System and method for establishing wireless communication between vehicle and portable computing device

Abstract

Systems and methods of establishing wireless communication between a vehicle and a portable computing device are provided. In one form, the disclosure relates to a method comprising: detecting, by a vehicle system, a portable computing device within a first communication area; and detecting, by the vehicle system, that the portable computing device is within a second communication area smaller than the first communication area using a first location classifier, the first location classifier configured to estimate whether the portable computing device is at a vehicle having the vehicle system. The method also includes establishing, by the vehicle system, a wireless communication link with the portable computing device to play audio content from the portable computing device using an infotainment system of the vehicle in response to detecting that the portable computing device is within the second communication area using the first location classifier.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to establishing wireless communications between a vehicle and a portable computing device. Background Art

[0002] The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.

[0003] Advances in vehicle technology include not only improving the user's driving experience, but also providing an overall entertaining and convenient user experience. In a non-limiting example, a vehicle communication system pairs with a portable computing device (PCD) (e.g., a smart phone, a tablet computer) and establishes a communication link with it to enable the user to access features of the PCD, such as, but not limited to, enabling the infotainment system to play audio content provided by the PCD. Summary of the invention

[0004] This section provides a general summary of the disclosure and is not a comprehensive disclosure of its full scope or all of its features.

[0005] In one form, the present disclosure relates to a method comprising: detecting, by a vehicle system, a portable computing device within a first communication area; detecting, by the vehicle system, using a first location classifier to detect that the portable computing device is within a second communication area that is smaller than the first communication area, the first location classifier being configured to estimate whether the portable computing device is at a vehicle having the vehicle system; and in response to detecting that the portable computing device is within the second communication area using the first location classifier, establishing, by the vehicle system, a wireless communication link with the portable computing device to play audio content from the portable computing device using the vehicle's infotainment system.

[0006] In one form, the present disclosure is directed to a system for a vehicle. The system includes one or more processors and a memory storing programming instructions configured to cause the one or more processors to: detect a portable computing device within a first communication area; detect the portable computing device within a second communication area smaller than the first communication area using a first location classifier, the first location classifier being configured to estimate whether the portable computing device is at the vehicle; and in response to detecting the portable computing device within the second communication area using the first location classifier, establish a wireless communication link with the portable computing device to play audio content from the portable computing device using an infotainment system of the vehicle.

[0007] In one form, the present disclosure relates to a method comprising: detecting, by a vehicle system, a portable computing device within a first communication area defined based on Bluetooth-type communications; detecting, by the vehicle system, using a first location classifier, that the portable computing device is within a second communication area that is smaller than the first communication area, the first location classifier being configured to estimate whether the portable computing device is at a vehicle having the vehicle system; in response to detecting, by using the first location classifier, that the portable computing device is within the second communication area, establishing, by the vehicle system, a wireless communication link with the portable computing device to play audio content from the portable computing device using the vehicle's infotainment system; in response to the portable computing device not being within the second communication area, detecting, by the vehicle system, using a second location classifier, that the portable computing device is within a third communication area that is smaller than the first communication area and larger than the second communication area; and in response to detecting that the portable computing device is within the third communication area and in response to receiving authorization from a user of the vehicle, establishing, by the vehicle system, a wireless communication link with the portable computing device to play audio content from the portable computing device using the vehicle's infotainment system. The first location classifier is configured to estimate that the portable computing device is at the vehicle using at least one of near field communication or angle of arrival estimation, and the second location classifier is configured to estimate the distance between the portable computing device and the vehicle using at least one of channel sounding or received signal strength indicator techniques.

[0008] Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein.It should be understood that the description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] In order that the present disclosure may be better understood, various forms of the present disclosure will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0010] Figure 1 A portable communication device according to the present disclosure is shown within one or more communication areas of a vehicle;

[0011] Figure 2 According to the present disclosure Figure 1 A block diagram of a vehicle system of a vehicle of; and

[0012] Figure 3 is a flow chart of a communication procedure executed by a vehicle system according to the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0013] As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it should be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely examples of the present invention that can be implemented in various forms and alternative forms. The drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale; some features may be enlarged or minimized to show details of specific components. Therefore, the specific structural details and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching those skilled in the art to adopt the present invention in various ways.

