Modular vehicle HMI

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a "modular vehicle HMI". A docking member for receiving a modular programmable widget includes: a body defining a fixed channel for receiving the modular programmable widget, the fixed channel sized to conform to a profile of an attachment body at a rear of the modular programmable widget; a plurality of mating connectors, the plurality of mating connectors configured to receive contact pads of the modular programmable widget; and a positioner defined into the fixed channel by the fixed channel to assist in placing the modular programmable widget in a position in which the contact pads of the modular programmable widget are aligned with one of the mating connectors.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to a modular human machine interface (HMI) for a vehicle. Background Art

[0002] Many modern vehicles are equipped with electronic displays. An electronic instrument cluster, sometimes referred to as a digital instrument panel, includes a set of vehicle instruments that can be displayed using a configurable digital readout or display panel rather than using traditional analog instruments. Due to the configurable nature of the digital display, the electronic instrument cluster can be controlled by the user to display different elements of vehicle information. Summary of the invention

[0003] In one or more illustrative examples, a docking piece for receiving a modular programmable widget includes: a body defining a retaining channel for receiving the modular programmable widget, the retaining channel being sized to conform to a contour of an attachment body at a rear portion of the modular programmable widget; a plurality of docking connectors configured to receive contact pads of the modular programmable widget; and a locator defined by the retaining channel into the retaining channel to assist in placing the modular programmable widget in a position where the contact pad of the modular programmable widget is aligned with one of the docking connectors.

[0004] In one or more illustrative examples, a modular programmable widget system includes: a docking piece, the docking piece including a plurality of docking connectors, each docking connector having the same shape; and a plurality of modular programmable widgets, each modular programmable widget having: a front shell and a rear shell, the front shell and the rear shell defining a housing; one or more physical controls, the one or more physical controls being disposed on the front of the housing; contact pads, the contact pads being exposed by the housing for electrical connection to any of the docking connectors; and one or more features for mechanically connecting and securing the modular programmable widget to the docking piece. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0005] Figure 1 An exemplary block diagram of a vehicle supporting modular programmable widgets is shown;

[0006] Figure 2 An exemplary cutaway view of a vehicle interior supporting modular programmable widgets is shown;

[0007] Figure 3A shows an exemplary perspective view of a modular programmable widget having configurable buttons with a display;

[0008] Figure 3B shows an exemplary perspective view of a modular programmable widget having a configurable dial with a display;

[0009] Figure 3C shows an exemplary perspective view of a modular programmable widget with additional power and data ports;

[0010] Figure 3D shows an exemplary perspective view of a modular programmable widget with a configurable touch screen;

[0011] Figure 3E An exemplary perspective view of a modular programmable widget having a toggle button is shown;

[0012] Figure 3F shows an exemplary perspective view of a modular programmable widget having a camera;

[0013] Figure 3G shows an exemplary perspective view of a modular programmable widget having a biometric sensor;

[0014] Figure 3H An exemplary perspective view of a modular programmable widget having a credit card reader is shown;

[0015] Fig. 3I shows an exemplary perspective view of a modular programmable widget having a radio frequency identification (RFID) sensor;

[0016] Figure 3J An exemplary perspective view of a modular programmable widget having an inventory tracker is shown;

[0017] Figure 3K shows an exemplary perspective view of a modular programmable widget having an air quality sensor;

[0018] Figure 3L shows an exemplary perspective view of a modular programmable widget having a configurable light emitting diode (LED) light array;

[0019] Figure 3M shows an exemplary perspective view of a modular programmable widget having a configurable joystick;

[0020] Figure 3N shows an exemplary perspective view of a modular programmable widget having a configurable four-way button pad;

[0021] Fig.3O shows an exemplary perspective view of a modular programmable widget having a High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) port;

[0022] Figure 3P shows an exemplary perspective view of a modular programmable widget having an audio jack;

[0023] Figure 3Q An exemplary perspective view of a modular programmable widget with trailer controls is shown;

[0024] Figure 3R An exemplary perspective view of a modular programmable widget having a configurable multi-directional control is shown;

[0025] Figure 3S shows an exemplary perspective view of a modular programmable widget with an attached magnetic wireless charger;

[0026] Figure 3T shows an exemplary perspective view of a modular programmable widget having a configurable access channel button pad;

[0027] Figure 3U shows an exemplary perspective view of a modular programmable widget with an attached analog clock;

[0028] Figure 3V An exemplary perspective view of a modular programmable widget with a companion device is shown;

[0029] Figure 3W An exemplary perspective view of a modular programmable widget with brand logo is shown;

[0030] Figure 3X Shows that the length is 3A to 3W An exemplary perspective view of a modular programmable widget having a length that is a multiple of the length of a standard modular programmable widget shown in;

[0031] Figure 4A A configurable button with a display is shown. Figure 3A An exemplary exploded view of a modular programmable widget as shown in;

[0032] Figure 4B A configurable turntable with a display is shown. Figure 3B An exemplary exploded view of a modular programmable widget as shown in;

[0033] Figure 4C Shown with additional power and data ports Figure 3C An exemplary exploded view of a modular programmable widget as shown in;

[0034] Figure 4D shows a configurable touch screen Figure 3D An exemplary exploded view of a modular programmable widget as shown in;

[0035] Figure 5shows an exemplary exploded view of a docking piece for receiving a modular programmable widget;

[0036] Figure 6 Shown in assembled state Figure 5 A side cross-sectional view of a docking piece;

[0037] Figure 7 Shown in assembled state Figure 4B A side cutaway view of a modular programmable widget;

[0038] Fig. 8A showing a side view of a first operation of attaching an exemplary modular programmable widget to a docking piece;

[0039] Figure 8B showing a side view of a second operation of attaching an exemplary modular programmable widget to a docking piece;

[0040] Figure 8C shows a side view of a completed attachment of an exemplary modular programmable widget to a docking piece;

[0041] Fig. 9 shows an exemplary cutaway view of a vehicle interior supporting modular programmable widgets with an alternative packaging design;

[0042] Fig. 10A shows an exemplary perspective view of a modular programmable widget having configurable buttons;

[0043] Fig. 10B shows an exemplary perspective view of a modular programmable widget having a configurable dial;

[0044] Fig. 10C shows an exemplary perspective view of a modular programmable widget with an additional power / data port;

[0045] Fig. 10D shows an exemplary perspective view of a modular programmable widget having a configurable display;

[0046] Fig.10E An exemplary perspective view of a modular programmable widget with a companion device is shown;

[0047] Fig.10F shows an exemplary perspective view of a modular programmable widget having a configurable joystick;

[0048] Figure 10G An exemplary perspective view of a modular programmable widget with trailer controls is shown;

[0049] Fig. 10HAn exemplary perspective view of a modular programmable widget having a toggle button is shown;

[0050] Fig.10I Shows the length as FIG. 10A to FIG. 10H An exemplary perspective view of a modular programmable widget that is multiple times the length of a standard modular programmable widget shown in;

[0051] Fig.11 shows a configurable turntable Fig. 10B An exemplary side view of a modular programmable widget;

[0052] Fig.12 shows a configurable turntable Figure 8B An exemplary rear perspective view of a modular programmable widget;

[0053] Fig.13 shows a configurable turntable Figure 8B An exemplary exploded view of a modular programmable widget as shown in;

[0054] Fig.14 shows an exemplary front view of a docking piece for receiving a modular programmable widget;

[0055] Fig.15A showing perspective and side views of a first operation of attaching an exemplary alternative design modular programmable widget to a docking piece;

[0056] Fig. 15B showing perspective and side views of a second operation of attaching an exemplary alternative design modular programmable widget to a docking piece;

[0057] Fig. 15C showing a perspective and side view of a completed attachment of an exemplary alternative design modular programmable widget to a docking piece;

[0058] Fig.16 shows a perspective view of a docking piece integrated beneath a configurable display of a vehicle for attaching modular programmable widgets;

[0059] Fig.17 Shown in assembled form and attached to a docking piece Figure 8B and Figure 12 to Figure 13 A side cutaway view of a modular programmable widget shown in;

[0060] Fig.18 Removal of the rotary dial from the assembled modular programmable widget is shown to allow replacement of the signifier cap;

[0061] Fig.19A selection of different logo covers is shown, each with a different customizable front face;

[0062] Fig. 20 An exemplary selection of different identification covers mounted to various modular programmable widgets is shown;

[0063] Fig.21A showing a front perspective view of an empty mobile docking piece without any modular programmable widgets attached;

[0064] Fig.21B a front perspective view showing a mobile docking piece during attachment of a modular programmable widget;

[0065] Fig. 21C showing a front perspective view of a mobile docking piece with a modular programmable widget attached;

[0066] Fig.21D showing a rear perspective view of a mobile docking piece with a modular programmable widget attached;

[0067] Fig. 22 shows an exemplary cutaway view of a vehicle interior supporting modular programmable widgets having another alternative packaging design;

[0068] Fig.23A shows an exemplary perspective view of a modular programmable widget having configurable buttons;

[0069] Fig. 23B shows an exemplary perspective view of a modular programmable widget having a configurable dial;

[0070] Fig.23C shows an exemplary perspective view of a modular programmable widget with an additional power / data port;

[0071] Fig.23D shows an exemplary perspective view of a modular programmable widget having a configurable display;

[0072] Fig.23E An exemplary perspective view of a modular programmable widget with a companion device is shown;

[0073] Fig.23F shows an exemplary perspective view of a modular programmable widget having a configurable dial with a display;

[0074] Figure 23G Shows the length as FIG. 23A to FIG. 23F An exemplary perspective view of a modular programmable widget that is multiple times the length of a standard modular programmable widget shown in;

[0075] Fig.24shows a configurable button Fig.23A An exemplary exploded view of a modular programmable widget as shown in;

[0076] Fig.25 shows a perspective view of a docking piece integrated beneath a configurable display of a vehicle for attaching modular programmable widgets;

[0077] Fig.26A shows a side view of the operation of attaching an exemplary modular programmable widget to a docking piece;

[0078] Fig.26B shows a side view of a completed attachment of an exemplary modular programmable widget to a docking piece;

[0079] Fig. 27 An example of a home dock configured to receive a modular programmable widget is shown;

[0080] Fig.28A An example of a first set of modular programmable widgets in a common hard-coded, individual configuration is shown;

[0081] Fig.28B An example of a second set of modular programmable widgets in configurable individual configurations is shown;

[0082] Fig.28C shows an example of a third set of modular programmable widgets in a common grouped and configurable individual configuration;

[0083] Fig.28D showing an example of a fourth set of modular programmable widgets in a hard-coded grouped configuration;

[0084] Fig.28E showing an example of a fifth set of modular programmable widgets in a configurable grouped configuration;

[0085] Fig.28F An example of a sixth set of modular programmable widgets in a hybrid bar configuration is shown;

[0086] Fig.29A shows an exemplary perspective view of a modular programmable widget having configurable buttons with a display;

[0087] Fig.29B shows an exemplary perspective view of a modular programmable widget having a configurable dial with a display;

[0088] Fig.29C shows an exemplary perspective view of a modular programmable widget with additional power and data ports;

[0089] Fig.29D An exemplary perspective view of a modular programmable widget having a toggle button is shown;

[0090] Fig.29E shows an exemplary perspective view of a modular programmable widget with a configurable touch screen;

[0091] Fig.30 shows a perspective view of a docking piece integrated beneath a configurable display of a vehicle for attaching modular programmable widgets;

[0092] Fig.31 shows a configurable turntable Fig.29B An exemplary exploded view of a modular programmable widget as shown in;

[0093] Fig.32 shows a side cutaway view of an exemplary modular programmable widget attached to a docking piece;

[0094] Fig.33A shows a side cutaway view of a modular programmable widget with a locking slide in a locked position;

[0095] Fig.33B Shown with the locking slide in the unlocked position Fig.33A A side cutaway view of a modular programmable widget;

[0096] Fig.33C Shown is a locking slider in a locked position Fig.33A A rear perspective partially transparent view of the modular programmable widget;

[0097] Fig.34A shows a side cutaway view of a modular programmable widget having an alternative locking mechanism using a locking slide in a locked position;

[0098] Fig.34B Shown with the locking cam in the unlocked position Fig.34A A side cutaway view of a modular programmable widget;

[0099] Fig.34C Shown with locking cam in locked position Fig.34A A rear perspective partially transparent view of the modular programmable widget;

[0100] Fig.35A An example of a storage compartment with integrated docking functionality is shown shown in a closed position;

[0101] Fig.35B Shown in open position with Fig.35AAn example of a storage compartment with integrated docking;

[0102] Fig.36A The use of a phone charger and docking plate for use with a storage compartment is shown;

[0103] Fig.36B A single phone dock is shown with a landscape orientation;

[0104] Fig.36C A dual phone dock is shown with a portrait orientation;

[0105] Fig.37A An example of a rotating dock having four rotating docking slots is shown, wherein a first docking slot is in an open position and holds a modular programmable widget, a second docking slot is in an intermediate position, and the remaining docking slots are in a closed position;

[0106] Fig.37B An example of a rotating dock having four rotating docking slots is shown, wherein a first docking slot is in an open position and holds a modular programmable widget, a second docking slot is in an open position and is empty, and the remaining docking slots are in a closed position;

[0107] Fig.37C An example of a rotating docking piece having four rotating docking slots is shown, wherein the first two docking slots are open and filled with modular programmable widgets, and the remaining docking slots are in a closed position;

[0108] Fig.37D An example of a swivel docking piece having four swivel docking slots is shown, wherein the first two docking slots are open and empty, and the remaining docking slots are in a closed position;

[0109] Fig.38A An exemplary physical toggle button for facilitating switching between a home mode and an away mode is shown, wherein the physical toggle button is in the away mode;

[0110] Fig.38B An exemplary physical toggle button for facilitating switching between a home mode and an away mode is shown, wherein the physical toggle button is in the home mode;

[0111] Fig.39A An exemplary flip-up physical toggle button for switching between home mode and away mode is shown;

[0112] Fig.39B An exemplary sliding physical toggle button for switching between home mode and away mode is shown;

[0113] Fig.39CAn exemplary toggle physical switch button for switching between home mode and away mode is shown;

[0114] Fig.39D An exemplary push-button physical toggle button for switching between home mode and away mode is shown;

[0115] Fig.40 shows an exemplary home screen of a configurable display from which configuration screens for home mode and away mode may be selected;

[0116] Fig.41 An exemplary configuration screen for a configurable display is shown;

[0117] Fig.42 An exemplary process for configuration of a physical toggle button is shown;

[0118] Fig.43 An exemplary process for executing a mode change triggered by a physical toggle button is shown;

[0119] Fig.44 An exemplary process for configuration of a modular programmable widget is shown; and

[0120] Fig.45 An exemplary process for use of a modular programmable widget is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0121] As required, detailed embodiments of the present disclosure are disclosed herein; however, it should be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely examples of the present disclosure, which may be implemented in various and alternative forms. The drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale; some features may be enlarged or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, the specific structural details and functional details disclosed herein should not be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching those skilled in the art to adopt the present disclosure in different ways.

[0122] Some vehicle HMIs offer a primarily touch-based interface with few physical controls. Such an interior can provide simplicity and minimalism. However, some users may desire tactile controls. Each user may have different preferences, and the ability to customize the user interface may be a user desire.

[0123] The enhanced vehicle HMI can support modular programmable widgets. These widgets can include various modular and programmable tactile buttons, knobs, switches or other physical controls. The modular programmable widgets can be installed to the vehicle and assigned to various functions. Once attached and configured, the physical controls of the modular programmable widgets can provide fast, customized access to the configured functions. This article describes other aspects of the modular programmable widgets in detail.

[0124] Figure 1 An exemplary block diagram 100 of a vehicle 102 supporting modular programmable widgets 116 is shown. The vehicle 102 may include various types of passenger vehicles, such as a crossover utility vehicle (CUV), a sport utility vehicle (SUV), a truck, a recreational vehicle (RV), a boat, an airplane, or other mobile machines for transporting people or goods. It should be noted that the illustrated vehicle 102 is merely an example, and more, fewer, and / or differently positioned elements may be used.

