Patent Publication Number: US-2022219666-A1

Title: Remotely control in-cabin features

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Field 
     This disclosure relates to using a mobile device to allow occupants of the vehicle to manage or control various in-cabin features of the vehicle. 
     Description of the Related Art 
     Mobile applications on mobile phones or other personal devices provide increased functionality to users in various applications including while driving or in the vehicle. For example, some vehicle platforms connect or couple with a user&#39;s personal device to display or link the user&#39;s personal device with the in-vehicle infotainment system to display navigation information on the in-vehicle infotainment system or to stream music through the media center. Typically, the in-vehicle infotainment system is coupled or paired with a single user&#39;s personal device, and requires that an application on the in-vehicle infotainment system to interact with a corresponding application on the user&#39;s personal device to perform a specific functionality. The functionality, however, is limited to a single function of the user&#39;s personal device, e.g., making a phone call, displaying navigation information, playing music and/or sending Short Messaging Service (SMS) message or text message, which may be displayed on the head unit or dashboard display or played through the vehicle&#39;s audio system. That is, the personal device that is coupled or paired with the in-vehicle infotainment system may only control a single function at a time and only a single personal device may couple or pair with the in-vehicle infotainment system. 
     Accordingly, there is a need for a system, platform and method for increased simultaneous control of vehicle functions by multiple personal devices. 
     SUMMARY 
     In general, one aspect of the subject matter described in this disclosure may be embodied in an infotainment system for a vehicle. The infotainment system includes a first mobile device and an in-vehicle infotainment platform. The in-vehicle infotainment platform includes an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to receive, from the first mobile device, a first request to control, adjust or manage a first vehicle component. The electronic control unit is configured to receive, from the first mobile device, a second request to control, adjust or manage a second vehicle component. The electronic control unit is configured to control, adjust or manage the first vehicle component based on the first request. The electronic control unit is configured to control, adjust or manage the second vehicle component based on the second request. 
     These and other embodiments may optionally include one or more of the following features. The first request may be a request to change an ambient temperature within a passenger cabin of the vehicle. The first component may be a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) unit of the vehicle. The electronic control unit may be configured to increase or decrease the ambient temperature within the passenger cabin. The second request may be a request to unlock or lock one or more doors, control a setting on a media center of the vehicle or open or close one or more windows. The second vehicle component may be one or more doors, the media center or the one or more windows. The electronic control unit may be configured to unlock or lock the one or more doors, control the setting on the media center or open or close the one or more windows. 
     The first request may include an identifier that identifies that the first vehicle component is to be controlled, adjusted or managed and a setting or a configuration to configure the first vehicle component. The electronic control unit may be configured to extract the identifier and the setting or configuration to configure the first vehicle component. The electronic control unit may be configured to control, adjust or manage the first vehicle component based on the setting or configuration. The request may be a request to render an image on the first vehicle component, and the electronic control unit may be configured to render the image on the display. The in-vehicle infotainment system may include a second mobile device. The electronic control unit may be configured to receive from the second mobile device a third request to control the first vehicle component. 
     In another aspect, the subject matter may be embodied in an in-vehicle infotainment system for a vehicle. The in-vehicle infotainment system includes multiple mobile devices including a first mobile device and a second mobile device. The in-vehicle infotainment system includes an in-vehicle infotainment platform. The in-vehicle infotainment platform includes a processor. The processor is configured to receive, from the first mobile device, a first request that identifies a first vehicle component to control and a first setting. The processor is configured to receive, from the second mobile device, a second request that identifies a second vehicle component to control and a second setting. The processor is configured to control the first vehicle component based on the first setting and control the second vehicle component based on the second setting. 
     In another aspect, the subject matter may be embodied in a method for controlling an in-vehicle infotainment unit of a vehicle. The method includes obtaining, by a processor and from the first mobile device, a first request to control a first vehicle component. The method includes obtaining, by the processor and from the first mobile device, a second request to control a second vehicle component. The method includes controlling, by the processor, the first vehicle component based on the first request. The method includes controlling, by the processor, the second vehicle component based on the second request. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Other systems, methods, features, and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to one skilled in the art upon examination of the following figures and detailed description. Component parts shown in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, and may be exaggerated to better illustrate the important features of the present invention. 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an example in-vehicle infotainment system according to an aspect of the invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram of an example user device of the infotainment system of  FIG. 1  according to an aspect of the invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a flow diagram of an example process for controlling one or more vehicle components using the infotainment system of  FIG. 1  according to an aspect of the invention. 
