Patent ID: 8819550

Claim:
An apparatus comprising: a touch-screen display; first logic encoded in one or more tangible media for execution and when executed operable to generate a virtual assistant for presentation to a user via the touch-screen display, the virtual assistant having one or more anthropomorphic characteristics and being operable to interact with the user via at least the touch-screen display to facilitate user access to one or more vehicle features; second logic encoded in one or more tangible media for execution and when executed operable to: automatically receive data from a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag in a personal item of the user to identify the user; automatically access a profile associated with the RFID tag, the profile indicating one or more preferences of the user for one or more vehicle settings; and automatically initiate implementation of one or more of the preferences of the user indicated by the profile; wherein the profile associated with the RFID tag comprises one or more rules applicable to the user, the rules comprising one or more of a vehicle speed limit or a geographic area limit, and wherein modification of one or more of the rules requires a password; third logic encoded in one or more tangible media for execution and when executed operable to: receive input from the user indicating one or more preferences of the user for one or more vehicle settings and, in response to the input, initiate implementation of one or more of the preferences indicated by the user; and receive input from the user requesting access to one or more desired vehicle features and, in response to the input, provide the user access to one or more of the one or more desired vehicle features via at least the touch-screen display; and a vehicle interface operable to couple the apparatus to any of a plurality of vehicles and communicate data between the first, second, or third logic and the vehicle; wherein the touch-screen display and one or more of the first, second, or third logic are operable collectively to interact with the user independent of whether the vehicle interface is coupled to one of the plurality of vehicles, wherein at least one of the vehicle features uses one or more wireless communication links to provide functionality associated with the vehicle feature; and wherein the touch-screen display and one or more of the first, second, or third logic are operable collectively to interact with the user to facilitate access to one or more wireless-enabled vehicle features and implement one or more desired vehicle settings when the vehicle interface is physically disconnected and the apparatus is removed from the vehicle.