[0014] When a portable computing device (PCD) is within the communication zone of a vehicle, once paired, conventional wireless communication protocols such as Bluetooth (BLU) (e.g., low energy BLU and other BLU protocols / devices) automatically establish a wireless communication link between the vehicle and the PCD. In some cases, the PCD may be within the communication zone of a vehicle but is not intended to communicate with the vehicle.

[0015] More specifically, refer to Figure 1 , the vehicle 100 includes a vehicle system 102 having a communication system 104 and an infotainment system 106. The vehicle system 102 is paired with one or more PCDs 108A, 108B, 108C (collectively referred to as "PCD 108") to communicate with the PCD 108 via a selected wireless communication protocol (e.g., BLU). With the vehicle 100 turned on (e.g., the infotainment system 106 turned on), the typical vehicle system automatically establishes communication with the PCD 108 within a first communication area 110 supported by the selected wireless communication protocol. For example, if the PCD 108A is the only PCD 108 in the first communication area 110, the typical vehicle system establishes a wireless communication link with the PCD 108A and automatically passes the selected operation (such as an ongoing phone call) to the typical infotainment system. However, the PCD 108A is not in the vehicle 100, and therefore, the passing interferes with the user of the PCD 108A and the person speaking to the user.

[0016] The vehicle system 102 of the present disclosure is configured to evaluate whether the PCD 108 is at the vehicle 100 (e.g., in the vehicle 100 or at least proximate to the vehicle) before establishing a communication link and / or passing the operation of the PCD 108 to the infotainment system 106. More specifically and as described herein, the vehicle system 102 is configured to detect whether the PCD 108 is within a second communication area 112 that is smaller than the first communication area 110 using a first location classifier, the first location classifier being configured to estimate whether the PCD 108 is at the vehicle 100. If the PCD 108 is within the second communication area 112, the vehicle system 102 establishes a communication link with the PCD 108. In one form, the boundaries of the second communication area 112 are defined by the first location classifier and generally include a majority of the body of the vehicle 100 and preferably include all of the body, and are substantially smaller than the first communication area 110. Thus, the vehicle system 102 is configured to inhibit operation of the PCD 108 that is not deemed to be at the vehicle 100 from being accidentally transferred to the infotainment system 106 .

[0017] refer to Figure 2 , the communication system 104 of the vehicle system 102 is configured to control communication between the vehicle 100 and external devices, such as, but not limited to, the PCD 108, a roadside unit (not shown), and / or other vehicles (not shown). In one form, the communication system 104 includes a BLU module 202 having a BLU transceiver 204, a near field communication (NFC) module 206 having a loop antenna 208, and a device communication (DC) module 210. It should be readily understood that the communication system 104 may include other components for communicating with external devices using one or more communication protocols, such as, but not limited to, a telematics control unit, and should not be limited to the examples provided herein.

[0018] The BLU module 202 is configured to use the BLU transceiver 204 to pair with and establish a communication link with the PCD 108 according to the BLU protocol (as the selected wireless communication protocol). In operation, the reception range of the BLU transceiver 204 defines the first communication area 110, and the BLU module 202 is configured to detect the PCD 108 within the first communication area 110. In one form, the BLU module 202 is configured to store information related to the paired PCD 108, such as but not limited to unique identification information associated with the PCD 108, and track available PCDs 108 within the first communication range 110.

[0019] The NFC module 206 is configured to communicate with the PCD 108 using the loop antenna 208 according to an NFC protocol in which communication is achieved within a short distance (e.g., approximately 2 to 4 inches). As is well known, NFC employs inductive coupling between the loop antenna 208 and the loop antenna of the PCD 108, and in operation, the PCD 108 is positioned within the receiving range of the loop antenna 208 to communicate with the NFC module 206. In a non-limiting example, such short-range communication is employed as part of a PCD-like key entry, in which the PCD 108 is used to unlock the vehicle 100 when placed near the loop antenna 208 provided at the door of the vehicle 100. In some variations, the vehicle 100 may include multiple loop antennas 208 to enable NFC communication at various locations in the vehicle 100.

[0020] The DC module 210 is configured to execute one or more position classifiers to detect whether the PCD 108 disposed in the first communication area 110 is in a communication area that is smaller and closer to the vehicle 100. More specifically, the DC module 210 uses a first position classifier 212 to detect whether the PCD 108 is in the second communication area 112, and uses a second position classifier 214 to detect whether the PCD 108 is in a third communication area 114 (i.e., a third communication area 114) that is smaller than the first communication area 110 and larger than the second communication area 112. Figure 1 ). If in the second communication area 112, the PCD 108 is considered to be at the vehicle 100, and the DC module 210 automatically establishes communication with the PCD 108 and passes the operation to the infotainment system 106. If in the third communication area 114, the DC module 210 is configured to obtain additional authorization from the user before passing the operation to the infotainment system 106. Hereinafter, the first location classifier 212 and the second location classifier 214 are collectively referred to as "location classifiers 212, 214".

