Method and system for sharing current content of in-vehicle infotainment system (IVI)

Abstract

A method and system for sharing current content of an in-vehicle infotainment system (IVI) is provided. The method comprises the following steps: receiving a sharing request for current content of an IVI side from a user, wherein the current content comprises current foreground content of the IVI side or current background content of the IVI side; transmitting the current content of the IVI side to a content storage end in real time based on the sharing request; providing a QR code for scanning by a user's own device, the QR code comprising a link to the content storage end; using the built-in device to scan the QR code provided by the IVI, so that a browser application of the built-in device is called to navigate to a link indicated by the QR code, and the link points to the content storage end; and the browser application of the built-in device plays the requested current content on the IVI side.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to in-vehicle infotainment (IVI), and more particularly, to a method and system for sharing current content of in-vehicle infotainment (IVI). BACKGROUND

[0002] With the development of in-vehicle infotainment (IVI), IVI can not only provide road information related services such as navigation for drivers, but also provide various other types of services (such as entertainment, communication, etc.) for drivers and passengers.

[0003] Currently, some vehicle models provide display screens for passengers of each seat to watch or interact with the content presented by IVI. However, the installation of such display screens increases the cost. And due to the design of the vehicle model, some vehicles cannot be installed with display screens after purchase. Therefore, a convenient way is needed to enable users (e.g., passengers) to use the services or content provided by IVI without the need for the vehicle to be equipped with display screens. SUMMARY

[0004] This summary is provided to introduce some concepts of the description in a simplified form that are further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to determine the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0005] According to an embodiment of the present application, a method for sharing current content of in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) is provided, comprising: receiving a sharing request for current content of an IVI side from a user, wherein the current content comprises current foreground content of the IVI side or current background content of the IVI side; transmitting the current content of the IVI side to a content storage end in real time based on the sharing request; and providing a QR code for a self-owned device of the user to scan, the QR code comprising a link to the content storage end.

[0006] According to an embodiment of the present application, a method for sharing current content of in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) is provided, comprising: initiating a sharing request for current content of an IVI side, wherein the current content comprises current foreground content of the IVI side or current background content of the IVI side; using a self-owned device to scan a QR code provided by the IVI, so that a browser application of the self-owned device is invoked to navigate to a link indicated by the QR code, the link pointing to a content storage end storing the current content of the IVI side; and viewing the current content of the IVI side in the browser application of the self-owned device, or interacting with the displayed current content of the IVI side in the browser application of the self-owned device.

[0007] According to one embodiment of the present application, a method of sharing current content of an in-vehicle infotainment system (IVI) is provided, comprising: receiving a sharing request of current content of an IVI side from a user, wherein the current content comprises current foreground content of the IVI side or current background content of the IVI side; transmitting the current content of the IVI side to a content storage end in real time based on the sharing request; providing a QR code for a self-owned device of the user to scan, the QR code comprising a link to the content storage end; using the self-owned device to scan the QR code provided by the IVI, so that a browser application of the self-owned device is invoked to navigate to the link indicated by the QR code, the link pointing to the content storage end; and the browser application of the self-owned device playing the current content of the IVI side requested.

[0008] According to another embodiment of the present application, a system of sharing current content of an in-vehicle infotainment system (IVI) is provided, comprising: a sharing initiation module and a sharing mode providing module. The sharing initiation module is configured to transmit current content of an IVI side to a content storage end in real time based on a sharing request of the current content of the IVI side from a user, wherein the current content comprises current foreground content of the IVI side or current background content of the IVI side. And the sharing mode providing module is configured to provide a QR code for a self-owned device of the user to scan, the QR code comprising a link to the content storage end.

[0009] According to still another embodiment of the present application, a vehicle is provided, comprising: a system of sharing current content of an in-vehicle infotainment system (IVI) as described above; and a display screen.

[0010] These and other features and advantages will be apparent from a reading of the following detailed description and a review of the associated drawings. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are meant only to illustrate and not to limit the various aspects claimed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0011] So that the above-recited features and advantages of the present application can be understood in detail, a more particular description will be rendered by reference to the embodiments below with reference to the attached drawings. It is to be understood that the following detailed description is meant to illustrate and not to limit the various aspects claimed.

[0012] Figure 1 A block diagram of a system 100 of sharing content of an in-vehicle infotainment system (IVI) is shown according to one embodiment of the present application;

[0013] Figure 2 A flowchart of a method 200 for sharing content of an in-vehicle infotainment system (IVI) according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0014] Figure 3 A flowchart of a method 300 for sharing IVI content implemented by an in-vehicle infotainment system (IVI) according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0015] Figure 4 A flowchart of a method 400 for sharing IVI content implemented by a user according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown; and

[0016] Figure 5 A block diagram of an exemplary computing device according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0017] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, and its features will become further apparent in the following specific description.

