Patent ID: 9244696
Filing Date: 2016-01-26
CPC Classification: G06F,H04M

Claim Text:
1. An in-car information system including a portable information terminal and an in-car device, wherein the information terminal comprises: a storage unit in which applications are stored; and a control unit that executes an application manager having a launch function that enables selection of an application among the applications stored in the storage unit and execution of the selected application in a foreground and having a communication function that enables execution of communication processing in a background to allow the information terminal and the in-car device to exchange information, wherein: the application manager includes a first sub-application having the launch function and a second sub-application having the communication function; the control unit executes the first sub-application or the selected application in the foreground and executes the second sub-application in the background; the information terminal further comprises an image output unit that outputs an image corresponding to the first sub-application or the selected application being executed in the foreground by the control unit to the in-car device; the in-car device further comprises a display unit that displays the image output from the information terminal, an operation input unit via which an operation performed by a user is input, and an operation information transmission unit that transmits operation information corresponding to the operation input via the operation input unit to the information terminal; the first sub-application also has a regulatory information acquisition function that enables the control unit to obtain regulatory information indicating details of operational restrictions to be imposed on each of the applications while a vehicle is in a traveling state; the second sub-application also has an operational restriction function that enables the control unit to determine the details of the operational restrictions to be imposed while the vehicle is in the traveling state for the application currently being executed in the foreground by referencing the regulatory information; the control unit: the in-car device either allows or disallows display of the image at the display unit and transmission of the operation information via the operation information transmission unit based upon the restriction information transmitted by the control unit from the information terminal.