Systems and methods for providing a dynamic application menu

• US 9,436,353 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2014
• Issued: 09/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Nagata, Katsumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kevin
• Application Number:
  US14/224,136
• Publication Number:
  US 20150277671A1
• Time in Patent Office: 896 Days
• Field of Search: 715/811, 715/835, 715/740, 715/749, 715/738, 715/768, 715/788, 715/822
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/11 Instrument graphical user interfaces or menu aspects
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/119 Icons
• 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 35/60 Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing a dynamic application menu are provided herein. One embodiment of a method includes receiving a first arrangement of application icons, determining usage data regarding an application that is associated with the application icons, and determining a plurality of different criteria for arranging the application icons based on the usage data. Some embodiments include determining a preferred criterion from the plurality of different criteria, providing a second arrangement of the application icons for a dynamic application menu based on the usage data and the preferred criterion, and providing an option to send a signal to rearrange the application icons on a mobile device to substantially match the second arrangement of the application icons.

Claims

1. A method for providing a dynamic application menu comprising:

receiving, by a computing device, a first arrangement of application icons;

determining, by the computing device, usage data regarding applications associated with the application icons;

determining, by the computing device, a plurality of different criteria for arranging the application icons based on the usage data;

determining, by the computing device, a preferred criterion from the plurality of different criteria;

providing, by the computing device, a second arrangement of the application icons for a dynamic application menu based on the usage data and the preferred criteria; and

providing, by the computing device, an option to send a signal to rearrange the application icons on a mobile device to substantially match the second arrangement of the application icons.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of different criteria includes at least one of the following:

arranging by last usage, arranging by operation time, arranging by active use count, and arranging by user selection.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a locking option to lock at least one application icon into a predetermined position.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the preferred criteria is determined via a user selection.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a first arrangement includes receiving data from the mobile device regarding an application on the mobile device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the application icons is associated with an application that is provided by the mobile device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing an option to send an identification of an arrangement of the application icons to the mobile device for implementing on the mobile device.

8. A system for providing a dynamic application menu comprising:

a display device; and

a vehicle computing device that is coupled to the display device and includes a memory component that stores logic that, when executed by the system, causes the system to perform at least the following;

receive a first arrangement of application icons;

determine usage data regarding applications associated with the application icons;

determine a plurality of different criteria for arranging the application icons based on the usage data;

determine a preferred criterion from the plurality of different criteria;

provide a second arrangement of the application icons based on the usage data and the preferred criteria;

provide an option to send a signal to rearrange the application icons on a mobile device to substantially match the second arrangement of the application icons; and

provide the second arrangement of the application icons in a dynamic application menu to the display device for display.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the plurality of different criteria includes at least one of the following:

arranging by last usage, arranging by operation time, arranging by active use count, and arranging by user selection.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the logic further causes the system to provide a locking option to lock at least one application icon into a predetermined position.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the preferred criteria is determined via a user selection.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein receiving a first arrangement includes receiving data from the mobile device regarding an application on the mobile device.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein at least one of the application icons is associated with an application that is provided by the mobile device.

14. The system of claim 8, further comprising providing an option to send an identification of an arrangement of the application icons to the mobile device for implementing on the mobile device.

15. A vehicle computing device for providing a dynamic application menu comprising:

a memory component that stores logic that, when executed by the vehicle computing device, causes the vehicle computing device to perform at least the following;

receive a first arrangement of application icons, wherein the application icons are associated with a plurality of respective applications;

determine usage data regarding the application icons;

determine a plurality of different criteria for arranging the application icons based on the usage data;

determine a preferred criterion from the plurality of different criteria;

provide a second arrangement of the application icons based on the usage data and the preferred criteria;

provide an option to send a signal to rearrange the application icons on a mobile device to substantially match the second arrangement of the application icons;

provide the second arrangement of the application icons in a dynamic application menu for display on a display device; and

store information regarding usage of the plurality of respective applications for determining whether to alter the second arrangement of the application icons.

16. The vehicle computing device of claim 15, wherein the plurality of different criteria includes at least one of the following:

arranging by last usage, arranging by operation time, arranging by active use count, and arranging by user selection.

17. The vehicle computing device of claim 15, wherein the logic further causes the vehicle computing device to provide a locking option to lock at least one application icon into a predetermined position.

18. The vehicle computing device of claim 15, wherein the preferred criteria is determined via a user selection.

19. The vehicle computing device of claim 15, wherein receiving a first arrangement includes receiving data from the mobile device regarding an application on the mobile device.

20. The vehicle computing device of claim 15, wherein at least one of the application icons is associated with an application that is provided by the mobile device.