Vehicle-mounted device having portable-device detection capability

• US 8,943,438 B2
• Filed: 07/06/2011
• Issued: 01/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Matsumoto, Nobuo, Kazuno, Masahito
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): Burwell, Joseph R
• Application Number:
  US13/177,273
• Publication Number:
  US 20120096404A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,301 Days
• Field of Search: 715/822
• US Class Current: 715/822
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

For each smartphone application included in a smartphone, an identifier, such as a name of the smartphone application, and information on whether the smartphone application operates in cooperation with a vehicle-mounted device, are registered in a smartphone application management table. From the smartphone applications included in the connected smartphone, higher priority is given to the smartphone applications that are registered in the smartphone application management table as applications that operate in cooperation with the vehicle-mounted device. A lower priority is given to other smartphone applications. Icons of the high priority smartphone applications are arranged on a first page of a smartphone application menu, whereas icons of the low priority smartphone applications are sequentially arranged on second and following pages.

Claims

1. A vehicle-mounted device to which a portable device having a plurality of applications therein, is selectively connected, the vehicle-mounted device configured to be mounted in a vehicle, the vehicle-mounted device comprising:

a portable-device connection detection unit configured to detect whether the portable device is connected to the vehicle-mounted device;

a vehicle-state detection unit configured to detect a state of the vehicle, including a vehicle running state, a vehicle stopped state, and a vehicle parked state;

an application management table containing registration information therein corresponding to applications of the portable device that are to be utilized based on the detected state of the vehicle;

an application-selection-menu display unit configured to generate and display a menu of icons corresponding to respective applications included in the portable device connected to the vehicle-mounted device, and configured to receive a selection of an icon by a user;

an application launch control unit configured to cause the portable device to launch an application corresponding to the user-selected icon;

a use-level calculation unit configured to calculate, for each application, a use level indicating a degree that the application included in the portable device is used with the portable device, and indicating a probability that each application is to be used in each of the vehicle running state, the vehicle stopped state, and the vehicle parked state;

wherein, when the portable-device connection detection unit detects that the portable device is connected to the vehicle-mounted device, the application-selection-menu display unit sets, as preferred applications, applications having registration information corresponding to a current detected state of the vehicle; and

wherein the icons corresponding to the preferential applications are automatically displayed in a preferential or emphasized manner in accordance with the calculated probability corresponding to the vehicle running state, the vehicle stopped state, and the vehicle parked state.

2. The vehicle-mounted device according to claim 1,

wherein, when the portable-device connection detection unit detects that the portable device is connected to the vehicle-mounted device, in response to a user operation, the application-selection-menu display unit generates an application selection menu including a plurality of sequentially displayed pages;

and

wherein the application-selection-menu display unit arranges the icons of the preferred applications on a first page and arranges the icons of other applications on following pages.

3. The vehicle-mounted device according to claim 1,

wherein, when the portable-device connection detection unit detects that the portable device is connected to the vehicle-mounted device, in response to a user operation, the application-selection-menu display unit generates the application selection menu including a plurality of pages to be sequentially displayed;

and

wherein the application-selection-menu display unit arranges the icons of the preferred applications at a given area on each page and arranges the icons of the other applications at an area other than the given area.

4. A vehicle-mounted device to which a portable device having a plurality of applications therein, is selectively connected, the vehicle-mounted device configured to be mounted in a vehicle, the vehicle-mounted device comprising:

a portable-device connection detection unit configured to detect whether the portable device is connected to the vehicle-mounted device;

an application-selection-menu display unit configured to generate a menu of icons corresponding to respective applications included in the portable device connected to the vehicle-mounted device, and configured to receive a selection of an icon by a user; and

an application launch control unit configured to cause the portable device to launch an application corresponding to the user-selected icon;

a use-level calculation unit configured to calculate, for each application, a use level indicating a degree that the application included in the portable device is used with the portable device; and

indicating a probability that each application is to be used in each of a vehicle running state, a vehicle stopped state, and a vehicle parked state;

wherein, when the portable-device connection detection unit detects that the portable device is connected to the vehicle-mounted device, the application-selection-menu display unit sets, as preferred applications having registration information corresponding to a current detected state of the vehicle, the current detected state including the vehicle running state, the vehicle stopped state, and the vehicle parked state; and

wherein the icons corresponding to the preferred applications are automatically displayed in a preferential or emphasized manner in accordance with the calculated probability corresponding to the vehicle running state, the vehicle stopped state, and the vehicle parked state.