[0018] The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings illustrating exemplary embodiments of the invention. However, the scope of the invention is not limited to these embodiments, but is defined by the appended claims. Therefore, embodiments other than those shown in the drawings, such as modifications of the illustrated embodiments, are still included in the invention.

[0019] References to "an embodiment," "an embodiment," "an example embodiment," etc., in this specification refer to embodiments that may include specific features, structures, or characteristics, but not every embodiment necessarily includes that specific feature, structure, or characteristic. Furthermore, these phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Moreover, when a specific feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, it should be understood that, to the knowledge of those skilled in the art, the specific feature, structure, or characteristic can be implemented in conjunction with other embodiments, whether or not explicitly described.

[0020] For ease of explanation, this document only describes in detail embodiments of applying the technical solutions of the present invention to "vehicles." However, those skilled in the art will fully understand that the technical solutions of the present invention can be applied to any means of transportation such as trains, subways, airplanes, and ships. Unless otherwise stated, the term "A or B" as used in this specification refers to "A and B" and "A or B," and does not imply that A and B are exclusive.

[0021] Terminology introduction:

[0022] IVI (In-Vehicle Infotainment) is a comprehensive in-vehicle information processing system that uses a dedicated in-vehicle central processor, based on the vehicle bus system and internet services. IVI can realize a range of applications including 3D navigation, real-time traffic information, IPTV, driver assistance, fault detection, vehicle information, vehicle control, mobile office, wireless communication, and online entertainment functions, greatly improving the vehicle's level of electronics, networking, and intelligence.

[0023] BYOD (Bring Your Own Device): Generally refers to personal electronic devices, such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops.

[0024] User: In the context of this invention, this generally refers to the driver and / or passenger.

[0025] Vehicle service applications: Applications available to vehicle users on mobile devices and / or the vehicle's IVI (Internet Interface) to enable interaction between mobile devices and the vehicle. For example, BMW's My BMW App is developed based on internet technology and connects independent smart terminals through the underlying "open mobile cloud," enabling remote control of the vehicle by connecting personal mobile devices such as smartphones and watches.

[0026] Currently, some vehicles allow users to interact with the IVI by downloading and installing a vehicle service app on their own devices. However, since this method requires downloading a specific app, it consumes storage space on the user's own device. For users who do not frequently ride in the same vehicle, this method of installing an additional app is cumbersome and undesirable.

[0027] Overall, this invention enables users to directly view and interact with the foreground or background content provided by the in-vehicle infotainment system via a browser application on their own device, without the need to install additional applications on their own device.

[0028] Figure 1 A block diagram of a system 100 for sharing in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) content according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0029] See Figure 1It can be concluded that system 100 mainly includes a sharing initiation module 101, a sharing method provision module 102, a sharing authorization module 103, and a sharing content synchronization module 104. Those skilled in the art will fully understand that the above module division is merely for clarity of explanation. The functions of one or more of the above modules can be combined into a single module or split into multiple modules. Furthermore, one or more of the above modules can be implemented using software, hardware, or a combination thereof. In addition, the data transfer methods between modules can adopt methods known in the art, which are beyond the scope of this invention.

[0030] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the system 100 may be integrated into the vehicle's IVI or implemented on a remote terminal accessible to the vehicle.

[0031] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the sharing initiation module 101 is configured to transmit the current foreground content or the current background content of the IVI to the content storage terminal based on the received IVI content sharing request.

[0032] According to one embodiment of the present invention, based on a user's request to share IVI content, the sharing initiation module 101 can record the foreground or background content currently displayed by the IVI in real time, and transmit the recorded content to the content storage terminal in real time.

[0033] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the content storage terminal may refer to an entity that stores foreground or background content, which may be a server remotely located in the vehicle or a local storage device in the vehicle. In practice, the content storage terminal may be configured to play received real-time video streams.

[0034] In the context of this invention, "current foreground content" refers to the content that the IVI is currently displaying on the in-vehicle display screen or projected onto a virtual display. For example, if the IVI is currently displaying navigation information, then "current foreground content" refers to the displayed navigation information. As another example, if the IVI is currently displaying navigation information in the foreground, but a video playback application is running in the background, then "current background content" refers to the content being played in the background by that video playback application.

[0035] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the sharing initiation module 101 can be configured to transmit corresponding content to a content storage terminal based on the user's selection of the foreground or background content of the shared IVI. In one example, the user can make the selection by touching the "Share Foreground Content" or "Share Background Content" option displayed on the vehicle display screen or virtual display (e.g., projection), by issuing a voice command, by gesture, etc.

