System, method, and computer program product for utilizing a communication channel of a mobile device by a vehicular assembly

• US 8,473,152 B2
• Filed: 11/01/2011
• Issued: 06/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: Boadin Technology LLC (Oso IP, LLC)
• Inventors: Zilka, Kevin J
• Primary Examiner(s): Mawari, Redhwan K
• Application Number:
  US13/287,089
• Publication Number:
  US 20120059534A1
• Time in Patent Office: 602 Days
• Field of Search: 701/408, 455/41
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6083 by interfacing with the vehicle audio system
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6091 including a wireless interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface

Abstract

A system, method, and computer program product are provided for utilizing a communication channel of a mobile device by a vehicular assembly. In operation, a vehicular assembly communicates with a mobile device having a wireless communication channel. Additionally, at least one vehicular assembly function is performed utilizing the wireless communication channel of the mobile device.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a vehicular assembly coupleable to a vehicle, the vehicular assembly including at least one processor, memory, at least one input device, at least one display, at least one speaker, at least one microphone, and at least one interface capable of communicating with a mobile device;

said vehicular assembly operable for allowing access to a plurality of different online applications including a first online application that provides access to a first functionality associated with the first online application and a second online application that provides access to a second functionality associated with the second online application, by;

causing output of at least one first online application identifier associated with the first online application for access purposes,

causing output of at least one second online application identifier associated with the second online application for access purposes,

allowing receipt of a selection of the at least one first online application identifier associated with the first online application for access purposes,

allowing receipt of a selection of the at least one second online application identifier associated with the second online application for access purposes,

in response to the selection of the at least one first online application identifier associated with the first online application for access purposes, allowing access to the first online application, and

in response to the selection of the at least one second online application identifier associated with the second online application for access purposes, allowing access to the second online application;

said vehicular assembly operable to cooperate with the plurality of different online applications that each has at least one server associated therewith and is capable of having an associated user identifier and password for use in accessing user-specific information stored utilizing the at least one server;

said vehicular assembly further operable to cooperate with the mobile device such that requests for application content in connection with the plurality of different online applications and receipt of the application content in connection with the plurality of different online applications are both carried out utilizing a mobile device/vehicular assembly communication channel such that a separate wireless channel of the mobile device is utilized to receive the application content in connection with the plurality of different online applications;

said vehicular assembly further operable for allowing access to streaming on-line radio content associated with one of the different online applications that is an on-line radio content application, by;

allowing receipt of a user request for the streaming on-line radio content in association with the on-line radio content application, utilizing the vehicular assembly,

in response to the receipt of the user request for the streaming on-line radio content, causing generation of a streaming on-line radio content request, utilizing the vehicular assembly,

causing transmission of the streaming on-line radio content request, utilizing the mobile device/vehicular assembly communication channel,

allowing receipt of the streaming on-line radio content, utilizing the mobile device/vehicular assembly communication channel, and

causing output of the streaming on-line radio content, utilizing the at least one speaker of the vehicular assembly.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said vehicular assembly is further operable for:

storing at least one tag associated with a bookmark associated with at least one of the plurality of different online applications;

causing a determination whether a trigger signal is received, utilizing the vehicular assembly;

after it is determined that the trigger signal has been received, allowing receipt of an utterance, utilizing the at least one microphone of the vehicular assembly; and

in response to the utterance, providing access to Internet content associated with the bookmark associated with the at least one of the plurality of different online applications, utilizing the at least one tag.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the bookmark is user configurable.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the bookmark is associated with the on-line radio content application and the Internet content includes the streaming on-line radio content.

