Patent ID: 7966111
Filing Date: 2011-06-21
Classification: B60R,G06F,H04M

Abstract:
1. A computer-implemented method for remotely managing user application programs executable in a motor vehicle, the method comprising the steps of: maintaining a list of available user application programs; approving at least one of the available user application programs for use in a specified motor vehicle make and model, wherein said approval is determined by or on behalf of the vehicle OEM or service providers; forming a controlled list of applications that identifies the approved applications; selecting at least one application from the controlled list of approved applications for download to a specific motor vehicle, wherein said selection is made by or on behalf of an owner of the specific motor vehicle; wirelessly downloading the selected application program to the specific motor vehicle; installing the downloaded application program for operation on a head unit of the specific motor vehicle wherein the application selecting step is carried out by a user via application selection software executed on a user web portal or executed on the head unit of the motor vehicle; providing a server computer located remotely from the motor vehicle and having access to wireless communications for exchanging information with the motor vehicle; implementing a plurality of download directories in the server computer, and storing in each download directory a corresponding set of application programs selected by a corresponding user; receiving a signal from the motor vehicle, the signal including a phone number of a user mobile phone detected in the motor vehicle; and associating the received phone number to a corresponding one of the download directories in the server computer; wherein the wirelessly downloading step comprises downloading the selected set of application programs from the corresponding download directory to the motor vehicle.