[0036] Therefore, if a user initiates a request to share "current foreground content," the foreground content currently displayed by the IVI can be "mirrored" to the user's own device. If a user initiates a request to share "current background content," the user's own device can be considered an "extended / attached screen" of the IVI, thereby displaying the IVI's current background content. For example, if the current foreground content of the IVI is displaying navigation information, while the background content is playing a movie, the passenger can choose to share the current background content to watch the movie on their own device without affecting the display of the navigation information on the IVI's foreground.

[0037] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the sharing mode providing module 102 can be configured to provide (e.g., display, projection, etc.) a QR code (e.g., a two-dimensional barcode), which includes a link to a content storage terminal. Thus, a user can use their own device to scan the QR code to invoke a browser application on their device to access the content storage terminal, thereby obtaining a real-time display of foreground or background content.

[0038] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the sharing authorization module 103 can be configured to prompt for authorization of the user's IVI content sharing request, so as to allow or deny the user's Bring Your Own Device access to the requested foreground or background content.

[0039] For example, if a passenger is a child and requests access to the current front-end content of the IVI (e.g., navigation information), the driver or other passengers in the vehicle can refuse authorization for the brought-in device to access the content storage through the authorization prompt displayed on the IVI, in order to prevent the child from misoperating the navigation information and thus causing incorrect road navigation service.

[0040] For example, if a passenger requests access to the IVI's current background content (e.g., a chat application logged into the driver's account), the driver can refuse the passenger's personal device access to the content storage via the authorization prompt displayed on the IVI to prevent the leakage of private content.

[0041] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the shared content synchronization module 104 may be configured to update the corresponding content on the IVI side synchronously or asynchronously based on the user's interaction with the content being viewed on their own device.

[0042] For example, if a user selects to share the IVI's foreground content, and the IVI is currently displaying a navigation route, and the user modifies the navigation route currently displayed on the IVI using their own device (e.g., reselecting the destination, selecting a different route, etc.), the current content displayed on the IVI will also be updated in real time to synchronize with the content displayed on the user's own device.

[0043] For example, if a user selects to share the background content of the IVI, and the current background content on the IVI side is a music playback application playing song 1, and the user uses their own device to play the currently playing song from song 1 to song 2, then the current background content on the IVI side can be updated to song 2 accordingly to synchronize with the user's operation on their own device.

[0044] For example, if a user chooses to share background content on the IVI, the current background content on the IVI side can be synchronized (i.e., asynchronous synchronization) after the user chooses to exit sharing, thus saving data transmission. For instance, in the example above, if the music playback application sequentially plays song 5 from song 1 when the user chooses to exit sharing, the current background content on the IVI side can be updated to play song 5 directly when the user chooses to exit sharing, without needing to be synchronized with the user's actions during sharing.

[0045] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a user can opt out of the current sharing via the "opt out of sharing" option provided by their own device or IVI. According to another embodiment of the present invention, a user can automatically opt out of sharing when closing the browser application on their own device. According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, opting out of sharing can be based on predefined criteria (e.g., a predetermined duration, vehicle engine shutdown, etc.).

[0046] Figure 2 A flowchart of a method 200 for sharing content of an in-vehicle infotainment system (IVI) according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0047] At step 205, the IVI receives a sharing request from the user for the current content on the IVI side. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the sharing request may request the sharing of the current foreground content or the current background content on the IVI side.

[0048] At point 210, based on the IVI content sharing request, the IVI transmits the current foreground or background content to the content storage terminal in real time. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the IVI records the current foreground or background content at a certain frequency and transmits the recorded content to the content storage terminal in real time. For example, the IVI can record the screen every 0.5 seconds and transmit the 0.5-second recording to the content storage terminal in real time.

[0049] In 215, IVI provides a QR code that includes a link to the content storage.

[0050] In step 220, the user uses their own device to scan the QR code, which invokes a browser application on the device to navigate to the link indicated in the QR code.

[0051] Optionally, at step 225, the IVI displays a prompt to authorize the user's request to share the current content on the IVI side. According to one embodiment of the invention, the IVI may prompt for authorization (e.g., grant sharing, deny sharing, etc.) after step 205, i.e., after receiving the sharing request. According to another embodiment of the invention, the IVI may prompt for authorization of the sharing request after step 220, i.e., after the user's own device scans the QR code.

[0052] At 230, the user's own device's browser application plays the current content on the requested IVI side, enabling the user to view the current content on the requested IVI side through the browser application.

