Systems and methods for controlling the playback of video in a vehicle using timers

• US 10,796,177 B1
• Filed: 05/15/2019
• Issued: 10/06/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2019
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Yoshizaki, Coh L., McNew, John-Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): McNally, Kerri L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Thang D
• Application Number:
  US16/412,609
• Time in Patent Office: 510 Days
• Field of Search: 340461
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/165 Videos and animations
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/173 Reversing assist
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/176 Camera images
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1868 according to driving situations
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/195 Blocking or enabling display functions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/28 characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/29 Instruments characterised by the way in which information is handled, e.g. showing information on plural displays or prioritising information according to driving conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/20 characterised by the type of display used
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/087 where the control system corrects or modifies a request from the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/597 Recognising the driver's state or behaviour, e.g. attention or drowsiness
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41422 located in transportation means, e.g. personal vehicle arrangements specially adapted for transportation systems in broadcast systems H04H20/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A safety system can play videos in a vehicle while minimizing driver distraction. The driver can select a video source, and video from the video source may begin playing on a display to the driver. Upon the driver first selecting the video, the video is displayed to the driver for an amount of time that does not exceed a timer having a duration. If the driver again selects to view the video, the duration associated with the timer is reduced, and the video is displayed for an amount of time that does not exceed the newly reduced timer. As the driver continues to try to view the video, the duration of the timer is further reduced until it is zero or near zero. After which the driver may not be permitted to view the video until a threshold amount of time has passed.

Claims

1. A system for playing video in a vehicle comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory communicably coupled to the one or more processors and storing;

a video module including instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to;

receive a first request to play a video on a display inside of the vehicle;

in response to the first request, play the video on the display inside of the vehicle;

start a first timer having a first duration;

determine that the first timer has expired;

in response to determining that the first timer has expired, stop the video from playing on the display inside of the vehicle;

receive a second request to play the video on the display inside of the vehicle;

in response to the second request, play the video on the display inside of the vehicle;

start a second timer having a second duration;

determine that the second timer has expired; and

in response to determining that the second timer has expired, stop the video from playing on the display inside of the vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the video module further includes instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to:

receive a third request to play the video on the display inside of the vehicle; and

in response to the third request, reject the third request to play the video on the display inside of the vehicle.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the video module further includes instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to:

display an indication that the video cannot be played.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first duration is greater than the second duration.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the video module further includes instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to:

determine a speed of the vehicle;

determine that the speed is greater than a threshold speed; and

start the first timer and the second timer only when the determined speed is greater than the threshold speed.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the video is streamed from a camera associated with the vehicle.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the video module further includes instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to:

receive a selection of a camera of a plurality of cameras associated with the vehicle; and

play video associated with the selected camera on the display inside of the vehicle.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the video module further includes instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to:

determine a default camera of a plurality of cameras associated with the vehicle; and

play video associated with the default camera on the display inside of the vehicle.

9. A method for playing video in a vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving a first request to play a video on a display inside of the vehicle;

in response to the first request, playing the video on the display inside of the vehicle;

starting a first timer having a first duration;

determining that the first timer has expired;

in response to determining that the first timer has expired, stopping the video from playing on the display inside of the vehicle;

receiving a second request to play the video on the display inside of the vehicle;

in response to the second request, playing the video on the display inside of the vehicle;

starting a second timer having a second duration;

determining that the second timer has expired; and

in response to determining that the second timer has expired, stopping the video from playing on the display inside of the vehicle.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving a third request to play the video on the display inside of the vehicle; and

in response to the third request, rejecting the third request to play the video on the display inside of the vehicle.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising displaying an indication that the video cannot be played.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the first duration is greater than the second duration.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining a speed of the vehicle;

determining that the speed is greater than a threshold speed; and

starting the first timer and the second timer only when the determined speed is greater than the threshold speed.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the video is streamed from a camera associated with the vehicle.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising receiving a selection of a camera of a plurality of cameras associated with the vehicle, and playing video associated with the selected camera on the display inside of the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining a default camera of a plurality of cameras associated with the vehicle; and

playing video associated with the default camera on the display associated with the vehicle.

17. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining a speed of the vehicle; and

setting the first duration based on the determined speed.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium for playing video in a vehicle including instructions that when executed by one or more processors cause the one or more processors to:

receive a first request to play a video on a display inside of the vehicle;

in response to the first request, play the video on the display inside of the vehicle;

start a first timer having a first duration;

determine that the first timer has expired;

in response to determining that the first timer has expired, stop the video from playing on the display inside of the vehicle;

receive a second request to play the video on the display inside of the vehicle;

in response to the second request, play the video on the display inside of the vehicle;

start a second timer having a second duration;

determine that the second timer has expired; and

in response to determining that the second timer has expired, stop the video from playing on the display inside of the vehicle.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, further comprising instructions that when executed by one or more processors cause the one or more processors to:

receive a third request to play the video on the display inside of the vehicle; and

in response to the third request, reject the third request to play the video on the display inside of the vehicle.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the second request is received before the first timer has expired.

21. A system for playing video in a vehicle comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory communicably coupled to the one or more processors and storing;

a video module including instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to;

determine a speed of the vehicle;

determine whether the speed is greater than or less than a threshold speed;

receive a first request to play video on a display inside of the vehicle;

in response to receiving the first request and the speed being greater than the threshold speed;

play the video on the display inside of the vehicle;

start a first timer having a first duration;

determine that the first timer has expired; and

in response to determining that the first timer has expired, stop the video from playing on the display inside of the vehicle;

receive a second request to play the video on the display inside of the vehicle;

in response to receiving the second request and the speed being greater than the speed threshold;

play the video on the display inside of the vehicle;

start a second timer having a second duration;

determine that the second timer has expired; and

in response to determining that the second timer has expired, stop the video from playing on the display inside of the vehicle; and

in response to receiving the first request or the second request and the speed being less than the speed threshold;

play the video on the display inside of the vehicle without using the first timer or the second timer.