[0021] In one form, the first location classifier 212 is configured to estimate that the PCD 108 is at the vehicle 100 using at least one of NFC, angle of arrival estimation, or time of flight estimation. As described above, NFC operates when the PCD 108 is in close proximity (e.g., 2-4 inches) to the loop antenna 208 of the vehicle 100. Therefore, if the NFC module 206 detects the PCD 108, the DC module 210 determines that the PCD 108 is within the second communication zone 112 and, therefore, at the vehicle 100.

[0022] Regarding angle of arrival estimation, the DC module 210 is configured to estimate the position of the PCD 108 based on the angle of arrival of the signal received from the PCD 108 via the BLU module 202. The angle of arrival evaluates the direction of the signal as it relates to the Z axis 120 of the vehicle 100 (see Figure 1Using the position of the PCD 108 based on the angle of arrival, the DC module 210 is configured to determine whether the distance of the PCD 108 from the vehicle 100 is within a threshold distance, where the threshold distance is selected to correspond to a distance near or within the vehicle 100.

[0023] Time of flight may also be employed to detect the distance between the PCD 108 and the vehicle 100. Using known time of flight measurement algorithms, the DC module 210 detects the distance and compares it to a threshold distance, where the threshold distance is selected to correspond to a distance near or within the vehicle 100.

[0024] In the event that the PCD 108 is not within the second communication area 112, the DC module 210 is configured to use the second location classifier 212 to detect whether the PCD 108 is within a third communication area 114, which is smaller than the first communication area 110 and larger than the second communication area 112. Specifically, the second location classifier 212 is configured to estimate the distance between the PCD 108 and the vehicle 100 (and more specifically, the communication system 104) using at least one of a known channel sounding estimate or a known received signal strength indicator estimate. If the PCD 108 is in the third communication area 114, which can be defined based on a selected distance threshold, the DC module 210 is configured to establish communication with the PCD 108.

[0025] By using the first location classifier 212 and the second location classifier 214 , the DC module 210 further narrows the communication zone of the vehicle 100 to select the PCD 108 that may be used in the vehicle 100 , and thus inhibits selected operations of the PCD 108 from being accidentally transferred to the infotainment system 106 .

[0026] The infotainment system 106 is configured to provide information and access to various auxiliary features such as, but not limited to, an audio system, a navigation system, and / or a climate control system. In one form, the infotainment system 106 includes a user interface (UI) device 220 for interacting with a user, such as an audio device (e.g., a speaker 220A and / or a microphone 220B), a display device 220C (e.g., a heads-up display and / or a liquid crystal display with a touch screen), and / or other suitable input devices (e.g., buttons, knobs).

[0027] The infotainment system 106 also includes a user experience module 224 and a user profile database 226. In one form, the user experience module 224 is configured to exchange information with the PCD 108 using a communication link established via the communication system 104 to enable the infotainment system 106 to access the PCD 108. That is, using known techniques, the user experience module 224 is configured to enable a user to control and access features of the PCD 108, such as, but not limited to: playing selected audio content available via the PCD 108 using the UI device 220, and / or presenting software applications available via the PCD 108 and accessible via the UI device 220. In a non-limiting example, if the PCD 108 is capable of making phone calls, the user experience module 224 enables the user to initiate a call using the infotainment system 106 that communicates with the PCD 108 via, for example, a Bluetooth communication link. In another example, the user experience module 224 enables the user to select audio content, such as music or a podcast, available via the PCD 108 and played using the UI device 220.

[0028] In some implementations, the user experience module 224 is configured to store data related to one or more users in a user profile database 226 to help provide a customizable experience for each user. In one form, the user profile database 226 stores a profile record for a user, where the profile record includes information such as, but not limited to, a user identification (e.g., name); a PCD identification (e.g., a unique identification associated with the PCD 108 used by the user); and / or a pre-identified preferred software application to be launched when the PCD 108 communicates with the vehicle 100.

