Virtual smart phone

• US 9,671,955 B2
• Filed: 11/23/2013
• Issued: 06/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: KCG Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: KCG Technologies LLC
• Inventors: Kildevaeld, Michael Rogler
• Primary Examiner(s): TITCOMB, WILLIAM D
• Application Number:
  US14/088,361
• Publication Number:
  US 20140325420A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,291 Days
• Field of Search: 715771
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6083 by interfacing with the vehicle audio system
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces

Abstract

In embodiments of the present invention, a virtual phone is provided which includes a touch screen mounted on an enclosure that includes a processor, memory, wireless communication port, and a power port. The virtual phone further includes a software application executing on the processor to control image display on the touch screen and emulate features of a handheld device presented in the image in response to a user touching a presented feature. The virtual phone further includes a configuration of a user-specific handheld device that is derived from the user-specific handheld device is stored in a memory that is accessible to the processor; wherein the virtual phone presents a visual representation of the user-specific handheld device on the touch screen based on the configuration.

Claims

1. A virtual smart phone, comprising:

a screen mounted in an automobile;

a processor, a non-transitory memory, and a power port mounted in the automobile;

a software application executing on the processor to control image display on the screen and emulate features of a handheld device;

a visual representation of a plurality of features of the handheld device on the screen; and

an interactive element, wherein the interactive element allows access to the plurality of features of the handheld device,

wherein the plurality of features of the handheld device comprises volume control, messages, phone call, email, internet browser, music player, calendar, Global Positioning System, contacts, and maps.

2. The virtual phone of claim 1, wherein the screen is a touch screen.

4. The virtual smart phone of claim 2, wherein the interactive element is the touch screen.

5. The virtual smart phone of claim 1, wherein the interactive element is a button.

6. The virtual smart phone of claim 5, wherein the button is configured to emulate functionalities of physical buttons on the handheld device.

7. The virtual smart phone of claim 6, wherein the functionalities are selected from the group consisting of volume control, ring/silent, power on/off, sleep mode/wake mode, home, and speed dialing.

8. The virtual smart phone of claim 1, wherein the interactive element is selected from the group consisting of a remote control, a mouse, a touch pad, and a track ball.

9. The virtual smart phone of claim 1, wherein the interactive element is a microphone configured to receive voice commands.

10. The virtual smart phone of claim 1, wherein the virtual smart phone is adapted to emulate features from handheld devices of different operating systems.

11. The virtual smart phone of claim 1, wherein data on the handheld device is synchronized in the virtual smart phone.

12. The virtual smart phone of claim 11, wherein the data comprises configuration data.

13. The virtual smart phone of claim 12, wherein the configuration data is stored in the non-transitory memory.

3. A method of accessing features of a smart phone in an automobile, comprising:

receiving at a processor in an automobile information representative of a smart phone user interface, including features thereof;

receiving at a processor in an automobile information representative of data associated with the smart phone;

displaying an image representative of the smart phone including actionable elements based on the data; and

facilitating, with the processor, access to at least one feature of the smart phone in response to a user interacting with at least one of the actionable elements independent of access to the smart phone,

wherein the actionable elements comprise volume control, messages, phone call, email, internet browser, music player, calendar, Global Positioning System, contacts, and maps.