5. A computer program product embodied on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, comprising:

code for working in association with a vehicular assembly including at least one processor, memory, at least one input device, at least one display, at least one speaker, at least one microphone, and at least one interface capable of communicating with a mobile device;

code for allowing access to a plurality of different online applications including a first online application that provides access to a first functionality associated with the first online application and a second online application that provides access to a second functionality associated with the second online application, by;

causing output of at least one first online application identifier associated with the first online application for access purposes,

causing output of at least one second online application identifier associated with the second online application for access purposes,

allowing receipt of a selection of the at least one first online application identifier associated with the first online application for access purposes,

allowing receipt of a selection of the at least one second online application identifier associated with the second online application for access purposes,

in response to the selection of the at least one first online application identifier associated with the first online application for access purposes, allowing access to the first online application, and

in response to the selection of the at least one second online application identifier associated with the second online application for access purposes, allowing access to the second online application;

wherein the computer program product is operable such that at least multiple of the different online applications each has at least one server associated therewith and is capable of having an associated user identifier and password for use in accessing user-specific information stored utilizing the at least one server;

wherein the computer program product is further operable such that requests for application content associated with the multiple different online applications and receipt of the application content are both carried out utilizing a mobile device/vehicular assembly communication channel such that a separate wireless channel of the mobile device is utilized to receive the application content;

code for allowing receipt of a user request for streaming on-line radio content associated with one of the different online applications that is an on-line radio content application, utilizing the vehicular assembly;

code for, in response to the receipt of the user request for the streaming on-line radio content, causing generation of a streaming on-line radio content request;

code for causing transmission of the streaming on-line radio content request, utilizing the mobile device/vehicular assembly communication channel;

code for allowing receipt of the streaming on-line radio content, utilizing the mobile device/vehicular assembly communication channel; and

code for causing output of the streaming on-line radio content, utilizing the at least one speaker of the vehicular assembly.

6. An apparatus, comprising:

a vehicular assembly coupleable to a vehicle, the vehicular assembly including at least one processor, memory, at least one input device, at least one display, at least one speaker, at least one microphone, and at least one interface capable of communicating with a mobile device;

said vehicular assembly operable for allowing access to a plurality of different online applications including a first online application that provides access to a first functionality associated with the first online application and a second online application that provides access to a second functionality associated with the second online application, by;

causing output of at least one first online application identifier associated with the first online application for access purposes,

causing output of at least one second online application identifier associated with the second online application for access purposes,

allowing receipt of a selection of the at least one first online application identifier associated with the first online application for access purposes,

allowing receipt of a selection of the at least one second online application identifier associated with the second online application for access purposes,

in response to the selection of the at least one first online application identifier associated with the first online application for access purposes, allowing access to the first online application, and

in response to the selection of the at least one second online application identifier associated with the second online application for access purposes, allowing access to the second online application;

said vehicular assembly operable to cooperate with the plurality of different online applications that each has at least one server associated therewith and is capable of having an associated user identifier and password for use in accessing user-specific information stored utilizing the at least one server;

said vehicular assembly further operable to cooperate with the mobile device such that requests for application content in connection with the plurality of different online applications and receipt of the application content in connection with the plurality of different online applications are both carried out utilizing a mobile device/vehicular assembly communication channel such that a separate wireless channel of the mobile device is utilized to receive the application content in connection with the plurality of different online applications;

said vehicular assembly further operable for allowing access to social contact content associated with one of the different online applications that is an on-line social networking application, by;

allowing receipt of a user request for the social contact content associated with the on-line social networking application, utilizing the vehicular assembly,

in response to the receipt of the user request for the social contact content, causing generation of a social contact content request for the social contact content, utilizing the vehicular assembly,

causing transmission of the social contact content request, utilizing the mobile device/vehicular assembly communication channel,

allowing receipt of the social contact content, utilizing the mobile device/vehicular assembly communication channel, and

causing output of the social contact content, utilizing the vehicular assembly.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said vehicular assembly is operable such that social contact indicia associated with a social contact is displayed on a map on the at least one display of the vehicular assembly.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said vehicular assembly is operable such that social contact indicia associated with a social contact is capable of being displayed on a map on the at least one display of the vehicular assembly, along with a plurality of other social contact indicia associated with other social contacts.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said vehicular assembly is operable for storing a social contact address associated with a social contact as a point-of-interest in association with navigation system of the vehicular assembly.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said vehicular assembly is operable for storing social contact data associated with the social contact in association with the navigation system of the vehicular assembly.

11. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said vehicular assembly is operable for causing output of a picture corresponding to a social contact, utilizing the at least one display of the vehicular assembly.

12. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said vehicular assembly is operable for, after the receipt of the social contact content, causing processing of the social contact content, utilizing the at least one processor of the vehicular assembly.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said vehicular assembly is operable such that the processing of the social contact content includes reformatting for output utilizing the vehicular assembly.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said vehicular assembly is operable such that the reformatting involves reformatting from a text format to an audio format.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said vehicular assembly is operable such that the processing of the social contact content includes a conversion of at least a portion thereof from text-to-speech for output utilizing the at least one speaker of the vehicular assembly.

16. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said vehicular assembly is operable such that the user request for the social contact content is in association with indicia corresponding to a social contact.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said vehicular assembly is operable such that the indicia corresponding to the social contact includes an icon, and the user request for the social contact content includes selection of the icon.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said vehicular assembly is operable for providing driving directions to a location of the social contact, in response to selection of an icon.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said vehicular assembly is operable such that the social contact is part of a social network.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said vehicular assembly is operable such that communication with the social contact is provided, in response to selection of an icon.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said vehicular assembly is operable such that the communication includes voice communication.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said vehicular assembly is operable such that the communication includes textual communication.

23. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said vehicular assembly is operable for providing particular information to the social contact, in response to selection of an icon.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said vehicular assembly is operable such that the particular information includes at least one of destination information, an estimated time of arrival, or a message.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said vehicular assembly is operable for providing driving directions to a location of the social contact.

26. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said vehicular assembly is operable such that the social contact content indicates an availability status.

27. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said vehicular assembly is operable such that the social contact content indicates a location status.

28. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said vehicular assembly is operable such that the social contact content includes text and a picture associated with a social contact.

29. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said vehicular assembly is operable for allowing a user to initiate social networking-related status updates associated with the user.

30. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said vehicular assembly is further operable for:

storing at least one tag associated with a bookmark associated with at least one of the plurality of different online applications;

causing a determination whether a trigger signal is received, utilizing the vehicular assembly;

after it is determined that the trigger signal has been received, allowing receipt of an utterance, utilizing the at least one microphone of the vehicular assembly; and

in response to the utterance, providing access to Internet content associated with the bookmark associated with the at least one of the plurality of different online applications, utilizing the at least one tag.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein said vehicular assembly is operable such that the bookmark is user configurable.

32. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein said vehicular assembly is operable such that the bookmark is associated with the on-line social networking application and the Internet content includes the social contact content.

33. A computer program product embodied on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, comprising:

code for working in association with a vehicular assembly including at least one processor, memory, at least one input device, at least one display, at least one speaker, at least one microphone, and at least one interface capable of communicating with a mobile device;

code for allowing access to a plurality of different online applications including a first online application that provides access to a first functionality associated with the first online application and a second online application that provides access to a second functionality associated with the second online application, by;

causing output of at least one first online application identifier associated with the first online application for access purposes,

causing output of at least one second online application identifier associated with the second online application for access purposes,

allowing receipt of a selection of the at least one first online application identifier associated with the first online application for access purposes,

allowing receipt of a selection of the at least one second online application identifier associated with the second online application for access purposes,

in response to the selection of the at least one first online application identifier associated with the first online application for access purposes, allowing access to the first online application, and

in response to the selection of the at least one second online application identifier associated with the second online application for access purposes, allowing access to the second online application;

wherein the computer program product is operable such that at least multiple of the different online applications each has at least one server associated therewith and is capable of having an associated user identifier and password for use in accessing user-specific information stored utilizing the at least one server;

wherein the computer program product is further operable such that requests for application content associated with the multiple different online applications and receipt of the application content are both carried out utilizing a mobile device/vehicular assembly communication channel such that a separate wireless channel of the mobile device is utilized to receive the application content;

code for allowing receipt of a user request for social contact content associated with one of the different online applications that is an on-line social networking application, utilizing the vehicular assembly;

code for, in response to the receipt of the user request for the social contact content, causing generation of a social contact content request for the social contact content, utilizing the vehicular assembly;

code for causing transmission of the social contact content request, utilizing the mobile device/vehicular assembly communication channel;

code for allowing receipt of the social contact content, utilizing the mobile device/vehicular assembly communication channel;

code for causing output of the social contact content, utilizing the vehicular assembly; and

code for causing output of a picture corresponding to a social contact associated with the social contact content, utilizing the at least one display of the vehicular assembly.