Controlling vehicle modules based on media content

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019184919-A1
Application number	US-201715847197-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 19, 2017
Priority date	Dec 19, 2017
Publication date	Jun 20, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system and method of providing an immersive media experience to a user through utilizing one or more vehicle system modules (VSMs) included in a vehicle, wherein the method includes: establishing a connection with a media control device, wherein the media control device includes a display; determining whether the media control device is authorized to control the one or more VSMs as a part of the immersive media experience; receiving an immersive media control request from the media control device, wherein the immersive media control request includes a request from the media control device to perform one or more vehicle functions using the VSMs during playback of immersive media content, and wherein the playback of the immersive media content includes visually perceptible media content that is displayed using the display of the media control device; and controlling the one or more VSMs according to the received VSM control requests.

First claim

1 . A method of providing an immersive media experience to a user through utilizing one or more vehicle system modules (VSMs) included in a vehicle, wherein the method comprises:
establishing a connection with a media control device, wherein the media control device includes a display; determining whether the media control device is authorized to control the one or more VSMs as a part of the immersive media experience; receiving an immersive media control request from the media control device, wherein the immersive media control request includes a request from the media control device to perform one or more vehicle functions using the one or more VSMs during playback of immersive media content, and wherein the playback of the immersive media content includes visually perceptible media content that is displayed using the display of the media control device; and controlling the one or more VSMs according to the received VSM control requests.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the media control device is a pair of wearable electronic augmented reality/virtual reality (AR/VR) goggles configured for visually presenting augmented reality or virtual reality media content to a user.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the media control device is a personal mobile handheld device.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the connection is established using short-range wireless communications (SRWC), wherein the SRWC include Bluetooth™, Wi-Fi™, or other IEEE 802.11 technology.

5 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising the step of receiving credentials from the media control device, wherein the credentials are received after establishing the connection, and wherein the determining step includes comparing the received credentials with stored credential information.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
obtaining permission request information, wherein the permission request information identifies at least one of the VSMs or a class of VSMs that the media control device requests to utilize during the immersive media experience; and determining whether to allow utilization of the one or more VSMs or VSMs included in the class of VSMs during the immersive media experience.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the permission information is obtained as a part of the immersive media control request, and wherein the immersive media control request is received before beginning the immersive media experience.

8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the permission information is obtained before beginning the immersive media experience, and wherein the immersive media control request is received after the beginning the immersive media experience.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein performance of the one or more vehicle functions includes using the one or more VSMs to communicate with the user by creating an environment that is perceivable by the user using non-audiovisual effects.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein at least one of the vehicle functions involves altering a temperature within the interior of the vehicle.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the temperature within the interior of the vehicle that is altered is ambient air temperature within a cabin of the vehicle or a temperature of a seat within the vehicle.

12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein at least one of the vehicle functions involves actuating motors coupled to a seat within the vehicle.

13 . A method of providing an immersive media experience to a user through utilizing one or more vehicle system modules (VSMs) included in a vehicle, wherein the method comprises:
establishing a connection with a media control device, wherein the media control device is a pair of augmented reality/virtual reality (AR/VR) goggles that are configured to fit around a head of the user such that a display of the pair of AR/VR goggles is within a field of view of the user; determining whether the media control device is authorized to control the one or more VSMs as a part of the immersive media experience; obtaining authorized permission information that indicates one or more permissions of the user or the media control device to control the one or more VSMs of the vehicle during the immersive media experience; receiving an immersive media control request from the media control device, wherein the immersive media control request includes a request from the media control device to perform one or more vehicle functions using one or more vehicle system modules (VSMs) during playback of immersive media content, wherein the playback of the immersive media content includes visually perceptible media content that is displayed using the media control device; determining whether the user or the media control device is permitted to control the one or more VSMs of the vehicle during the immersive media experience based on the authorized permission information; and when it is determined that the user or the media control device is permitted to control the one or more VSMs of the vehicle during the immersive media experience, operating the one or more VSMs according to the received VSM control requests.

14 . The method of claim 13 , receiving a driver override request, wherein the driver override request includes ceasing operating the one or more VSMs as a part of the immersive media experience.

15 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising the step of receiving immersive media experience preferences at the vehicle via one or more vehicle-user interfaces, and wherein the determination of whether the user or the media control device is permitted to control the one or more VSMs is based on the immersive media experience preferences.

16 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising the steps of:
after receiving the immersive media control request, sending a control message to a body control module (BCM) included in the vehicle, wherein the message indicates the one or more vehicle functions; and after receiving the control message at the BCM, operating the one or more VSMs through sending a signal from the BCM to the one or more VSMs.

17 . A vehicular immersive media experience system that is included in vehicle electronics of a vehicle, comprising:
a plurality of non-audiovisual vehicle system modules (VSMs), each of which is configured with a primary purpose other than presenting audio or visual information to a user; a body control module (BCM) that is communicatively coupled to the plurality of non-audiovisual VSMs; and a wireless communication device that includes a processor and non-transitory computer-readable memory, wherein a computer program is at least partly included in the non-transitory computer-readable memory, and wherein the computer program, when executed, causes the vehicle electronics to:
establish a connection with a media control device, wherein the media control device includes a display;
determine whether the media control device is authorized to control the plurality of VSMs as a part of the immersive media experience;
receive an immersive media control request from the media control device, wherein the immersive media control request includes a request from the media control device to perform one or more vehicle functions using at least one of the plurality of vehicle system modules (VSMs) during playback of immersive media content, wherein the playback of the immersive media content includes visually perceptible media content that is displayed using the media control device; and
control the at least one VSM according to the received VSM control requests such that at least one of the

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Kamini Aditya S
• Elswick Richard
• Williams Nathaniel H

Classifications

• A63F13/25

  Output arrangements for video game devices · CPC title

• H04W4/44

  for communication between vehicles and infrastructures, e.g. vehicle-to-cloud [V2C] or vehicle-to-home [V2H] · CPC title

• B60H1/00985

  Control systems or circuits characterised by display or indicating devices, e.g. voice simulators (characterised by the input of sound using a voice synthesizer B60H1/00757; B60H1/00978 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60N2/56

  Heating or ventilating devices · CPC title

• H04W12/08

  Access security · CPC title