Dual-mode vehicular controller

• US 9,832,036 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2016
• Issued: 11/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Keystone Integrations LLC
• Original Assignee: Keystone Integrations LLC
• Inventors: Lieberman, David, Turgeon, Robert, Tietjen, Byron, Gardella, Greg
• Primary Examiner(s): HUNNINGS, TRAVIS R
• Application Number:
  US15/280,566
• Publication Number:
  US 20170019268A1
• Time in Patent Office: 425 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 69/00 Equipment for shipping not otherwise provided for
• 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: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/027 Arrangements or methods related to powering off a display
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/04 Display device controller operating with a plurality of display units
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/022 Centralised management of display operation, e.g. in a server instead of locally
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/10 Automotive applications
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/12 Synchronisation between the display unit and other units, e.g. other display units, video-disc players
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40 Bus networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/40286 the transportation system being a waterborne vessel
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• 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

Abstract

A vehicular interface may include an electromechanical interface between a handheld electronic device and subsystems on a vehicular bus or network. In an illustrative embodiment, the interface may operate in a “master mode” when a handheld device, such as a tablet computer or smart-phone, is not inserted therein. In this mode the interface may serve as a master controller and accesses and controls various subsystems on a vehicle (such as engine control subsystems, media controllers, navigation systems, sensors and transducers) as a master controller. In one embodiment, when a tablet device is inserted into the interface, the interface may automatically switch to “slave mode” in which it acts as an adapter or interface between the tablet device and the vehicular subsystems.

Claims

1. A vehicular computer interface system, comprising:

a dual-mode controller disposed in a vehicular fixture, the controller including a processor, a main memory and a display; and

a plurality of vehicular peripheral devices coupled to and in bi-directional communication with the dual-mode controller, said peripheral devices including engine control subsystems, media controllers, navigation systems, sensors and transducers;

wherein the dual-mode controller is operative to switch between a master mode and slave mode responsive to the occurrence of both i) the detection of a user'"'"'s personal handheld computing device, and ii) receipt of a command from a user to enter the slave mode,

wherein, when in the master mode, the dual-mode controller serves as the user'"'"'s exclusive interface with the vehicular peripheral devices, and

wherein, when in the slave mode, the dual-mode controller allows the user'"'"'s personal handheld computing device to be a master controller for one or more of the plurality of vehicular peripheral devices and to serve as the user'"'"'s exclusive interface with the one or more of the plurality of vehicular peripheral devices, whereby the user'"'"'s control of certain of the plurality of vehicular peripheral devices is enhanced by the user'"'"'s familiarity with an operating system of the user'"'"'s personal handheld computing device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein dual mode controller is configured to make a ported connection to an operating system of the user'"'"'s personal handheld computing device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein when in slave mode the dual-mode controller allows the user to interface with the one or more of the plurality of vehicular peripheral devices via a human-machine interface of the user'"'"'s personal handheld computing device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein when in slave mode the dual-mode controller retains control of certain interface operations with the plurality of vehicular peripheral devices.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein a processing speed of the dual-mode controller is substantially lower than a processing speed of the user'"'"'s personal handheld computing device, whereby the dual-mode controller is adapted for low-cost manufacture.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein a main memory access speed of the dual-mode controller is substantially lower than a main memory access speed of the user'"'"'s personal handheld computing device, whereby the dual-mode controller is further adapted for low-cost manufacture.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein when in slave mode the dual-mode controller serves as a data router between the user'"'"'s personal handheld computing device and the one or more of the plurality of vehicular peripheral devices.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein when in slave mode the dual-mode controller serves as a protocol translator, whereby the user'"'"'s personal handheld computing device is enabled to communicate with the certain of the plurality of vehicular peripheral devices.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the dual-mode controller includes a plurality of network protocol adapters each of which is configured to communicate unidirectionally or bidirectionally with at least one of the vehicular peripheral devices.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the dual-mode controller arbitrates the transmission of data between the user'"'"'s personal handheld computing device and the certain of the plurality of vehicular peripheral devices.

11. A vehicular computer interface system, comprising:

a dual-mode controller disposed in a vehicular fixture, the controller including a processor, a main memory and a display; and

a plurality of vehicular peripheral devices coupled to and in bi-directional communication with the dual-mode controller;

wherein the dual-mode controller is operative to switch between a master mode and slave mode responsive to the occurrence of both i) the detection of a user'"'"'s personal handheld computing device, and ii) receipt of a command from a user to enter the slave mode,

wherein, when in the master mode, the dual-mode controller serves as the user'"'"'s exclusive interface with the vehicular peripheral devices,

wherein, when in the slave mode, the dual-mode controller allows the user'"'"'s personal handheld computing device to be a master controller for certain of the plurality of vehicular peripheral devices and to serve as the user'"'"'s exclusive interface with the one or more of the plurality of vehicular peripheral devices, and

wherein when in slave mode the dual-mode controller serves as a protocol translator, whereby the user'"'"'s personal handheld computing device is enabled to communicate with the certain of the plurality of vehicular peripheral devices.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the dual mode controller is configured to make a ported connection to an operating system of the user'"'"'s personal handheld computing device.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein when in slave mode the dual-mode controller allows the user to interface with the certain of the plurality of vehicular peripheral devices via a human-machine interface of the user'"'"'s personal handheld computing device.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein when in slave mode the dual-mode controller retains control of certain interface operations with the plurality of vehicular peripheral devices.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein a processing speed of the dual-mode controller is substantially lower than a processing speed of the user'"'"'s personal handheld computing device, whereby the dual-mode controller is adapted for low-cost manufacture.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein a main memory access speed of the dual-mode controller is substantially lower than a main memory access speed of the user'"'"'s personal handheld computing device, whereby the dual-mode controller is further adapted for low-cost manufacture.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein when in slave mode the dual-mode controller serves as a data router between the user'"'"'s personal handheld computing device and the certain of the plurality of vehicular peripheral devices.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the dual-mode controller is configured to improve the user'"'"'s control of the certain of the plurality of vehicular peripheral devices by permitting the user to interface with those devices via an operating system of the user'"'"'s personal handheld computing device.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the dual-mode controller includes a plurality of various network protocol adapters each of which is configured to communicate unidirectionally or bidirectionally with one of the vehicular peripheral devices.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the dual-mode controller arbitrates the transmission of data between the user'"'"'s personal handheld computing device and the certain of the plurality of vehicular peripheral devices.