         FIG. 4  shows an example display of the user interface of one or more user devices to perform selection of the one or more vehicle components to control using the infotainment system of  FIG. 1  according to an aspect of the invention. 
         FIG. 5  shows the control of one or more doors and/or windows using the infotainment system of  FIG. 1  according to an aspect of the invention. 
         FIG. 6  shows the control of the navigation unit and/or the one or more user interfaces using the infotainment system of  FIG. 1  according to an aspect of the invention. 
         FIG. 7  shows the monitoring of status information and/or sensor data related to the battery using the infotainment system of  FIG. 1  according to an aspect of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Disclosed herein are systems, devices, apparatuses, platforms and/or methods for controlling vehicle components. Particular embodiments of the subject matter described in this disclosure may be implemented to realize one or more of the following advantages. The in-vehicle infotainment system (“infotainment system”) allows a single user or multiple users, such as the driver of the vehicle or other occupant of the vehicle, to access and control various functions of one or more vehicle components of the vehicle and also to monitor the one or more vehicle components in real-time. The infotainment system allows a user and/or multiple users to simultaneously, concurrently or sequentially access and control multiple vehicle components and also obtain status information of the one or more vehicle components via a personal device, such as a mobile phone, to conveniently share information among the occupants of the vehicle and/or adjust various settings of the one or more vehicle components from the comfort of their seat while in the vehicle. For example, a driver may use an application on their mobile phone to control the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) unit to increase or decrease a temperature within a passenger cabin of the vehicle. And, in another example, the rear passenger may use the application on their mobile phone to control the display to show the driver and front passenger a review or location of a restaurant, a map and/or another resource, such as a webpage that is being viewed by the rear passenger. 
     Other benefits and advantages include the capability to maintain and have different user profiles for each user of the infotainment system. By having different user profiles for each user, the infotainment system may limit the access and control of the various vehicle components or functions of the vehicle components based on the user. For example, the driver may have administrative privileges that allow the driver to control all functions, while a rear passenger may have only user privileges that allow the rear passenger to control the media center and/or the rear cabin temperature. 
     Additionally, the infotainment system allows for multiple users to simultaneously control various vehicle functions. For example, the infotainment system may allow the driver using a first mobile device to control a first vehicle component, such as a window, while simultaneously allowing the rear passenger using a second mobile device to control a second vehicle component, such as the media center. This allows for the remote and simultaneous control of multiple vehicle components by multiple users. 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an infotainment system  100 . The infotainment system  100  includes an infotainment platform  102  and/or one or more user devices  104 . The infotainment system  100  may couple, connect to, or include an external database  108  and/or one or more other vehicle components  110  of the vehicle  112 . The infotainment system  100  may have a network  106  that links the infotainment platform  102 , the one or more user devices  104 , and/or one or more other vehicle components  110 . The network  106  may be a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a cellular network, the Internet, or combination thereof, that connects, couples and/or otherwise communicates between the various components of the infotainment system  100 , such as the infotainment platform  102 , the one or more user devices  104 , the one or more other vehicle components  110  and/or the external database  108 . 
     The infotainment system  100  includes an infotainment platform  102 . The infotainment platform  102  processes various requests from the one or more user devices  104  that indicate commands and/or access requests to control various settings of one or more vehicle components of the vehicle  112 . The infotainment platform  102  may also aggregate and collect status information from the one or more vehicle components of the vehicle  112  to share or provide the status information to the one or more user devices  104  to display or otherwise provide the status information to the driver and/or passengers within the vehicle  112 . 
     The infotainment platform  102  may process a request from a user, determine whether the request is valid, determine whether the user that sent the request has access rights to control the vehicle component indicated in the access request and/or reconfigures, controls or adjusts settings of the vehicle component. The infotainment platform  102  may communicate with and/or among the one or more user devices  104 , the external database  108  and/or the other vehicle components  110  to share and provide status information related to the various vehicle components and/or share and provide other resources. 
     The user may be a driver, passenger or other occupant of the vehicle  112 . The request may be made in real-time or may be scheduled. The request may be sent from the one or more user devices  104  to the infotainment platform  102  to control one or more controllable vehicle components  114  and/or one or more other vehicle components  110 . The infotainment platform  102  may receive a single request or multiple requests from a single user device  104   a - b  and/or from multiple user devices  104   a - b,  concurrently, simultaneously and/or over a period of time to control a single vehicle component or multiple vehicle components. 
     The infotainment platform  102  has a processor, such as an electronic control unit  116 , a memory  118 , a network access device  120  and/or one or more controllable vehicle components  114 . The infotainment platform  102  includes a processor that is programmed to receive various requests from one or more user devices  104 . The processor is coupled to the memory  118  and executes instructions stored within the memory  118 . The processor may extract one or more commands from the various requests and control one or more controllable vehicle components  114  based on the requests. For example, the processor may extract a command to open or close one or more windows and/or one or more doors. 
     The one or more controllable vehicle components  114  may include a media center  114   a,  one or more doors or windows  114   b,  a navigation unit  114   c,  a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) unit  114   d,  a user interface  114   e  and/or one or more other controllable vehicle components  114   f,  such as interior lights, speakers, microphones or other components of the vehicle  112 . The media center  114   a  may include the audio, video and/or multimedia system of the vehicle, such as one or more speakers, a television or other video display, a radio and/or other multimedia components. The one or more doors or windows  114   b  may include the sun/moon roof, the front and rear driver-side and passenger-side windows and/or doors, and/or tailgate. The HVAC unit  114   d  may include the heater, defroster, vent, and/or air conditioner. The one or more other controllable vehicle components  114   f  may include one or more windshield wipers, one or more mirrors, one or more lights within the vehicle  112  and/or other controllable vehicle components  114   f.    
     The infotainment platform  102  may include the navigation unit  114   c.  The navigation unit  114   c  may be integral to the vehicle  112  or a separate unit coupled to the vehicle  112 , such as a personal device with navigation capabilities. When the navigation unit  114   c  is separate from the vehicle  112 , the navigation unit  114   c  may communicate with the vehicle  112  via the network access device  120 . In some implementations, the vehicle  112  may include a Global Positioning System (GPS) unit (not shown) for detecting location data including a current location of the vehicle  112  and date/time information instead of the navigation unit  114   c.  In that regard, the ECU  116  may perform the functions of the navigation unit  114   c  based on data received from the GPS unit. At least one of the navigation unit  114   c  or the ECU  116  may predict or propose a route set that includes a starting location and a destination location. The navigation unit  114   c  or the ECU  116  may perform navigation functions. Navigation functions may include, for example, route and route set prediction, providing navigation instructions, and receiving user input such as verification of predicted routes and route sets or destinations. Other information, such as a current speed of the vehicle  112 , may be extrapolated, interpreted or otherwise calculated from the data obtained from the navigation unit. 
     The navigation unit  114   c  may provide and obtain navigational map information including location data, which may include a current location, a starting location, a destination location and/or a route between the starting location or current location and the destination location of the vehicle  112 . The navigational map information may include entity information. The entity information may include locations or places of interest, such as government buildings, commercial businesses, schools, tourist attractions, restaurants or other places of interest, and their corresponding locations. The navigation unit  114   c  may include a memory (not shown) for storing the route data. The navigation unit  114   c  may receive data from other sensors capable of detecting data corresponding to location information. For example, the other sensors may include a gyroscope or an accelerometer. 
     The infotainment platform  102  may include one or more sensors  122  and/or one or more other vehicle components  110 . The processor may obtain sensor data and/or status information from the one or more sensors  122  that are related to the one or more other vehicle components  110 . The processor may provide the obtained sensor data and/or the status information to the one or more user devices  104 . For example, the infotainment platform  102  may use a battery sensor to determine the state of charge of the battery  128 . 