[0125] The HMI display system 104 of the vehicle 102 may include one or more processors 106 configured to execute instructions, commands, and other routines supporting the processes described herein. For example, the HMI display system 104 may be configured to execute instructions of a display application 132 loaded into the memory 108 to provide information display features. Such instructions and other data may be maintained in a non-volatile manner using various types of computer-readable media 110. Computer-readable media 110 (also referred to as processor-readable media or storage devices) include any non-transitory media (e.g., tangible media) that participate in providing instructions or other data that can be read by the processor 106 of the HMI display system 104. Computer-executable instructions may be compiled or interpreted according to a computer program created using a variety of programming languages ​​and / or technologies, including but not limited to the following items, alone or in combination: Java, C, C++, Objective C, Fortran, Pascal, JavaScript, Python, Perl, Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), etc.

[0126] The HMI display system 104 may be provided with various functions to allow the occupants to interact with the vehicle 102. The HMI display system 104 may drive or otherwise communicate with one or more configurable displays 114 configured to provide visual output to the vehicle 102 occupants and receive touch input from the occupants via a display controller 118. In another example, the HMI display system 104 may include a widget controller 112 configured to receive user input indicating occupant-vehicle interaction from one or more modular programmable widgets 116 of the vehicle 102. These modular programmable widgets 116 may include various controls, such as buttons or knobs.

[0127] Figure 2 An exemplary cross-sectional view of a vehicle interior 200 supporting modular programmable widgets 116 is shown. Figure 2As shown, the HMI display system 104 of the vehicle 102 can provide a touch-based user interface via one or more configurable displays 114. To meet the requirements of users who wish to use hardware controls, the HMI display system 104 can provide the ability to add, remove, and configure modular programmable widgets 116 using the configurable displays 114. The modular programmable widgets 116 can provide a customizable tactile HMI for various vehicle 102 functions. Controls can be assigned to various functions, such as calling up labeled display screens, or allowing direct configuration of settings, such as utility controls (e.g., towing functions), climate control, gig work functions (e.g., ridesharing), media control functions, smart home settings, vehicle settings, etc.

[0128] As shown, one or more first modular programmable widgets 116 can be attached to a docking piece 202A of a center console configurable display 114. The driver and passengers can easily access this position below the center console configurable display 114. It is also shown that one or more second modular programmable widgets 116 can be attached to a console compartment docking piece 202B. Here, the second modular programmable widget 116 is attached to the console compartment docking piece 202B for access by rear passengers, which may be useful for both retail and vehicle as a service (VaaS) use cases. As further shown, one or more third modular programmable widgets 116 can be attached to a cargo docking piece 202C in the rear cargo area. It should also be noted that the vehicle interior 200 shown is an example, and an interior with more, fewer, or differently positioned components can be used.

[0129] Reference Figure 1 , the HMI display system 104 can also be configured to communicate with other components of the vehicle 102 via one or more in-vehicle buses 120. As some non-limiting possibilities, the in-vehicle bus 120 may include one or more of a vehicle controller area network (CAN), an Ethernet network, and a media-oriented system transmission (MOST). The in-vehicle bus 120 may allow the HMI display system 104 to send information related to the HMI to other vehicle 102 systems or receive information related to the HMI from other vehicle 102 systems. The exemplary vehicle system discussed herein can communicate with the HMI display system 104 via the main in-vehicle bus 120. In other examples, the HMI display system 104 can be connected to more or less in-vehicle buses 120, and one or more modular programmable widgets 116 or other components can be connected to the HMI display system 104 via the in-vehicle bus 120 or directly connected to the HMI display system 104 without being connected to the in-vehicle bus 120.

[0130] As some non-limiting examples, the powertrain control module 122 may be a component that communicates with the HMI display system 104 and may be configured to provide information to the HMI display system 104 regarding control of engine operating components (e.g., idle speed control, fuel delivery, emission control, engine diagnostic codes, etc.). The body control module 124 may be configured to manage various power control functions, such as exterior lighting, interior lighting, keyless entry, remote start, and provide information to the HMI display system 104 such as access point status information (e.g., the closed state of the hood, doors, and / or trunk of the vehicle 102). The climate control module 126 may be configured to provide control and monitoring of heating and cooling system components, and provide information about components to the HMI display system 104 (e.g., compressor clutch and blower fan control, temperature sensor information, etc.). The stability control module 128 may be configured to perform functions such as active suspension control, traction control, and trailer control, and provide sensed vehicle 102 dynamics information such as roll angle, pitch angle, yaw rate, roll rate, pitch rate, lateral and longitudinal time variations, lateral and longitudinal acceleration, tire slip, tire slip rate, and infotainment system modules to the HMI display system 104. The telematics control module 130 may include an in-vehicle modem configured to access communication services of a communication network (not shown), and may provide packet-switched network services (e.g., Internet access, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) communication services) to the HMI display system 104 and to other devices connected via the in-vehicle bus 120.

[0131] The display application 132 may be installed to the HMI display system 104 and used to allow the vehicle 102 to provide output to the display controller 118 so that the configurable display 114 conveys information to the driver related to the operation of the vehicle 102. In one example, the display application 132 may be configured to provide a menu structure via the configurable display 114 having a set of categories where information screens are placed, such as media selections, trip / fuel information, navigation, towing information, etc.

[0132] The menu structure may also include information screens that may be selected from the categories. For example, the trip / fuel category may include a trip counter screen for a first trip counter, a trip counter screen for a second trip counter, a fuel economy screen, a fuel history screen, and a navigation / compass screen. When a screen is selected from the menu structure (e.g., via touch input to the configurable display 114, via user manipulation of the modular programmable widgets 116, via voice commands, etc.), the selected screen or function may be provided on the configurable display 114.

[0133] As shown in more detail below, the display application 132 may also be configured to allow a user to configure the modular programmable widgets 116 to operate as shortcuts to various functions of the HMI display system 104. Thus, while driving, a user may be able to quickly access labeled functions or screens using the modular programmable widgets 116 to provide quick selections on the configurable display 114 via the HMI display system 104.

[0134] The display application 132 may maintain display settings 134 that indicate the mapping of the modular programmable widgets 116 to the functions of the HMI display system 104. For example, in response to the connection of the modular programmable widgets 116 to the HMI display system 104, the display application 132 may transform the configurable display 114 into a screen for the configuration of the modular programmable widgets 116. The configurable display 114 may allow a user to select which functions are to be controlled by which controls of the modular programmable widgets 116. The display settings 134 may then be stored to the memory 108 and used to interpret input received by the HMI display system 104 to the modular programmable widgets 116.

[0135] Various types of modular programmable widgets 116 may be utilized. In a first option, the modular programmable widget 116 may utilize a toe-in mechanism. Figures 2 to 8C The details of the first option are discussed below. In another option, the modular programmable widget 116 may utilize an alternative form factor for the toe-in mechanism. Figures 9 to 21D The details of the second option are discussed below. In yet another option, the modular programmable widget 116 can utilize a magnetic attachment port design. Figures 22 to 28F The details of the third option are discussed below. In yet another option, the modular programmable widget 116 can utilize a pin connector. FIG. 29A to FIG. 32 Discuss the details of option 4. FIG. 33A to FIG. 33C and FIG. 34A to FIG. 34C The optional locking aspects of the modular programmable widget 116 are discussed.

[0136] FIG. 3A to FIG. 3D An exemplary modular programmable widget 116 is shown. FIG. 3A to FIG. 3D, a housing having a generally rectangular prism shape may be defined by a front housing 302 and a rear housing 304. The front housing 302 may define a generally flat front surface of the modular programmable widget 116, a top surface of the modular programmable widget 116, and a front portion of the side walls. The rear housing 304 may define the remainder of the housing, including the rear wall and the rear portions of the side walls, bottom wall, and top wall. The front housing 302 and the rear housing 304 may together house the internal circuitry and other components of the modular programmable widget 116. Controls may be provided on the front of the front housing 302, and a connection to the vehicle 102 may be provided via a contact pad 306 exposed through the top of the rear housing 304. The contact pad 306 may allow data and power to be transmitted between the modular programmable widget 116 and the docking piece 202. In one example, the contact pad 306 may be a leaf spring contact.

[0137] The front housing 302 may expose various controls that may provide interaction with a user. Figure 3A In an example of , this can include a configurable button 308. In some examples, the configurable button 308 can also include a display 310 integrated into the front face of the configurable button 308. The display 310 can be programmed to display various content to the user. As one possibility, the display 310 can be used to show an icon or other representation of the function assigned to the configurable button 308.

[0138] Figure 3B An exemplary modular programmable widget 116 having a configurable dial 312 with a display 310 is shown. The configurable dial 312 may include a rotary encoder configured to receive rotational input from a user, e.g., for selecting a continuous parameter such as volume or temperature, for selecting from a menu of options, etc. The configurable dial 312 may optionally include button functionality (similar to the operation of the configurable button 308) such that the configurable dial 312 may be pressed for binary parameter control (e.g., mute), preset recall, move to the next item in a list (e.g., of media inputs, radio stations, etc.). Similar to the configurable button 308, the configurable dial 312 may also include a display 310 such that an icon or other representation of the function assigned to the configurable dial 312 may be shown on the front of the configurable dial 312.

[0139] Figure 3C An exemplary modular programmable widget 116 is shown with an additional power and data port 314. As shown, Figure 3C The modular programmable widget 116 in FIG. 1 provides two USB power / data ports 314 , but this is merely an example and the modular programmable widget 116 may expose a different number and type of connectors.

[0140] Figure 3DAn exemplary modular programmable widget 116 is shown having a configurable touch screen 316. As shown in this example, the modular programmable widget 116 provides a flat rectangular touch screen 316 across a front surface of the modular programmable widget 116.

[0141] It should be noted that FIG. 3A to FIG. 3D The modular programmable widgets 116 shown are examples only, and modular programmable widgets 116 having more, fewer, or different features may be used. FIG. 3E to FIG. 3W Further examples of possible modular programmable widgets 116 are shown in .

[0142] Figure 3E An exemplary modular programmable widget 116 is shown having a toggle button 318. The toggle button 318 may be used, for example, to turn a feature or other functionality on or off. Figure 3F An exemplary modular programmable widget 116 having a camera 320 is shown. Figure 3G An exemplary modular programmable widget 116 having a biometric sensor 322 is shown. Figure 3H An exemplary modular programmable widget 116 having a credit card reader 324 is shown. Fig. 3I An exemplary modular programmable widget 116 having an RFID sensor 326 is shown. Figure 3J An exemplary modular programmable widget 116 having an inventory tracker 328 is shown.

[0143] Figure 3K An exemplary modular programmable widget 116 having an air quality sensor 330 is shown. Figure 3L An exemplary modular programmable widget 116 having a configurable LED light array 332 is shown. Figure 3M An exemplary modular programmable widget 116 having a configurable joystick 334 is shown. Figure 3N An exemplary modular programmable widget 116 is shown having a configurable four-way button pad 336. The buttons of the configurable four-way button pad 336 (as well as any other buttons on the various modular programmable widgets 116) can be individually assigned to functions, and / or used to adjust a continuous parameter up or down, such as volume or temperature. Fig.3O An exemplary modular programmable widget 116 having an HDMI port 338 is shown. Figure 3P An exemplary modular programmable widget 116 having an audio jack 340 is shown.

[0144] Figure 3Q An exemplary modular programmable widget 116 having a trailer control 342 is shown. Figure 3RAn exemplary modular programmable widget 116 having a configurable multi-directional control 344 is shown. Figure 3S An exemplary modular programmable widget 116 with an attached magnetic wireless charger 346 is shown. Figure 3T An exemplary modular programmable widget 116 having a configurable access channel button pad 348 is shown. Figure 3U An exemplary modular programmable widget 116 with an attached analog clock 350 is shown. Figure 3V An exemplary modular programmable widget 116 with an accompanying device 352 is shown. Figure 3W An exemplary perspective view of a modular programmable widget is shown with a brand logo 354. This may allow, for example, the modular programmable widget 116 to be provided with hard-coded co-branded functionality associated with a third party.

[0145] It should be noted that 3A to 3W The modular programmable widgets 116 shown in the figure each have the same outer dimensions. This standard size allows for easy addition and removal of modular programmable widgets 116 from the docking piece 202. However, in other cases, the modular programmable widgets 116 may include modular programmable widgets 116 having a larger physical size. Such modular programmable widgets 116 may be able to include more controls than the default size of the modular programmable widgets 116.

[0146] Figure 3X Shows the length as 3A to 3W In the exemplary modular programmable widget 116 shown in FIG. 1 , the length of the modular programmable widget 116 is three times the length of the standard modular programmable widget 116. Due to the increased length, Figure 3X The modular programmable widget 116 in the embodiment of the present invention can provide additional controls. Here, a plurality of configurable dials 312 (three as shown) are spaced along the front housing 302, with two additional power / data ports 314 disposed in the spaces between the configurable dials 312. In one example, the configurable dials 312 of the modular programmable widget 116 can provide a set of predefined second row controls, such as volume, temperature, and fan speed controls.

[0147] It should also be noted that in some examples, the modular programmable widget 116 may carry a brand logo 354 or other indicia of a brand. This may allow, for example, the modular programmable widget 116 to be provided with hard-coded co-branded functionality associated with a third party. For example, when pressed, the modular programmable widget 116 may provide co-branded access to a third-party product, invoke functionality of a third-party product, activate a gaming feature of a third-party product, and / or display content from a third-party product, as some non-limiting examples.

[0148] Figure 4A A configurable button 308 with a display 310 is shown. Figure 3A 1 is an exemplary exploded view of the modular programmable widget 116 shown in FIG. As described above, the modular programmable widget 116 includes a front housing 302 and a rear housing 304. Here, the rear housing 304 defines a portion of the rear wall and side walls of a right-angled rectangular prism shape, while the front housing 302 defines the remaining front face and side wall portions of the rectangular prism.

[0149] The modular programmable widget 116 also includes an internal magnet 402 that is configured to hold the modular programmable widget 116 in place. In one example, the inside rear wall of the rear housing 304 defines a magnet recess 404 that extends longitudinally across the rear wall and is sized to receive and hold the internal magnet 402 in place. As shown, the internal magnet 402 and the magnet recess 404 are each generally rectangular in shape, but variations in shape are possible.

[0150] The modular programmable widget 116 also includes a main circuit board 406 that is configured to physically hold the electronic components of the modular programmable widget 116. For example, the main circuit board 406 may hold components responsible for communicating data with the vehicle 102 and / or receiving power from the vehicle 102. The main circuit board 406 may also hold components that support specific functions of the modular programmable widget 116. The main circuit board 406 may also define circuit traces and / or wires to electrically connect the electrical components to each other.

[0151] In one aspect, the main circuit board 406 can be physically and electrically connected to the component to allow the modular programmable widget 116 to be electrically connected to the docking piece 202. For example, a flexible strip 408 can be used to connect the main circuit board 406 to the contact pads 306 exposed by the modular programmable widget 116. A first end of the flexible strip 408 can terminate in the contact pads 306, thereby allowing the modular programmable widget 116 to be electrically connected to the docking piece 202. The modular programmable widget 116 can also include a contact base 410 connected to a second end of the flexible strip 408. The contact base 410 can provide mechanical rigidity to the contact pads 306 and can also slide into and be retained in a contact slot 412 formed in the inner rear wall of the rear housing 304.

[0152] The rear housing 304 of the modular programmable widget 116 can define a generally flat vertical surface of the rear of the modular programmable widget 116. The attachment body 414 can form a frustum or other shape extending rearward from the rear housing 304. In one example, the attachment body 414 can extend rearward from the top of the vertical rear wall of the rear housing 304 and then taper toward a lower portion of the rear face of the rear housing 304.

[0153] Due to the greater depth provided at the upper side of the modular programmable widget 116, the contact window 416 can be defined by the top of the attachment body 414 above the contact slot 412 and can be configured to expose the contact point 306 through the top of the rear housing 304 for electrical connection to the docking member 202. The attachment body 414 can also be used to lock the modular programmable widget 116 into place in the docking member 202, as described with respect to FIG. 8A to FIG. 8C Further details are shown.

