Method and system for customizing information projected from a portable device to an interface device

A method and system modifies a user interface (UI) of a portable device in communication with an interface device, where the UI is projected by a human-machine interface of the interface device to a user. The UI is modified by the portable device prior to being output to the interface device based on customized style information provided by the interface device. The interface device may be a vehicle interface device such as a head unit or infotainment system, and the portable device may be a smart phone, media player, or other computing device capable of displaying graphical information.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to external device integration within a vehicle.

BACKGROUND

An increasing number of vehicles are being configured such that portable consumer electronic devices, for example, smart phones, may interface with the human machine interface (HMI) offered by the vehicle. The portable device, for example, a vehicle user's phone, may interface with the vehicle by projecting through a vehicle user interface, such as a navigation screen, where the output displayed on the vehicle user interface by the phone is that of the phone and not of the vehicle. Because the phone hardware and software can be readily updated, this provides the advantage that the hardware and software used to provide information to the vehicle user interface can be conveniently maintained and readily updated. However, because the user's phone controls the display, including the look-and-feel of the user interface as projected through the vehicle HMI, the graphical elements of the display are dictated by the user's phone, and are not controlled by the vehicle or vehicle manufacturer.

As part of their branding strategy, most vehicle manufacturers adopt a vehicle brand-specific look-and-feel for many styling elements of the vehicle design, which may include a vehicle brand-specific look-and-feel for the vehicle HMI elements, including the vehicle display. The vehicle brand specific look-and-feel may include vehicle specific styling of fonts, colors, etc., of the vehicle display. When the user's phone controls the look-and-feel of the vehicle HMI elements to project graphical information through the vehicle display, the vehicle brand-specific style guidelines are overridden, which is inconsistent with the vehicle manufacturer's branding strategy.

SUMMARY

A method and system provided herein includes an interface device configured to send customized style information to a portable device in communication with the interface device. The portable device customizes the user interface of the portable device using the customized style information from the interface device to provide a customized interface to be presented by the interface device. The portable device may be configured as a smart phone, netbook, e-reader, personal digital assistant (PDA), gaming device, video player, or other computing device capable of defining a user interface which may include graphical information, a video or another type of image that may be projected on a screen.

The interface device may include a human-machine interface (HMI) for presenting the customized interface of the portable device. In a non-limiting example, the interface device may be a vehicle interface device defined at least in part by a head unit, a navigation system or an infotainment system of the vehicle. By way of example, an advantage of the method and system described herein is the capability for a vehicle manufacturer to control the style, e.g., the look-and-feel, of the information presented to a vehicle user by the vehicle interface device from a portable user device, and thereby maintain a vehicle look-and-feel consistent with the vehicle's branding guidelines for customized information provided by the vehicle interface device to the vehicle user for the information presented.

A method of customizing the user interface of the portable device which is presented by an interface device in communication with the portable device includes linking the portable device and the interface system, where the portable device includes an operating system defining a user interface, and the interface device includes an HMI. The method further includes providing customized style information defined by the interface device to the portable device and generating a customized interface, wherein the portable device generates the customized interface using the customized style information. The customized interface may be outputted from the portable device to the interface device and presented to the user by the interface device using the HMI.

The method may further include using the interface device to run an application from the portable device, where the application is resident on the portable device and the application defines an application user interface. The portable device may create a customized application interface using the customized style information, and may output the customized application interface from the portable device to the interface device. The interface device may receive the customized application interface from the portable device and present the customized application interface using the HMI. The customized style information may include one or more of a style rule, a style selector, and a style sheet and may define one or more of a font size, a font color, a font style, text alignment, a color, a shape, a background style, a border, a margin, spacing, alignment, and size which is defined by the interface device.

A system for projecting a user interface using an interface device in communication with a portable device is described herein. In a non-limiting example, the interface device may be a vehicle interface device included in a portable device-to-vehicle interface device communication system of a vehicle. The system may include a portable device defining a user interface and configured to modify the user interface using customized style information. The system may include an interface device configured to provide the customized style information, the interface device including a human-machine interface (HMI). The HMI is configurable to present the user interface of the portable device when the portable device and the interface device are linked by a communication link configured to selectively link the portable device and the interface system. In a non-limiting example, when the portable device and the interface device are linked, the interface device may provide customized style information to the portable device, and the portable device may modify the user interface using the customized style information to generate a customized interface which is presented by the interface device using the HMI.