     The one or more sensors  122  may include a battery sensor  122   a,  an engine sensor  122   b  and/or one or more other sensors  122   c.  The battery sensor  122   a  may measure a state of charge of the battery  128 . The engine sensor  122   b  may measure a state of the engine  124 . The one or more sensors  122  may include one or more other sensors  122   c.  The one or more other sensors  122   c  may be a temperature sensor to measure the ambient temperature within the cabin of the vehicle  112 , a condensation sensor to measure an amount of condensation on the one or more windows and/or a fuel cell sensor to measure an amount of fuel within the fuel tank of the vehicle  112 . 
     The processor may be coupled to the memory  118 . The memory  118  may store one or more user profiles. The one or more user profiles may define different access privileges for different users. The different access privileges define the functions and/or vehicle components that the user may either control, access and/or manage and/or the type of status information and/or sensor data that may be shared or provided to the one or more user devices  104  via the network access device  120 . The network access device  120  communicates with the other components, such as the one or more user devices  104  and/or the external database  108 . 
     The infotainment platform  102  may be included within, retrofitted to and/or coupled to the vehicle  112 . A vehicle  112  is a conveyance capable of transporting a person, an object, or a permanently or temporarily affixed apparatus. The vehicle  112  may be a self-propelled wheeled conveyance, such as a car, sports utility vehicle, truck, bus, van or other motor or battery driven or fuel cell driven vehicle. For example, the vehicle  112  may be an electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, a plug-in hybrid vehicle or any other type of vehicle that has a fuel cell, a motor and/or a generator  126 . Other examples of vehicles include bicycles, trains, planes, or boats, and any other form of conveyance that is capable of transportation. The vehicle  112  may be semi-autonomous or autonomous. That is, the vehicle  112  may be self-maneuvering and navigate without human input. An autonomous vehicle may have and use one or more sensors  122  and/or navigation unit  114   c  to drive autonomously. 
     The infotainment system  100  may include one or more other vehicle components  110  that may be coupled to, included within and/or retro-fitted to the infotainment platform  102 . The one or more other vehicle components  110  may include a motor and/or generator  126 , the battery  128 , the engine  124  and/or the battery management control unit (BMCU)  130 . 
     The motor and/or generator  126  may convert electrical energy into mechanical power, such as torque, and may convert mechanical power into electrical energy. The motor and/or generator  126  may be coupled to the battery  128 . The motor and/or generator  126  may convert the energy from the battery  128  into mechanical power, and may provide energy back to the battery  128 , for example, via regenerative braking. In some implementations, the vehicle  112  may include one or more additional power generation devices such as the engine  124  or a fuel cell stack (not shown). The engine  124  combusts fuel to provide power instead of and/or in addition to the power supplied by the motor and/or generator  126 . 
     The battery  128  may be coupled to the motor and/or generator  126  and may provide electrical energy to and receive electrical energy from the motor and/or generator  126 . The battery  128  may include one or more rechargeable batteries. 
     The BMCU  130  may be coupled to the battery  128  and may control and manage the charging and discharging, of the battery  128 . The BMCU  130 , for example, may measure, using battery sensors, parameters used to determine the state of charge (SOC) of the battery  128 . The BMCU  130  may control the battery  128 . 
     The infotainment system  100  includes one or more user devices  104 . The one or more user devices  104  may be a personal device, such as a laptop, a computer, a smartphone or other computing device. The one or more user devices  104  include a processor  202 , a memory  204 , a network access device  206  and/or a user interface  208 , as shown in  FIG. 2  for example. The processor  202  may be coupled to the memory  204  and execute instructions stored within the memory  204 . The memory  204  may store one or more software mobile applications that interact with the infotainment platform  102  to control one or more controllable vehicle components  114  and/or receive sensor data and/or status information of one or more other vehicle components  110  via the network access device  206 . The one or more user devices  104  may have a user interface  208  that receives user input from a user that defines the request to control or manage one or more components of the vehicle and/or to provide output to the user, such as one or more notifications, alerts or other information related to the vehicle components. 
     The one or more processors, such as the ECU  116  and/or the processor  202 , may each be implemented as a single processor or as multiple processors. The one or more processors may be electrically coupled to, connected to or otherwise in communication with the corresponding memory  118 ,  204  and/or network access devices  120 ,  206  and/or user interfaces  114   e,    208  on the respective device, such as the infotainment platform  102  or the one or more user devices  104 . 