[0029] In one form, the profile record may also rank the users such that the primary user of the vehicle 100 may be identified as a first preferred user. Thus, if a plurality of PCDs 108 are provided within the second communication area 114, the user experience module 224 is configured to select from the PCDs 108 based on a stored profile record (i.e., a user profile), which may be identified based on, for example, a PCD identifier stored in the profile record and an identifier of the PCD provided by the communication system 104. If only one of the PCDs 108 is associated with a profile record, the user experience module 224 requests the DC module 210 to establish communications with the PCD 108 associated with the profile record. Alternatively, if a plurality of PCDs 108 are associated with profile records stored in the user profile database 226, the user experience module 224 is configured to select the PCD 108 associated with the profile record having the highest ranking.

[0030] In some forms, the user experience module 224 tracks the use of the PCD 108 using profile records of the user profile database 226 to compile historical data of employed PCDs 108. Based on the historical data and known machine learning techniques, the user experience module 224 may include a user preference model to select a PCD 108 as a preferred device to communicate with when multiple PCDs 108 are within the second communication zone 112.

[0031] refer to Figure 3 , an example communication procedure 300 performed by a vehicle system is provided. At operation 302, the vehicle system 102 detects the PCD 108 in the first communication area 110 based on, for example, the reception range of the BLU module 202. In a non-limiting example and with reference to Figure 1 , the BLU module 202 detects the PCDs 108A, 108B, and 108C that were previously paired with the BLU module 202 and are within the first communication zone 110 .

[0032] At operation 304 , the vehicle system 102 uses the first location classifier 212 to determine whether the PCD 108 is within the second communication zone 112 , and if so, establishes communication with the PCD 108 and the infotainment system at operation 306 . Figure 1 In the example of FIG. 1 , PCD 108C is disposed in the second communication area 112, while PCDs 108A and 108B are outside the second communication area 112. If PCD 108A is previously identified as a preferred PCD, a typical vehicle system may automatically connect to PCD 108A even if it is away from the vehicle 100 (e.g., in FIG. 1 ). Figure 1 The same is true for the house 130 of FIG. 100 . Using the vehicle system 102 of the present disclosure, the PCD 108C is selected to communicate with the infotainment system 106 because it is within the second communication zone 112 .

[0033] In some variations, once communication is established, the vehicle system 102 is configured to use known techniques to detect whether the PCD 108 is providing audio content (e.g., making a phone call, playing music / podcast). If the PCD 108 is within the second communication zone 112, the vehicle system 102 is configured to automatically play the audio content using the speaker 220A.

[0034] If the PCD 108 is not in the second communication zone 112, then at operation 308, the vehicle system 102 uses the second location classifier 214 to determine whether the PCD 108 is in the third communication zone 114. For example, assuming that the PCD 108C is not in the second communication zone 112, the vehicle system 102 may determine whether the PCD 108B is in the third communication zone 114 because the PCD 108B is not in the second communication zone 112. In one form, if the PCD 108 is detected in the third communication zone 114, then at operation 312, the vehicle system 102 requests verification from the user regarding the PCD 108 and specifically whether the PCD 108 will communicate with the infotainment system 106. For example, using one or more of the UI devices 220, the infotainment system 106 provides a message to the user requesting input indicating that the PCD 108 will communicate with the infotainment system 106. If authentication is received, then at operation 306 the vehicle system 102 establishes communication between the infotainment system 106 and the PCD 108. Alternatively, if authentication is not received, then at operation 314 the vehicle system 102 does not establish communication.

[0035] In some variations, if the PCD 108 is not in the second communication area 112 but in the third communication area 114, the vehicle system 102 is configured to establish communication between the infotainment system 106 and the PCD 108 without requesting verification, and may instead request verification whether the PCD 108 is providing audio content when the communication is established. Specifically, the vehicle system 102 is configured to detect whether the PCD 108 is providing audio content, and before passing the operation of the PCD 108 to the infotainment system 106, the vehicle system 102 provides a message via the UI device 220, the message asking whether the audio content will be sent via the infotainment system 106. If the input indicating such a pass is approved, the vehicle system 102 plays the audio content via the speaker 220A.

[0036] By enabling the user to verify whether the infotainment system 106 should play audio content from the PCD 108, the vehicle system 102 mitigates against accidental delivery of audio content. Figure 1 , the PCD 108B is detected in the first communication zone and the third communication zone, but is not intended for use in the vehicle 100. Therefore, before the operation of the PCD 108B is passed to the infotainment system 106, if the PCD 108B is providing audio content, the user must first authenticate the communication and / or the passing of the audio content.

