Customized in-vehicle display information

• US 9,701,315 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2015
• Issued: 07/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wohlert, Randolph, Wuthnow, Mark S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli, Michael J
• Application Number:
  US14/941,374
• Publication Number:
  US 20170137032A1
• Time in Patent Office: 606 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2040/0881 Seat occupation; Driver or passenger presence
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/08 related to drivers or passengers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724098 Interfacing with an on-board device of a vehicle for hands-free speaking in vehicles H04M1/6075
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location

Abstract

A computer-implemented method includes determining, based on first information received from a first mobile device within a vehicle, that the first mobile device is associated with a first person. The method includes determining first in-vehicle display preference information and a first vehicle occupant position of a plurality of vehicle occupant positions for the first person. The method also includes selecting, based on the first vehicle occupant position, a first projector of a plurality of projectors within the vehicle. The method further includes providing data representing display information to the first projector to enable the first projector to project the display information onto a display associated with a first window of the vehicle. The display information is determined based on the first in-vehicle display preference information for the first person.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving first information from a first mobile device via a first signal;

selecting a vehicle occupant position from a plurality of vehicle occupant positions based on the first signal;

selecting, based on the vehicle occupant position, a first projector of a plurality of projectors within a vehicle; and

providing data representing display information to the first projector, wherein the first projector projects the data onto a display of a first window of the vehicle, wherein the display information is determined based on first in-vehicle display preference information selected based on the first information, wherein the first window is visible from a first viewing angle associated with the vehicle occupant position and a second viewing angle associated with a second vehicle occupant position of the plurality of vehicle occupant positions, wherein the display is configured such that the display information is visible from the first viewing angle, and wherein the display is configured such that the display information is not visible from the second viewing angle.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting, based on the second vehicle occupant position, a second projector of the plurality of projectors within the vehicle; and

providing second data representing second display information to the second projector, wherein the second projector projects the second data onto a second display of a second window of the vehicle, wherein the second display information is determined based on second in-vehicle display preference information, wherein the second window is visible from a third viewing angle associated with the vehicle occupant position and a fourth viewing angle associated with the second vehicle occupant position, wherein the second display is configured such that the second display information is visible from the fourth viewing angle, and wherein the second display is configured such that the second display information is not visible from the third viewing angle.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the vehicle occupant position comprises a first rear passenger occupant position, and wherein the second vehicle occupant position comprises a second rear passenger occupant position.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting, based on the vehicle occupant position, a second projector of the plurality of projectors within the vehicle; and

providing second data representing second display information to the second projector, wherein the second projector projects the second data onto a second display of a second window of the vehicle, wherein the second display information is determined based on the first in-vehicle display preference information, wherein the second window is visible from a third viewing angle associated with the vehicle occupant position and a fourth viewing angle associated with the second vehicle occupant position, wherein the second display is configured such that the second display information is visible from the third viewing angle, and wherein the second display is configured such that the second display information is not visible from the fourth viewing angle.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first information received from the first mobile device includes a telephone number associated with the first mobile device.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first information received from the first mobile device includes social network profile information.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle occupant position comprises a driver side rear passenger occupant position adjacent to a driver side rear passenger window, wherein the second vehicle occupant position comprises a passenger side rear passenger occupant position adjacent to a passenger side rear window, and wherein the driver side rear passenger occupant position is adjacent to the passenger side rear passenger occupant position.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first in-vehicle display preference information identifies an interest of a user associated with the first mobile device, and wherein the display information is associated with the interest.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein selecting the vehicle occupant position comprises:

receiving a first wireless signal strength value from a first in-vehicle sensor associated with the vehicle occupant position;

receiving a second wireless signal strength value from a second in-vehicle sensor associated with the second vehicle occupant position of the plurality of vehicle occupant positions; and

determining, based on a comparison of the first wireless signal strength value and the second wireless signal strength value, that the first wireless signal strength value exceeds the second wireless signal strength value.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending, via a wireless communications network, a request for the display information; and

receiving the display information via the wireless communications network.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising retrieving the display information from a storage device that is located within the vehicle.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein selecting the vehicle occupant position comprises determining a wireless signal strength of the first signal, wherein the wireless signal strength is measured using a first in-vehicle sensor of a plurality of in-vehicle sensors, the first in-vehicle sensor associated with the vehicle occupant position.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein selecting the vehicle occupant position comprises determining whether the wireless signal strength satisfies a first wireless signal strength threshold, and wherein the vehicle occupant position is selected responsive to the wireless signal strength satisfying the first wireless signal strength threshold.

14. A system comprising:

a plurality of projectors;

a processor communicatively coupled to the plurality of projectors; and

a memory accessible to the processor, the memory comprising instructions executable by the processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving first information from a first mobile device via a first signal;

selecting a vehicle occupant position from a plurality of vehicle occupant positions based on the first signal;

selecting, based on the vehicle occupant position, a first projector of the plurality of projectors within a vehicle; and

providing representing display information to the first projector, wherein the first projector projects the data onto a display of a first window of the vehicle, wherein the display information is determined based on first in-vehicle display preference information selected based on the first information, wherein the first window is visible from a first viewing angle associated with the vehicle occupant position and a second viewing angle associated with a second vehicle occupant position of the plurality of vehicle occupant positions, wherein the display is configured such that the display information is visible from the first viewing angle, and wherein the display is configured such that the display information is not visible from the second viewing angle.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise:

selecting, based on the second vehicle occupant position, a second projector of the plurality of projectors; and

providing second data representing second display information to the second projector to enable the second projector to project the second display information onto a second display associated with a second window of the vehicle, wherein the second display information is determined based on second in-vehicle display preference information, and wherein the second display information is different from the display information.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the vehicle occupant position comprises a driver side rear passenger occupant position adjacent to a driver side rear passenger window, and wherein the second vehicle occupant position comprises a passenger side rear passenger occupant position adjacent to a passenger side rear passenger window.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the second display information projected onto the passenger side rear passenger window is visible from the passenger side rear passenger occupant position, and wherein the second display information is not visible from the driver side rear passenger occupant position.

18. A computer-readable storage device storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving first information from a first mobile device via a first signal;

selecting a particular occupant position from a plurality of vehicle occupant positions based on the first signal;

selecting, based on the particular occupant position, a first projector of a plurality of projectors within a vehicle; and

providing data representing display information to the first projector, wherein the first projector projects the data onto a display of a first window of the vehicle, wherein the display information is determined based on in-vehicle display preference information selected based on the first information, wherein the first window is visible from a first viewing angle associated with the vehicle occupant position and a second viewing angle associated with a second vehicle occupant position of the plurality of vehicle occupant positions, wherein the display is configured such that the display information is visible from the first viewing angle, and wherein the display is configured such that the display information is not visible from the second viewing angle.

19. The computer-readable storage device of claim 18, wherein the particular occupant position corresponds to a driver side rear passenger occupant position, the operations further comprising:

selecting a second projector of the plurality of projectors; and

providing second data representing second display information to the second projector to enable the second projector to project the second display information via a second display associated with a second window of the vehicle that is adjacent to a passenger side rear passenger occupant position, wherein the second display information is determined based on the in-vehicle display preference information.

20. The computer-readable storage device of claim 18, wherein the particular occupant position corresponds to a passenger side rear passenger occupant position, the operations further comprising:

selecting a second projector of the plurality of projectors; and

providing second data representing second display information to the second projector to enable the second projector to project the second display information via a second display associated with a second window of the vehicle that is adjacent to a driver side rear passenger occupant position, wherein the second display information is determined based on the in-vehicle display preference information.