5. A vehicle-mounted device to which a portable device having a plurality of applications therein, is selectively connected, the vehicle-mounted device configured to be mounted in a vehicle, the vehicle-mounted device comprising:

a portable-device connection detection unit configured to detect whether the portable device is connected to the vehicle-mounted device;

an application-selection-menu display unit configured to generate and display a menu of icons corresponding to respective applications included in the portable device connected to the vehicle-mounted device, and configured to receive a selection of an icon by a user;

an application launch control unit configured to cause the portable device to launch an application corresponding to the user-selected icon;

a use-level calculation unit configured to calculate, for each application, a use level indicating a degree that the application included in the portable device is used with the portable device, the use level being used to determine a placement position of the icons of the application selection menu, and indicating a probability that each application is to be used in each of a vehicle running state, a vehicle stopped state, and a vehicle parked state;

wherein, when the portable-device connection detection unit detects that the portable device is connected to the vehicle-mounted device, the application-selection-menu display unit displays the application selection menu in which the icons of the respective applications included in the portable device connected to the vehicle-mounted device are automatically arranged in descending order based on the use level of the applications calculated by the use-level calculation unit and in accordance with the calculated probability corresponding to the vehicle running state, the vehicle stopped state, and the vehicle parked state.

6. The vehicle-mounted device according to claim 5,

wherein, when the portable-device connection detection unit detects that the portable device is connected to the vehicle-mounted device, the application-selection-menu display unit generates the application selection menu including a plurality of pages to be sequentially displayed in response to a user operation, and

wherein the application-selection-menu display unit sequentially arranges the icons of the respective applications on each page in descending order of the use level calculated by the use-level calculation unit so that an icon of an application having a higher use level is arranged on a page having a lower page number.

7. A portable device including a plurality of applications, the portable device being selectively connected to a vehicle-mounted device mounted in a vehicle, the portable device comprising:

a connection detection unit configured to detect whether the portable device is connected to the vehicle-mounted device;

an application attribute table containing registration information therein corresponding to applications of the portable device that are to be utilized;

an application-menu display unit configured to generate and display an application menu in which icons of the respective applications included in the portable device are arranged, and configured to receive selection of an icon by a user on the application menu;

a use-level calculation unit configured to calculate, for each application, a use level indicating a degree that the application included in the portable device is used with the portable device, and indicating a probability that each application is to be used in each of a vehicle running state, a vehicle stopped state, and a vehicle parked state;

an application launching unit configured to launch an application corresponding to the icon, the selection of which the application-menu display unit has received;

wherein, when the connection detection unit detects that the vehicle-mounted device is connected to the portable device, the application-menu display unit sets, as preferred applications, applications that are registered in the application attribute table, and

wherein the application-menu display unit generates the application menu in which icons of the preferred applications are automatically displayed in a preferential or emphasized manner in accordance with the calculated probability corresponding to the vehicle running state, the vehicle stopped state, and the vehicle parked state.

8. The portable device according to claim 7,

wherein, when the connection detection unit detects that the vehicle-mounted device is connected to the portable device, the application-menu display unit generates the application menu including a plurality of pages to be sequentially displayed in response to a user operation, and

wherein the application-menu display unit arranges the icons of the preferred applications on a page to be displayed first and sequentially arranges the icons of the other applications on a page to be displayed second and following pages.

9. The portable device according to claim 7,

wherein, when the connection detection unit detects that the vehicle-mounted device is connected to the portable device, the application-menu display unit generates the application menu including a plurality of pages to be sequentially displayed in response to a user operation, and

wherein the application-menu display unit arranges the icons of the preferred applications at a given area on each page in common and sequentially arranges the icons of the other applications at an area other than the given area of each page.

10. A portable device including a plurality of applications, the portable device being selectively connected to a vehicle-mounted device mounted in a vehicle, the portable device comprising:

a connection detection unit configured to detect whether the portable device is connected to the vehicle-mounted device;

an application-menu display unit configured to generate and display an application menu in which icons of the respective applications included in the portable device are arranged and to receive selection of an icon by a user on the application menu;

an application launching unit configured to launch an application corresponding to the icon, the selection of which the application-menu display unit has received;

a use-level calculation unit configured to calculate, for each application, a use level indicating a degree that the application included in the portable device is used with the portable device, and indicating a probability that each application is to be used in each of a vehicle running state, a vehicle stopped state, and a vehicle parked state;

wherein, when the connection detection unit detects that the vehicle-mounted device is connected to the portable device, the application-menu display unit sets, as preferred applications, applications that operate in cooperation with the vehicle-mounted device from applications included in the portable device, and

wherein the application-menu display unit displays the application menu in which icons of the preferred applications are automatically displayed in a preferential or emphasized manner in accordance with the calculated probability corresponding to the vehicle running state, the vehicle stopped state, and the vehicle parked state.