[0154] The front housing 302 may define a front window 418 that defines locations for mounting controls of the modular programmable widget 116. Figure 4A In the example shown in , the modular programmable widget 116 is a configurable button 308 , and the front window 418 is sized to receive the component of the configurable button 308 .

[0155] The top surface of the front housing 302 may also define a detent groove 420 that provides a concave surface along the length of the top surface of the front housing 302. The detent groove 420 may help align, position, and / or lock the modular programmable widget 116 into the dock 202.

[0156] The configurable button 308 can be formed from a component stack including a display board 422, the display 310 itself, a display lens 424, and a button bezel 426. The display board 422 can be configured to hold the display 310, as well as provide for mounting a flexible band 428 to the display 310. The display board 422 can also include a switch component configured to sense whether a user is pressing the configurable button 308 mechanism. The flexible band 428 can be connected to the main circuit board 406 and used to transmit information, such as button press status and information indicating what to display to the display 310.

[0157] The display lens 424 can be configured to protect the display 310 and can be formed of a flat disk of material that allows light to pass through, such as clear plastic or glass. The button bezel 426 can be formed as a disk of material sized to surround the display lens 424. The front window 418 of the front housing 302 can define a flange 430 of the same thickness as the button bezel 426, which is spaced apart from the front face of the front housing 302. Thus, when assembled, the front of the display lens 424 and the button bezel 426 can be flush with the front surface of the front housing 302.

[0158] To facilitate assembly of the modular programmable widget 116, one or more fasteners 432 (such as screws or pins) may be used to hold the rear housing 304 and the front housing 302 together. In one example, a through hole 434 may be formed through the rear of the rear housing 304, which may be aligned with a through hole 436 through the main circuit board 406 and ultimately secured to a hole (e.g., a threaded hole, not shown) into the rear face of the front housing 302. It should be noted that in other examples, other methods of assembling the modular programmable widget 116 may be used, such as a snap-fit ​​connector and / or glue.

[0159] Figure 4B A configurable dial 312 with a display 310 is shown. Figure 3B An exemplary exploded view of the modular programmable widget 116 is shown in FIG. Figure 4A As shown in , the configurable turntable 312 includes components such as the front shell 302, the rear shell 304, the internal magnet 402, the main circuit board 406, the flexible belt 428, the contact base 410, the display 310, the display panel 422, the display lens 424 and the flexible belt 428.

[0160] To support the functionality of the turntable, the modular programmable widget 116 may also include a rotary encoder 438 mounted to the main circuit board 406. The rotary encoder 438 may be configured to convert the rotational movement and / or speed of its encoder shaft 440 into electrical signals using a variety of mechanical, optical, and / or magnetic techniques. An encoder stop 442 may surround the rotary encoder 438 and may be used to provide spacing between the main circuit board 406 and the front housing 302. The size of the front window 418 may be designed to be the diameter of the encoder shaft 440 of the rotary encoder 438. When assembled, the encoder shaft 440 may be configured to be inserted outward through the front window 418 of the front housing 302 until the rear of the front housing 302 abuts the front of the encoder stop 442.

[0161] The encoder bearing 444 can be pressed onto the encoder shaft 440 protruding from the front window 418. The encoder bearing 444 can be a hollow cylindrical shape, such as a washer, which defines a bearing hole 445 through its hollow center, the diameter of which is sufficient to engage the outer cylindrical surface of the encoder shaft 440. The encoder bearing 444 can be connected to the encoder shaft 440 and rotate with it. In order to prevent the encoder bearing 444 from sliding relative to the encoder shaft 440, in some examples, the encoder shaft 440 can provide one or more detents or protrusions, which are configured to be received in corresponding features of the interior of the encoder bearing 444.

[0162] The display housing 446 can be configured to hold a fixed component of the modular programmable widget 116 that does not rotate with the rotary encoder 438. For example, the display housing 446 can define a generally cylindrical outer shell 448 that is configured to hold the display panel 422, the display 310, and the display lens 424. The outer shell 448 can define one or more openings in its circumference to receive corresponding attachment points 450 extending radially outward from the body of the display panel 422. This can allow the display panel 422 to be mounted in a fixed position within the outer shell 448.

[0163] The display housing 446 may also define a wire retainer 452 extending from the outer housing 448 into the interior of the hollow encoder shaft 440. The wire retainer 452 may define an opening through its center to retain the flexible band 428 between the display 310 and the main circuit board 406 and guide the flexible band 428 through the interior of the rotary encoder 438.

[0164] The rotating dial 454 may be sized to receive the encoder bearing 444 and provide a surface for manipulation of the rotary encoder 438 by a user. Once the display panel 422, display 310, and display lens 424 components are installed within the display housing 446, the rotating dial 454 may snap onto the exterior of the encoder bearing 444. The rotating dial 454 may be rotated by the user to allow rotation of the rotary encoder 438, and may also serve as a bezel to surround and protect the display 310 components.

[0165] Figure 4C An additional power and data port 314 is shown. Figure 3C An exemplary exploded view of the modular programmable widget 116 is shown in FIG. FIG. 4A to FIG. 4B As shown in , the modular programmable widget 116 as shown includes components such as a front housing 302 , a rear housing 304 , an internal magnet 402 , a main circuit board 406 , a flexible band 428 , and a contact base 410 .

[0166] Additionally, the modular programmable widget 116 may include one or more power / data ports 314 mounted to the main circuit board 406. The front housing 302 may also define a port aperture 456 corresponding to the location of the power / data port 314. Thus, this allows the power / data port 314 to be accessible for use in the assembled modular programmable widget 116.

[0167] Figure 4D A configurable touch screen 316 is shown. Figure 3D An exemplary exploded view of the modular programmable widget 116 is shown in FIG. FIG. 4A to FIG. 4C As shown in , the modular programmable widget 116 with a configurable touch screen 316 includes components such as a front housing 302 , a rear housing 304 , an internal magnet 402 , a main circuit board 406 , a flexible band 428 , and a contact base 410 .

[0168] In addition, the modular programmable widget 116 includes a display 310 and a display lens 424, but in this example has a long rectangular shape. The front window 418 of the front housing 302 can be sized to cover a rectangular shape that covers most of the front of the modular programmable widget 116. Similar to what is discussed above, the front window 418 can also define a flange 430 for receiving the display lens 424. In this example, the flexible band 428 can connect the display 310 to the main circuit board 406 without the need for an intermediate display board 422.

[0169] Figure 5An exemplary exploded view of a docking piece 202 for receiving a modular programmable widget 116 is shown. In one example, the docking piece 202 shown may be a docking piece 202A for a center console configurable display 114. As shown, the docking piece 202 includes a main base plate 502, a main docking plate 504, an upper shell 506, a ferrous metal strip 508, and a lower shell 510.

[0170] The main substrate 502 can define a fixing channel 512 for receiving the modular programmable widget 116. The fixing channel 512 can be sized to conform to the contour of the attachment body 414 of the rear portion of the modular programmable widget 116. The main docking plate 504 can expose docking connectors 514 extending downwardly from its lower surface. The docking connectors 514 can be configured to receive the contact pads 306 of the modular programmable widget 116. These docking connectors 514 can be sized to fit within the contact holes 516 in the upper surface of the fixing channel 512.

[0171] The securing channels 512 may also define locators 518 extending downwardly into the securing channels 512 on either side of each of the docking connectors 514. These locators 518 may be used to help place the modular programmable widget 116 in a position where the contact pads 306 of the modular programmable widget 116 are aligned with the docking connectors 514.

[0172] The upper end of the fixing channel 512 can define a protrusion 520 that matches the profile of the concave positioning groove 420 in the top of the front housing 302 of the modular programmable widget 116. Here, the protrusion 520 is a circular shape having a diameter that is approximately the same as the concave surface of the positioning groove 420. The protrusion 520 can be used as a boss to guide the modular programmable widget 116 to rotate into the appropriate position to snap into place, such as FIG. 8A to FIG. 8C When installed in place, the contact pads 306 can be electrically connected to the docking connector 514, which in turn is connected to the cable 522 to connect to the widget controller 112. The upper housing 506 can be configured to fit over the main base plate 502 and the main docking plate 504 to provide a smooth, refined appearance to the front of the docking piece 202.

[0173] Under the main base plate 502, the ferrous metal strip 508 can define an elongated generally rectangular magnetic surface. The ferrous metal strip 508 can be mounted under the fixing channel 512 and can be attracted by the internal magnets 402 of the modular programmable widget 116 to fix the modular programmable widget 116 in place. The lower housing 510 can be configured to fit under the main base plate 502 and the ferrous metal strip 508 to provide a smooth, finished appearance to the bottom of the docking piece 202.

[0174] Figure 6 Shown in assembled state Figure 6 A side cross-sectional view of the docking piece 202. Figure 7 Shown in assembled state Figure 4B 1 is a side cross-sectional view of the modular programmable widget 116. As shown, the docking piece 202 and components of the modular programmable widget 116 include aspects that facilitate their selective mechanical and electrical connection.

[0175] Fig. 8A A side view of a first operation A of attaching an exemplary modular programmable widget 116 to a dock 202 is shown. As shown, operation A includes moving the modular programmable widget 116 toward the dock 202 such that the positioning recess 420 of the modular programmable widget 116 is aligned with the protrusion 520 of the dock 202.

[0176] Figure 8B A second operation B of attaching the exemplary modular programmable widget 116 to the docking piece 202 is shown. As shown, operation B includes pivoting the modular programmable widget 116 about the protrusion 520 once the positioning groove 420 is engaged with the protrusion 520, so that the attachment body 414 of the modular programmable widget 116 moves into the fixing channel 512. In doing so, the contact pad 306 of the modular programmable widget 116 moves toward electrical contact with the docking connector 514 of the docking piece 202.

[0177] Figure 8C The completed attachment of the exemplary modular programmable widget 116 to the docking piece 202 is shown. As shown, the attachment body 414 fits into the inner surface of the fixing channel 512, and the contact pads 306 of the modular programmable widget 116 are in electrical contact with the docking connector 514 of the docking piece 202. Moreover, the internal magnet 402 of the modular programmable widget 116 is attracted to the ferrous metal strip 508 within the docking piece 202, thereby providing a force to hold the modular programmable widget 116 in place within the docking piece 202.

[0178] It is noteworthy that despite the differences in controls and sizes of the modular programmable widgets 116, the modular programmable widgets 116 each define the same connection features. For example, each of the modular programmable widgets 116 has the same electrical contact pads 306 and positioning grooves 420 as discussed above. Therefore, any of the modular programmable widgets 116 can be connected to the docking piece 202, allowing the user to select any modular programmable widget 116 with the desired controls and / or appearance.

[0179] Fig. 9An exemplary cross-sectional view of a vehicle interior 200 supporting modular programmable widgets 116 with alternative packaging designs is shown. Similar to what was shown previously, one or more first modular programmable widgets 116 can be attached to a docking piece 202A of a center console configurable display 114. The driver and passengers can easily access this position below the center console configurable display 114. It is also shown that one or more second modular programmable widgets 116 can be attached to a console compartment docking piece 202B. Here, the second modular programmable widget 116 is attached to the console compartment docking piece 202B for access by rear passengers. As further shown, one or more third modular programmable widgets 116 can be attached to a cargo docking piece 202C in the rear cargo area. It should also be noted that the vehicle interior 200 shown is an example, and an interior with more, fewer, or differently positioned components can be used.

[0180] FIG. 10A to FIG. 10I An exemplary modular programmable widget 116 is shown in an alternative package. FIG. 10A to FIG. 10I , a housing having a generally rectangular prism shape may be defined by a front housing 302 and a rear housing 304. The front housing 302 may define a generally flat front surface of the modular programmable widget 116, while the rear housing 304 may define the remainder of the housing, including a rear wall, side walls, and a top wall that house internal circuitry and other components of the modular programmable widget 116. Controls may be provided on the front housing 302, while a connection to the vehicle 102 may be provided via contact pads 306 exposed through the top of the rear housing 304. The contact pads 306 may allow data and power to be transmitted between the modular programmable widget 116 and the docking piece 202. In one example, the contact pads 306 may be leaf spring contacts.

[0181] The front housing 302 may expose various controls that may provide interaction with a user. Fig. 10A In the example of , this can include a configurable button 308. Although not shown, in some examples, the configurable button 308 can include a display 310. Fig. 10B An exemplary modular programmable widget 116 having a configurable dial 312 is shown. Fig. 10C An exemplary modular programmable widget 116 is shown with an additional power / data port 314. As shown, Fig. 10C The modular programmable widget 116 in FIG. 1 provides two USB power / data ports 314 , but this is merely an example and the modular programmable widget 116 may expose a different number and type of connectors. Fig. 10DAn exemplary modular programmable widget 116 is shown having a display 310. As shown in this example, the modular programmable widget 116 provides a flat display 310 on a front surface of the modular programmable widget 116.

[0182] Other examples are possible, such as those discussed above. For example, Fig.10E An exemplary modular programmable widget 116 having a configurable joystick 334 is shown. Fig.10F An exemplary modular programmable widget 116 having a trailer control 342 is shown. Figure 10G An exemplary modular programmable widget 116 having a toggle button 318 is shown. Fig. 10H An exemplary modular programmable widget 116 with an accompanying device 352 is shown.

[0183] It should be noted that FIG. 10A to FIG. 10H The modular programmable widgets 116 shown in the figure share the same outer dimensions. This standard size allows for easy addition and removal of modular programmable widgets 116 from the docking piece 202. However, in other cases, the modular programmable widgets 116 may include modular programmable widgets 116 having a larger physical size. Such modular programmable widgets 116 may be able to include more controls than the default size of the modular programmable widgets 116.

[0184] Fig.10I Shows the length as FIG. 10A to FIG. 10H In the exemplary modular programmable widget 116 shown in FIG. 1 , the length of the modular programmable widget 116 is three times the length of the standard modular programmable widget 116. Due to the increased length, Fig.10I The modular programmable widget 116 in the embodiment of the present invention can provide a plurality of programmable dials 312 (here, three) spaced apart along the front housing 302, with two additional power / data ports 314 arranged in the space between the configurable dials 312. In one example, the configurable dials 312 of the modular programmable widget 116 can provide a set of predefined second row controls, such as volume, temperature, and fan speed controls. For example, the main circuit board 406 of the modular programmable widget 116 can be preprogrammed to control those aspects by communicating with the widget controller 112 when the modular programmable widget 116 is electrically connected to the docking piece 202.

[0185] Fig.11 A configurable dial 312 is shown. Fig. 10B An exemplary side view of a modular programmable widget 116 is shown. Fig.12 A configurable dial 312 is shown. Fig. 10BAn exemplary rear perspective view of the modular programmable widget 116 is shown. Figure 11 to Figure 12 As shown in FIG. 1 , the rear housing 304 of the modular programmable widget 116 can define a substantially flat vertical surface at the rear of the modular programmable widget 116 .

[0186] The rear housing 304 may also define an attachment body 414 extending rearwardly from the vertical surface of the rear wall. In one example, the attachment body 414 may form a frustum or other shape extending rearwardly from the rear housing 304. In one example, the attachment body 414 may extend rearwardly from an upper portion of the rear housing 304 and may then taper toward a flat back surface at the rear of the rear housing 304.

[0187] Due to the greater depth provided by the attachment body 414 at the upper portion of the modular programmable widget 116, the contact window 416 can be defined by the top of the attachment body 414 above the contact slot 412 and can be configured to expose the contact pads 306 through the top of the rear housing 304 for electrical connection to the docking member 202. The attachment body 414 can also be used to lock the modular programmable widget 116 into place in the docking member 202, as described with respect to Figures 14 to 16 Further details are shown.

[0188] Fig.13 A configurable dial 312 is shown. Fig. 10B . As described above, the modular programmable widget 116 includes a front housing 302 and a rear housing 304. The rear housing 304 of the modular programmable widget 116 can define a generally flat vertical surface of the rear portion of the modular programmable widget 116. The attachment body 414 can form a frustum or other shape extending rearward from the rear housing 304. In one example, the attachment body 414 can extend rearward from the top of the vertical rear wall of the rear housing 304 and then taper toward a lower portion of the rear of the rear housing 304.

