Vehicular dual mode master/slave interface

• US 8,781,656 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2013
• Issued: 07/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nordic Capital Partners LLC
• Original Assignee: Nordic Capital Partners LLC
• Inventors: Lieberman, David, Turgeon, Robert, Tietjen, Byron, Gardella, Greg
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): NELSON, SARA J
• Application Number:
  US13/849,655
• Publication Number:
  US 20130317678A1
• Time in Patent Office: 477 Days
• Field of Search: 701/2, 701/33.2, 701/36, 710/303, 710/304, 710/110, 710/106, 710/313, 709/217, 709/211
• US Class Current: 701/21
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 49/00 Arrangements of nautical instruments or navigational aids nautical measuring instruments G01C; radio navigation, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• 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 1/6075 adapted for handsfree use in a vehicle H04M1/6058 takes precedence; arrangements for holding telephones in a vehicle B60R11/0241
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances

Abstract

A vehicular interface may include an electromechanical interface between a handheld electronic device and subsystems on a vehicular bus or network. In selected embodiments 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. In this mode of operation the user'"'"'s exclusive interface is through the tablet computer and the tablet computer serves as the master controller for the system.

Claims

1. A master/slave interface device comprising:

a plurality of inputs from vehicular peripheral devices;

an input from a handheld computing device; and

a dual mode controller configured to operate in a slave mode and a master mode,

wherein in the slave mode i) the handheld computing device is communicatively coupled to the dual mode controller, ii) the handheld computing device serves as a master controller which receives input from a user and which communicates with each of the vehicular peripheral devices, iii) the data communicated from each one of the peripheral devices to the handheld computing device or from the handheld computing device to any one of the peripheral devices is routed to and passes through the dual-mode controller, and iv) the dual mode controller receives data retrieved by the handheld computing device from a remote server, and

wherein in the master mode i) the handheld computing device is not communicatively coupled to the dual-mode controller, and ii) the dual-mode controller serves as a master controller which receives input from a user and which communicates with each of the vehicular peripheral devices.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the dual mode controller receives software updates retrieved by the handheld computing device from a remote server.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein when in the slave mode the handheld computing device receives data retrieved by the dual mode controller from a vehicular peripheral device and transmits the data to a remote server.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the dual mode controller includes means to protect the handheld device from moisture and vibration.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the peripheral devices further include a sonar and temperature sensor.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the dual mode controller does not include a GPS or cellular communication device.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the clock speed of a central processing unit of the dual mode controller is substantially slower than that of a central processing unit of the handheld computing device.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the processing speed the dual mode controller is substantially slower than that of the handheld computing device.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the memory access speed of the dual mode controller is substantially slower than that of the handheld computing device.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the handheld computing device is a tablet PC or a smart phone.

11. An interface method comprising:

receiving, at a dual mode controller, a plurality of inputs from vehicular peripheral devices;

receiving, at the dual mode controller, an input from a handheld computing device; and

operating the dual mode controller in a slave mode and a master mode,

wherein in the slave mode i) the handheld computing device is communicatively coupled to the dual mode controller, ii) the handheld computing device serves as a master controller which receives input from a user and which communicates with each of the vehicular peripheral devices, iii) the data communicated from each one of the peripheral devices to the handheld computing device or from the handheld computing device to any one of the peripheral devices is routed to and passes through the dual-mode controller, and iv) the dual mode controller receives data retrieved by the handheld computing device from a remote server, and

wherein in the master mode i) the handheld computing device is not communicatively coupled to the dual-mode controller, and ii) the dual-mode controller serves as a master controller which receives input from a user and which communicates with each of the vehicular peripheral devices.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the dual mode controller receives software updates retrieved by the handheld computing device from a remote server.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein when in the slave mode the handheld computing device receives data retrieved by the dual mode controller from a vehicular peripheral device and transmits the data to a remote server.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the dual mode controller includes means to protect the handheld device from moisture and vibration.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the peripheral devices include a sonar and temperature sensor.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the dual mode controller does not include a GPS or cellular communication device.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the clock speed of a central processing unit of the dual mode controller is substantially slower than that of a central processing unit of the handheld computing device.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the processing speed the dual mode controller is substantially slower than that of the handheld computing device.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein a memory access speed of the dual mode controller is substantially slower than that of the handheld computing device.

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising presenting a user interface on a display of the dual mode controller.