The above features and other features and advantages of the present invention are readily apparent from the following detailed description of the best modes for carrying out the invention when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to the drawings wherein like reference numbers represent like components throughout the several figures, there is shown inFIG. 1a perspective view of a portable device-to-vehicle interface system10including a vehicle interface device12configured to be in selective communication with a portable device22via a communication link30. The vehicle-based interface device12includes at least one human machine interface (HMI) device14configured to project the user interface of the portable device22through the vehicle interface device12to the vehicle user. In a non-limiting example, the portable device-to-interface system10is shown as a vehicle interface system, however it would be understood that the interface system10may be configured as a non-vehicle interface system.

The portable device22may be carried by a user of the interface system10, e.g., a user of the vehicle. An example of a portable device22includes, but is not limited to, a smart phone, a netbook, an e-reader, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a portable media player, a gaming device, and any other device capable of running a plurality of software applications28, either pre-loaded or downloaded by the user, which may be stored on and executed by the portable device22to provide a video, e.g., a graphical output such as but not limited to a graphical user interface. Examples of the plurality of software applications28may include, but is not limited to, music, DVD, phone, navigation, weather, email and a web browser. In some devices22software applications may be added, updated or deleted from the portable device22at the user's discretion. Other devices22may be special purpose and have a set functionality that cannot be changed by the user.

As shown inFIG. 2, the portable device22may include an operating system24, which may provide functionality such as authenticating the portable device22to the interface device12through a handshaking process or other authenticating process, presenting a menu or listing of available applications26to a user, and enabling a selected application28. The operating system24may be configured to format a user interface using style information which is provided to the portable device22.

The portable device22further includes a communications interface26which may be used to enable interaction between the portable device22and the vehicle interface device12. The communications interface26may be designed to allow an HMI14of the vehicle interface device12to accept video data from the portable device22, such that a user interface or other graphical or video output of the portable device22may be displayed on or otherwise provided to the HMI14of the vehicle interface device12. The communications interface26may utilize one or more application programming interfaces (APIs), instructions, libraries and operating systems to execute the protocols used to communicate between the portable device22and the vehicle interface system12. The communications interface26may be used when the vehicle interface device12and portable device22communicate to configure the HMI14, exchange content, and exchange control information. It should be understood that the communications interface26may include a complete interface, a single function interface, or a plurality of interfaces. The communications interface26may execute the communication protocol, and may receive style information32from the vehicle interface device12to control the style, e.g., the formatting or look-and-feel of a video, image and/or user interface provided by the portable device22to the HMI14.

FIG. 2shows the portable device22linked to the vehicle interface device12of the vehicle interface system10via a communication link30(seeFIG. 1) to enable transfer of data between the devices12,22. The transfer of data may include transmitting customized style information32from the vehicle interface12to the portable device22, and outputting video, graphic image and/or user interface information36from the portable device22to the vehicle interface device12. The communication link30may be a wireless communication medium, for example, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, etc., or may be a wired communication medium, for example, a universal serial bus (USB) or other hardwire cable. A protocol such as Virtual Network Computing (VNC) may be used over the communication link30to project graphics from the portable device22to the HMI14. The portable device22may also utilize a direct hardware video out signal to project the contents of the screen of the portable device22onto a screen included in the vehicle interface device12, e.g., a vehicle screen included in the HMI14. Video signals such as High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) and composite video may be used and may be output to the vehicle interface device12using a hardwire video cable.