[0189] The modular programmable widget 116 also includes an internal magnet 402 configured to hold the modular programmable widget 116 in place. In one example, the inside rear wall of the rear housing 304 defines a magnet recess 404 that extends longitudinally across the rear wall and is sized to receive and hold the internal magnet 402 in place. As shown, the internal magnet 402 and the magnet recess 404 are each generally rectangular in shape.

[0190] The modular programmable widget 116 also includes a main circuit board 406 that is configured to physically hold the electronic components of the modular programmable widget 116. For example, the main circuit board 406 may hold components responsible for communicating data with the vehicle 102 and / or receiving power from the vehicle 102. The main circuit board 406 may also hold components that support specific functions of the modular programmable widget 116. The main circuit board 406 may also define circuit traces and / or wires to electrically connect the electrical components to each other.

[0191] In one aspect, the main circuit board 406 can be physically and electrically connected to the components to allow the modular programmable widget 116 to be electrically connected to the docking piece 202. In one example, the top of the main circuit board 406 can hold the contact pads 306 configured to provide an electrical connection to the docking piece 202. The contact pads 306 can slide into the contact slots 412 formed in the top of the attachment body 414 of the rear housing 304.

[0192] As opposed to being defined by the front housing 302 as previously shown, in an alternative package, the top surface of the rear housing 304 defines a positioning groove 420, thereby providing a concave surface along the length of its top surface. Although assembled differently, the positioning groove 420 functions similarly, but can help locate and lock the modular programmable widget 116 into the docking piece 202.

[0193] To support the functionality of the turntable, the modular programmable widget 116 may also include a rotary encoder 438 mounted to the main circuit board 406. The rotary encoder 438 may be configured to convert the rotational movement and / or speed of its encoder shaft 440 into electrical signals using various mechanical, optical, and / or magnetic techniques.

[0194] The front housing 302 may define a front window 418 that defines locations for mounting controls of the modular programmable widget 116. Fig.11 In the example shown, the modular programmable widget 116 is a configurable dial 312, and the front window 418 is sized to the diameter of the assembled rotary encoder 438. The encoder shaft 440 can be configured to be inserted outwardly through the front window 418 of the front housing 302.

[0195] The switch 1302 can be mounted on the main circuit board 406 within the cylindrical hole 3312 defined by the rotary encoder 438 (at Fig.16 ). The switch 1302 may have a forward facing button mounted to the main circuit board 406 that activates the switch 1302 when pressed and deactivates the switch 1302 when not pressed or released.

[0196] The logo cover 1306 can define the front center surface of the rotary encoder 438 and can be pressed by the user to activate the switch 1302. The logo cover 1306 can define a generally flat circular shape with a customizable front face 1308. The customizable front face 1308 can include various content, such as icons indicating the function to be executed by pressing the logo cover 1306.

[0197] To allow the logo cover 1306 to reach the switch 1302, the switch lever 1310 can be configured to transmit the pressure provided by the user to the logo cover 1306 to the switch 1302 mounted in the rotary encoder 438. The switch lever 1310 can define an elongated body having an inner end aimed at the button to selectively transmit force to the button. The outer end of the switch lever 1310 can define a lever receptacle 1312 for receiving a corresponding pin 1314 extending from the inner face of the logo cover 1306 opposite the customizable front face 1308 toward the switch lever 1310. In a non-limiting example, the lever receptacle 1312 and the pin 1314 can have a triangular cross-sectional shape.

[0198] The switch guide 1316 can be mounted within the hole 3312 to restrict the switch lever 1310 to linear movement toward or away from the switch 1302. The switch guide 1316 can be defined by a circular outer surface sized to allow insertion into the hole 3312 and a guide hole 1318 that opens to receive the elongated body of the switch lever 1310. The switch guide 1316 can remain stationary while the hole 3312 can slide inwardly in response to a user pressing the logo cover 1306. In one example, the switch lever 1310 and the guide hole 1318 can each define a substantially square cross-section sized to allow the switch lever 1310 to move in and out linearly, but not rotate or otherwise move. Thus, when the logo cover 1306 is pressed, the logo cover 1306 pushes the switch lever 1310 inwardly, thereby activating the switch 1302.

[0199] The encoder bearing 444 may be pressed onto the encoder shaft 440 protruding from the front window 418. The encoder bearing 444 may rotate with the encoder shaft 440, but the logo cover 1306 may not rotate, thereby allowing the logo cover 1306 to maintain its upright orientation.

[0200] The rotating dial 454 (sometimes referred to as a rotating cover) can be sized to receive the encoder bearing 444 and the identification cover 1306 and provide a surface for manipulation of the rotary encoder 438 by a user. The rotating dial 454 can snap onto the exterior of the encoder bearing 444. The rotating dial 454 can be rotated by the user to allow rotation of the rotary encoder 438, and can also serve as a bezel to surround and protect the rotary encoder 438 components.

[0201] The modular programmable widget 116 may also include lighting features. For example, the main circuit board 406 may include one or more light modules 1320. In one example, these light modules 1320 may be LEDs that may be configured to display light of different colors and / or intensities. The front housing 302 may include a light ring 1322 around the front window 418 to act as a light guide to direct light from the light modules 1320 for providing lighting around the perimeter of the front window 418.

[0202] Fig.14 An exemplary front view of a docking piece 202 for receiving a modular programmable widget 116 is shown. Fig.13 The modular programmable widget 116 of the illustrated design is shown in conjunction with the docking piece 202. To facilitate attachment, the contact pads 306 exposed by the attachment body 414 are aligned with the intermediate docking connector 514 of the docking piece 202.

[0203] Fig.15A Perspective and side views of a first operation of attaching an exemplary alternative design modular programmable widget 116 to a docking member 202 are shown. As shown, the first operation includes moving the modular programmable widget 116 toward the docking member 202 such that the locating recess 420 of the modular programmable widget 116 is aligned with the protrusion 520 of the docking member 202.

[0204] Fig. 15B A perspective view and a side view of a second operation of attaching an exemplary alternative design modular programmable widget 116 to a docking piece 202 are shown. As shown, the second operation includes pivoting the modular programmable widget 116 about the protrusion 520 once the locating recess 420 is engaged with the protrusion 520 such that the attachment body 414 of the modular programmable widget 116 moves into the securing channel 512. In doing so, the contact pads 306 of the modular programmable widget 116 move toward electrical contact with the docking connector 514 of the docking piece 202.

[0205] Fig. 15C Perspective and side views of the completed attachment of the exemplary alternative design modular programmable widget 116 to the docking piece 202 are shown. Once installed, the attachment body 414 fits into the inner surface of the securing channel 512, and the contact pads 306 of the modular programmable widget 116 make electrical contact with the docking connector 514 of the docking piece 202. Moreover, the internal magnets 402 of the modular programmable widget 116 are attracted to the ferrous metal strips 508 within the docking piece 202, thereby providing a force to hold the modular programmable widget 116 in place within the docking piece 202.

[0206] Fig.16A perspective view of a docking piece 202A integrated below a configurable display 114 of a vehicle 102 for attaching a modular programmable widget 116 is shown. In this example, a securing channel 512 of the docking piece 202 is defined by a housing surface 1602 of the configurable display 114, a rear surface 1604 extending downward from the housing surface 1602 and spaced apart from the front of the configurable display 114, and a lower docking piece housing 1606, thereby completing a lower portion of the securing channel 512. Thus, a docking connector 514 may be exposed through a contact hole 516 defined by the housing surface 1602.

[0207] The housing surface 1602 may also define locators 518 spaced apart on either side of each of the contact holes 516. These locators 518 may extend downward from the housing surface 1602 into the securing channel 512 on either side of each of the docking connectors 514. These locators 518 may be used to help place the modular programmable widget 116 in a position where the contact pads 306 of the modular programmable widget 116 are aligned with the docking connectors 514. As shown, the locators 518 define a triangular shape that widens to the depth of the securing channel 512. The triangular shape may conform to the taper of the frustum-shaped attachment body 414 for guiding the modular programmable widget 116 into a proper position (such as a truncated cone) when inserted. FIG. 15A to FIG. 15C shown).

[0208] Thus, despite the differences in controls and sizes of the modular programmable widgets 116, the modular programmable widgets 116 each define the same connection features. For example, each of the modular programmable widgets 116 has the same electrical contact pads 306 and positioning grooves 420 as discussed above. Thus, any of the modular programmable widgets 116 can be connected to the docking piece 202, allowing the user to select any modular programmable widget 116 with the desired controls and / or appearance.

[0209] Fig.17 The assembly is shown in assembled form and attached to the docking piece 202. Figure 8B and Figure 12 to Figure 13 1. A side cross-sectional view of the modular programmable widget 116 is shown in FIG. As shown, the docking piece 202 and components of the modular programmable widget 116 include aspects that facilitate their selective mechanical and electrical connection.

[0210] Figures 18 to 20 Other aspects of the customizable front face 1308 of the logo cover 1306 are collectively shown. Fig.18, which shows the removal of the rotary dial 454 from the assembled modular programmable widget 116 to allow replacement of the identification cover 1306. As shown, the rotary dial 454 has been slid off the encoder bearing 444, allowing the identification cover 1306 to be pulled out of the rod receptacle 1312.

[0211] Fig.19 A selection of different logo covers 1306 is shown, each with a different customizable front 1308. For example, logo cover 1306A has a customizable front 1308A with an icon representation of a function (here, a fan). Logo cover 1306B has a customizable front 1308B with a custom color. Logo cover 1306C has a customizable front 1308C with a custom material or texture. These logo covers 1306 can be freely changed by the user, allowing customization of the appearance of the modular programmable widget 116.

[0212] Fig. 20 An exemplary selection of different logo covers 1306 mounted to various modular programmable widgets 116 is shown. As shown, the different logo covers 1306 expose different customizable front faces 1308.

[0213] FIG. 21A to FIG. 21D Together, aspects of mobile docking piece 202 are shown. Fig.21A A front perspective view of an empty mobile dock 202 is shown without any modular programmable widgets 116 attached. Fig.21B A front perspective view of the mobile dock 202 is shown during the attachment process of the modular programmable widget 116 . Fig. 21C A front perspective view of the mobile dock 202 with the modular programmable widget 116 attached is shown. Fig.21D A rear perspective view of the mobile dock 202 with the modular programmable widget 116 attached is shown.

[0214] Generally speaking, the mobile docking piece 202 can be configured to receive the modular programmable widget 116 using the mating geometry of the attachment body 414 with the fixed channel 512 and the internal magnet 402, which is consistent with attaching the modular programmable widget 116 to the in-vehicle docking piece 202. The mobile docking piece 202 can include wireless communication capabilities (e.g., Bluetooth) and an internal battery, which can allow the mobile docking piece 202 to be used for remote control and / or game controller use cases with the vehicle 102 (or with other wireless devices, such as smart phones, tablets, video game consoles, etc.). For example, the mobile docking piece 202 can be synchronized with the configurable display 114 of the vehicle 102 for gaming and entertainment (although the primary display may be limited unless the vehicle 102 is in park).

[0215] The mobile docking piece 202 may include a front housing 2102 and a rear housing 2104. The front housing 2102 and the rear housing 2104 may together define a housing sized for handheld operation. The housing may have rounded corners and / or rounded faces to allow for a comfortable grip in the user's hand. As shown, the length of the docking piece 202 allows for receiving a certain number of modular programmable widgets 116. The docking piece 202 shown has a length for receiving two modular programmable widgets 116, but docking pieces 202 of different sizes may allow for more or fewer modular programmable widgets 116 to be inserted.

[0216] The front housing 2102 can define a top wall 2106, opposing side walls 2108, 2110. With the area enclosed by the inner faces of the walls 2106, 2108, and 2110, the front housing 2102 can define a fixing channel 512 for attaching the modular programmable widget 116.

[0217] Consistent with the other docking members 202, the locating recess 420 may be sized to conform to the contour of the attachment body 414 of the rear portion of the modular programmable widget 116. The mobile docking member 202 may include a docking connector 514 in the locating recess 420 configured to receive the contact pads 306 of the modular programmable widget 116, the contact pads being sized to fit within the contact holes 516 in the upper face of the locating recess 420. The securing channel 512 may also define locators 518 extending downwardly into the securing channel 512 on either side of each of the docking connectors 514, also to assist in placing the modular programmable widget 116 in a position in which the contact pads 306 of the modular programmable widget 116 are aligned with the docking connectors 514. The upper end of the securing channel 512 may define a protrusion 520 that matches the contour of the concave locating recess 420 in the top portion of the front housing 302 of the modular programmable widget 116. Additionally, a ferrous metal strip 508 may be mounted within the mobile dock 202 beneath the securing channel 512 and may be attracted by the internal magnets 402 of the modular programmable widget 116 to secure the modular programmable widget 116 in place.

[0218] Since the mobile dock 202 is portable and not connected to the vehicle 102, the exterior of the front housing 2102 and / or rear housing 2104 may be able to provide fixed controls that are independent of the removable controls of the modular programmable widget 116. As shown, the top of the front housing 2102 defines two control buttons 2112 that can always be available regardless of whether the modular programmable widget 116 is mounted to the mobile dock 202.

[0219] Fig. 22An exemplary cross-sectional view of a vehicle interior 200 supporting modular programmable widgets 116 having another alternative packaging design is shown. Similar to what was shown previously, one or more first modular programmable widgets 116 can be attached to a docking piece 202A of a center console configurable display 114. The driver and passengers can easily access this position below the center console configurable display 114. It is also shown that one or more second modular programmable widgets 116 can be attached to a console box docking piece 202B. Here, the second modular programmable widget 116 is attached to the console box docking piece 202B for access by rear passengers. As further shown, one or more third modular programmable widgets 116 can be attached to a cargo docking piece 202C in the rear cargo area. It is also shown that in this variation, one or more fourth modular programmable widgets 116 can be attached to an instrument cluster docking piece 202D in the front dashboard area adjacent to the steering wheel. It should also be noted that the vehicle interior 200 shown is an example, and an interior with more, fewer, or differently positioned components can be used.

[0220] FIG. 23A to FIG. 23F An exemplary modular programmable widget 116 is shown in a second alternative package. FIG. 23A to FIG. 23F , a housing having a generally rectangular prism shape may be defined by a front housing 302 and a rear housing 304. The front housing 302 may define a generally flat front surface of the modular programmable widget 116, while the rear housing 304 may define the remainder of the housing, including a rear wall, side walls, and a top wall that house internal circuitry and other components of the modular programmable widget 116. Controls may be provided on the front housing 302, while a connection to the vehicle 102 may be provided via a magnetic contact pad 306 exposed through the top of the rear housing 304. The magnetic contact pad 306 may allow data and power to be transferred between the modular programmable widget 116 and the docking piece 202. In this example, the contact pad 306 may be a magnetic universal serial bus (USB) jack.

[0221] The front housing 302 may expose various controls that may provide interaction with a user. Fig.23A In the example of , this may include configurable button 308. Although Fig. 10A Not shown, but in some examples, configurable button 308 may include display 310 . Fig. 23B An exemplary modular programmable widget 116 having a configurable dial 312 is shown. Fig. 10C An exemplary modular programmable widget 116 is shown with an additional power / data port 314. As shown, Fig.23CThe modular programmable widget 116 in FIG. 1 provides two USB power / data ports 314 , but this is merely an example and the modular programmable widget 116 may expose a different number and type of connectors. Fig.23D An exemplary modular programmable widget 116 is shown having a display 310. As shown in this example, the modular programmable widget 116 provides a flat display 310 on a front surface of the modular programmable widget 116. Fig.23E An exemplary modular programmable widget 116 with an accompanying device 352 is shown. Fig.23F An exemplary perspective view of a modular programmable widget 116 having a configurable dial 312 with a display 114 is shown.