[0037] It should be readily appreciated that the vehicle system 102 may be configured in a variety of suitable ways and should not be limited to the communication procedure 300. For example, the procedure 300 may include operations for selecting a PCD 108 from a plurality of PCDs 108 within the second communication area 112 in accordance with the present disclosure.

[0038] 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 words, 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.

[0039] Unless otherwise expressly indicated herein, all numerical values ​​indicating mechanical / thermal properties, composition percentages, dimensions and / or tolerances or other properties when describing the scope of the present disclosure should be understood to be modified by the word "about" or "approximately". Such modifications are desirable for a variety of reasons, including: industrial practice; material, manufacturing and assembly tolerances; and testing capabilities.

[0040] In this application, the term "module" may refer to, be part of, or include: an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC); a digital, analog, or mixed analog / digital discrete circuit; a digital, analog, or mixed analog / digital integrated circuit; a combinatorial logic circuit; a field programmable gate array (FPGA); a processor circuit (shared, dedicated, or group) that executes code; a memory circuit (shared, dedicated, or group) that stores code executed by the processor circuit; other suitable hardware components that provide the described functionality; or a combination of some or all of the above, such as in a system on a chip.

[0041] The term memory is a subset of the term computer-readable medium. The term computer-readable medium as used herein does not encompass transient electrical or electromagnetic signals propagated through a medium (such as on a carrier wave); therefore, the term computer-readable medium may be considered to be tangible and non-transitory. Non-limiting examples of non-transitory tangible computer-readable media are non-volatile memory circuits (such as flash memory circuits, erasable programmable read-only memory circuits, or mask read-only circuits), volatile memory circuits (such as static random access memory circuits or dynamic random access memory circuits), magnetic storage media (such as analog or digital tape or hard drives), and optical storage media (such as CDs, DVDs, or Blu-ray discs).

[0042] The apparatus and methods described in this application may be implemented partially or completely by a special-purpose computer, which is created by configuring a general-purpose computer to perform one or more specific functions embodied in a computer program. The functional blocks, flow chart components, and other elements described above are used as software specifications, which can be translated into a computer program by routine work of a technician or programmer.

[0043] As used herein, the phrase at least one of A, B, and C should be construed to mean a logical (A or B or C), using a non-exclusive logical "or", and should not be construed to mean "at least one of A, at least one of B, and at least one of C."

[0044] The description of the present disclosure is merely exemplary in nature, and thus, variations that do not depart from the essence of the present disclosure are intended to be within the scope of the present disclosure. Such variations should not be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

[0045] According to the present invention, a method includes: detecting, by a vehicle system, a portable computing device within a first communication area; detecting, by the vehicle system, using a first location classifier to detect that the portable computing device is within a second communication area that is smaller than the first communication area, the first location classifier being configured to estimate whether the portable computing device is at a vehicle having the vehicle system; and in response to detecting that the portable computing device is within the second communication area using the first location classifier, establishing, by the vehicle system, a wireless communication link with the portable computing device to play audio content from the portable computing device using the vehicle's infotainment system.

[0046] In one aspect of the present invention, the method includes: in response to the portable computing device not being in the second communication area, the vehicle system uses a second location classifier to detect that the portable computing device is in a third communication area that is smaller than the first communication area and larger than the second communication area; and in response to detecting that the portable computing device is in the third communication area using the second location classifier, the vehicle system establishes a wireless communication link with the portable computing device to play audio content from the portable computing device using the vehicle's infotainment system.

[0047] In one aspect of the present invention, a first location classifier is configured to estimate that a portable computing device is at a vehicle using at least one of near field communication, angle of arrival estimation, or time of flight estimation, and a second location classifier is configured to estimate a distance between the portable computing device and the vehicle using at least one of channel sounding or received signal strength indicator techniques.

[0048] In one aspect of the present invention, the method includes detecting, by a vehicle system, that a portable computing device provided in a third communication area is playing audio content; providing, by the vehicle system via a user interface, a message requesting whether the audio content is to be emitted via an infotainment system of the vehicle; and playing, by the vehicle system, the audio content via the infotainment system in response to receiving, via the user interface, an input indicating that the audio content is to be emitted.

[0049] In one aspect of the invention, the first location classifier is configured to estimate that the portable computing device is at the vehicle using at least one of near field communication, angle of arrival estimation, or time of flight estimation.