The portable device22may be configured to generate and display a user interface, which may be a graphical user interface and/or a video, including an image (static or otherwise) that may be projected on a screen. A portable device22may utilize a touch screen wherein the user interface is projected on the screen and selections are made by either touching an application/icon on the screen or utilizing a cursor to navigate to the application/icon. A user interface of the portable device22is outputted to the vehicle interface device12, and the HMI14presents, via a vehicle screen, the outputted video or graphical information of the user interface. This allows a user of the vehicle to access the user interface of the phone, which may be a home screen, menu screen, application screen, etc. via the controls of the vehicle interface12and HMI14, as opposed to handling and viewing the portable device22directly. Additionally, a user of the vehicle may select, launch and use one or more of the applications28on the portable device22via the controls of the vehicle interface12and the HMI14, and view the video output, e.g., the graphical user interface, of a selected application28on a vehicle screen as presented by the HMI14. The vehicle screen may be a touch screen, such that a vehicle user may utilize the vehicle touch screen to make selections and generally operate the application by either touching an application/icon on the screen or utilizing a cursor to navigate to the application/icon projected from the HMI14.

Preferably, the HMI14has dual functionality that includes accepting a user's manual input and/or presenting application content to the user. An example of an HMI14that includes dual functionality is a navigation device. The navigation device has dedicated buttons or a touch screen for accepting the user's selection. The navigation device further includes a display screen that can be used to display application content. Another example of an HMI14having dual functionality is a radio system. Radio control buttons/knobs can be used by the user for making input selections and the radio display may be used for presenting the graphical application content to the user. In a non-limiting example, the HMI14may include at least one of a head unit and a video projection screen.

Alternatively, two separate devices may be used for input selection and output selection, respectively. For example, a respective HMI device14may be used for receiving a user input selection, such as a switch disposed on the steering wheel. A second respective HMI device14used to present application content to the user may include a message display screen such as those used to display vehicle speed, fuel economy, odometer readings, etc. Moreover, text-to-speech functionality may also be provided by the vehicle interface device12to output audio to the user in the vehicle. In addition, the vehicle could also provide a speech recognition system for entering text into an application28on the portable device22through the HMI14. The speech recognition system would be an alternative for a control input switch, touch screen, keyboard or similar.

The vehicle interface device12may include an operating system16which may provide functionality such as authenticating the portable device22to the interface device12through a handshaking process or other authenticating process, and transmitting customized style information32to the portable device22. The vehicle interface device12may include a memory18which is configured of sufficient size and type to store the customized style information32. It would be understood that the operating system16and/or the memory18may be configured elsewhere within the vehicle interface system10and in operable communication with the vehicle interface device12.

The portable device22may store the customized style information32sent by the vehicle interface device12. The portable device22may have a graphics system that the portable device22uses to project a user interface to a screen. The graphics system may be configured to read the customized style information32and to change the look of the user interface based on the content of the customized style information32. In one non-limiting example, the portable device22may have an operating system24that includes a graphics system. The operating system24may have built-in graphical elements that are used by the operating system24to build a user interface. These graphical elements may be able to change their look based on the customized style information32. These graphical elements may also be used by one or more applications28resident on the portable device22to build the application's user interface. Thus, when the operating system24changes the look of the graphical elements based on the customized style sheet32the user interface of the application28also changes its look. One or more of the applications28may also define its own custom graphical elements. These custom graphical elements may also be designed to change their look based on customized style information32. Thus, when the operating system24communicates new customized style information to the applications28, the applications28will be able to change the look of the customized graphics elements as well.

The vehicle interface device12may use the customized style information32to format information generated by the vehicle interface system10and displayed using the HMI14. Information which is generated by the vehicle including the vehicle interface system10may include vehicle speed, fuel economy, odometer readings, etc., derived from sensors or systems incorporated in the vehicle. Other examples may include information from accessories permanently incorporated into the vehicle, such as the vehicle radio or navigation system, where the information displayed may include the radio channel selection, sound settings, navigation settings, maps, etc., understanding these images are generated, formatted and displayed by the vehicle interface system10. The vehicle interface device12may use the customized style information32to format the graphical information displayed, where the customized style information32is defined according to, and/or in compliance with the vehicle manufacturer's branding guidelines for that vehicle. By way of example, the vehicle branding guidelines may specify a specific font type and color to be used for the display of information, may specify a brand related color scheme or pattern for background areas and/or borders, and/or may incorporate elements of a vehicle manufacturer's logo or the vehicle's nameplate, etc. By formatting the displayed information in a manner consistent with the vehicle manufacturer's branding guidelines for the vehicle and/or the vehicle manufacturer, the vehicle manufacturer can provide a consistent look-and-feel to the vehicle HMI elements, which provides a consistent brand experience to the vehicle user.