[0222] Similar to what was mentioned previously, FIG. 23A to FIG. 23F The modular programmable widgets 116 shown in the figure share the same outer dimensions. This standard size allows for easy addition and removal of modular programmable widgets 116 from the docking piece 202. However, in other cases, the modular programmable widgets 116 may include modular programmable widgets 116 having a larger physical size. Such modular programmable widgets 116 may be able to include more controls than the default size of the modular programmable widgets 116.

[0223] Figure 23G Shows the length as FIG. 23A to FIG. 23F In the exemplary modular programmable widget 116 shown in FIG. 1 , the length of the modular programmable widget 116 is three times the length of the standard modular programmable widget 116. Due to the increased length, Figure 23G The modular programmable widget 116 in the embodiment of the present invention can provide a plurality of programmable dials 312 (here, three) spaced apart along the front housing 302, with two additional power / data ports 314 arranged in the space between the configurable dials 312. In one example, the configurable dials 312 of the modular programmable widget 116 can provide a set of predefined second row controls, such as volume, temperature, and fan speed controls. For example, the main circuit board 406 of the modular programmable widget 116 can be preprogrammed to control those aspects by communicating with the widget controller 112 when the modular programmable widget 116 is electrically connected to the docking piece 202.

[0224] It should also be noted that because the exemplary modular programmable widget 116 is mechanically and electrically connected via a magnetic USB, the modular programmable widget 116 includes multiple contact pads 306 (e.g., three in this example) for connecting to the dock 202. This use of multiple magnetic connections can allow the modular programmable widget 116 to be better secured to the dock 202.

[0225] Fig.24 A configurable button 308 is shown. Fig.23A . Similar to the above, these modular programmable widgets 116 include a front housing 302 and a rear housing 304. The rear housing 304 of the modular programmable widget 116 can define a generally flat vertical surface of the rear of the modular programmable widget 116. Here, instead of an attachment body 414, the rear housing 304 instead defines a horizontal channel 2402 extending along the length of the rear housing 304. As shown, the horizontal channel 2402 is placed along the middle of the rear housing 304.

[0226] The modular programmable widget 116 also includes an internal magnet 402 configured to hold the modular programmable widget 116 in place. In one example, the inside rear wall of the rear housing 304 defines a magnet recess 404 that extends longitudinally across the rear wall and is sized to receive and hold the internal magnet 402 in place. As shown, the internal magnet 402 and the magnet recess 404 are each generally rectangular in shape.

[0227] The modular programmable widget 116 also includes a main circuit board 406 that is configured to physically hold the electronic components of the modular programmable widget 116. For example, the main circuit board 406 may hold components responsible for communicating data with the vehicle 102 and / or receiving power from the vehicle 102. The main circuit board 406 may also hold components that support specific functions of the modular programmable widget 116. The main circuit board 406 may also define circuit traces and / or wires to electrically connect the electrical components to each other.

[0228] In one aspect, the main circuit board 406 can be physically and electrically connected to the component to allow the modular programmable widget 116 to be electrically connected to the docking member 202. In one example, the top of the main circuit board 406 can hold a contact pad 306 configured to provide an electrical connection to the docking member 202. In the illustrated example, the contact pad 306 is a magnetic USB jack. The magnetic USB jack can have a rounded rectangular profile and is mounted longitudinally along the top of the modular programmable widget 116 as shown.

[0229] The contact pad 306 can slide into a contact slot 412 formed in the top of the attachment body 414 of the rear housing 304. In this example, the contact slot 412 can be formed in two parts: a rear contact slot portion 412A, which is defined by the upper side of the rear housing 304 and conforms to the contour of the rear of the magnetic USB receptacle; and a front contact slot portion 412B, which is defined by the upper side of the front housing 302 and conforms to the contour of the front of the magnetic USB receptacle. Together, the rear contact slot portion 412A and the front contact slot portion 412B can be used to hold the contact pad 306 in place when the modular programmable widget 116 is assembled.

[0230] The rear housing 304 may define a mainboard cavity 2404 sized to receive the main circuit board 406 of the modular programmable widget 116. To facilitate placement of the main circuit board 406, the main circuit board 406 may retain a board locator 2406 that extends from the main circuit board 406 and is configured to be received into a corresponding recess 2408 in the rear housing 304. Once positioned, the main circuit board 406 may be inserted into the mainboard cavity 2404.

[0231] The main circuit board 406 may contain components common to different modular programmable widgets 116, such as components that support connectivity with the vehicle 102. The modular programmable widget 116 may also include a sister board 2410 that is configured to hold controls that are specific to the type of modular programmable widget 116 and that may be exposed through the front of the modular programmable widget 116.

[0232] The rear housing 304 may also define a sister board cavity 2412 that is sized to receive the sister board 2410. To facilitate placement of the sister board cavity 2412, the sister board cavity 2412 may similarly hold a board locator 2414 that extends from the sister board cavity 2412 and is configured to be received in a corresponding recess 2416 in the rear housing 304. By using the board locators 2406, 2414, the main circuit board 406 and the sister board 2410 may be secured in place in a spaced-apart relationship. One or more fasteners 2420, such as screws or rivets, are placed through the attachment through holes 2422 in the sister board 2410 and secured to the connector 2424 in the front side of the rear housing 304.

[0233] The switch 1302 may be mounted to the front side of the sister board 2410. The switch 1302 may have a forward facing button that, when pressed, activates the switch 1302 and deactivates the switch 1302 when not pressed or released.

[0234] The logo cover 1306 can define the front center surface of the rotary encoder 438 and can be pressed by the user to activate the switch 1302. The logo cover 1306 can define a generally flat circular shape with a customizable front face 1308. The customizable front face 1308 can include various content, such as icons indicating the function to be executed by pressing the logo cover 1306.

[0235] The front housing 302 may define a front window 418 that defines a location for mounting controls of the modular programmable widget 116. In this example, the modular programmable widget 116 is a configurable button 308, and the front window 418 is sized to receive a logo cover 1306 of the configurable button 308. For example, the logo cover 1306 may define a flange that extends radially outward from the customizable front face 1308, such that the customizable front face 1308 is visible through the front window 418, but the flange of the logo cover 1306 remains behind the front window 418.

[0236] To facilitate assembly of the modular programmable widget 116, one or more fasteners 432 (such as screws or pins) can be used to hold the rear housing 304 and the front housing 302 together. In one example, a through hole 2422 can be formed through the rear portion of the rear housing 304, which can be aligned with a hole 2426 (e.g., a threaded hole, not shown) and enter the back of the front housing 302. It should be noted that in other examples, other methods of assembling the modular programmable widget 116 can be used, such as a snap-fit ​​connector and / or glue. A damping foot 2428 can be applied to the fastener 432 (e.g., assembled into the screw head of the fastener 432). The damping foot 2428 can be a rubber material that can be used to hold the modular programmable widget 116 in place when mounted to the docking piece 202.

[0237] Fig.25 A perspective view of a docking piece 202A integrated below a configurable display 114 of a vehicle 102 for attaching a modular programmable widget 116 is shown. In this example, the docking piece 202 is defined by a lower housing surface 1602 of the configurable display 114 and a rear surface 1604 extending downward from the housing surface 1602 and spaced apart from the front of the configurable display 114. Thus, the docking connector 514 may be exposed through the contact hole 516 defined through the lower housing surface 1602.

[0238] The dock 202 may define additional features for aligning and securing the modular programmable widget 116 to the dock 202. For example, one or more docking magnets 2502 may be mounted behind the rear surface 1604, positioned to be attracted to the internal magnets 402 of the modular programmable widget 116 to secure the modular programmable widget 116 in place. The docking magnets 2502 may be placed in a position corresponding to the position of the USB docking connector 514 so that the modular programmable widget 116 is attracted into the docked position.

[0239] Additionally, a mounting bar 2504 may be provided along the length of the front portion of the rear surface 1604. The mounting bar 2504 may define a profile corresponding to the profile of the horizontal channel 2402 and may be used to guide the modular programmable widget 116 to the proper height to connect the magnetic USB contact pad 306 to the USB docking connector 514 in a docked position for use by the modular programmable widget 116.

[0240] Fig.26A A side view of the operation of attaching an exemplary modular programmable widget 116 to a dock 202 is shown. As shown, the operation includes moving the modular programmable widget 116 toward the dock 202 such that the horizontal channel 2402 of the modular programmable widget 116 is aligned with the mounting bar 2504 of the dock 202. Additionally, the magnetic USB contact pad 306 of the modular programmable widget 116 is aligned with one of the docking connectors 514.

[0241] Fig.26B A side view of the completed attachment of the exemplary modular programmable widget 116 to the docking piece 202 is shown. As shown, the horizontal channel 2402 mates with the mounting rod 2504, and the contact pads 306 of the modular programmable widget 116 make electrical and physical contact with the docking connector 514 of the docking piece 202. Moreover, the internal magnets 402 of the modular programmable widget 116 are attracted to the docking magnets 2502 within the docking piece 202, thereby providing a force to hold the modular programmable widget 116 in place within the docking piece 202.

[0242] Thus, despite the differences in controls and sizes of the modular programmable widgets 116, the modular programmable widgets 116 each define the same connection features. For example, each of the modular programmable widgets 116 has the same electrical contact pads 306 and horizontal channels 2402 as discussed above. Thus, any of the modular programmable widgets 116 can be connected to the docking piece 202, allowing the user to select any modular programmable widget 116 having the desired controls and / or appearance.

[0243] Fig. 27An example of a home docking piece 202 configured to receive a modular programmable widget 116 is shown. As shown, similar to the above description of Fig.25 and FIG. 26A to FIG. 26B As discussed above with respect to the in-vehicle dock 202, the home dock 202 may provide for the connection of the modular programmable widget 116. The home dock 202 may similarly have a docking magnet 2502, a mounting bar 2504, and a docking connector 514 for receiving the modular programmable widget 116. Here it can be seen that the docking connector 514 allows the modular programmable widget 116 to be attached with the contact pad 306 on the bottom as opposed to the top, but this is merely an example and home docks 202 with different designs are possible.

[0244] In an exemplary use case, the home docking piece 202 may allow the modular programmable widgets 116 to be used to control the vehicle 102 from outside the vehicle 102. For example, the home docking piece 202 may include a wireless connection configured to allow the home docking piece 202 to communicate with the vehicle 102, such as via the telematics control module 130 of the vehicle 102. This may allow the docking piece 202 to send commands to the widget controller 112 via the telematics control module 130, thereby allowing the user to control the vehicle 102 using the modular programmable widgets 116 as if the modular programmable widgets 116 were connected to the in-vehicle docking piece 202.

[0245] In another exemplary use case, the home docking piece 202 may allow the modular programmable widgets 116 to be used to control smart furniture features independent of the vehicle 102. In such an example, the home docking piece 202 may be connected to a computing device 2702, such as a laptop or other computer, and may be used as an additional input device for the computing device 2702. This may allow the home features to be easily controlled from a tactile user interface provided by the modular programmable widgets 116.

[0246] FIG. 28A to FIG. 28F Examples of various configurations of modular programmable widgets 116 for a docking piece 202 supporting five modular programmable widgets 116 are shown. These examples illustrate some possibilities of how the modular programmable widgets 116 can evolve as the user needs or desires. Additionally, it should be noted that the modular programmable widgets 116 can also provide collaboration opportunities with third parties and personalization opportunities for the user of the vehicle 102.

[0247] Fig.28AAn example of a first group of modular programmable widgets 116 in a common hard-coded, individual configuration is shown. In this example, the group includes five individual modular programmable widgets 116 with hard-coded functionality. As shown, the modular programmable widgets 116 include: a first modular programmable widget 116A in the form of a dial 312 for operating a fan function; a second modular programmable widget 116B in the form of a dial 312 for operating a temperature function; a third modular programmable widget 116C in the form of a dial 312 for operating a volume function; a fourth modular programmable widget 116D in the form of a button 308 for operating a liftgate function; and a fifth modular programmable widget 116E in the form of an additional power / data port 314.

[0248] Fig.28B An example of a second group of modular programmable widgets 116 in configurable individual configurations is shown. In this example, the group includes five individual modular programmable widgets 116 with configurable functions. As shown, the modular programmable widgets 116 include: a first modular programmable widget 116A in the form of a configurable dial 312; a second modular programmable widget 116B in the form of a configurable button 308; a third modular programmable widget 116C in the form of a configurable touch screen 316; a fourth modular programmable widget 116D in the form of a configurable button 308; and a fifth modular programmable widget 116E in the form of a configurable dial 312.

[0249] Fig.28C An example of a third group of modular programmable widgets 116 in a common grouped and configurable individual configuration is shown. As shown, the modular programmable widgets 116 include: a first modular programmable widget 116A in the form of a combined double-length module including a dial 312 for operating a fan function and a dial 312 for operating a temperature function; a second modular programmable widget 116B in the form of a configurable touch screen 316; a third modular programmable widget 116C in the form of a configurable button 308; and a fourth modular programmable widget 116D in the form of a configurable dial 312.

[0250] Fig.28DAn example of a fourth group of modular programmable widgets 116 in a hard-coded grouped configuration is shown. As shown, a single modular programmable widget 116 having a width of five modular programmable widgets 116 includes a dial 312 for operating a fan function, a button 308 for operating a defrost function, a dial 312 for operating a volume function; a button 308 for operating a liftgate function; and a dial 312 for operating a fan function.

[0251] Fig.28E An example of a fifth group of modular programmable widgets 116 in a configurable grouped configuration is shown. As shown, a single modular programmable widget 116 having a width of five modular programmable widgets 116 includes a configurable dial 312, a configurable button 308, a configurable touch screen 316, a configurable button 308, and a configurable dial 312.

[0252] Fig.28F An example of a sixth group of modular programmable widgets 116 in a hybrid bar configuration is shown. In this context, hybrid refers to modular programmable widgets 116 having both pre-programmed controls and configurable controls. As shown, a single modular programmable widget 116 having a width of five modular programmable widgets 116 includes a dial 312 for operating a temperature function, three configurable buttons 308, and a dial 312 for operating a fan function.

[0253] FIG. 29A to FIG. 29E An exemplary modular programmable widget 116 is shown in yet another alternative packaging. FIG. 29A to FIG. 29E , a housing having a generally rectangular prism shape can be defined by a front housing 302 and a rear housing 304. The front housing 302 can define a generally flat front surface of the modular programmable widget 116, while the rear housing 304 can define the remainder of the housing, including a rear wall, side walls, and a top wall that house internal circuitry and other components of the modular programmable widget 116. Controls can be disposed on the front housing 302, while connection to the vehicle 102 can be provided via contact pads 306 exposed through a rear portion of the rear housing 304. The contact pads 306 can allow data and power to be transmitted between the modular programmable widget 116 and the docking piece 202. In one example, the contact pads 306 can include a pin-based connector (e.g., Fig.31 best shown in ).

[0254] The front housing 302 may expose various controls that may provide interaction with a user. Fig.29A In the example of , this can include a configurable button 308. Although not shown, in some examples, the configurable button 308 can include a display 310. Fig.29BAn exemplary modular programmable widget 116 having a configurable dial 312 is shown. Fig.29C An exemplary modular programmable widget 116 is shown with an additional power / data port 314. As shown, Fig. 10C The modular programmable widget 116 in FIG. 1 provides two USB power / data ports 314 , but this is merely an example and the modular programmable widget 116 may expose a different number and type of connectors. Fig.29D An exemplary modular programmable widget 116 having a toggle button 318 is shown. Fig.29E An exemplary modular programmable widget 116 is shown having a display 310. As shown in this example, the modular programmable widget 116 provides a flat display 310 on a front surface of the modular programmable widget 116.

[0255] Fig.30 A perspective view of a docking piece 202A integrated beneath a configurable display 114 of a vehicle 102 for attaching a modular programmable widget 116 is shown. Similar to the previous packaging example, the rear housing 304 of the modular programmable widget 116 can define a horizontal channel 2402 that is configured to mate with a corresponding mounting rod 2504 disposed on a rear surface 1604 of the docking piece 202. Also similar to what has been discussed, the rear surface 1604 can expose a docking connector 514 for connecting to contact pads 306 of the modular programmable widget 116. The rear surface 1604 can also define a locator 518 to assist in placing the modular programmable widget 116 relative to the docking connector 514. In this example, the locator 518 can define a vertical rod extending forwardly between positions for receiving the modular programmable widget 116 for guiding the modular programmable widget 116 into an appropriate position (such as a position) when inserted. Fig.32 shown).

