System and method for a display device using a priority messaging protocol

• US 6,874,012 B1
• Filed: 11/01/2000
• Issued: 03/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: St. Pierre, Robert P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Hosain
• Assistant Examiner(s): BRUCKART, BENJAMIN R
• Application Number:
  US09/704,093
• Time in Patent Office: 1,609 Days
• Field of Search: 709/200, 709/203, 709/220, 709/230, 709/244, 709/223
• US Class Current: 709/207
• 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 67/61 taking into account QoS or priority requirements

Abstract

A display device executing a network messaging protocol and capable of receiving display requests from multiple network devices communicating with the display device over an Internet Protocol (IP) based network is disclosed. The network priority messaging protocol executed by the display device enables the display device to efficiently display messages received from multiple network devices. The protocol enables the display device to prioritize among incoming messages from different network devices and to prioritize among incoming multiple messages from a single device. The protocol executed by the display device further enables the display device to receive display characteristics encoded as part of a message from a network device. The display device executing the network priority messaging protocol is able to process and display multiple message requests without the need to prematurely overwrite the message currently being displayed or to segment the display surface of the display device into smaller pieces.

Claims

1. In a motor vehicle, a display device apparatus interfaced with a network located within said motor vehicle, said apparatus comprising:

a display surface in said motor vehicle;

a display manager for determining what messages are displayed on the display surface, said display manager registering at least two network devices connected to said network through a bi-directional communication process and subsequently receiving messages for display on the display device from said at least two network devices, said display manager prioritizing the received messages to determine a sequence in which said received messages are displayed on said display surface; and

a separate priority message queue created on said display device for each network device registered with the display device, each priority message queue having a priority level assigned to it based on the identity of the registered network device, each display message received by the display device from a registered network device being placed in the priority message queue that is assigned to said network device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said display device and said network devices communicate over an Internet Protocol (IP) based network.

3. Tee apparatus of claim 1 wherein said display manager registers a selected one of said network devices, said network device being a global positioning satellite receiver.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said display manager registers a selected one of said network devices, said network device being a cellular phone.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said display manager registers a selected one of said network devices, said network device being an automobile stereo.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the display message placed in said priority message queue contains text.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the display message placed in said priority message queue contains a graphical image.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the display message placed in said priority message queue message contains text and a graphical image.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said display manager assigns a Message Identification number to each said display message placed in said priority message queue and identifies a message priority level in each said display message as it is placed into said priority message queue, said message priority level being encoded into said display message when received by said display manager and extracted by said display manager.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said display manager selects a selected priority message queue with a highest priority level, said selected priority message queue containing at least one message, said display manager selects a selected display message with a highest message priority level from within said selected priority message queue with a highest priority level, and said display manager displays said selected display message with a highest priority level on the display surface of said display device.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said display manager removes a selected display message in a priority message queue in response to a request from said network device.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said display manager maintains a list of Message Identification numbers of all of the messages in a priority message queue assigned to a particular network device, said display manager providing said list to said particular network device in response to a request from said particular network device.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said display manager maintains a list of network devices registered with said display device, said display manager removing a selected network device from said list in response to a request from said selected network device.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said display manager provides the status of a selected display message in a priority message queue assigned to a network device to said network device in response to a request from said network device.

15. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said display manager displays a display message with display characteristics that were encoded within said display message when received by said display device.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said display characteristics include at least one of a request to clear the display surface, a request to be persistent, a request to scroll the message, and a duration of time to display the message.