[0050] In one aspect of the invention, the angle of arrival estimate is used in a first position classifier to estimate the position of the portable computing device relative to the Z-axis of the vehicle.

[0051] In one aspect of the present invention, at least two portable computing devices are detected within a first communication area and a second communication area.

[0052] In one aspect of the present invention, the method includes selecting, by a vehicle system, one of at least two portable computing devices that is associated with a user profile stored by the vehicle system, wherein a wireless communication link is established with the one of the at least two portable computing devices.

[0053] In one aspect of the invention, the method includes selecting, by a vehicle system, one of at least two portable computing devices identified as a preferred device based on a user preference model.

[0054] In one aspect of the invention, the first communication area is defined based on Bluetooth type communication.

[0055] According to the present invention, a system for a vehicle is provided, the system having: one or more processors; and a memory storing programming instructions, the programming instructions being configured to cause the one or more processors to: detect a portable computing device within a first communication area; use a first location classifier to detect that the portable computing device is within a second communication area that is smaller than the first communication area, the first location classifier being configured to estimate whether the portable computing device is at the vehicle; and in response to detecting that the portable computing device is within the second communication area using the first location classifier, establish a wireless communication link with the portable computing device to play audio content from the portable computing device using the vehicle's infotainment system.

[0056] According to one embodiment, the programming instructions are also configured to cause one or more processors to: in response to the portable computing device not being in the second communication area, use a second location classifier to detect that the portable computing device is within a third communication area that is smaller than the first communication area and larger than the second communication area; and in response to detecting that the portable computing device is within the third communication area using the second location classifier, establish a wireless communication link with the portable computing device to play audio content from the portable computing device using the vehicle's infotainment system.

[0057] According to one embodiment, the first location classifier is configured to estimate that the portable computing device is at the vehicle using at least one of near field communication, angle of arrival estimation, or time of flight estimation, and the second location classifier is configured to estimate the distance between the portable computing device and the vehicle using at least one of channel sounding or received signal strength indicator techniques.

[0058] According to one embodiment, the programming instructions are further configured to cause the one or more processors to: detect that a portable computing device provided in a third communication area is playing audio content; provide a message via a user interface, the message requesting whether the audio content is to be emitted via an infotainment system of the vehicle; and in response to receiving an input via the user interface indicating that the audio content is to be emitted, play the audio content via the infotainment system.

[0059] According to one embodiment, the first location classifier is configured to estimate that the portable computing device is at the vehicle using at least one of near field communication, angle of arrival estimation, or time of flight estimation.

[0060] According to one embodiment, the angle of arrival estimate is used in a first position classifier to estimate the position of the portable computing device relative to the Z-axis of the vehicle.

[0061] According to one embodiment, at least two portable computing devices are detected within a first communication area and a second communication area, the memory is configured to store a profile record of a user of the vehicle; and the programming instructions are further configured to cause one or more processors to select one of the at least two portable computing devices that is associated with the stored profile record, wherein a wireless communication link is established with the one of the at least two portable computing devices.

[0062] According to one embodiment, at least two portable computing devices are detected within a first communication zone and a second communication zone, and the programming instructions are further configured to cause the one or more processors to select one of the at least two portable computing devices identified as a preferred device based on a user preference model.

[0063] According to one embodiment, the first communication area is defined based on Bluetooth type communication.

[0064] According to the present invention, a method includes: detecting, by a vehicle system, a portable computing device within a first communication area defined based on Bluetooth type communication; detecting, by the vehicle system, using a first location classifier, that the portable computing device is within a second communication area that is smaller than the first communication area, the first location classifier being configured to estimate whether the portable computing device is at a vehicle having the vehicle system; in response to detecting, by using the first location classifier, that the portable computing device is within the second communication area, the vehicle system establishing a wireless communication link with the portable computing device to use the vehicle's infotainment system to play audio content from the portable computing device; in response to the portable computing device not being within the second communication area, the vehicle system using a second location classifier to detect that the portable computing device is within a third communication area that is smaller than the first communication area and larger than the second communication area; and in response to detecting that the portable computing device is within the third communication area and in response to receiving authorization from a user of the vehicle, establishing, by the vehicle system, a wireless communication link with the portable computing device to play audio content from the portable computing device using the vehicle's infotainment system, wherein: the first location classifier is configured to estimate that the portable computing device is at the vehicle using at least one of near field communication, angle of arrival estimation, or time of flight estimation, and the second location classifier is configured to estimate the distance between the portable computing device and the vehicle using at least one of channel probing or received signal strength indicator techniques.