[0256] Fig.31 A configurable dial 312 is shown. Fig.29B. As described above, the modular programmable widget 116 includes a front housing 302 and a rear housing 304. The rear housing 304 of the modular programmable widget 116 can define a substantially flat vertical surface of the rear portion of the modular programmable widget 116. In this example, the rear housing 304 defines a horizontal channel 2402 extending along the length of the rear housing 304. As shown, the horizontal channel 2402 is defined along the length of the rear housing 304 between about one quarter from the top of the modular programmable widget 116 to about one half from the top, thereby forming about one quarter of the vertical height of the modular programmable widget 116. Below the horizontal channel 2402, the rear housing 304 of the modular programmable widget 116 bends downward to the front housing 302 of the modular programmable widget 116.

[0257] The modular programmable widget 116 also includes one or more internal magnets 402 configured to hold the modular programmable widget 116 in place. In the illustrated example, the modular programmable widget 116 includes three internal magnets 402 at different locations within the modular programmable widget 116. The inside rear wall of the rear housing 304 defines a magnet recess 404 that extends longitudinally across the rear wall and is sized to receive the internal magnets 402 and hold the internal magnets 402 in place. As shown, the internal magnets 402 and the magnet recess 404 are each generally rectangular in shape.

[0258] The modular programmable widget 116 also includes a main circuit board 406, which is configured to physically hold the electronic components of the modular programmable widget 116. For example, the main circuit board 406 can hold components responsible for data communication with the vehicle 102 and / or receiving power from the vehicle 102. The main circuit board 406 can also hold components that support specific functions of the modular programmable widget 116. In one example, the main circuit board 406 can define predefined connection points 3102 for receiving components such as a rotary encoder 438 and / or a switch 1302. The main circuit board 406 can also include one or more light modules 1320. In one example, these light modules 1320 can be LEDs that can be configured to display light of different colors and / or intensities. The main circuit board 406 can also define circuit traces and / or wires to electrically connect electrical components to each other.

[0259] The main circuit board 406 can also be physically and electrically connected to the component to allow the modular programmable widget 116 to be electrically connected to the docking piece 202. In one example, the top of the main circuit board 406 can hold the contact pads 306, which are configured to provide an electrical connection with the docking piece 202. In this illustrated example, the contact pads 306 are a set of pins extending rearward toward the rear of the modular programmable widget 116. The contact pads 306 can slide into contact slots 412 formed in the rear of the attachment body 414 of the rear housing 304. In this example, the contact slots 412 can be formed to allow the pins of the contact pads 306 to pass through the holes of the rear housing 304.

[0260] The inner housing 3104 can define a cover having a front face and a peripheral wall extending toward the rear of the modular programmable widget 116. The inner housing 3104 can be sized to enclose the main circuit board 406 against the front face of the rear housing 304. To facilitate assembly of the modular programmable widget 116, one or more fasteners 432 (such as screws or pins) can be used to hold the rear housing 304 and the inner housing 3104 together. In one example, a through hole 434 can be formed through the rear of the rear housing 304, which can be aligned with a through hole through the main circuit board 406 and ultimately secured to a hole (e.g., a threaded hole, not shown) into the rear face of the inner housing 3104. It should be noted that in other examples, other methods of assembling the modular programmable widget 116 can be used, such as a snap-fit ​​connector and / or glue. The inner housing 3104 may also define one or more inner windows 3106 to allow user-manipulable controls (such as configurable buttons 308, configurable dials 312, configurable displays 114, etc.) to be accessible through the inner housing 3104. As shown, the inner housing 3104 includes an inner window 3106 that is sized to allow the rotary encoder 438 to pass through the exterior of the inner housing 3104.

[0261] The front housing 302 may define a front window 418 that defines a location for mounting controls of the modular programmable widget 116. In this example, the modular programmable widget 116 is a configurable dial 312, and the front window 418 is sized to receive a rotating dial 454 of the configurable dial 312 on a rotary encoder 438. The front housing 302 may be configured to snap fit into the wall of the rear housing 304 over the inner housing 3104 to form a finished front exterior of the modular programmable widget 116.

[0262] Fig.32A side cross-sectional view of attaching an exemplary modular programmable widget 116 to a docking piece 202 is shown. As shown, the horizontal channels 2402 mate with the mounting rods 2504, and the pins of the contact pads 306 of the modular programmable widget 116 make electrical and physical contact with the docking connector 514 of the docking piece 202. Furthermore, the internal magnets 402 of the modular programmable widget 116 are attracted to the docking magnets 2502 within the docking piece 202, thereby providing a force to hold the modular programmable widget 116 in place within the docking piece 202.

[0263] Thus, despite the differences in controls and sizes of the modular programmable widgets 116, the modular programmable widgets 116 each define the same connection features. For example, each of the modular programmable widgets 116 has the same electrical contact pads 306 and positioning grooves 420 as discussed above. Thus, any of the modular programmable widgets 116 can be connected to the docking piece 202, allowing the user to select any modular programmable widget 116 with the desired controls and / or appearance.

[0264] The modular programmable widget 116 is designed to be removable and changeable by the user. However, in some cases, it may be desirable to implement a locking feature to secure the modular programmable widget 116 in place.

[0265] FIG. 33A to FIG. 33C Together, aspects of a method for locking a modular programmable widget 116 are shown. Fig.33A A side cutaway view of the modular programmable widget 116 is shown with the slidable lock 3302 in a locked position. Fig.33B A side cutaway view of the modular programmable widget 116 is shown with the slidable lock 3302 in an unlocked position.

[0266] Fig.33C A rear perspective partially transparent view of the modular programmable widget 116 is shown with the lock 3302 in the locked position.

[0267] The lock 3302 can define a lock body 3304 disposed within the interior of the modular programmable widget 116 such that the lock body 3304 is nested between the front housing 302 and the rear housing 304 of the modular programmable widget 116. The lock body 3304 can be movable within and relative to the modular programmable widget 116 such that the lock body 3304 can slide vertically within and relative to the door modular programmable widget 116 between a lower unlocked position and a raised locked position.

[0268] The lock 3302 may also define a grip portion 3306, which is shown herein as extending outwardly from an opening 3308 through the rear housing 304 at a lower end of the lock 3302. The grip portion 3306 may facilitate operation of the lock 3302 by providing a convenient handle for a user to grip onto and lower the lock 3302 as desired. The grip portion 3306, which is exposed to the user's hand, is hidden on the rear side of the modular programmable widget 116. Advantageously, this may prevent detracting from the appearance or aesthetics of the front of the modular programmable widget 116.

[0269] The lock body 3304 may also define a locking pin 3310 that protrudes upward from the upper end of the lock body 3304. The housing of the modular programmable widget 116 may expose a hole 3312 through which the locking pin 3310 may extend upward on the top surface of the housing. The locking pin 3310 may be configured to engage with a receptacle 3314 defined by a portion of the housing below the configurable display 114, such as through a fixed channel 512. The size and position of the receptacle 3314 may be designed to allow the locking pin 3310 to enter the docking piece 202 upward when the lock 3302 is in the raised locked position.

[0270] A biasing element 3318 can be provided within the modular programmable widget 116 to bias the locking pin 3310 upward when not lowered by a user. In one example, the biasing element 3318 can be a spring element placed between a biasing surface 3320 and a stop 3322 of the lock body 3304, such that in a default state, the biasing element 3318 presses the biasing surface 3320 upward, and thus causes the lock body 3304 to move upward into the raised locked position.

[0271] The stopper 3322 can be secured to a mounting plate 3324 that can be mounted inside the modular programmable widget 116 parallel to the main circuit board 406. As shown, fasteners 3326 secure the mounting plate 3324 to the main circuit board 406. Thus, the mounting plate 3324 and the inside of the rear wall of the modular programmable widget 116 server together form a channel into which the lock 3302 can slide up and down in a controlled linear motion.

[0272] When the modular programmable widget 116 is installed into the dock 202, the positioning groove 420 of the modular programmable widget 116 can be aligned with the protrusion 520 of the dock 202. When the positioning groove 420 is engaged with the protrusion 520, the modular programmable widget 116 can move around the protrusion 520 so that the attachment body 414 of the modular programmable widget 116 moves into the fixing channel 512. In doing so, the contact pad 306 of the modular programmable widget 116 moves toward electrical contact with the docking connector 514 of the dock 202. When the placement of the modular programmable widget 116 is completed, the biasing element 3318 pushes the locking pin 3310 of the lock 3302 through the hole 3312 and into the receptacle 3314, thereby locking the modular programmable widget 116 into the appropriate position in the dock 202.

[0273] To remove the modular programmable widget 116, the user can grasp and push downward on the gripping portion 3306 of the lock 3302 on the back of the modular programmable widget 116. This can correspondingly move the locking post upward, which in turn lifts the locking pin 3310 out of the receptacle 3314 and into a lowered unlocked state. Once moved, the user can pull the modular programmable widget 116 out of the docking piece 202.

[0274] Variations of the lock 3302 are possible. In one example, the operation of the lock 3302 can be automated by using a solenoid, a nitinol wire, or other device that can generate an electrical signal by the widget controller 112 to allow controlled locking and unlocking of the modular programmable widget 116. For example, if the modular programmable widget 116 is present in the second row docking piece 202 of the vehicle 102 used for ridesharing, such a locking feature can provide a degree of security. For example, a user may need to enter a credential (e.g., a PIN, another code, a voice command, a voice print, the presence of an authorized key fob, the presence of an authorized mobile device, etc.) to lock (or unlock) the modular programmable widget 116 from the docking piece 202. In response to receipt of the credential, the vehicle 102 can perform a locking (or unlocking) operation.

[0275] In another example, the vehicle 102 may implement a feature that allows the owner to limit access of the modular programmable widgets 116 to certain portions of the vehicle 102. In one example, the modular programmable widget 116 may be keyed into a credential (e.g., a PIN, another code, a voice command, a voice print, the presence of an authorized key fob, the presence of an authorized mobile device, etc.), and the credential may need to be received into the configurable display 114 or other HMI of the vehicle 102 to enable the modular programmable widget 116 to operate.

[0276] FIG. 34A to FIG. 34CTogether, aspects of an alternative method for locking a modular programmable widget 116 are shown. Fig.34A A side cutaway view of the modular programmable widget 116 is shown with the slidable lock 3302 in a locked position. Fig.33B A side cutaway view of the modular programmable widget 116 is shown with the slidable lock 3302 in an unlocked position. Fig.33C A rear perspective partially transparent view of the modular programmable widget 116 is shown with the lock 3302 in the locked position.

[0277] and FIG. 33A to FIG. 33C Compared with the method shown in FIG. 34A to FIG. 34C 3302 can be driven by an asymmetric cam 3402. In this example, the lock 3302 can define a follower 3404 that is angled outward from a generally vertical lock body 3304.

[0278] Similar to the above discussion, the lock body 3304 can also define a locking pin 3310 that protrudes upward from the upper end of the lock body 3304. The housing of the modular programmable widget 116 can expose a hole 3312 through which the locking pin 3310 can extend upward on the top surface of the housing. In this example, the locking pin 3310 can be configured to engage with a receptacle 3314 defined in the underside of the mounting rod 2504. The size and position of the receptacle 3314 can be designed to allow the locking pin 3310 to enter the mounting rod 2504 upward when the lock 3302 is in the raised locked position.

[0279] The cam 3402 can be mounted to the shaft via the through hole 3406 to provide rotational movement of the asymmetric cam 3402 about the axis defined by the through hole 3406. In addition, the cam 3402 can define an attachment 3408 for receiving a connection with a release actuator. For example, the attachment 3408 can be operably connected to a nitinol wire driven by the release actuator so that the release actuator can pull the cam 3402 counterclockwise, thereby forcing the oval cam 3402 to push the follower 3404 downward and move the locking pin 3310 downward out of the receptacle 3314. Although not shown in FIG. 34A to FIG. 34C , however, a biasing element 3318 may be provided to bias the locking pin 3310 upwardly when the release actuator is disengaged.

[0280] When installing the modular programmable widget 116 into the docking piece 202, the horizontal channel 2402 of the modular programmable widget 116 can be inserted onto the mounting rod 2504. In doing so, the contact pads 306 of the modular programmable widget 116 move toward electrical contact with the docking connector 514 of the docking piece 202. When the placement of the modular programmable widget 116 is completed, the biasing element 3318 pushes the locking pin 3310 of the lock 3302 through the hole 3312 and into the receptacle 3314, thereby locking the modular programmable widget 116 into place on the mounting rod 2504.

[0281] To remove the modular programmable widget 116, the user can select the release option from the HMI display system 104. This can accordingly drive the release actuator to pull the cam 3402, which in turn pulls the locking pin 3310 out of the receptacle 3314 and into a lowered unlocked state. Once moved, the user can then pull the modular programmable widget 116 out of the mounting rod 2504.

[0282] FIG. 35A to FIG. 35B An example of a storage compartment 3502 with integrated docking piece 202 functionality is collectively shown. Fig.35A The storage compartment 3502 is shown in a closed position, while Fig.35B The storage compartment 3502 is shown in an open position. Generally speaking, the storage compartment 3502 can provide the vehicle 102 with a glove box-style hidden storage device.

[0283] The storage compartment 3502 can define a generally rectangular tray having a flat tray bottom 3504, left and right sides 3506, and a front 3508. The rear ends of the left and right sides 3506 can be hingedly attached to a dashboard 3510 of the vehicle 102 at a pivot point 3512. This allows the storage compartment 3502 to be rotated downwardly via the pivot point 3512 to an open position, such as Fig.35B As shown, and upward into the closed position, as Fig.35A In some examples, the storage compartment 3502 can be locked in the closed position by entering an on-screen pin, for example, in the configurable display 114 .

[0284] The front 3508 of the storage compartment 3502 can provide integrated docking piece 202 functionality. As shown, a selection of modular programmable widgets 116 is held in the docking piece 202 located on the front 3508 of the storage compartment 3502. The docking piece 202 and the modular programmable widgets 116 can be implemented using any of the various designs discussed in detail herein. The configurable dial 312, the configurable button 308, the additional power / data port 314, and another configurable dial 312 are connected in the illustration, but this is only an example, and different numbers and types of modular programmable widgets 116 can be used.

[0285] FIG. 36A to FIG. 36C Together, an example of adding a phone dock 3602 to the storage compartment 3502 is shown (in addition to integrating dock 202 functionality). Fig.36A The use of a phone dock 3602 and a docking plate 3604 for use with the storage compartment 3502 is shown. Fig.36B A single phone dock 3602 is shown having a landscape orientation. Fig.36B A dual phone dock 3602 is shown having a portrait orientation.

[0286] The phone dock 3602 may be a device configured to wirelessly charge a user's mobile device 3606. The phone dock 3602 may also provide a data connection between the mobile device 3606 and the vehicle 102, for example, to allow applications executed by the mobile device 3606 to utilize other features of the configurable display 114 or the HMI display system 104.

[0287] The docking plate 3604 can define a surface above the phone dock 3602 on which the mobile device 3606 can be placed for charging and / or connection to the vehicle 102. As shown, the phone dock 3602 can then be placed into the storage compartment 3502, and the docking plate 3604 can then be attached over the storage compartment 3502 to act as a cover or top over the storage compartment 3502. In one example, the left and right sides of the docking plate 3604 can define connectors 3608 (such as notches) that are configured to be secured to corresponding protrusions extending upward from the left and right sides 3506 of the storage compartment 3502.

[0288] The docking plate 3604 may include a rubberized or other material on its upper side to provide friction between the mobile device 3606 and the storage compartment 3502 to prevent the mobile device 3606 from moving while being charged. In some examples, the docking plate 3604 may define a recessed area 3612 in which the mobile device 3606 may be held in place for charging and / or connection to the vehicle 102. Fig.36BIn the example of FIG. 36 , a single mobile device 3606 is placed on top of a docking plate 3604, and Fig.36C In the example of FIG. 3 , two mobile devices 3606 are placed onto a larger docking plate 3604 .

[0289] FIG. 37A to FIG. 37D Aspects of an alternative docking member 202 having a rotational docking slot 3702 are collectively shown. As shown, the docking member 202 can extend a length below the configurable display 114 between the left docking member end cap 3704 and the right docking member end cap 3704. Each of the rotational docking slots 3702 can define a generally horizontal cylindrical shape, the length of which is sufficient to hold the modular programmable widget 116. Each of the docking spacers 3706 can also define a generally horizontal cylindrical shape, as shown, having a radius that is the same as the radius of the rotational docking slot 3702. The docking member 202 can define a series of alternating docking spacers 3706 and rotational docking slots 3702 aligned end to end along its flat surface. Each of the docking member end caps 3704 can also provide a smooth rounded appearance to the end of the docking member 202, the radius of which is approximately the same as the radius of the rotational docking slot 3702. The docking spacers 3706 can be fixed in rotation, but the rotational docking slots 3702 can be mounted to rotate along their cylindrical axis.

[0290] The rotational docking slots 3702 may also each define a flat face 3708 that is cut or otherwise formed into the surface of the cylinder. The flat face 3708 may expose the docking connector 514 for providing an electrical and / or mechanical connection to the modular programmable widget 116 when attached to the docking piece 202. Each of the rotational docking slots 3702 may be opened to expose a separate docking connector 514 on the flat face 3708 for receiving the modular programmable widget 116. When not in use, the rotational docking slots 3702 may be rotated to close to hide the flat face 3708 and the docking connector 514. When closed, the docking slots 3702 may give the appearance of a decorative molding without showing the details of the disconnected electrical docking connector 514.

[0291] Fig.37A An example of a rotating docking piece 202 having four rotating docking slots 3702 is shown. From left to right, the first of the rotating docking slots 3702 is in an open position, and the second of the rotating docking slots 3702 is in an intermediate rotation between the open position and the closed position. The first of the rotating docking slots 3702 is holding a modular programmable widget 116. The remaining two rotating docking slots 3702 are in a closed position.

[0292] Fig.37BAn example of a rotational docking piece 202 having four rotational docking slots 3702 is shown, wherein a first rotational docking slot 3702 is in an open position and holds a modular programmable widget 116, a second rotational docking slot 3702 is in an open position and is empty, and the remaining rotational docking slots 3702 are in a closed position.

[0293] Fig.37C An example of a rotational docking piece 202 having four rotational docking slots 3702 is shown, wherein the first two rotational docking slots 3702 are open and filled with modular programmable widgets 116, and the remaining rotational docking slots 3702 are in a closed position.

[0294] Fig.37D An example of a swivel docking piece 202 having four swivel docking slots 3702 is shown, wherein the first two swivel docking slots 3702 are open and empty, and the remaining two swivel docking slots 3702 are in a closed position.

[0295] A user may typically perform a set of activities or actions upon arriving home. These actions may include opening the garage door, unlocking the front door of the house, setting the home thermostat to a desired temperature, deactivating security cameras, calling the smart vacuum back to its docking station, and turning on the kitchen lights or other entry lights. The performance of these actions is referred to herein as transitioning to home mode.

[0296] Users may also typically perform a second set of activities or actions when they anticipate leaving the home. These actions may include closing the garage door, locking the front door, setting the home thermostat to economy mode, activating security cameras, setting the smart vacuum to patrol mode, and turning off kitchen lights or other entry lights. The performance of these actions is referred to herein as transitioning to away mode.

[0297] FIG. 38A to FIG. 38B An exemplary system 3800 for automatically switching between home mode and away mode is shown. The system 3800 may include a physical switch button 3802 included in the cabin of the vehicle 102. The physical switch button 3802 may be a two-state physical device, allowing the vehicle 102 to easily transition between home mode and away mode. Fig.38A A physical toggle button 3802 is shown in Out of Office mode, while Fig.38B A physical toggle button 3802 is shown in home mode.

[0298] As shown, the physical switch button 3802 is located on the outside of the steering wheel, but this is only an exemplary location. In another example, the physical switch button 3802 can be located below the center screen (e.g., below the configurable display 114). In another example, the physical switch button 3802 can be located on the center console. In another example, the physical switch button 3802 can be located on the window eyebrow above the windshield, on the rearview mirror, etc.

[0299] FIG. 39A to FIG. 39D An exemplary design of a physical toggle button 3802 is shown. Fig.39A An exemplary flip-over physical toggle button 3802 is shown. The exemplary physical toggle button 3802 can be toggled by pressing the desired side. Fig.39B An exemplary sliding physical toggle button 3802 is shown. The exemplary physical toggle button 3802 can be toggled by sliding the switch to the desired side. Fig.39C An exemplary toggle physical toggle button 3802 is shown. The exemplary physical toggle button 3802 can be toggled by moving the toggle to the desired side. Fig.39D An exemplary push-button physical toggle button 3802 is shown. The exemplary physical toggle button 3802 can be toggled by pressing the button.

[0300] Instead of or in addition to the physical toggle button 3802, it should be noted that one or more of the modular programmable widgets 116 can also be programmed to perform the toggle. For example, a user can program the configurable button 308, the configurable display 114, the configurable four-way button pad 336, the configurable multi-way control 344, etc. to invoke a toggle between the home mode and the away mode.

[0301] Return to FIG. 38A to FIG. 38B, the system 3800 also includes one or more smart home devices 3804. The smart home devices 3804 may include various devices that can be remotely controlled to perform one or more home automation functions. An exemplary smart home device 3804 may be a garage door opener. The garage door opener smart home device 3804 may support functions such as opening a garage door and closing a garage door. Another exemplary smart home device 3804 may be a front door lock. The front door opener smart home device 3804 may support functions such as unlocking a front door and locking a front door. Yet another exemplary smart home device 3804 may be a home thermostat. The home thermostat smart home device 3804 may support functions such as setting temperature, turning on air conditioning, turning off air conditioning, turning on heating, turning off heating, setting to economy mode, setting to occupancy mode, and the like. In another example, the smart home device 3804 may be a security camera. The security camera smart home device 3804 may support functions such as activating a camera and deactivating a camera. As yet another example, the smart home device 3804 may be a robot vacuum cleaner. The robot vacuum cleaner smart home device 3804 may support functions such as starting a cleaning patrol and returning to a charger base. In another example, the smart home device 3804 may be a light. The light smart home device 3804 may support functions such as turning on a light, turning off a light, setting light brightness, and setting light color.

[0302] When the user changes the state of the physical switch button 3802, the arrival or departure behavior can be automatically performed. For example, in response to changing the physical switch button 3802 from the out mode to the home mode, the vehicle 102 can automatically perform the set of arrival actions. In addition, in response to changing the physical switch button 3802 from the home mode to the out mode, the vehicle 102 can automatically perform the set of departure actions.

[0303] To perform the action, the vehicle 102 may send a state change request 3806 to the cloud server 3808 via the communication network 3810. The cloud server 3808 may use a function map 3812 stored to the cloud server 3808 or otherwise accessible by the cloud server 3808 to identify the action to be performed. For example, the function map 3812 may indicate the network address of the smart home device 3804, the account / login details of the smart home device 3804, and / or the function of the smart home device 3804 to be activated or deactivated. The cloud server 3808 may then communicate with the smart home device 3804 to implement the identified action. By sending the state change request 3806 to the cloud server 3808 and having the cloud server 3808 forward the command to the smart home device 3804, the vehicle 102 may be able to configure the mode of the smart home device 3804 without having to conduct Wi-Fi or other communications with the home itself.

[0304] The cloud server 3808 may also provide the vehicle 102 with a state change result 3814 as a confirmation indicating the result of the configuration of the smart home device 3804. In one example, the state change result 3814 may indicate whether the state change is complete. In another example, the state change result 3814 may indicate which functions from the function map 3812 may or may not be completed.

[0305] In some examples, the HMI display system 104 may provide a ring and / or an on-screen icon to confirm the state change. In another example, the physical toggle button 3802 may include a light, and the light may be activated in response to the physical toggle button 3802 being confirmed as being synchronized with the home by the state change result 3814. In other words, when the physical toggle button 3802 is toggled, the light may be deactivated until the state change result 3814 is received, and if the state change result 3814 indicates success, the light may be reactivated. Therefore, this allows the user to easily understand that the state change has been performed.

[0306] Fig.40 An exemplary home screen 4002 of a configurable display 114 is shown, from which configuration screens for home mode and away mode can be selected. As shown, the configurable display 114 includes a climate screen area 4004 that provides touch controls to manipulate various climate control functions of the vehicle 102. The configurable display 114 can include a home screen area 4006 in which currently active applications can be displayed. As shown, a navigation map application is currently shown. In addition, the home screen 4002 also provides a mode configuration control 4008, which, when selected, causes the configuration screens for home mode and away mode to be displayed.

[0307] Fig.41 An exemplary configuration screen 4102 is shown that may configurate the display 114. In one example, the mode configuration screen 4102 may be displayed in response to selecting the mode configuration control 4008 from the home screen 4002.

[0308] Mode configuration screen 4102 can allow the user to specify functions to be performed for both arriving home and leaving home. As shown, mode configuration screen 4102 includes an Arriving Home Routine 4104 label indicating a set of controls for configuring the set of arrival actions and a Leaving Home Routine 4106 label indicating a set of controls for configuring the set of departure actions.

[0309] In order to configure the set of arrival actions, the mode configuration screen 4102 includes an arrival action list 4108. The list includes a group of items corresponding to different actions to be automatically performed when transitioning to the home mode. Each action can be shown in the arrival action list 4108. For example, for each action, a smart device description 4110 can be shown. Here, the smart device description 4110 includes a name and an icon indicating the smart home device 3804 to be configured, but different examples are possible, such as only a name, only an icon, a user-customizable name, etc.

[0310] In addition, a function selector 4112 including a list of functions supported by the smart home device 3804 may be shown. For example, a user may select the function selector 4112, which may open a drop-down menu of available functions to be controlled. The available functions may be based on device discovery, or may be predefined based on the type of smart home device 3804. The user may select a function to be performed by the smart home device 3804 from the drop-down list. The arrival action list 4108 may also include a toggle switch 4114 for each list item. The toggle switch 4114 allows the user to select how the selected function is set when the user arrives at home. For example, the toggle switch 4114 allows the user to turn the selected function on or off upon arrival.

[0311] In some cases, the user may wish to add additional devices to the reach action list

[0312] 4108. To this end, the user may select Add Device Control 4116. Once selected, the vehicle

[0313] 102 can start the device discovery function. In one example, the vehicle 102 can use the telematics control module 130 to wirelessly communicate with the smart home device 3804 local to the vehicle 102. For example, the telematics control module 130 can use any of a variety of discovery protocols to broadcast and / or receive messages indicating the presence and / or available features of the smart home device 3804. The vehicle 102 can perform discovery using one or more protocols such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), ZigBee, Z-Wave, Thread, Matter, etc. In a specific example, when the vehicle 102 is networked to the home, the smart home device 3804 can be discovered by the vehicle 102, and the vehicle 102 can query the smart home device 3804 connected to the user's home Wi-Fi. A list of available devices can be shown to the user, and the user can select from those devices to add them to the arrival action list 4108.

[0314] Similar to the arrival action list 4108, in order to configure the set of departure actions, the mode configuration screen 4102 includes an departure action list 4118. The list includes a set of items corresponding to different actions to be automatically performed when transitioning to the away mode. Each departure action can be shown in the departure action list 4118. For example, for each action, consistent with the display of the smart device description 4110, a smart device description 4120 can be shown. The departure action list 4118 can also include: a function selector 4122, which is configured to operate as a function selector 4112 for departure actions; a toggle switch 4124, which allows the user to select how to set the selected function when the user leaves home; and an add device control 4126, which is used to add additional devices to the departure action list 4118. The function selector 4122, the toggle switch 4124, and the add device control 4126 can operate as discussed above with respect to the function selector 4112, the toggle switch 4114, and the add device control 4116, respectively.

[0315] Once the user has finished configuring the arrival action list 4108 and the departure action list 4118, the user may select the close button 4128 to return to the home screen 4002. In some examples, the mode configuration screen 4102 may confirm with the user to save the changes before applying the changes to the function map 3812. If the user confirms the update action, the HMI display system 104 may send the updated function map 3812 to the cloud server 3808 using the telematics control module 130.

[0316] Fig.42 An exemplary process 4200 is shown for configuration of a physical toggle button 3802. In one example, the process 4200 can be performed by components of the vehicle 102 and the cloud server 3808, as discussed in detail herein.

[0317] At operation 4202, the HMI display system 104 identifies available smart home devices 3804. In one example, a user may select add device control 4116 or add device control 4126 from the mode configuration screen 4102. In response to the selection, the HMI display system 104 may use the telematics control module 130 to wirelessly discover smart home devices 3804 local to the vehicle 102. In some examples, the communication may also include discovering available functionality of the discovered smart home devices 3804.

[0318] At operation 4204, the HMI display system 104 adds the available devices to the arrival action list 4108 and / or the departure action list 4118. In one example, the list of available devices identified at operation 4202 may be shown to the user, and the user may select from those devices to add them to the arrival action list 4108 and / or the departure action list 4118 as selected by the user.

[0319] At operation 4206, the HMI display system 104 receives a selection of a desired function for the added device. In one example, the user can utilize the function selector 4112 to configure the desired function of the smart home device 3804 added to the arrival action list 4108, and can use the function selector 4122 to configure the desired function of the smart home device 3804 added to the departure action list 4118.

[0320] At operation 4208, the HMI display system 104 saves the function map 3812. In one example, the user can use the close button 4128 to close the mode configuration screen 4102. In some cases, the user can also confirm that the changes to the function map 3812 should be applied to the cloud server 3808. If confirmed, the HMI display system 104 can send the updated function map 3812 to the cloud server 3808 using the telematics control module 130. After operation 4208, the process 4200 ends.

[0321] Fig.43 An exemplary process 4300 is shown for executing a mode change triggered by a physical toggle button 3802. In one example, the process 4200 can be performed by components of the vehicle 102 and the cloud server 3808, as discussed in detail herein.

[0322] At operation 4302, the HMI display system 104 detects whether the state of the physical toggle button 3802 has changed. In one example, the HMI display system 104 can communicate with the physical toggle button 3802 inside the vehicle 102 and can receive a signal indicating the current state of the physical toggle button 3802. If the state has changed, control passes to operation 4304. Otherwise, control remains at operation 4302.

[0323] At operation 4304, the HMI display system 104 indicates the state transition to the cloud server 3808. In one example, the HMI display system 104 may direct the telematics control module 130 to send a state change request 3806 to the cloud server 3808 via the communication network 3810. The state change request 3806 may indicate whether to change to home mode or away mode.

[0324] At operation 4306, the cloud server 3808 uses the function map 3812 to configure the smart home device 3804. In one example, the cloud server 3808 uses the function map 3812 configured using the process 4200 to identify an action to be performed. The cloud server 3808 can then communicate with the smart home device 3804 to implement the identified action. By sending the state change request 3806 to the cloud server 3808 and having the cloud server 3808 forward the command to the smart home device 3804, the vehicle 102 may be able to configure the mode of the smart home device 3804 without having to conduct Wi-Fi or other communications with the home itself.

[0325] At operation 4308, the HMI display system 104 receives a confirmation from the cloud server 3808. In one example, the cloud server 3808 may also provide the vehicle 102 with a state change result 3814 of the telematics control module 130 as a confirmation indicating the result of the configuration of the smart home device 3804. For example, the state change result 3814 may indicate whether the state change is complete. In another example, the state change result 3814 may indicate which functions from the function map 3812 may or may not be completed.

[0326] At operation 4310, the HMI display system 104 indicates the confirmation in the HMI display system 104. In some examples, the HMI display system 104 may provide a ring and / or an on-screen icon to confirm the state change. In another example, the physical toggle button 3802 may include a light, and the light may be activated in response to the physical toggle button 3802 being confirmed as being synchronized with the home by the state change result 3814. After operation 4310, the process 4300 returns to operation 4302.