11. A portable device including a plurality of applications, the portable device being selectively connected to a vehicle-mounted device mounted in a vehicle, the portable device comprising:

a connection detection unit configured to detect whether the portable device is connected to the vehicle-mounted device;

an application attribute table in which, for each state of the vehicle, previously selected applications that are to be utilized in a current detected state of the vehicle, are registered;

an application-menu display unit configured to generate and display an application menu in which icons of the respective applications included in the portable device are arranged and to receive selection of an icon by a user on the application menu;

an application launching unit configured to launch an application corresponding to the icon, the selection of which the application-menu display unit has received;

a use-level calculation unit configured to calculate, for each application, a use level indicating a degree that the application included in the portable device is used with the portable device, and indicating a probability that each application is to be used in each of a vehicle running state, a vehicle stopped state, and a vehicle parked state;

wherein, when the connection detection unit detects that the vehicle-mounted device is connected to the portable device, the application-menu display unit sets, as preferred applications, applications that are registered in the application attribute table for a present state of the vehicle; and

wherein the application-menu display unit generates the application menu in which icons of the preferred applications are automatically and preferentially displayed relative to icons of other applications in accordance with the calculated probability corresponding to the vehicle running state, the vehicle stopped state, and the vehicle parked state.

12. A portable device including a plurality of applications, the portable device being selectively connected to a vehicle-mounted device mounted in a vehicle, the portable device comprising:

a connection detection unit configured to detect whether the portable device is connected to the vehicle-mounted device;

a use-level calculation unit configured to calculate, for each application, a use level indicating a degree that the application included in the portable device is used during a time period when the connection detection unit detects that the vehicle-mounted device is connected to the portable device, the use level being used to determine a placement position of the icons of the application selection menu, and indicating a probability that each application is to be used in each of a vehicle running state, a vehicle stopped state, and a vehicle parked state;

an application-menu display unit configured to generate and display an application menu in which icons of the respective applications included in the portable device are arranged, and configured to receive selection of an icon by a user on the application menu; and

an application launching unit configured to launch an application corresponding to the icon, the selection of which the application-menu display unit has received,

wherein, when the connection detection unit detects that the vehicle-mounted device is connected to the portable device, the application-menu display unit displays the application menu in which the icons of the respective applications included in the portable device are automatically arranged in descending order based on the use level of the applications calculated by the use-level calculation unit and in accordance with the calculated probability corresponding to the vehicle running state, the vehicle stopped state, and the vehicle parked state.

13. The portable device according to claim 12,

wherein, when the connection detection unit detects that the vehicle-mounted device is connected to the portable device, the application-menu display unit generates the application menu including a plurality of pages to be sequentially displayed in response to a user operation, and

wherein the application-menu display unit sequentially arranges the icons of the respective applications on each page in descending order of the use level calculated by the use-level calculation unit so that an icon of an application having a higher use level is arranged on a page having a lower page number.

14. A computer program product comprising instructions on a non-transitory computer readable medium, the instructions executed by a computer that is mounted in a vehicle and to which a portable device having a plurality of applications is connected, the computer program causing the computer to function as:

a portable-device connection detection unit configured to detect whether the portable device is connected to the computer;

a vehicle-state detection unit configured to detect a state of the vehicle, including a vehicle running state, a vehicle stopped state, and a vehicle parked state;

an application management table in which, for each state of the vehicle, previously selected applications that are to be utilized in the state are registered;

an application-selection-menu display unit configured to generate and display an application selection menu in which icons of the respective applications included in the portable device connected to the computer are arranged, and configured to receive selection of an icon by a user on the application selection menu;

an application launch control unit configured to cause the portable device to launch an application corresponding to the icon, the selection of which the application-selection-menu display unit has received;

a use-level calculation unit configured to calculate, for each application, a use level indicating a degree that the application included in the portable device is used with the portable device, and indicating a probability that each application is to be used in each of the vehicle running state, the vehicle stopped state, and the vehicle parked state;

wherein, when the portable-device connection detection unit detects that the portable device is connected to the vehicle-mounted device, the application-selection-menu display unit sets, as a preferred applications, applications that are registered for a state detected by the vehicle-state detection unit in the application management table from the applications included in the portable device; and

wherein the application-selection-menu display unit generates the application selection menu in which icons of the preferred applications are automatically and preferentially displayed relative to icons of other applications in accordance with the calculated probability corresponding to the vehicle running state, the vehicle stopped state, and the vehicle parked state.

