Remotely controlling electronic functions of a vehicle without an integrated touchscreen

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020254875-A1
Application number	US-201916272837-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 11, 2019
Priority date	Feb 11, 2019
Publication date	Aug 13, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

Techniques are described for remotely controlling functions of a vehicle without an integrated touchscreen. According to an embodiment, an auxiliary device is provided comprising a display and a processor that executes computer executable components stored in at least one memory. The computer executable component can comprise a feature acquisition component that determines electronic features of the vehicle that are respectively controlled by electromechanical controls of the vehicle, and a display component that displays a graphical user interface via the display wherein the graphical user interface comprises one or more graphical controls for controlling one or more features of the electronic features of the vehicle. The computer executable components further comprising a remote-control component that remotely controls the one or more features via interaction with the one or more graphical controls as rendered via the display.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An auxiliary device that facilitates remotely controlling functions of a vehicle without an integrated touchscreen, comprising:
a display; a processor that executes computer executable components stored in at least one memory; a feature acquisition component that determines electronic features of the vehicle that are respectively controlled by electromechanical controls of the vehicle; a display component that displays a graphical user interface via the display wherein the graphical user interface comprises one or more graphical controls for controlling one or more features of the electronic features of the vehicle; and a remote-control component that remotely controls the one or more features based on interaction with the one or more graphical controls as rendered via the display.

2 . The auxiliary device of claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary device comprises a mobile device that is physically detached from the vehicle.

3 . The auxiliary device of claim 1 , wherein the display comprises a touchscreen and wherein the one or more graphical controls comprise touch controls.

4 . The auxiliary device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a connection component that facilitates establishing a connection between the device and an onboard computing system of the vehicle, and wherein the remote-control component activates remote-control functionality of the one or more features using the one or more graphical controls based on establishment of the connection between the auxiliary device and the onboard computing system.

5 . The auxiliary device of claim 4 , wherein the onboard computing system comprises a control unit that controls execution of the one or more functions and wherein the remote-control component directs the control unit to execute the one or more functions in response to the interaction with the one or more graphical controls as displayed via the display.

6 . The auxiliary device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a selection component that selects the one or more features from the vehicle features based on usage privileges granted to the device or a user of the device.

7 . The auxiliary device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a selection component that selects the one or more features from the vehicle features based on context of the vehicle.

8 . The auxiliary device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a selection component that selects the one or more features from the vehicle features based on location of the device relative to the vehicle.

9 . The auxiliary device of claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary device comprises a first auxiliary device and wherein the first auxiliary device further comprises:
a privileges configuration component that facilitates defining usage privileges for enabling remote-control of the vehicle features by one or more second auxiliary devices.

10 . The auxiliary device of claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary device comprises a first auxiliary device and wherein the first auxiliary device further comprises:
an activation/deactivation component that controls activating and deactivating remote-control of the vehicle features by one or more second devices.

11 . The auxiliary device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a machine learning component that learns behavior of a user of the auxiliary device in association with usage of the graphical user interface to remotely control the one or more vehicle features and modifies the graphical controls based on the behavior.

12 . A computer-implemented method for remotely controlling features of a vehicle without an integrated touchscreen, the method comprising employing a processor to execute computer executable components stored in at least one memory to perform the following acts:
acquiring, by an auxiliary device, feature information identifying electronic features of the vehicle that are respectively controlled by electromechanical controls of the vehicle; rendering a graphical user interface via a display of the auxiliary device, the graphical user interface comprising one or more graphical controls for controlling one or more features of the electronic features of the vehicle; and remotely controlling the one or more features based on interaction with the one or more graphical controls as rendered via the display.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the auxiliary device comprises a mobile device that is physically detached from the vehicle, and wherein the display comprises a touchscreen and wherein the one or more graphical controls comprise touch controls.

14 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
establishing a connection between the auxiliary device and an onboard computing system of the vehicle; and activating remote-control functionality of the one or more features using the one or more graphical controls based on establishment of the connection between the auxiliary device and the onboard computing system.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the onboard computing system comprises a control unit that controls execution of the one or more functions and wherein the remotely controlling comprises directing the control unit to execute the one or more functions in response to the interaction with the one or more graphical controls as displayed via the display.

16 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
selecting the one or more features from the vehicle features based on usage privileges granted to the auxiliary device or a user of the auxiliary device.

17 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
selecting the one or more features from the vehicle features based on a context of the vehicle or a location of the auxiliary device.

18 . A computer program product that facilitates remotely controlling functions of a vehicle without an integrated touchscreen, the computer program product comprising readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a processor to cause the processor to:
determine feature information identifying electronic features of the vehicle that are respectively controlled by electromechanical controls of the vehicle; generate a graphical user interface for displaying at an auxiliary device, the graphical user interface comprising one or more graphical controls for controlling one or more features of the electronic features of the vehicle; and facilitate remote control of the one or more features by the auxiliary device based on interaction with the one or more graphical controls as rendered via the display.

19 . The computer program product of claim 19 , wherein the program instructions further cause the processor to:
activate remote-control functionality of the one or more features using the one or more graphical controls based on establishment of a secure wireless connection between the auxiliary device and an onboard computing system of the vehicle.

20 . The computer program product of claim 19 , wherein the program instructions further cause the processor to:
select the one or more features from the electronic features corresponding to the one or more graphical control for including in the graphical user interface based on usage privileges granted to the auxiliary device, or a user of the auxiliary device, or a context of the vehicle.

Assignees

• Volvo Car Corp

Inventors

• Strandberg Mats

Classifications

• G07C5/008 Primary

  communicating information to a remotely located station (transmission systems for measured values G08C) · CPC title

• H04M1/724098

  Interfacing with an on-board device of a vehicle (for hands-free speaking in vehicles H04M1/6075) · CPC title

• B60K35/85

  Arrangements for transferring vehicle- or driver-related data · CPC title

• B60K35/22

  Display screens · CPC title

• B60K35/80

  Arrangements for controlling instruments · CPC title