Patent ID: 8346310

Claim:
A vehicle-based computing apparatus comprising: a computer processor in communication with persistent and non-persistent memory; and a local wireless transceiver in communication with the computer processor and configured to communicate wirelessly with a wireless device located in proximity to vehicle; wherein the processor is configured to receive, through the wireless transceiver, a connection request, sent from a wireless device and including at least an identifier identifying an application configured to communicate with the processor and to provide services to a vehicle occupant, wherein the processor is further operable to receive at least one secondary communication from the wireless device pertaining to operation of the application, once the connection request has been processed, and wherein the processor is configured to respond to a plurality of secondary communications, including at least speak-alert commands requesting use of a vehicle audio system, display text commands requesting use of a vehicle display, prompt-and-listen commands requesting use of a vehicle microphone for input, and create-phrase commands defining input phrases for which the processor is to listen and establish matches thereto during certain implementations of the prompt-and-listen commands.