Maintaining an automobile configuration of a mobile computing device while switching between automobile and non-automobile user interfaces

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10097684-B1
Application number	US-201815925336-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Mar 19, 2018
Priority date	Mar 19, 2018
Publication date	Oct 9, 2018
Grant date	Oct 9, 2018

Abstract

A device is described that, while operating in an automobile configuration, causes a vehicle system of an automobile to display part of an automobile graphical user interface (GUI) while locally displaying a different part of the automobile GUI. Responsive to receiving user input for switching to a non-automobile GUI that permits access to at least some features of the device that are restricted by the automobile GUI, the device replaces the part of the automobile GUI that is locally displayed on the device with the non-automobile GUI, all while continuing to cause the vehicle system to display its part of the automobile GUI. The device accesses the at least some features of the device and responsive to receiving user input for switching back to the automobile GUI, the device replaces the non-automobile GUI with the part of the automobile GUI that was previously displayed by the device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for maintaining an automobile configuration of a mobile computing device while switching between at least part of an automobile graphical user interface and a non-automobile graphical user interface, the method comprising, while operating in the automobile configuration:
outputting, by the mobile computing device, for display by a vehicle system of an automobile, a first portion of the automobile graphical user interface; and
displaying, by the mobile computing device, a second portion of the automobile graphical user interface that restricts access to at least some features of the mobile computing device;
responsive to receiving a first user input for switching to a non-automobile graphical user interface that permits access to the at least some features of the mobile computing device that are restricted by the automobile graphical user interface, replacing the second portion of the automobile graphical user interface with the non-automobile graphical user interface while continuing to output the first portion of the automobile graphical user interface for display by the vehicle system;
accessing, by the mobile computing device, the at least some features of the mobile computing device while continuing to output the first portion of the automobile graphical user interface for display by the vehicle system; and
responsive to receiving a second user input for switching back to the automobile graphical user interface, replacing the non-automobile graphical user interface with the second portion of the automobile graphical user interface.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
executing, by the mobile computing device, at least one application that is configured to operate in an automobile mode while the mobile computing device operates in the automobile configuration, and is further configured to operate in a non-automobile mode while the mobile computing device operates in a non-automobile configuration, wherein after replacing the second portion of the automobile graphical user interface with the non-automobile graphical user interface the at least one application continues operating in the automobile mode.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mobile computing device is communicatively coupled, via a wired or wireless connection, to the vehicle system of the automobile when the mobile computing device operates in the automobile configuration.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein
the first portion of the automobile graphical user interface includes a first application graphical user interface of an application executing at the mobile computing device; and
the second portion of the automobile graphical user interface includes a second application graphical user interface of the application executing at the mobile computing device.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the first application graphical user interface corresponds to the second application graphical user interface.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the first application graphical user interface is a primary-screen experience of the application and the second application graphical user interface is a secondary-screen experience of the application that is different than the primary-screen experience of the application.

7. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
associating, by the mobile computing device, user inputs detected by input components of the vehicle system with the automobile graphical user interface;
determining, by the mobile computing device, whether to associate user inputs detected by input components of the mobile computing device with the non-automobile graphical user interface or the automobile graphical user interface.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the automobile graphical user interface includes a graphical portion of a user interface of a vehicle-based assistant application executing at the mobile computing device, the method further comprising:
while displaying the non-automobile graphical user interface, executing, by the mobile computing device, a mobile-based assistant application;
receiving, by the mobile computing device, an indication of a user query;
outputting, by the mobile computing device, via the user interface of the vehicle-based assistant application, a response to the user query.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
refraining, by the mobile computing device, from using the mobile-based assistant application to determine the response to the user query; and
determining, by the mobile computing device, using the vehicle-based assistant application, the response to the user query.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein receiving the indication of the user query comprises:
receiving, by mobile computing device, from an input component of the mobile computing device, the indication of the user query.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein receiving the indication of the user query comprises:
receiving, by the mobile computing device, from the vehicle system, the indication of the user input.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein displaying the non-automobile graphical user interface comprises:
displaying, by the mobile computing device, overlaid on the non-automobile graphical user interface, a persistent user interface element for switching-back to the second portion of the automobile graphical user interface; and
determining, by the mobile computing device, that the second user input is a selection of the persistent user interface element.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the non-automobile graphical user interface includes one or more elements displayed in a first format that is specific to the automobile configuration of the mobile computing device, wherein the first format is different than a second format used by the mobile computing device to display the one or more elements when the mobile computing device is operating in a non-automobile configuration.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, while displaying the non-automobile graphical user interface and continuing to output the first portion of the automobile graphical user interface for display by the vehicle system:
outputting, by the mobile computing device, via one or more output components of the vehicle system, at least one of audio associated with the automobile graphical user interface or audio associated with the non-automobile graphical user interface.

15. A computing device comprising:
a display component; and
at least one processor configured to perform operations while the computing device operates in an automobile configuration that include:
outputting, for display by a vehicle system of an automobile, a first portion of an automobile graphical user interface; and
outputting, for display by the display component, a second portion of the automobile graphical user interface that restricts access to at least some features of the computing device;
responsive to receiving a first user input for switching to a non-automobile graphical user interface that permits access to the at least some features of the computing device that are restricted by the automobile graphical user interface, replacing the second portion of the automobile graphical user interface with the non-automobile graphical user interface while continuing to output the first portion of the automobile graphical user interface for display by the vehicle system;
accessing the at least some features of the computing device while continuing to output the first portion of the automobile graphical user interface for display by the vehicle system; and
responsive to receiving a second user i

Assignees

• Google Llc

Inventors

• Tam Jia Wei
• Wunderlich Lauren
• Yan Zhongxia
• Choi Gyeong Sik
• Xiong Heng
• Moles Bryan Jeffery
• Galanes Francisco Manuel
• Billinghurst Sabrina Silk
• Shen Yuanjiao
• Brady Patrick

Classifications

• H04M1/724631

  by limiting the access to the user interface, e.g. locking a touch-screen or a keypad · CPC title

• H04M1/72463 Primary

  to restrict the functionality of the device · CPC title

• H04M1/6091

  including a wireless interface · CPC title

• H04M2250/22

  including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector · CPC title

• H04M1/72577 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic