Abstract:
An improved system and procedure for allowing a user to post a route to another mobile user or to himself. In one embodiment, a user in a vehicle (26a) engages his user interface (51) to record and transmit the traveled route to a second user in a second vehicle (26b) or to himself at a later time. The recipient receives the route in accordance with his user ID and other parameters specified or messages left by the initiating user. The route can be displayed on a map, in text, or audibly broadcast. In an alternative embodiment, the route can be left by a non-mobile user for the benefit of a mobile user using, for example, a home computer.
Abstract:
A system and method for providing content from a source to a vehicle is disclosed. The content is restricted by associating the content with at least one requirement for vehicle information from a vehicle to which the content is provided. When restricted content is requested, a vehicle system obtains vehicle related information from the vehicle. The vehicle information is transferred to the vehicle system from the source, and the restricted content is transferred from the source to the vehicle system. The vehicle system, the source, or both determine whether the vehicle information meets the at least one requirement restricting the content. As long as the requirement for vehicle information is met, processing of the restricted content is allowed.
Abstract:
A system and procedure for posting and receiving location-based messages in a wireless communication based network (10). The system allows messages to be posted to specified users and to be associated with a particular location (X1) for which the message is pertinent. The messages can be left when a user in a first vehicle (26a) passes a particular location (X1), or the user can specify the location (X1) for the message even if not present at that location (X1). The messages can then be displayed at a user interface of the recipient vehicle (26b) either when the recipient nears that location (X1), or they can be reviewed in advance. Such location-based messages can be left either for another user or for the same user that is posting the method. The posted and received messages can be textual, audio, video, or pictorial messages and may be superimposed on computerized maps to make association between the message and the location more meaningful. Regardless, the disclosed system and methods allow messages to be associated with particular locations of interest.
Abstract:
A system and method for managing content between different client devices in various domains (such as vehicle, home, and person) includes a user interface, a wireless transceiver, and a controller. The user interface receives an input from a user to change the presentation of the content from a first client device to a second client device. The wireless transceiver wirelessly transmits the input from the user through the communication system. The controller, responsive to the input from the user, determines a content format for the second device. The controller may also determine whether the second device has a network capability for accessing the content format. If the second device has the network capability for accessing the content format, the controller transmits a data message to the second device to activate access to the content; otherwise, the controller obtains the content and transmits the obtained content to the second device.
Abstract:
A system and method for controlling the processing of content in a vehicle involves restricting content with a requirement of at least one vehicle condition. A request is received to process the restricted content with a content processing device. A vehicle system or controller obtains vehicle information of the vehicle. The vehicle system determines whether the vehicle information meets the requirement of the vehicle condition restricting the content. If met, the content processing device is allowed to process the restricted content. Otherwise, the content processing device is prevented from processing the restricted content.
Abstract:
A receiver such as in an automobile and/or wireless communication device is configured for a method of playing of live and recorded multimedia content. A desired genre of content is first defined (39). Both recorded and live content of that desired genre is identified and assembled into a playlist (43). Live content that is near a beginning of its being played (45) can be rotated to a top of the playlist (47). In this way, live content, which a user may not have heard is given a priority of recorded content of the user. Since a start time of live content typically will not coincide with an end time of recorded content being played, the receiver can fade-in and fade-out (48) to a the live content or buffer it (53) for delayed play.
Abstract:
An improved system and procedure for controlling the audio broadcast to users participating in a group conversation. In one embodiment, a communications server (24) employs arbitration logic (210) to decide which of the user has priority to speak, and accordingly mixes only the audio data steams for those users for broadcast to all users. The server can send notification to the user interfaces (51) to inform the users of their current priority status and to allow the users to request that their priority be increased, decreased, eliminated, or passed on for the benefit of another user. A user may also attempt at his user interface to affect the priority of identified other users by informing the arbitration logic (210) of a rating for that user. Additionally, a systems administrator may also arbitrate user priorities, either at his discretion or in conjunction with suggestions provided by the arbitration logic. Finally, and regardless of system-assessed priorities, a user may at his user interface (51) tailor the group conversation broadcast to him by either blocking reception of audio from certain users or by reducing their volume, or may tailor his outgoing audio transmission so they are blocked from being received by selected group conversation participants.
Abstract:
An apparatus and method for rapidly providing activity on a vehicle network bus (12,Fig.1) includes a node (TCU 14, Fig.1) having a bus connection to the vehicle network bus. The node (TCU 14, Fig.1) includes a Rapid Response Stack (24, Fig.1) loaded with the predetermined message to respond to any network bus request before the application is up and running. A true stack is loaded with real messages from the application once it is booted up and running on the node, whereupon the application subsequently responds to network bus requests using the true stack instead of the Rapid Response Stack.