Method for configuring user interface of head unit of vehicle dynamically by using mobile terminal, and head unit and computer-readable recording media using the same

• US 9,358,886 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2014
• Issued: 06/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OBIGO Inc.
• Original Assignee: OBIGO Inc.
• Inventors: Hwang, Doe Yun, Kang, Shin Gyu, Song, Hyung Woon
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, John Q
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sood, Anshul
• Application Number:
  US14/291,663
• Publication Number:
  US 20150266378A1
• Time in Patent Office: 739 Days
• Field of Search: 701/2
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/11 Instrument graphical user interfaces or menu aspects
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1442 Emulation of input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/55 Remote control arrangements
• 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 35/80 Arrangements for controlling instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1454 involving copying of the display data of a local workstation or window to a remote workstation or window so that an actual copy of the data is displayed simultaneously on two or more displays, e.g. teledisplay
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/38 for implementing user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/10 Automotive applications

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for configuring a user interface of a head unit of a vehicle by using a mobile terminal. The method includes steps of: (a) allowing the head unit of the vehicle to acquire information on at least one application stored at an executable state in the mobile terminal, if the mobile terminal is connected to the head unit; (b) allowing the head unit to decide a specific template interoperable with the application among multiple templates stored in the head unit by referring to the acquired information on the application; and (c) deciding a display mode of the specific template by referring to at least one piece of information on the number of acquired application and the driving state of the vehicle and displaying the acquired application on a screen of the head unit by using the decided display mode of the specific template.

Claims

1. A method for configuring a user interface of a head unit of a vehicle by using a mobile terminal, comprising steps of:

(a) acquiring, via the head unit of the vehicle, information on-at least one application stored at an executable state in the mobile terminal, when the mobile terminal is connected to the head unit;

(b) deciding, via the head unit, a specific template interoperable with the application among multiple templates stored in the head unit by referring to the acquired information on the application; and

(c) deciding, via the head unit, a display mode of the specific template by referring to at least one piece of information on the number of application and the driving state of the vehicle and displaying a running state of the application on a screen of the head unit by using the decided display mode of the specific template,

wherein the step of (c) includes the steps of;

(c1) deciding, via the head unit, whether the vehicle is driven when there are multiple applications; and

(c2) displaying the running state of applications on the screen of the head unit based on a minimized display mode on which a layout is not exposed on the screen of the head unit when the vehicle is determined to be driven; and

displaying the running state of applications on the screen of the head unit based on a floating display mode on which a layout for exposing all the applications at the same time is provided on the screen of the head unit when the vehicle is determined not to be driven.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the head unit classifies the application by respective types and records and manages the same categories of templates to correspond to the same kinds of application.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein, at the step of (b), when there is not the specific template interoperable with the application in the head unit, the head unit informs the mobile terminal of it and receives data for the specific template from the mobile terminal.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein, at the step of (c), the display mode of the specific template includes information on the arrangement or the size of the specific template on the screen.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein, at the step of (c), when the number of application stored at the executable state in the mobile terminal is one, the running state of the application is displayed on the screen of the head unit based on a full display mode capable of displaying the running state of the application fully in the screen.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein, before the step of (c1), the step of (c) includes the step of:

(c0) providing a screen for allowing a user to select a certain template among all available templates corresponding to the applications sorted in order of preferred applications frequently used by the user when there are multiple applications; and

providing a screen for allowing the user to select the certain template among all available templates corresponding to the applications sorted in order of registration in the head unit when there is no information on the preferred applications.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein at the step of (c2), when the running state of the application is displayed on the screen of the head unit based on the minimized display mode, it is supported to control the application through a voice recognition service.

8. A head unit of a vehicle for configuring a user interface thereof by using a mobile terminal, comprising;

an application connecting part for acquiring information on at least one application stored at an executable state in the mobile terminal, when the mobile terminal is connected thereto;

a template matching part for deciding a specific template interoperable with the application among multiple templates stored in the head unit by referring to the acquired information on the application; and

a display managing part for deciding a display mode of the specific template by referring to at least one piece of information on the number of the application and the driving state of the vehicle and displaying a running state of the application on a screen thereof by using the decided display mode of the specific template,

wherein the display managing part includes a driving state judging part for deciding whether the vehicle is driven when there are multiple applications; and

the display managing part displays the running state of applications on the screen of the head unit based on a minimized display mode on which a layout is not exposed on the screen of the head unit when the driving state judging part determines the vehicle is driven; and

the display managing part displays the running state of applications on the screen of the head unit based on a floating display mode on which a layout for exposing all the applications at the same time is provided on the screen of the head unit when the vehicle is determined not to be driven.

9. The head unit of claim 8, further comprising:

a template managing part for classifying the application by respective types and recording and managing the same categories of templates to correspond to the same kinds of application.

10. The head unit of claim 8, further comprising:

a template requesting part for informing the mobile terminal of the fact that there is no specific template interoperable with the application therein and receiving data for the specific template from the mobile terminal.

11. The head unit of claim 8, wherein the display mode for the specific template decided by the display managing part includes the information on the arrangement or the size of the specific template on the screen.

12. The head unit of claim 8, wherein, when the number of application stored at the executable state in the mobile terminal is one, the display managing part displays the running state of the application based on a full display mode capable of displaying the running state of the application fully in the screen.

13. The head unit of claim 8, wherein the display managing part includes a template selection screen providing part for providing a screen for allowing a user to select a certain template among all available templates corresponding to the applications sorted in order of preferred applications frequently used by the user when there are multiple applications;

and providing a screen for allowing the user to select the certain template among all available templates corresponding to the applications sorted in order of registration in the head unit when there is no information on the preferred applications.

14. The head unit of claim 8, wherein the display managing part includes a voice recognition service controlling part for supporting to control the application through a voice recognition service when the running state of the application is displayed on the screen of the head unit based on the minimized display mode.

15. One or more non-transitory computer-readable recording media having stored thereon a computer program that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform acts including:

(a) acquiring, via a head unit of a vehicle, information on at least one application stored at an executable state in a mobile terminal, when the mobile terminal is connected to the head unit;

(b) deciding, via the head unit, a specific template interoperable with the application among multiple templates stored in the head unit by referring to the acquired information on the application; and

(c) deciding, via the head unit, a display mode of the specific template by referring to at least one piece of information on the number of application and the driving state of the vehicle and displaying a running state of the application on a screen of the head unit by using the decided display mode of the specific template,

wherein the step of (c) includes the steps of;

(c1) deciding, via the head unit, whether the vehicle is driven when there are multiple applications; and

(c2) displaying the running state of applications on the screen of the head unit based on a minimized display mode on which a layout is not exposed on the screen of the head unit when the vehicle is determined to be driven; and

displaying the running state of applications on the screen of the head unit based on a floating display mode on which a layout for exposing all the applications at the same time is provided on the screen of the head unit when the vehicle is determined not to be driven.