     The one or more memories  118 ,  204  may be coupled to the one or more processors and store instructions that the processors execute. The one or more memories  118 ,  204  may include one or more of a Random Access Memory (RAM) or other volatile or non-volatile memory. The one or more memories  118 ,  204  may be a non-transitory memory or a data storage device, such as a hard disk drive, a solid-state disk drive, a hybrid disk drive, or other appropriate data storage, and may further store machine-readable instructions, which may be loaded and executed by the one or more processor. Moreover, the one or more memories  118 ,  204  may be used to store different profiles for the user, such as the different occupant of the vehicle  112 , or device. 
     The one or more network access devices  120 ,  206  may include a communication port or channel, such as one or more of a Wi-Fi unit, a Bluetooth® unit, a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag or reader, or a cellular network unit for accessing a cellular network (such as 3G, 4G or 5G). The one or more network access devices  120 ,  206  may transmit data to and receive data between the one or more user devices  104  and the infotainment platform  102 . For example, the ECU  116  may communicate with the one or more user devices  104  to obtain requests to control or adjust one or more configurations or settings of the one or more controllable vehicle components  114  and/or receive status information and/or sensor data from the one or more other vehicle components  110 . 
     The one or more user interfaces  114   e,    208  may display one or more notifications, alerts, menus, maps, webpages or other resources on one of the one or more user interfaces  114   e,    208 . The one or more menus may display an option to select one or more vehicle components to control or to obtain sensor data and/or sensor information to provide to the user, as shown in  FIG. 4  for example. The one or more user interfaces  114   e,    208  may include an input/output device that receives user input from a user interface element, a button, a dial, a microphone, a keyboard, or a touch screen. For example, the user interface  208  may receive user input that may include configurations or settings for the HVAC unit  114   d  to set an ambient temperature within the cabin of the vehicle  112 , e.g., to increase or decrease the ambient temperature within the cabin of the vehicle  112 . Other configurations may include a volume or channel on the radio or television and/or a position of the one or more doors or windows  114   b,  for example. The one or more user interfaces  114   e,    208  may provide an output to an output device, such as a display, a speaker, an audio and/or visual indicator, or a refreshable braille display. For example, the user interface  208  may display the state of charge of the battery  128  and/or the amount of fuel remaining on a user display. 
     The infotainment system  100  may include an external database  108 . A database is any collection of pieces of information that is organized for search and retrieval, such as by a computer, and the database may be organized in tables, schemas, queries, reports, or any other data structures. A database may use any number of database management systems. The external database  108  may include a third-party server or website that stores or provides information. The information may include real-time information, periodically updated information, or user-inputted information. A server may be a computer in a network that is used to provide services, such as accessing files or sharing peripherals, to other computers in the network. 
     The external database  108  may be a relational database. The external database  108  may be updated and/or provide updates in real-time. The external database  108  may provide one or more resources, such as a webpage and/or navigational map information, to the one or more user devices  104  and/or the infotainment platform  102  to render the one or more resources on the one or more user interfaces  114   e,    208 . The external database  108  may also store other information, such as entity information. The entity information may include the location of various entities, such as restaurants, businesses or other places of interest, surrounding the vehicle  112 . 
       FIG. 3  is a flow diagram of a process  300  for controlling one or more vehicle components of the vehicle using one or more user devices  104 . One or more computers or one or more data processing apparatuses, for example, the electronic control unit  116  and/or the processor  202  of the infotainment system  100  of  FIG. 1 , appropriately programmed, may implement the process  300 . 
     The infotainment platform  102  obtains an initial request from the one or more user devices  104  to connect with the infotainment platform  102  ( 302 ). An initial request is a request to connect with the infotainment platform  102  to control one or more vehicle components. The infotainment platform  102  may receive a single initial request from a single user device to form a single session between the infotainment platform  102  and the user device  104   a - b  or may receive multiple initial requests from different user devices to form multiple different sessions between the infotainment platform  102  and multiple user devices  104   a - b.    
