Extensible computing architecture for vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11455180-B2
Application number	US-202017065932-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 8, 2020
Priority date	Oct 11, 2019
Publication date	Sep 27, 2022
Grant date	Sep 27, 2022

Abstract

A main computing device integrated into a vehicle may perform various aspects of the techniques described in this disclosure. The main computing device comprises a memory and a processor. The memory may store a first and second instance of a runtime environment. The processor may execute a first container that enables execution of a first instance of the runtime environment, and execute a second container that enables execution of a second instance of the runtime environment. The first instance of the runtime environment may detect a supporting computing device, transfer, responsive to detecting the supporting computing device, the second container to the supporting computing device, and interface with the second instance of the runtime environment to jointly present the user interface by which the operator of the vehicle controls the functionality of the vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
executing, by a main computing device integrated into a vehicle, a first container that includes a first partition of a runtime environment; and
executing, by the main computing device, a second container that includes a second partition of the runtime environment, the first partition of the runtime environment and the second partition of the runtime environment configured to jointly present a user interface by which an operator of the vehicle controls functionality of the vehicle;
wherein the first partition of the runtime environment is configured to:
detect a supporting computing device in communication with the main computing device;
transfer, responsive to detecting the supporting computing device, the second container to the supporting computing device; and
interface with the second partition of the runtime environment executed by the supporting computing device to jointly present the user interface by which the operator of the vehicle controls the functionality of the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first partition of the runtime environment synchronizes a user setting between the second partition of the runtime environment and the first partition of the runtime environment.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first partition of the runtime environment initiates execution of an application by the second partition of the runtime environment.

4. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the first partition of the runtime environment is configured to redirect execution of an application to the second partition of the runtime environment, and
wherein the second partition of the runtime environment is configured to maintain a user space in which the application executes.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first partition of the runtime environment is configured to synchronize a system setting between the first partition of the runtime environment and the second partition of the runtime environment.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising executing, by the main computing device, a first instance of a distributed hardware abstraction layer that enables the first partition of the runtime environment and the second partition of the runtime environment to interface with hardware components of the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising transferring, responsive to detecting the supporting computing device, a second instance of the distributed hardware abstraction layer to the supporting computing device to enable the supporting computing device to execute the second instance of the hardware abstraction layer that enables the supporting computing device to interface with the hardware components of the vehicle.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the main computing device is communicatively coupled to the supporting computing device.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the main computing device is wirelessly coupled to the supporting computing device.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the main computing device is coupled via a wire to the supporting computing device.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the main computing device is coupled via the wire according to universal system bus (USB) standard to the supporting computing device.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the main computing device comprises a head unit that includes an integrated display by which to present the user interface to the operator of the vehicle.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the supporting computing device comprises a cartridge that does not include an integrated display by which to present the user interface to the operator of the vehicle.

14. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the first partition of the runtime environment includes a first partition of the runtime environment having a first version,
wherein the second partition of the runtime environment includes a second partition of the runtime environment having a second version, and
wherein the first version is different from the second version.

15. A main computing device integrated into a vehicle, the main computing device comprising:
a memory configured to store a first partition of a runtime environment and a second partition of the runtime environment;
one or more processors configured to:
execute a first container that includes the first partition of the runtime environment; and
execute a second container that includes the second partition of the runtime environment, the first partition of the runtime environment and the second partition of the runtime environment configured to jointly present a user interface by which an operator of the vehicle controls functionality of the vehicle;
wherein the first partition of the runtime environment is configured to:
detect a supporting computing device in communication with the main computing device;
transfer, responsive to detecting the supporting computing device, the second container to the supporting computing device; and
interface with the second partition of the runtime environment executed by the supporting computing device to jointly present the user interface by which the operator of the vehicle controls the functionality of the vehicle.

16. The main computing device of claim 15 , wherein the first partition of the runtime environment synchronizes a user setting between the second partition of the runtime environment and the first instance of the runtime environment.

17. The main computing device of claim 15 , wherein the first partition of the runtime environment initiates execution of an application by the second partition of the runtime environment.

18. The main computing device of claim 15 ,
wherein the first partition of the runtime environment is configured to redirect execution of an application to the second partition of the runtime environment, and
wherein the second partition of the runtime environment is configured to maintain a user space in which the application executes.

19. The main computing device of claim 15 , wherein the first partition of the runtime environment is configured to synchronize a system setting between the first partition of the runtime environment and the second partition of the runtime environment.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors of a main computing device to:
execute a first container that includes a first partition of a runtime environment; and
execute a second container that includes a second partition of the runtime environment, the first partition of the runtime environment and the second partition of the runtime environment configured to jointly present a user interface by which an operator of the vehicle controls functionality of the vehicle;
wherein the first partition of the runtime environment is configured to:
detect a supporting computing device in communication with the main computing device;
transfer, responsive to detecting the supporting computing device, the second container to the supporting computing device; and
interface with the second partition of the runtime environment executed by the supporting computing device to jointly present the user interface by which the operator of the vehicle controls the functionality of the vehicle.

Assignees

• Google Llc

Inventors

• Isert Carsten
• Koh Eugene
• Holzhey Bernd
• Rímská Lenka

Classifications

• G06F9/44505

  Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files · CPC title

• G06F2009/4557

  Distribution of virtual machine instances; Migration and load balancing · CPC title

• G06F15/163

  Interprocessor communication · CPC title

• G06F9/451

  Execution arrangements for user interfaces · CPC title

• B60W50/14

  Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention · CPC title