PERSONAL DEVICE CONTROL PORTAL

Abstract

A motor vehicle includes a display screen viewable by a driver of the motor vehicle. An electronic processor is communicatively coupled to the display screen. The electronic processor bi-directionally communicates with a plurality of personal electronic devices brought into the vehicle by a plurality of passengers, and presents on the display screen an indication of content being played on each of the personal electronic devices.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle, comprising: a display screen viewable by a driver of the motor vehicle; and an electronic processor communicatively coupled to the display screen, the electronic processor being configured to: bi-directionally communicate with a plurality of personal electronic devices brought into the vehicle by a plurality of passengers; and present on the display screen an indication of content being played on each of the personal electronic devices.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the electronic processor is configured to, in response to the driver touching the display screen, change the content being played on one of the personal electronic devices.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the electronic processor is configured to present on the display screen an image captured by a camera of one of the personal electronic devices.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the electronic processor is configured to selectively present same content on the display screen and on each of the personal electronic devices simultaneously.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the content being played on one of the personal electronic devices is replicated on the display screen.

6. A method of providing infotainment within a motor vehicle, the method comprising: providing a touch-sensitive display screen viewable by a driver of the motor vehicle; communicatively coupling an electronic processor to the display screen; communicatively coupling the electronic processor with a plurality of personal electronic devices brought into the vehicle by a plurality of passengers; presenting on the display screen an indication of content being played on each of the personal electronic devices; and in response to the driver touching the display screen, changing the content being played on one of the personal electronic devices.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising presenting on the display screen an image captured by a camera of one of the personal electronic devices.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the image is a real-time image of a user of the one personal electronic device.

9. The method of claim 6 further comprising presenting same content on the display screen and on each of the personal electronic devices simultaneously.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein the content being played on one of the personal electronic devices is replicated on the display screen.

11. A motor vehicle, comprising: a display screen viewable by a driver of the motor vehicle; and an electronic processor communicatively coupled to the display screen, the electronic processor being configured to: bi-directionally communicate with a plurality of personal electronic devices brought into the vehicle by a plurality of passengers; present on the display screen an indication of content being played on each of the personal electronic devices; and present on the display screen an image captured by a camera of one of the personal electronic devices.

12. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the image presented on the display screen is a real-time image captured by the camera less than one second before the image is captured on the display screen.

13. The vehicle of claim 11 wherein the display screen is touch-sensitive, and the electronic processor is configured to, in response to the driver touching the display screen, change the content being played on one of the personal electronic devices.

14. The vehicle of claim 11 wherein the electronic processor is configured to selectively present same content on the display screen and on each of the personal electronic devices simultaneously.

15. The vehicle of claim 11 wherein the content being played on one of the personal electronic devices is replicated on the display screen.

16. A motor vehicle, comprising: a display screen viewable by a driver of the motor vehicle; and an electronic processor communicatively coupled to the display screen, the electronic processor being configured to: bi-directionally communicate with a plurality of personal electronic devices brought into the vehicle by a plurality of passengers; and selectively present same content on the display screen and on each of the personal electronic devices simultaneously.

17. The vehicle of claim 16 wherein the electronic processor is configured to present on the display screen an indication of content being played on each of the personal electronic devices.

18. The vehicle of claim 16 wherein the display screen is touch-sensitive, and the electronic processor is configured to, in response to the driver touching the display screen, change the content being played on one of the personal electronic devices.

19. The vehicle of claim 16 wherein the electronic processor is configured to present on the display screen an image captured by a camera of one of the personal electronic devices.

20. The vehicle of claim 19 wherein the image is a real-time image of a user of the one personal electronic device.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] A better understanding of the present invention will be had upon reference to the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0013] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of one embodiment of a personal device control arrangement of the present invention.

[0014] FIG. 2 is an example frontward-facing view within the passenger compartment of a vehicle including the personal device control arrangement of FIG. 1.

[0015] FIG. 3 is an example frontward-facing view within the passenger compartment of a centerstack display of the personal device control arrangement of FIG. 1.

[0016] FIG. 4 is a flow chart of one embodiment of a method of the present invention for providing infotainment within a motor vehicle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0017] FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of a personal device control arrangement 10 of the present invention for a motor vehicle 12, including a centerstack 14, an electronic processor 16 and mobile personal electronic devices 18.sub.1-18.sub.N. Processor 16 may be in bi-directional communication with centerstack 14 and each of devices 18. Centerstack 14 may include a touch-sensitive display screen on which may be displayed the same content as is displayed on devices 18. The touch-sensitive display screen on centerstack 14 may enable a user in the front seat of vehicle 12 to control the operation of devices 18, and, more particularly, control what is being displayed on devices 18.

[0018] FIG. 2 is an example frontward-facing view within the passenger compartment of a vehicle 12 including the personal device control arrangement 10 of FIG. 1. A personal electronic device 18, such as a tablet computer, may be used as rear seat entertainment for an infant 20. On centerstack 14, infant 20 is displayed via a camera on device 18. Also displayed on centerstack 14 is the same content as displayed on device 18, i.e., the four blocks 22 are displayed on both centerstack 14 and device 18. A mother 24 of infant 20 can use centerstack 14 to control the content displayed on device 18.

[0019] In another embodiment (not shown), arrangement 10 is provided in the vehicle of a realtor who drives around a couple of clients in his backseat while they visit houses that are for sale. The clients bring their personal electronic device 18 into the rear seat. By use of arrangement 10, the realtor may share home listing information with the clients via their brought in device 18. The home listing information may be presented on the display screens of both centerstack 14 and device 18.

[0020] In yet another embodiment (not shown), arrangement 10 is provided in the vehicle of a family wherein a parent is driving in the front seat and two children are sitting in the rear seat. Each child brings into the vehicle his own device 18. Arrangement 10 enables the parent to selectively view one or both of the children via cameras on devices 18. Arrangement 10 may also enable the children to share content with each other so that they may view the same content simultaneously on their devices 18. For example, the two children may simultaneously view the same video from Youtube.com while the parent watches one or both of the children on centerstack 14.

[0021] FIG. 3 illustrates an example centerstack display 14 of the personal device control arrangement 10 of FIG. 1. Centerstack display 14 includes a vehicle human machine interface screen that is in a device portal mode in which the screen displays the content that is being presented on each of the personal electronic devices 18 of the children inside the vehicle.

[0022] One quarter of display 14 may display an application that the driver is using for the driving task, such as a global positioning system (GPS) map. A second quarter displays a description of what content is being presented on child Sarah's device 18. In this example, display 14 presents a music icon indicating that Sarah's device 18 is playing music, and specifically, music by the group Goo Goo Dolls. A third quarter shows a video featuring skateboarding that child Ricky is watching. A fourth quarter shows a video that the infant is watching, an episode of Dora the Explorer. A picture-in-picture within the fourth quarter shows images of the infant captured by the camera of the infant's personal device 18. Each of the children's three quarters includes in the bottom left corner an icon or graphic representation of the respective child, so that the driver can see at a glance which quarter goes with which child. Each of the children's three quarters may also include at the bottom a textual identification of the respective child.

[0023] FIG. 4 illustrates one embodiment of a method 400 of the present invention for providing infotainment within a motor vehicle. In a first step 402, a touch-sensitive display screen viewable by a driver of the motor vehicle is provided. For example, a centerstack 14 including a touch-sensitive display screen may be provided.

[0024] Next, in step 404, an electronic processor is communicatively coupled to the display screen. For example, microprocessor 16 may communicate with the display screen of centerstack 14.

[0025] In a next step 406, the electronic processor is communicatively coupled with a plurality of personal electronic devices brought into the vehicle by a plurality of passengers. For example, microprocessor 16 may communicate with personal electronic devices 18.sub.1-18.sub.N brought into vehicle 12 by passengers.

[0026] In step 408, an indication of content being played on each of the personal electronic devices is presented on the display screen. For example, displayed on centerstack 14 may be the same content as displayed on a device 18, such as the four blocks 22 that may be displayed on both centerstack 14 and device 18.

[0027] In a final step 410, in response to the driver touching the display screen, the content being played on one of the personal electronic devices is changed. For example, the touch-sensitive display screen on centerstack 14 may enable a user in the front seat of vehicle 12 to control the operation of devices 18, and, more particularly, control what is being displayed on devices 18.

[0028] The invention has been described as the user interface being on the centerstack where content for controlling the device can be displayed. However, it is also possible within the scope of the invention for content for controlling the device to be displayed on other screens within vehicle such as the instrument cluster or on a head up display (HUD).

[0029] The protocol with which the vehicle connects to the device can be streaming, Bluetooth, low energy Bluetooth, near field communication (NFC), a wired connection to the device, etc.

[0030] The foregoing description may refer to motor vehicle, automobile, automotive, or similar expressions. It is to be understood that these terms are not intended to limit the invention to any particular type of transportation vehicle. Rather, the invention may be applied to any type of transportation vehicle whether traveling by air, water, or ground, such as airplanes, boats, etc.

[0031] The foregoing detail description is given primarily for clearness of understanding and no unnecessary limitations are to be understood therefrom for modifications can be made by those skilled in the art upon reading this disclosure and may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.