     The initial request may include a user or device identifier. The user or device identifier may indicate a user, which may be matched to a user profile, or a user device  104   a - b,  which may be matched to a device profile, that has issued the request. The infotainment platform  102  may use the user or device identifier to determine the privileges of the user or the user device associated with the user or device identifier. The privileges limit, manage or otherwise determine the settings and the vehicle components that the user or the user device may control, change, view and/or access. 
     The infotainment platform  102  obtains a list of user or device identifiers (hereinafter, the “list”) that may control, manage or otherwise access the one or more vehicle components of the vehicle  112  ( 304 ). The infotainment platform  102  may obtain the list from the memory  118  and/or from the external database  108 . The list may indicate the users and/or devices that may access the one or more vehicle components along with a corresponding user or device profile. The user or device profile identifies the corresponding privileges that the user or device has access. The privileges may correspond to vehicle components and/or settings or configurations that adjust the corresponding vehicle components that the user or device may control, manage, view or otherwise access. For example, the list identifiers may indicate that User A or Device A may access the HVAC Unit  114   d,  the navigation unit  114   c,  the media center  114   a,  the user interface  114   e  and/or the one or more sensors  122  but not the one or more doors and/or windows  114   b.  The list may also indicate that User A or Device A may change the change temperature settings to the HVAC Unit  114   d  for the rear passenger cabin of the vehicle  112  but not the front passenger cabin of the vehicle  112 , change the volume or channels of the rear television of the media center  114   a  but not the radio, share the resource displayed on the one or more user interfaces  114   e,    208  and/or obtain sensor data or status information from the one or more sensors  122 . In another example, the list may indicate that User B or Device B may lock or unlock one or more doors and/or windows  114   b.  The list may also indicate that User B or Device B may only control or access the rear doors and/or windows  114   b  but not the front doors and/or windows  114   b.    
     The infotainment platform  102  may determine whether the user or device may connect and use the infotainment platform  102  ( 306 ). The infotainment platform  102  extracts the extract the user or device identifier from the initial request. The infotainment platform  102  may parse the initial request based on a formatting of the initial request or a flag within the initial request to extract the user or device identifier from the initial request. The infotainment platform  102  compares the user or device identifier to the one or more users or devices in the list. 
     If the user or device identifier matches one of the one or more users or devices in the list, the infotainment platform  102  determines that the user or device may control one or more vehicle components and establishes a connection with the user device  104   a - b  that sent the request ( 308 ). The infotainment platform  102  associates the user or device identifier and the matched user or device to a corresponding user or device profile, which includes the privileges that the user or device has access too. The infotainment platform  102  may use the user or device profile to determine the one or more vehicle components that the user or device may access. This ensures that only users and devices that are valid and authenticated access the one or more vehicle components. 
     Otherwise, if the user or device identifier does not match one of the one or more users or devices in the list, the infotainment platform  102  prevents the user device  104   a - b  that sent the initial request from connecting with the infotainment platform  102  ( 310 ). The infotainment platform  102  may send a notification that indicates the failure to connect to the user device  104   a - b  that sent the initial request. The infotainment platform  102  may continue to monitor for one or more initial requests from the one or more user devices  104   a - b.  This prevents the user device  104   a - b  from accessing and/or controlling the one or more vehicle components. 
     Once the infotainment platform  102  connects and establishes a connection with the one or more user devices  104   a - b,  the infotainment platform  102  receives or obtains one or more command requests to control the one or more vehicle components ( 312 ). The infotainment platform  102  may obtain the one or more command requests from one or more user devices  104  that have connected with the infotainment platform  102 . The one or more command requests from the one or more user devices  104  may be sent manually by the user or automatically based on the preset conditions and/or user&#39;s preferences. 
     The infotainment platform  102  may obtain a single command request from a single user device, such as a single command request from a primary user device  104   a  or a single command request from a secondary user device  104   b,  a single command request from each of the multiple user devices  104   a - b  and/or multiple command requests from a single user device  104   a - b.  Each command request may be a request to control a different or the same vehicle component. In some implementations, the command request may be a request to control multiple vehicle components simultaneously, concurrently and/or sequentially. 
