subsystem, and sending control signals based on the receive inputs to the associated vehicle management system.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising, receiving, at the processor, user inputs intended to modify the dashboard definition file;

and determining, by the processor, whether the intended modifications comply with the set of dashboard display rules.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the set of dashboard display rules are stored in a rules store and are obtained from the vehicle management system.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising obtaining a geographical location of a vehicle in which the vehicle management system resides and determining compliance with at least some of the dashboard display rules based on the obtained geographical location.

14. A vehicle management system comprising:

a vehicle data bus;

a plurality of vehicle subsystems connected via the vehicle bus;

a rules store for storing a set of dashboard display rules;

a dashboard display module for;

obtaining a dashboard display definition;

determining whether the dashboard display definition is in compliance with the dashboard display rules; and

a vehicle data access manager configured to;

receive a request to obtain data from a vehicle subsystem in accordance with the dashboard display definition, the request coming from a device external to the vehicle management system;

determine whether the request is acceptable;

obtaining, where it is so determined, the requested data; and

sending the obtained data to the device external to the vehicle management system.

15. The vehicle management system of claim 14, wherein the vehicle data access manager is further configured to:

receive control signals intended to be sent to one of the vehicle subsystems;

determine whether control signals may be sent to the vehicle subsystem; and

sending, where it is so determined, the received control signals to the appropriate vehicle subsystem.

18. The vehicle management system of claim 14, wherein the set of dashboard display rules stored in the rules store are obtained from the vehicle management system.

19. The vehicle management system of claim 14, wherein the dashboard display module is further obtains a geographical location of the vehicle in which the vehicle management system resides and determines compliance with at least some of the dashboard display rules based on the obtained geographical location.

20. The vehicle management system of claim 14, wherein the dashboard display module further, where it is determined that the dashboard display definition is not in compliance with the dashboard display rules, modify the dashboard display definition to bring it into conformity with the dashboard display rules.