Autonomous vehicle entertainment system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9272708-B2
Application number	US-201314041364-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 30, 2013
Priority date	Sep 30, 2013
Publication date	Mar 1, 2016
Grant date	Mar 1, 2016

Abstract

A vehicle system includes an autonomous mode controller and an entertainment system controller. The autonomous mode controller controls a vehicle in an autonomous mode. The entertainment system controller presents media content on a first display while the vehicle is operating in the autonomous mode and on a second display when the vehicle is operating in a non-autonomous mode. A method includes determining whether a vehicle is operating in an autonomous mode, presenting media content on a first display while the vehicle is operating in the autonomous mode, and transferring presentation of the media content to a second display when the vehicle is operating in a non-autonomous mode.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vehicle system comprising:
an autonomous mode controller configured to control a vehicle in an autonomous mode;
an entertainment system controller configured to determine whether the vehicle is operating in the autonomous mode or a non-autonomous mode and present media content on a first display when the vehicle is operating in the autonomous mode and on a second display, and not the first display, when the vehicle is operating in a non-autonomous mode,
wherein the entertainment system controller is configured to present the media content on the first display when the vehicle is operating in the autonomous mode and transfer presentation of the media content to the second display when the vehicle is operating in the non-autonomous mode.

2. The vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein the entertainment system controller is configured to present the media content via the first display while the vehicle is operating in the autonomous mode and in response to a user input.

3. The vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein the entertainment system controller is configured to transfer the media content to the second display prior to the vehicle beginning to operate in the non-autonomous mode.

4. The vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein the entertainment system controller is configured to present the media content via the second display in response to a user input.

5. A method comprising:
determining whether a vehicle is operating in an autonomous mode;
presenting media content on a first display while the vehicle is operating in the autonomous mode;
determining whether the vehicle is operating in a non-autonomous mode; and
transferring presentation of the media content to a second display when the vehicle is operating in the non-autonomous mode, wherein the media content is not presented on the first display when the vehicle is operating in the non-autonomous mode.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the determination of whether the vehicle is operating in the autonomous mode includes monitoring at least one autonomous driving sensor.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the determination of whether the vehicle is operating in the autonomous mode is based at least in part on a signal received from an autonomous mode controller.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the media content is presented on the first display in response to a user input received while the vehicle is operating in the autonomous mode.

9. The method of claim 5 , further comprising activating the second display and transferring the media content to the second display prior to the vehicle operating in the non-autonomous mode.

10. The method of claim 5 , wherein the media content is presented on only the second display when the vehicle is operating in the non-autonomous mode.

11. The method of claim 5 , wherein the media content is presented on the first display in response to a user input.

12. The method of claim 5 , wherein the presentation of the media content is transferred to the second display in response to a user input.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium tangibly embodying computer-executable instructions that cause a processor to execute operations comprising:
determining whether a vehicle is operating in an autonomous mode;
presenting media content on a first display while the vehicle is operating in the autonomous mode;
determining whether the vehicle is operating in a non-autonomous mode; and
transferring presentation of the media content to a second display when the vehicle is operating in the non-autonomous mode, wherein the media content is not presented on the first display when the vehicle is operating in the non-autonomous mode.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the determination of whether the vehicle is operating in the autonomous mode includes monitoring at least one autonomous driving sensor.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the determination of whether the vehicle is operating in the autonomous mode is based at least in part on a signal received from an autonomous mode controller.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the media content is presented on the first display in response to a user input received while the vehicle is operating in the autonomous mode.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , further comprising activating the second display and transferring the media content to the second display prior to the vehicle operating in the non-autonomous mode.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the presentation of the media content is transferred to the second display in response to a user input.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Cuddihy Mark A
• Rao Manoharprasad K

Classifications

• B60K35/29

  Instruments characterised by the way in which information is handled, e.g. showing information on plural displays or prioritising information according to driving conditions · CPC title

• B60K35/81

  for controlling displays · CPC title

• B60K35/10

  Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor · CPC title

• B60K35/22

  Display screens · CPC title

• B60K35/60

  Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles (arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10) · CPC title