     For example, a first command request may control a setting on the media center  114   a  and the second command request may control a setting on the navigation unit  114   c  or both command requests may control a setting on the media center  114   a.  Moreover, the one or more command requests may come from a single user device or from different user devices, such as a primary user device  104   a  and a secondary user device  104   b.  A primary user device  104   a  may be a user device that has more access and control privileges than a secondary user device  104   b.  The primary device  104   a  may be associated with a user profile of a driver or other occupant that is allowed to have more control over a larger number of vehicle components. For example, the primary user device  104   a  may have access to and the ability to control each setting of each of the one or more controllable vehicle components  114  while also receiving sensor data and/or status information related to the one or more other vehicle components  110 . The secondary device  104   b  may be associated with a user profile of a different occupant, such as a rear passenger, that is allowed to have less control in comparison to the user of the primary user device  104   a.  The secondary device  104   b  may be limited to less settings that may be controlled and/or a smaller number of vehicle components that may be controlled. For example, the secondary user device  104   b  may only have access to and the ability to control each setting of a particular set of vehicle components, such as the media center  114   a,  the rear HVAC unit that controls the ambient temperature in the rear passenger cabin of the vehicle  112  and/or the rear doors and/or windows. 
     The command request may include a vehicle component identifier and/or one or more settings or configurations of the vehicle component associated with the vehicle component identifier and/or a command or task. For example, a user on the user device  104   a  may choose from a selection of one or more controllable vehicle components  114 , such as the radio or television of the media center  114   a,  the various doors and/or windows  114   b,  the battery  128  and/or the rear HVAC unit and/or the front HVAC unit of the HVAC unit  114   d,  on the user device  104   a - b  to control and/or to monitor. The user may select one or more user interface elements  402 ,  404 ,  406 ,  408  that correspond to the various vehicle components, such as the radio, television, rear HVAC unit and/or the front HVAC unit, respectively, as shown in  FIG. 4  for example. The selection of the one or more controllable vehicle components  114  is associated with a vehicle component identifier that may be transmitted with the command request to the infotainment platform  102 . 
     The vehicle component identifier identifies the vehicle component that the user device  104   a - b  intends to control or obtain sensor data and/or status information from. The command or task identifies the action to be taken upon the vehicle component identified by and/or associated with the vehicle component identifier, and controls, adjusts or manages the vehicle component according to the one or more settings or configurations that indicate the end state of the vehicle component. 
     For example, the vehicle identifier may indicate the HVAC unit  114   d,  the command or task may indicate to increase, decrease or otherwise set the temperature of the air within the cabin of the vehicle, and the one or more settings or configurations indicate a target temperature, such as 78° F., that is the end state of the change in the temperature. In another example, the vehicle component identifier may indicate the one or more doors and/or windows  114   b,  the command or task may indicate to raise or lower one or more windows, and the one or more settings or configurations may be a target position, such as a half-open window, that is the end state of the change in raising or lowering of the one or more windows. 
     The various vehicle components that may be controlled, managed, monitored or otherwise accessed include the media center  114   a,  the one or more doors and/or windows  114   b,  the navigation unit  114   c,  the HVAC unit  114   d  including the front HVAC unit and/or the rear HVAC unit, the user interface  114   e  and/or other controllable vehicle components  114   f.  The various vehicle components that may be monitored via the one or more sensors  122  include the battery  128  via the battery sensor  122   a  and the engine  124  via the engine sensor  122   b.    
     The infotainment platform  102  determines whether the user or device has access to control the one or more vehicle components ( 314 ). The infotainment platform  102  may compare the command request to the user or device profile associated with the user or device that is connected to the infotainment platform. The infotainment platform  102  may extract the vehicle component identifier and/or the one or more settings or configurations and may compare the vehicle component identifier and/or the one or more settings or configurations to the privileges within the user or device profile, which defines the vehicle components and the configuration settings a user or device may access and/or control. If the privileges within the user or device profile indicate that the user or device may not access and/or control the vehicle component and/or the one or more settings or configurations, the infotainment platform  102  may prevent access to the vehicle component and/or send an alert to the one or more user interfaces  114   e,    208  ( 316 ). The infotainment platform  102  may continue to monitor for one or more command requests. 