Claims

1. A method comprising: detecting, by a vehicle system, a portable computing device within a first communication area; detecting, by the vehicle system, that the portable computing device is within a second communication area that is smaller than the first communication area using a first location classifier configured to estimate whether the portable computing device is at a vehicle having the vehicle system; as well as In response to detecting that the portable computing device is within the second communication zone using the first location classifier, establishing, by the vehicle system, a wireless communication link with the portable computing device to play audio content from the portable computing device using an infotainment system of the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: In response to the portable computing device not being within the second communication area, detecting, by the vehicle system, using a second location classifier, that the portable computing device is within a third communication area that is smaller than the first communication area and larger than the second communication area; as well as In response to detecting the portable computing device within the third communication zone using the second location classifier, establishing, by the vehicle system, a wireless communication link with the portable computing device to play audio content from the portable computing device using the infotainment system of the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein: The first location classifier is configured to estimate the location of the portable computing device at the vehicle using at least one of near field communication, angle of arrival estimation, or time of flight estimation, The second location classifier is configured to estimate a distance between the portable computing device and the vehicle using at least one of a channel sounding or a received signal strength indicator technique.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising: detecting, by the vehicle system, that the portable computing device provided in the third communication zone is playing audio content; providing, by the vehicle system via a user interface, a message requesting whether the audio content is to be emitted via the infotainment system of the vehicle; as well as In response to receiving input via the user interface indicating that the audio content is to be emitted, the audio content is played by the vehicle system via the infotainment system. 5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first location classifier is configured to estimate that the portable computing device is at the vehicle using at least one of near field communication, angle of arrival estimation, or time of flight estimation.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the angle of arrival estimate is used by the first position classifier to estimate the position of the portable computing device relative to a Z-axis of the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least two portable computing devices are detected within the first communication area and the second communication area, and the method further comprises: One of the at least two portable computing devices that is associated with a user profile stored by the vehicle system is selected by the vehicle system, wherein the wireless communication link is established with the one of the at least two portable computing devices.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising selecting, by the vehicle system based on a user preference model, one of the at least two portable computing devices identified as a preferred device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication area is defined based on Bluetooth type communication.

10. A system for a vehicle, comprising: one or more processors; as well as a memory storing programming instructions configured to cause the one or more processors to: detecting a portable computing device within a first communication area; detecting that the portable computing device is within a second communication area that is smaller than the first communication area using a first location classifier, the first location classifier being configured to estimate whether the portable computing device is at the vehicle; and In response to detecting the portable computing device within the second communication area using the first location classifier, a wireless communication link is established with the portable computing device to play audio content from the portable computing device using an infotainment system of the vehicle.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the programming instructions are further configured to cause the one or more processors to: In response to the portable computing device not being within the second communication area, detecting, using a second location classifier, that the portable computing device is within a third communication area that is smaller than the first communication area and larger than the second communication area; and In response to detecting that the portable computing device is within the third communication zone using the second location classifier, a wireless communication link is established with the portable computing device to play audio content from the portable computing device using the infotainment system of the vehicle.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein: The first location classifier is configured to estimate the location of the portable computing device at the vehicle using at least one of near field communication, angle of arrival estimation, or time of flight estimation, The second location classifier is configured to estimate a distance between the portable computing device and the vehicle using at least one of a channel sounding or a received signal strength indicator technique.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the programming instructions are further configured to cause the one or more processors to: detecting that the portable computing device provided in the third communication area is playing audio content; providing a message via a user interface, the message requesting whether the audio content is to be emitted via the infotainment system of the vehicle; and In response to receiving input via the user interface indicating that the audio content is to be emitted, the audio content is played via the infotainment system.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein: detecting at least two portable computing devices within the first communication area and the second communication area, The memory is configured to store a profile record of a user of the vehicle; and The programming instructions are also configured to cause the one or more processors to select one of the at least two portable computing devices that is associated with the stored profile record, wherein the wireless communication link is established with the one of the at least two portable computing devices.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein: At least two portable computing devices are detected within the first communication area and the second communication area, and The programming instructions are further configured to cause the one or more processors to select one of the at least two portable computing devices identified as a preferred device based on the user preference model.

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