Patent ID: 8050817
Filing Date: 2011-11-01
Classification: B60R,G06F,H04M

Abstract:
1. A computer-implemented method for remotely controlling operation of a user application program executable in a motor vehicle, the method comprising the steps of: providing a server computer located remotely from a motor vehicle and having access to wireless communications for exchanging information with the motor vehicle; storing a digital configuration file in a datastore accessible to the server, the configuration file including predetermined parameters for remotely controlling a user application program's access to user interface resources of a head unit of the motor vehicle to extend a user interface of the application program to the head unit when the user application program is executed in the vehicle; wherein the said predetermined parameters indicate, for a specified user application program, which user interface resources of a head unit the specified user application program is authorized to use, and conversely, which user interface resources of the head unit the specified user application program is not authorized to use; and wherein the said predetermined parameters are specified as a function of the specified user application program, and are not associated with any specific user or operator of the motor vehicle; receiving at the server a wirelessly transmitted request message from the motor vehicle, the request message including an identifier of the motor vehicle, and data for identifying a user application program; at the server, querying the stored configuration file to retrieve parameters stored in association with the user application program identified from the received request message; forming a control message based on the retrieved parameters; and wirelessly transmitting the control message to the motor vehicle in response to the request message, the control message indicating, for the identified user application program, which user interface resources of the head unit of the motor vehicle are permitted, or conversely are not permitted, to be utilized by the identified user application program to extend its interface, based on the parameters stored in the configuration file.