Multi-device in-vehicle-infotainment system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10732925-B2
Application number	US-201715492594-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 20, 2017
Priority date	Apr 20, 2017
Publication date	Aug 4, 2020
Grant date	Aug 4, 2020

Abstract

A multi-device in-vehicle-infotainment system is configured to playback audio files one after another using a media device shuffling operation and an audio file shuffling operation. Specifically, in response to instructions from a user interface, a controller is further configured to automatically provide a plurality of audio files, one audio file after another, to an audio output component where the controller selects the plurality of audio files randomly shuffling between a plurality of electronic media devices selecting one or more audio files from differing ones of the plurality of electronic media devices for audio playback.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A multi-device in-vehicle-infotainment system, comprising:
a vehicle body structure of a vehicle defining a passenger compartment;
a media interface component located within the vehicle and configured to access audio files via communications with broadcast radio receivers including at least one of an FM radio receiver and a satellite radio receiver, direct electric connections including at least one of a USB port, direct wiring to the media interface component and a disc player, and wireless communication connections including at least one of a WiFi connection and a Bluetooth connection;
a plurality of electronic media devices located within the vehicle, with one of the plurality of electronic media devices being a device storing audio recordings connected via one of the at least one of the USB port, direct wiring and the disc player, the WiFi connection or the Bluetooth connection, the one of the plurality of electronic media devices being at least one of the following: an audio file player, a tablet device, a mobile phone or a personal computing device within the vehicle, another of the plurality of electronic media devices being connected to the media interface via one of the WiFi connection or the Bluetooth connection, with the another of the plurality of electronic media devices being at least one of the following: an audio file player a tablet device, a mobile phone or a personal computing device within the vehicle, each of the one and the another of plurality of electronic media devices having audio files stored therein;
a user interface located within the vehicle and configured to display data representing the audio files and any lists of audio files stored on any of the plurality electronic media devices, and receive inputs and instructions from a vehicle occupant;
an audio output component installed within the vehicle and configured to reproduce audio to the passenger compartment for listening pleasure of one or more vehicle occupants; and
a controller connected to the media interface component, the user interface and the audio output component which are all located within the vehicle body structure, the controller being configured to inventory audio files stored on each of the plurality of the electronic media devices in communication with the media interface component, and
in response to instructions from the user interface, the controller is further configured to automatically provide a plurality of audio files, one audio file after another, to the audio output component selected from each of the plurality of electronic media devices connected to any of the broadcast radio receivers, direct electric connections, and wireless communication connections, where the controller selects the plurality of audio files randomly shuffling between each of the plurality of electronic media devices selecting one or more audio files from differing ones of the plurality of electronic media devices such that the controller randomly selects of one of the plurality of electronic media devices and one of the plurality of audio files therefrom, the controller further being configured to play a game that includes identifying which one of the plurality of electronic media devices is the source of a current audio file being provided by the audio output component to the passenger compartment, and being further configured to operate the user interface or the plurality of electronic media devices to display a question to vehicle occupants asking which of the plurality of electronic media devices is the source of the current audio file.

2. The multi-device in-vehicle-infotainment system according to claim 1 , wherein
the one of the electronic media devices is identified by the controller with a first identification label and the another of the electronic media devices is designated by the controller with a second identification label different from the first identification label.

3. The multi-device in-vehicle-infotainment system according to claim 1 , wherein
the user interface includes a plurality of input selections such that the vehicle occupant selects one of the plurality of input selections as the instruction to the controller, and in response to selecting the one of the plurality of input selections, the selected one provides audio content to the audio output component for listening pleasure of one or more vehicle occupants, the plurality of input selections including:
audio only from one of the broadcast radio receivers, including AM broadcasts, FM broadcasts and Satellite radio broadcasts;
audio from one of the plurality of electronic media devices; and
audio only from the plurality of audio files automatically provided by the controller where the controller selects the plurality of audio files randomly shuffling between the plurality of electronic media devices selecting one or more audio files from differing ones of the plurality of electronic media devices.

4. The multi-device in-vehicle-infotainment system according to claim 1 , wherein
the broadcast radio receivers that the media interface component communicates with further includes an AM radio receiver.

5. The multi-device in-vehicle-infotainment system according to claim 1 , wherein
the wireless communication connections that the media interface component communicates with includes a plurality of WiFi ports and an infrared connection.

6. The multi-device in-vehicle-infotainment system according to claim 1 , wherein
the plurality of electronic media devices includes one or more of the following: a CD-player, a DVD player, a digital recorder, an MP3 player and a USB memory chip.

7. The multi-device in-vehicle-infotainment system according to claim 1 , wherein
the controller is configured such that in response to one of the wireless communication connections detecting a new one of the electronic media devices being present within the passenger compartment, the controller conducts a login procedure that includes identification of the new one of the electronic media devices, performing an inventory of audio files stored on each of the new one of the electronic media devices and designating an identification label corresponding to the new one of the electronic media devices.

8. The multi-device in-vehicle-infotainment system according to claim 1 , wherein
the controller is further configured to automatically provide a plurality of audio files, one audio file after another, to the audio output component from each of the plurality of electronic media devices connected to any of the broadcast radio receivers, direct electric connections, and wireless communication connections, where the controller selects the plurality of audio files randomly shuffling between the plurality of electronic media devices selecting one or more audio files from any list or lists of audio files stored on any differing ones of the plurality of electronic media devices.

9. The multi-device in-vehicle-infotainment system according to claim 1 , wherein
the controller is configured to connect an additional one of the plurality of electronic media devices to the media interface component via one of the wireless communication connections, the additional one of the electronic media having audio files stored therein, the controller being further configured to select audio files from the additional one of the plurality of electronic media devices for shuffling.

10. The multi-device in-vehicle-infotainment system according to claim 9 , wherein
the additional one of the electronic media devices being a mobile phone of a vehicle occupant other than a vehicle operator.

11. The multi-device in-vehicle-infotainment system according to claim 10 , wherein

Assignees

• Nissan North America Inc

Inventors

• Daman Rami
• Tan Adrian
• Saganski Adam

Classifications

• A63F13/25

  Output arrangements for video game devices · CPC title

• G06F3/165 Primary

  Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path · CPC title

• G06F16/4387

  by the use of playlists · CPC title

• G06F3/0482

  Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus · CPC title

• G06F16/639

  using playlists · CPC title