As described herein, the vehicle interface system10may be configured to customize the look-and-feel of the graphical information coming from, e.g., outputted by, the portable device22and presented to the user by the HMI14. By having the portable device22modify (according to the customized style information32) the graphical user interface projected to the HMI14, the vehicle manufacturer can continue to provide a consistent, vehicle branded, look-and-feel for information displayed through the HMI14, even for information displayed from a portable device22. Because the vehicle brand specific (customized) style information32is provided by the vehicle interface device12to the portable device22when the portable device22and the vehicle interface device12are in communication, the portable device22is able to customize its user interface for the style of vehicle with which it is linked. When the portable device22is removed by the user and linked to another vehicle of another make or manufacturer, the portable device22may receive another set of customized style information32specific to the other vehicle, to customize its output according to that other vehicle's branding guidelines as defined by that vehicle's customized style information32.

FIG. 3shows, in non-limiting example, a method40which may be used to customize the video output, e.g., the user interface of a portable device22projects to an HMI14when the portable device22is in communication with the vehicle interface device12. Beginning with step41, a portable device, such as the portable device22shown inFIGS. 1 and 2, and an interface device, such as the vehicle interface device12shown inFIGS. 1 and 2, initiate a connection process to establish a communications link30. The portable device22may be a smart phone, netbook, e-reader, personal digital assistant (PDA), gaming device, or media player, e.g., an audio and/or video player, or other computing device capable of projecting video and/or graphical images, where graphical images may include text or textual images. In a non-limiting example, the connection process at step41may be initiated by placing the portable device22in wired contact with the interface device12using, for example, USB connectors. In another non-limiting example, the connection process at step41may be initiated by placing the portable device22in sufficient proximity to the vehicle interface device12such that the devices may establish a wireless communications link using Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or other similar means. The devices12,22may initiate a handshake or other authentication process, which may be a secured authentication process, to selectively establish the communication link30between the devices12,22. At step42, if the connection process is unsuccessful, the method proceeds to step43, and the connection process and/or communication link30is terminated by the interface device12. At step44, the vehicle user is notified by the interface device12, for example, through the HMI14, that the connection process was unsuccessful and/or that the communications link has been terminated.

At step42, if the connection process is successful, the communications link30is established between the interface device12and the portable device22, and the method proceeds to step45. At step45, the vehicle interface device12provides or transmits customized style information32to the portable device22, and the customized style information32is received and stored by the portable device22. At step46the operating system24of the portable device22may use the customized style information32to modify the user interface projected to the HMI14. In one non-limiting example, the built-in graphical elements of the operating system24may have the ability to take on different looks based on the customized style information32. The operating system24may also have a default look when there is no customized style information32from a connected vehicle interface device12. The resulting user interface of the portable device22is projected to the HMI14via a video output24. The video output34may be, for example, a user interface of the portable device operating system24, a graphical user interface of an application28, or other form of graphical output from the portable device22which has been formatted by the portable device22using the customized style information32provided by the interface device12to the portable device22at step45.

The customized style information32is specific to the vehicle interface device12and/or the vehicle interface system10, and may, in the non-limiting example shown inFIG. 1, include style information which is defined by the vehicle manufacturer and/or defined by branding or styling guidelines according to one or more of the vehicle manufacturer, the vehicle brand, the vehicle make and the vehicle model. The customized style information32may include at least one of a font size, a font color, a font style, text alignment, a color, a shape, a background style, a border, a margin, spacing, alignment, and size which is defined by the interface device12and/or vehicle interface system10, and which, in a non-limiting example, may be identifiable to one or more of the vehicle brand, the vehicle make and the vehicle model. The customized style information may include at least one of a style rule, a style selector, and a style sheet. The style sheet, in a non-limiting example, may be configured as a subset or modification of a cascading style sheet (CSS), or may be otherwise configured to define those characteristics of the graphical elements of the operating system24of the portable device22which may be customized. In a non-limiting example, a standardized style sheet may be developed to be used by a plurality of smart phone operating systems, defining those characteristics of a phone projector user interface using one of the plurality of smart phone operating systems, which may be customized, such that the standardized style sheet including customized style information32for a vehicle interface device12may be provided by the vehicle interface device12to any smart phone22in communication with the vehicle interface device12, wherein the smart phone22is configured with one of the plurality of smart phone operating systems for use by the smart phone22in customizing its user interface for display by the vehicle interface device12.

At step47, the portable device22outputs the customized interface34to the vehicle interface device12to be displayed by the HMI14, such that the user interface of the portable device22, now formatted using the customized style information32, is displayed by the HMI14. In a non-limiting example, the HMI14may include at least one of a head unit and a video projection screen.

At step48, the user may elect to terminate or maintain the communications link30. The user may elect to terminate the communications link30, for example, when the portable device22is removed from the vehicle by the user, or when the user elects to use the portable device22directly, for example, when the user is a passenger in the vehicle. When the user elects, at step48, to terminate the communications link30, the communications link30may be discontinued at step49by removing the portable device22from the vehicle interface device22to terminate a wired connection, or by discontinuing a wireless connection, and at step44, the vehicle user may be notified via the vehicle interface device12and/or the HMI14that the communication link30has been terminated. At this point the portable device22may revert back to a default user interface and stop using the customized style information32.

At step48, the user may elect to maintain the communications link30providing continued access to the user interface of the portable device22through the HMI14. At step50, the vehicle user may request an application28, which may be one of a plurality of applications28, to be launched by the portable device22, by selecting the application28from the customized interface of the portable device22projected on the HMI14. The HMI14may include a touch screen through which the vehicle user may select the application28, or the HMI14may provide other inputs by which application28may be selected, including but not limited to switches on the steering wheel, inputs for navigation unit or radio including hard buttons, knobs or switches, message center display switches, and speech recognition.

At step51, the application28creates its application user interface, and the application user interface is modified and/or formatted using the customized style information32to generate a customized application user interface, also referred to herein as a customized application interface. The application user interface may be, for example, a graphical user interface, a video, or other interface including graphical images. In a non-limiting example, the application user interface may be modified by the operating system24of the portable device22using the customized style information32to generate the customized application interface. In another non-limiting example, the application28may use the customized style information32to generate the customized application interface which is projected to the vehicle interface device12. In yet another non-limiting example, the built-in graphical elements used by applications28resident on the portable device22to build the application's user interface may also have the ability to take on different looks based on the customized style information32. These application graphical elements may also have a default look when there is no customized style information32from a connected vehicle interface device12. At step52, the customized application interface is outputted by the portable device22to the vehicle interface12, and at step53the customized application interface is projected by the HMI14for display to and access by the vehicle user.

After completing use of the application28, the method continues as shown inFIG. 3at step48, where the vehicle user may elect to terminate or maintain the communications link30, where maintaining the communications link30may include selecting another of the applications28to be launched by the portable device22. In this event, the process would continue as described previously, including selecting the application28at step50, modifying the application user interface using the customized style information32and the operating system24and/or application28to generate a customized application interface at step51, outputting the customized application interface at step52to the vehicle interface device12from the portable device22, and projecting the customized application interface using the HMI14at step53.

Other configurations of the system and method described herein are possible. The system and method described herein may be implemented for a non-vehicle interface system projecting output from a portable device. For example, the non-limiting interface system may be a branded interface including a display provided for user convenience, such human machine interface provided to an airline passenger for use with the passenger's portable device, where the style selectors may be specified by the airline consistent with airline branding guidelines. In another non-limiting example, the interface system may be a transaction interface system for a financial transaction, such as a retail purchase or banking transaction, where the portable device may be in communication with the transaction interface system to enable use of a payment or financial transaction application resident on the portable device, and wherein the style selectors used to project the graphical user interface of the application on the transaction interface may be specified by the retailer or bank consistent with the retailer or bank's branding strategy.