15. The computer program product according to claim 14,

wherein, when the portable-device connection detection unit detects that the portable device is connected to the vehicle-mounted device, the application-selection-menu display unit generates the application selection menu including a plurality of pages to be sequentially displayed in response to a user operation, and

wherein the application-selection-menu display unit arranges the icons of the preferred applications on a page to be displayed first and sequentially arranges the icons of the other applications on a page to be displayed second and following pages.

16. The computer program product according to claim 14,

wherein, when the portable-device connection detection unit detects that the portable device is connected to the vehicle-mounted device, the application-selection-menu display unit generates the application selection menu including a plurality of pages to be sequentially displayed in response to a user operation, and

wherein the application-selection-menu display unit arranges the icons of the preferred applications at a given area on each page in common and sequentially arranges the icons of the other applications at an area other than the given area of each page.

17. A computer program product comprising instructions on non-transitory computer readable medium, the instructions executed by a computer that is mounted in a vehicle and to which a portable device including a plurality of applications is selectively connected, the computer program causing the computer to function as:

a portable-device connection detection unit configured to detect whether the portable device is connected to the computer;

an application-selection-menu display unit configured to generate and display an application selection menu in which icons of the respective applications included in the portable device and configured to receive selection of an icon by a user on the application selection menu;

an application launch control unit configured to cause the portable device to launch an application corresponding to the icon, the selection of which the application-selection-menu display unit has received;

a use-level calculation unit configured to calculate, for each application, a use level indicating a degree that the application included in the portable device is used with the portable device, and indicating a probability that each application is to be used in each of a vehicle running state, a vehicle stopped state, and a vehicle parked state;

wherein, when the portable-device connection detection unit detects that the portable device is connected to the vehicle-mounted device, the application-selection-menu display unit sets, as preferred applications, applications that operate in cooperation with the computer from the applications included in the portable device; and

wherein the application-selection-menu display unit displays the application selection menu in which icons of the preferred applications are automatically and preferentially displayed relative to icons of other applications or the icons of the preferred applications are automatically displayed in an emphasized manner in accordance with the calculated probability corresponding to the vehicle running state, the vehicle stopped state, and the vehicle parked state.

18. A computer program product comprising instructions on non-transitory computer readable medium, the instructions executed by a computer that is mounted in a vehicle and to which a portable device including a plurality of applications is selectively connected, the computer program product causing the computer to function as:

a portable-device connection detection unit configured to detect whether the portable device is connected to the computer;

an application-selection-menu display unit configured to generate and display an application selection menu in which icons of the respective applications included in the portable device connected to the computer are arranged and to receive selection of an icon by a user on the application selection menu;

an application launch control unit configured to cause the portable device to launch an application corresponding to the icon, the selection of which the application-selection-menu display unit has received; and

a use-level calculation unit configured to calculate, for each application, a use level indicating a degree that the application included in the portable device is used with the portable device being connected to the computer, the use level being used to determine a placement position of the icons of the application selection menu, and indicating a probability that each application is to be used in each of a vehicle running state, a vehicle stopped state, and a vehicle parked state;

wherein, when the portable-device connection detection unit detects that the portable device is connected to the vehicle-mounted device, the application-selection-menu display unit displays the application selection menu in which the icons of the respective applications included in the portable device connected to the computer are automatically arranged in descending order based on the use level of the applications calculated by the use-level calculation unit and in accordance with the calculated probability corresponding to the vehicle running state, the vehicle stopped state, and the vehicle parked state.

19. The computer program product according to claim 18,

wherein, when the portable-device connection detection unit detects that the portable device is connected to the vehicle-mounted device, the application-selection-menu display unit generates the application selection menu including a plurality of pages to be sequentially displayed in response to a user operation, and

wherein the application-selection-menu display unit sequentially arranges the icons of the respective applications on each page in descending order of the use level calculated by the use-level calculation unit so that an icon of an application having a higher use level is arranged on a page having a lower page number.