[0327] Fig.44 An exemplary process 4400 is shown for configuration of a modular programmable widget 116. In one example, the process 4400 may be performed by a component of the vehicle 102 when operating in a configuration mode, as discussed in detail herein.

[0328] At operation 4402, the HMI display system 104 detects the presence of the modular programmable widget 116. In one example, in response to the connection of the modular programmable widget 116 to the configurable display 114, the widget controller 112 of the HMI display system 104 can receive a signal indicating the connection. In a first example, the connection can include the contact pads 306 of the modular programmable widget 116 being electrically connected to the docking connector 514 of the docking piece 202. The modular programmable widget 116 and the docking piece 202 can be any of the designs discussed in detail herein.

[0329] Regardless of the example, the modular programmable widget 116 can provide information to the configurable display 114 via the electrical connection of the contact pad 306 to the docking connector 514. The information can indicate the type of the modular programmable widget 116. The information can indicate, for example, that the modular programmable widget 116 is an HMI device. The information can also include information such as the model of the modular programmable widget 116, the color of the modular programmable widget 116, the number of programmable dials, the number of programmable toggle switches, the number of programmable switches, the number of hidden buttons or other controls, which can be used to allow the configurable display 114 to display an image that is consistent with the attached modular programmable widget 116. In some cases, the modular programmable widget 116 can be pre-configured to have specific functions. In such an example, the information can indicate the pre-configured functions.

[0330] At operation 4404, the HMI display system 104 presents an HMI for configuration of the modular programmable widget 116. In one example, the configurable display 114 may provide a screen for configuration of the modular programmable widget 116.

[0331] At operation 4406, the HMI display system 104 receives input to assign functionality to a control of the modular programmable widget 116. In one example, the HMI display system 104 may present an HMI to receive a selection of functionality to be assigned to a control (or controls) of the modular programmable widget 116. As some examples, the functionality available for assignment may include hot keys (e.g., quick selection of menu operations within a menu structure of the vehicle), utility controls (e.g., drag functionality), climate control functionality (e.g., temperature settings, fan settings, etc.), gig work functionality (e.g., rideshare commands), media control functionality (e.g., volume, radio station presets, media input selection), smart home settings (e.g., garage door operation, home climate control settings), vehicle settings (e.g., interior lighting settings, instrument cluster display modes), and the like.

[0332] At operation 4408, the HMI display system 104 saves the function assignment to the display setting 134 in the memory 108. For example, the modular programmable widget 116 may have a unique identifier, and the display setting 134 may store the unique identifier of the modular programmable widget 116, the identifier of the control, and the corresponding identifier of the assigned function corresponding to the unique identifier of the modular programmable widget 116, and the identifier of the control. In another example, each control of the modular programmable widget 116 may have a unique identifier, and the display setting 134 may store the unique identifier of the control and the corresponding identifier of the assigned function corresponding to the unique identifier of the control. After operation 4408, the process 4400 ends.

[0333] Fig.45 An exemplary process 4500 is shown for use of the modular programmable widget 116. In one example, like the process 4400, the process 4500 can be performed by a component of the vehicle 102 when operating in a runtime mode, as discussed in detail herein.

[0334] At operation 4502, the HMI display system 104 receives input from a control of the modular programmable widget 116. In one example, a user may press, turn, or otherwise interact with a configurable button 308, a display 310, a configurable dial 312, an additional power / data port 314, a configurable touch screen 316, a toggle button 318, a camera 320, a biometric sensor 322, or a control of a modular programmable widget 116 mounted to the HMI display system 104. In response to receiving the input, the modular programmable widget 116 may send a message to the configurable display 114 via an electrical connection to the configurable display 114. The message may indicate, for example, an identifier of the modular programmable widget 116 and / or an identifier of a control of the modular programmable widget 116.

[0335] At operation 4504, the HMI display system 104 retrieves a function assignment corresponding to the selected control. In one example, the HMI display system 104 may access the memory 108 to identify an identifier of the selected feature from the display settings 134 that corresponds to an identifier of the control and / or an identifier of the modular programmable widget 116. At operation 4506, the HMI display system 104 performs the function identified at operation 4504. After operation 4506, the process 4500 ends.

[0336] The processes, methods or algorithms disclosed herein may be capable of being delivered to / implemented by a processing device, a controller or a computer, which may include any existing programmable electronic control unit or a dedicated electronic control unit. Similarly, the processes, methods or algorithms may be stored as data and instructions that can be executed by a controller or a computer in many forms, including but not limited to: information permanently stored on a non-writable storage medium (such as a read-only memory (ROM) device) and information that can be mutably stored on a writable storage medium (such as a floppy disk, a tape, a compact disk (CD), a random access memory (RAM) device, and other magnetic and optical media). The processes, methods or algorithms may also be implemented as software executable objects. Alternatively, the processes, methods or algorithms may be embodied in whole or in part using suitable hardware components or a combination of hardware, software and firmware components, such as an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a state machine, a controller or other hardware component or device.

[0337] Although exemplary embodiments are described above, these embodiments are not intended to describe all possible forms covered by the claims. The words used in the specification are descriptive words rather than restrictive words, and it should be understood that various changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. As previously described, the features of various embodiments can be combined to form other embodiments of the present invention that may not be explicitly described or shown. Although various embodiments may have been described as providing advantages or being superior to other embodiments or prior art implementations in terms of one or more desired characteristics, it should be recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art that one or more features or characteristics can be compromised to achieve the desired overall system properties, depending on the specific application and implementation. These properties may include, but are not limited to, strength, durability, life cycle, marketability, appearance, packaging, size, serviceability, weight, manufacturability, ease of assembly, etc. For this reason, in terms of one or more characteristics, to the extent that any embodiment is described as less than other embodiments or prior art implementations are ideal, these embodiments are not outside the scope of the present disclosure and may be desired for specific applications.

[0338] With respect to the processes, systems, methods, heuristics, etc. described herein, it should be understood that although the steps of such processes, etc. have been described as occurring according to a certain ordered sequence, such processes may be practiced by performing the described steps in an order different from that described herein. It should also be understood that certain steps may be performed simultaneously, other steps may be added, or certain steps described herein may be omitted. In other words, the description of the processes herein is provided for the purpose of illustrating certain embodiments and should in no way be construed as limiting the claims.

[0339] Therefore, it should be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. Upon reading the above description, many embodiments and applications other than the examples provided will be apparent. The scope should not be determined with reference to the above description, but should be determined with reference to the entire scope of the appended claims and equivalents to which such claims are entitled. It is expected and anticipated that the technology discussed herein will develop in the future, and the disclosed systems and methods will be incorporated into such future embodiments. In short, it should be understood that the present application is capable of modification and variation.

[0340] All terms used in the claims are intended to give their broadest reasonable structure and their ordinary meaning, as understood by a person skilled in the art described herein, unless a clear contrary indication is given herein. Specifically, unless a claim states a clear limitation to the contrary, the use of singular articles such as "one", "the", "said" and the like should be interpreted as stating one or more of the indicated elements. The terms "substantially", "roughly" or "about" may be used herein and may modify the values ​​or relative properties disclosed or claimed. In such cases, "substantially", "roughly" or "about" may indicate that the value or relative property modified by it is within ±0%, 0.1%, 0.5%, 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 5% or 10% of the value or relative property (e.g., relative to the degree of deviation from the angle when referring to being substantially vertical or parallel).

[0341] An abstract of the present disclosure is provided to allow the reader to quickly determine the nature of the technical disclosure. It should be understood that the abstract will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. In addition, in the aforementioned detailed description, it can be seen that various features are grouped together in various embodiments for the purpose of making the text of the present disclosure flow smoothly. This method of the present disclosure should not be interpreted as reflecting the intention that the claimed embodiments require more features than the features explicitly recited in each claim. Instead, as reflected in the attached claims, the inventive subject matter lies in less than all the features of a single disclosed embodiment. Therefore, the attached claims are hereby incorporated into the detailed description, with each claim itself as a separately claimed subject matter.

[0342] Although exemplary embodiments are described above, these embodiments are not intended to describe all possible forms of the present invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are descriptive rather than restrictive terms, and it should be understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. In addition, the features of the various embodiments of implementation may be combined to form other embodiments of the present invention.

[0343] According to the present invention, a docking piece for receiving a modular programmable widget is provided, comprising: a body defining a fixing channel for receiving the modular programmable widget, the size of the fixing channel being designed to conform to the contour of an attachment body at the rear of the modular programmable widget; a plurality of docking connectors configured to receive contact pads of the modular programmable widget; and a locator defined by the fixing channel into the fixing channel to help place the modular programmable widget in a position where the contact pad of the modular programmable widget is aligned with one of the docking connectors.

[0344] According to one embodiment, the body of the docking piece defines a protrusion extending along an upper end of the fixing channel, the protrusion being configured to be received in a positioning recess defined by the modular programmable widget for insertion into the docking piece.

[0345] According to one embodiment, the protrusion defines a circular shape having substantially the same diameter as the concave surface of the locating recess to act as a boss to guide the modular programmable widget to rotate into position to snap into place.

[0346] According to one embodiment, the retainer defines a triangular shape that widens to the depth of the securing channel, converging to the frusto-conical shape of the attachment body of the modular programmable widget for guiding the modular programmable widget into position when inserted.

[0347] According to one embodiment, the invention is further characterized by a ferrous metal strip extending along the length of the docking piece, the ferrous metal strip being positioned to be attracted by the internal magnets of the modular programmable widget to align and secure the modular programmable widget in place.

[0348] According to one embodiment, the present invention is also characterized by one or more internal magnets within the docking piece, which are positioned to be attracted by the internal magnets of the modular programmable widget to align and fix the modular programmable widget in an appropriate position.

[0349] According to one embodiment, the docking connector is exposed through a contact hole defined into a channel of the docking piece.

[0350] According to one embodiment, the locator extends downwardly into the securing channel on either side of each of the docking connectors.

[0351] According to one embodiment, the docking piece is integrated into the vehicle interior.

[0352] According to one embodiment, the docking piece is integrated into a center console configurable display of the vehicle.

[0353] According to one embodiment, the docking piece is integrated into one of the second row console compartment or the rear cargo area.

[0354] According to one embodiment, the dock further comprises a wireless controller configured to transmit to the vehicle user input received from the modular programmable widget.

[0355] According to one embodiment, the docking piece is a mobile docking piece sized for handheld operation.

[0356] According to one embodiment, the docking piece is a household docking piece configured to receive the user input from the modular programmable widget via the docking connector and send commands to the vehicle to control vehicle functions from outside the vehicle.

[0357] According to one embodiment, the docking connector is a magnetic receptacle configured to attract the modular programmable widget in addition to providing the electrical connection.

[0358] According to the present invention, a modular programmable widget system is provided, which has: a docking piece, the docking piece includes a plurality of docking connectors, each docking connector has the same shape; and a plurality of modular programmable widgets, each modular programmable widget has: a front shell and a rear shell, the front shell and the rear shell defining a housing; one or more physical controls, the one or more physical controls being arranged on the front of the housing; a contact pad, the contact pad being exposed by the housing for electrical connection to any one of the docking connectors; and one or more feature pieces for mechanically connecting and fixing the modular programmable widget to the docking piece.

[0359] According to one embodiment, the top surface of the housing defines a locating groove, which provides a concave surface along the length of the top surface of the housing, and the docking piece defines a corresponding protrusion, which is configured to be received in the locating groove to align the modular programmable widget for insertion into the docking piece.

[0360] According to one embodiment, the rear shell defines an attachment body extending rearward from a vertical surface of a rear wall of the rear shell, and the docking piece includes a fixing channel, the size of which is designed to match the contour of the attachment body so that pivoting the modular programmable widget about the protrusion causes the attachment body of the modular programmable widget to move into the fixing channel.

[0361] According to one embodiment, the attachment body defines a contact window at the top of the attachment body to expose the contact pad through the top of the rear housing to be electrically connected to the docking member.

[0362] According to one embodiment, the modular programmable widget includes an internal magnet and the docking piece includes an internal magnet or a ferrous metal strip that will be attracted by the internal magnet of the modular programmable widget to align the modular programmable widget with the docking connector.

Claims

1. A docking piece for receiving a modular programmable widget, comprising: a body defining a securing channel for receiving the modular programmable widget, the securing channel being sized to conform to a contour of an attachment body at a rear portion of the modular programmable widget; a plurality of docking connectors configured to receive contact pads of the modular programmable widget; as well as A locator is defined by the securing channel and enters the securing channel to assist in placing the modular programmable widget in a position in which the contact pads of the modular programmable widget are aligned with one of the docking connectors.

2. The docking piece of claim 1, wherein the body of the docking piece defines a protrusion extending along an upper end of the fixing channel, the protrusion being configured to be received in a positioning recess defined by the modular programmable widget for insertion into the docking piece.

3. The docking piece of claim 2, wherein the protrusion defines a circular shape having substantially the same diameter as the concave surface of the locating recess to act as a boss to guide the modular programmable widget to rotate into position to snap into place.

4. A docking piece as described in claim 3, wherein the locator defines a triangular shape that widens to the depth of the fixed channel and tapers to the frustum shape of the attachment body of the modular programmable widget for guiding the modular programmable widget into the appropriate position when inserted.

5. The docking piece of claim 1 further comprising a ferrous metal strip extending along the length of the docking piece, the ferrous metal strip being positioned to be attracted by the internal magnets of the modular programmable widget to align and secure the modular programmable widget in place.

6. The docking piece of claim 1 further comprising one or more internal magnets within the docking piece, the one or more internal magnets being positioned to be attracted by the internal magnets of the modular programmable widget to align and secure the modular programmable widget in place.

7. The docking piece of claim 1, wherein the docking connector is exposed through a contact hole defined into a channel of the docking piece.

8. The docking piece of claim 1, wherein the locator extends downwardly into the securing channel on either side of each of the docking connectors.

9. The docking piece of claim 1, wherein the docking piece is integrated into a vehicle interior, optionally including one or more of: into a center console configurable display of the vehicle, or into one of a second row console compartment or a rear cargo area.

10. The docking piece of claim 1, wherein the docking piece further comprises a wireless controller configured to transmit user input received from the modular programmable widget to a vehicle.

11. The docking piece of claim 10, wherein the docking piece is a mobile docking piece sized for handheld operation.

12. The docking piece of claim 10, wherein the docking piece is a household docking piece configured to receive the user input from the modular programmable widget via the docking connector and send commands to the vehicle to control vehicle functions from outside the vehicle.

13. The docking piece of claim 1, wherein the docking connector is a magnetic jack configured to attract the modular programmable widget in addition to providing the electrical connection.

14. A modular programmable widget system comprising: A docking piece, the docking piece comprising a plurality of docking connectors, each docking connector having the same shape; as well as A plurality of modular programmable widgets, each modular programmable widget having: a front housing and a rear housing, the front housing and the rear housing defining an enclosure; one or more physical controls disposed on a front face of the housing; contact pads exposed by the housing for electrical connection to any of the docking connectors; and one or more features for mechanically connecting and securing the modular programmable widget to the docking piece.

15. The modular programmable widget system of claim 14, wherein one or more of the following: the top surface of the housing defining a detent groove providing a concave surface along a length of the top surface of the housing, and the dock defining a corresponding protrusion configured to be received into the detent groove to align the modular programmable widget for insertion into the dock; the rear housing defining an attachment body extending rearwardly from a vertical surface of a rear wall of the rear housing, and the docking piece including a securing channel sized to conform to a contour of the attachment body such that pivoting the modular programmable widget about the protrusion causes the attachment body of the modular programmable widget to move into the securing channel; The attachment body defines a contact window at the top of the attachment body to expose the contact pad through the top of the rear housing to electrically connect to the docking member; and The modular programmable widget includes an internal magnet, and the dock includes an internal magnet or a ferrous metal strip that will be attracted by the internal magnet of the modular programmable widget to align the modular programmable widget with the docking connector.

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