In-car information system, information terminal, and application execution method
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An in-car information system including a portable information terminal and an in-car device, wherein the information terminal comprises:
- a storage unit in which applications are stored; and
a control unit that executes an application manager having a launch function that enables selection of an application among the applications stored in the storage unit and execution of the selected application in a foreground and having a communication function that enables execution of communication processing in a background to allow the information terminal and the in-car device to exchange information, wherein;
the application manager includes a first sub-application having the launch function and a second sub-application having the communication function;
the control unit executes the first sub-application or the selected application in the foreground and executes the second sub-application in the background;
the information terminal further comprises an image output unit that outputs an image corresponding to the first sub-application or the selected application being executed in the foreground by the control unit to the in-car device;
the in-car device further comprises a display unit that displays the image output from the information terminal, an operation input unit via which an operation performed by a user is input, and an operation information transmission unit that transmits operation information corresponding to the operation input via the operation input unit to the information terminal;
the first sub-application also has a regulatory information acquisition function that enables the control unit to obtain regulatory information indicating details of operational restrictions to be imposed on each of the applications while a vehicle is in a traveling state;
the second sub-application also has an operational restriction function that enables the control unit to determine the details of the operational restrictions to be imposed while the vehicle is in the traveling state for the application currently being executed in the foreground by referencing the regulatory information;
the control unit;
obtains the regulatory information by using the regulatory information acquisition function;
calls up one of the applications other than the application manager, among the applications stored in the storage unit and executes the one of the applications instead of the first sub-application in the foreground by using the launch function;
references the obtained regulatory information to determine the details of the operational restrictions to be imposed on the application while the vehicle is in the traveling state by using the operational restriction function; and
transmits restriction information corresponding to the details of the operational restrictions to the in-car device by using the communication function; and
the in-car device either allows or disallows display of the image at the display unit and transmission of the operation information via the operation information transmission unit based upon the restriction information transmitted by the control unit from the information terminal.
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Abstract
An in-car information system includes a portable information terminal and an in-car device. The information terminal includes a storage unit in which applications are stored and a control unit that executes an application manager. The application manager has a launch function that enables execution of the application stored in the storage unit in the foreground and a communication function that enables execution of communication processing in the background to allow the information terminal and the in-car device to exchange information.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. An in-car information system including a portable information terminal and an in-car device, wherein the information terminal comprises:
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a storage unit in which applications are stored; and a control unit that executes an application manager having a launch function that enables selection of an application among the applications stored in the storage unit and execution of the selected application in a foreground and having a communication function that enables execution of communication processing in a background to allow the information terminal and the in-car device to exchange information, wherein; the application manager includes a first sub-application having the launch function and a second sub-application having the communication function; the control unit executes the first sub-application or the selected application in the foreground and executes the second sub-application in the background; the information terminal further comprises an image output unit that outputs an image corresponding to the first sub-application or the selected application being executed in the foreground by the control unit to the in-car device; the in-car device further comprises a display unit that displays the image output from the information terminal, an operation input unit via which an operation performed by a user is input, and an operation information transmission unit that transmits operation information corresponding to the operation input via the operation input unit to the information terminal; the first sub-application also has a regulatory information acquisition function that enables the control unit to obtain regulatory information indicating details of operational restrictions to be imposed on each of the applications while a vehicle is in a traveling state; the second sub-application also has an operational restriction function that enables the control unit to determine the details of the operational restrictions to be imposed while the vehicle is in the traveling state for the application currently being executed in the foreground by referencing the regulatory information; the control unit; obtains the regulatory information by using the regulatory information acquisition function; calls up one of the applications other than the application manager, among the applications stored in the storage unit and executes the one of the applications instead of the first sub-application in the foreground by using the launch function; references the obtained regulatory information to determine the details of the operational restrictions to be imposed on the application while the vehicle is in the traveling state by using the operational restriction function; and transmits restriction information corresponding to the details of the operational restrictions to the in-car device by using the communication function; and the in-car device either allows or disallows display of the image at the display unit and transmission of the operation information via the operation information transmission unit based upon the restriction information transmitted by the control unit from the information terminal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An information terminal, comprising:
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a storage unit in which applications are stored; and a control unit that executes an application manager having a launch function that enables selection of an application among the applications stored in the storage unit and execution in a foreground of the selected application, and having a communication function that enables execution in a background of communication processing to allow the information terminal and an in-car device to exchange information, wherein; the application manager includes a first sub-application having the launch function and a second sub-application having the communication function; the control unit executes the first sub-application or the selected application in the foreground and executes the second application in the background; the information terminal further comprises an image output unit that outputs an image corresponding to the first sub-application or the selected application being executed in the foreground by the control unit to the in-car device; the in-car device further comprises a display unit that displays the image output from the information terminal, an operation input unit via which an operation performed by a user is input, and an operation information transmission unit that transmits operation information corresponding to the operation input via the operation input unit to the information terminal; the first sub-application also has a regulatory information acquisition function that enables the control unit to obtain regulatory information indicating details of operational restrictions to be imposed on each of the applications while a vehicle is in a traveling state; the second sub-application also has an operational restriction function that enables the control unit to determine the details of the operational restrictions to be imposed while the vehicle is in the traveling state for the application currently being executed in the foreground by referencing the regulatory information; the control unit; obtains the regulatory information by using the regulatory information acquisition function; calls up one of the applications other than the application manager, among the applications stored in the storage unit and executes the one of the applications instead of the first sub-application in the foreground by using the launch function; references the obtained regulatory information to determine the details of the operational restrictions to be imposed on the application while the vehicle is in the traveling state by using the operational restriction function; and transmits restriction information corresponding to the details of the operational restrictions to the in-car device by using the communication function; and the in-car device either allows or disallows display of the image at the display unit and transmission of the operation information via the operation information transmission unit based upon the restriction information transmitted by the control unit from the information terminal.
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9. An application execution method adopted in an in-car information system including a portable information terminal and an in-car device, comprising:
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storing applications in advance in the information terminal; and executing by the information terminal an application manager having a launch function that enables selection of an application among the stored applications and execution of the selected application in a foreground, and having a communication function that enables execution of communication processing in a background to allow the information terminal and the in-car device to exchange information, so that the application is selected and executed at the information terminal by using the launch function and information corresponding to the selected application is exchanged between the information terminal and the in-car device by using the communication function, wherein; the application manager includes a first sub-application having the launch function and a second sub-application having the communication function; and the information terminal executes the first sub-application or the selected application in the foreground and executes the second sub-application in the background; the information terminal comprises an image output unit that outputs an image corresponding to the first sub-application or the selected application being executed in the foreground by a control unit to the in-car device; the in-car device comprises a display unit that displays the image output from the information terminal, an operation input unit via which an operation performed by a user is input, and an operation information transmission unit that transmits operation information corresponding to the operation input via the operation input unit to the information terminal; the first sub-application also has a regulatory information acquisition function that enables the control unit to obtain regulatory information indicating details of operational restrictions to be imposed on each of the applications while a vehicle is in a traveling state; the second sub-application also has an operational restriction function that enables the control unit to determine the details of the operational restrictions to be imposed while the vehicle is in the traveling state for the application currently being executed in the foreground by referencing the regulatory information; the control unit; obtains the regulatory information by using the regulatory information acquisition function; calls up one of the applications other than the application manager, among the applications stored in the storage unit and executes the one of the applications instead of the first sub-application in the foreground by using the launch function; references the obtained regulatory information to determine the details of the operational restrictions to be imposed on the application while the vehicle is in the traveling state by using the operational restriction function; and transmits restriction information corresponding to the details of the operational restrictions to the in-car device by using the communication function; and the in-car device either allows or disallows display of the image at the display unit and transmission of the operation information via the operation information transmission unit based upon the restriction information transmitted by the control unit from the information terminal.
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Specification