     If the privileges within the user or device profile indicate that the user or device may access and/or control the vehicle component associated with the vehicle component identifier and the one or more settings or configurations, the infotainment platform  102  allows the user or device to access and/or control the vehicle component ( 318 ). The infotainment platform  102  may send one or more control signals to the corresponding vehicle component identified by the vehicle component identifier. The one or more control signals may cause the vehicle component to act on the command or task to adjust the vehicle component specified by the vehicle component identifier to the one or more settings or configurations specified in the command request. 
     For example, the infotainment platform  102  may control the one or more doors, as shown in  FIG. 5  for example, to engage or lock the door lock  502  or to disengage or unlock the door lock  502 . The command request may additionally specify a specific door, such as a front passenger-side door, front driver-side door, rear passenger-side door, rear driver-side door or trunk door to control, and/or specify the specific setting or task to perform, such as to lock or unlock the specified door. 
     In another example, the infotainment platform  102  may open, partially open, partially close or close the window  504 . The command request may additionally specify a specific window, such as the sunroof, the front passenger-side window, the front driver-side window, the rear passenger-side window and/or the rear window to control, and/or specify the specific setting or task to perform, such as to partially open, open, close or partially close the specified window a specific amount, such as approximately 50%. 
     Other examples of controlling one or more vehicle components include the use and control of the navigation unit  114   c  and/or the user interface  114   e,  as shown in  FIG. 6  for example. The one or more user devices  104   a - b  may load a map  604  of the surrounding area of the vehicle  112  onto the user interface  208  of the one or more user devices  104   a - b.  The user interface  208  may receive input from the user and display a route  606  that includes a start location, a destination location and a path of the vehicle  112  along the route  606 . The user device  104   a - b  may share the route  606  along with the map  604  with the infotainment platform  102  to display on the user interface  114   e  of the infotainment platform  102 . Similarly, the infotainment platform  102  may receive input from the user and display the route  606  and map  604  onto the user interface  114   e  and share the route  606  and the map  604  with the one or more user devices  104   a - b  to display on the user interface  208 . 
     Other information, such as an estimated time of arrival (ETA)  602  may be calculated and displayed on the one or more user devices  104   a - b.  The one or more user devices  104   a - b  may share the map  604  along with the route  606  onto the user interface  114   e  of the infotainment platform  102  or vice versa. In some implementations, the infotainment platform  102  and/or the one or more user devices  104   a - b  may render, mirror and/or otherwise share other images, webpages and/or resources with the infotainment platform  102  and/or among the one or more user devices  104   a - b.  In some implementations, the infotainment platform  102  may act as a gateway that allows two or more user devices  104   a - b  to communicate among each other. For example, one user device  104   a  may send an image, such as a resource or webpage, or communicate, such as using the microphone and speaker of the user device  104   a,  to another user device  104   b  or to the driver via the user interface  114   e  on the infotainment platform  102 . 
     In another example, the infotainment platform  102  may provide to the one or more user devices  104   a - b  the sensor data and/or status information to be displayed on the user interface  208 . The one or more user devices  104   a - b  may display the sensor data and/or status information that the infotainment platform  102  measures, detects, and/or obtains from one or more other vehicle components  110  of the vehicle  112  via one or more sensors  122 . The sensor data and/or status information may include information related to the battery  128 , such as from the battery sensor  122   a,  as shown in  FIG. 7  for example, the engine  124 , such as from the engine sensor  122   b,  or other components of the vehicle  112 . The sensor data and/or the sensor information obtained from the battery sensor  122   a  related to the battery  128  may include displaying a current state of charge  702  of the battery  128 , a remaining mileage  704  before the vehicle  112  is empty and/or an estimated time remaining  706  before the vehicle  112  is empty and/or other sensor data or status information. 
     Exemplary embodiments of the invention have been disclosed in an illustrative style. Accordingly, the terminology employed throughout should be read in a non-limiting manner. Although minor modifications to the teachings herein will occur to those well versed in the art, it shall be understood that what is intended to be circumscribed within the scope of the patent warranted hereon are all such embodiments that reasonably fall within the scope of the advancement to the art hereby contributed, and that that scope shall not be restricted, except in light of the appended claims and their equivalents.