[0053] At 235, the user interacts with the currently displayed content in the browser application. According to one embodiment of the invention, this interaction may include, for example, selecting icons, dragging content, inputting text, etc., on the currently displayed content, just as a user could interact with the displayed content on the IVI side.

[0054] At 240, the IVI updates the current content on the IVI side based on the user's interaction with the browser application on the user's own device. According to one embodiment of the invention, the current foreground content on the IVI side can be updated synchronously based on the user's interaction with the current foreground content of the IVI in the browser application on the user's own device. According to another embodiment of the invention, the current background content on the IVI side can be updated synchronously based on the user's interaction with the current background content of the IVI in the browser application on the user's own device, or asynchronously when the user exits sharing the current background content.

[0055] Therefore, through the method of the present invention, users can view and interact with the current real-time content of the IVI on their own devices with low latency.

[0056] Figure 3 A flowchart of a method 300 for sharing IVI content implemented by an in-vehicle infotainment system (IVI) according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0057] At 305, a request from the user to share the current content on the IVI side is received.

[0058] In 310, based on the IVI content sharing request, the current foreground content or the current background content is transmitted to the content storage terminal in real time.

[0059] 315 provides a QR code that includes a link to the content storage.

[0060] Optionally, at 320, a prompt may be displayed authorizing the user's request to share the current content of the IVI.

[0061] In 325, the current content on the IVI side is updated synchronously or asynchronously based on the user's interaction with the current content of the IVI in the browser application on their own device.

[0062] Figure 4 A flowchart of a method 400 for sharing IVI content implemented by a user according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0063] At 405, initiate a request to share the current content on the IVI side.

[0064] At 410, the built-in device is used to scan the QR code displayed by the IVI, causing the browser application of the built-in device to be invoked to navigate to the link indicated by the QR code, which points to the content storage end storing the current content on the IVI side.

[0065] In 415, view the current content on the IVI side in the browser application of your built-in device.

[0066] In 420, interact with the current content displayed on the IVI side in the browser application of the built-in device.

[0067] Figure 5 A block diagram of an exemplary computing device according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown, which is an example of a hardware device applicable to various aspects of the present invention.

[0068] refer to Figure 5 A computing device 500 will now be described as an example of a hardware device applicable to various aspects of the present invention. The computing device 500 can be any machine configured to perform processing and / or computation, and can be, but is not limited to, a workstation, server, desktop computer, laptop computer, tablet computer, personal digital processor, smartphone, in-vehicle computer, or any combination thereof. The various methods / apparatus / server / client devices described above can be implemented wholly or at least partially by the computing device 500 or similar devices or systems.

[0069] The computing device 500 may include components that can be connected or communicated via one or more interfaces and a bus 502. For example, the computing device 500 may include a bus 502, one or more processors 504, one or more input devices 506, and one or more output devices 508. The one or more processors 504 may be any type of processor and may include, but are not limited to, one or more general-purpose processors and / or one or more dedicated processors (e.g., specialized processing chips). The input devices 506 may be any type of device capable of inputting information to the computing device and may include, but are not limited to, a mouse, keyboard, touchscreen, microphone, and / or remote controller. The output devices 508 may be any type of device capable of presenting information and may include, but are not limited to, a monitor, speaker, video / audio output terminal, vibrator, and / or printer. The computing device 500 may also include or be connected to a non-transient storage device 510. The non-transient storage device can be any storage device that is non-transient and capable of data storage, and may include, but is not limited to, disk drives, optical storage devices, solid-state storage, floppy disks, hard disks, magnetic tapes or any other magnetic media, optical discs or any other optical media, ROM (read-only memory), RAM (random access memory), cache memory, and / or any memory chip or cassette tape, and / or any other medium from which a computer can read data, instructions, and / or code. The non-transient storage device 510 may be detachable from an interface. The non-transient storage device 510 may have data / instructions / code for implementing the methods and steps described above. The computing device 500 may also include a communication device 512. The communication device 512 can be any type of device or system capable of communicating with internal devices and / or with a network, and may include, but is not limited to, modems, network cards, infrared communication devices, wireless communication devices and / or chipsets, such as Bluetooth devices, IEEE 1302.11 devices, WiFi devices, WiMax devices, cellular communication devices and / or similar devices.

[0070] When the computing device 500 is used as an in-vehicle device, it can also be connected to external devices (e.g., a GPS receiver, sensors for sensing different environmental data such as accelerometers, wheel speed sensors, gyroscopes, etc.). In this way, the computing device 500 can, for example, receive positioning data and sensor data indicating the vehicle's condition. When the computing device 500 is used as an in-vehicle device, it can also be connected to other devices used to control the vehicle's driving and operation (e.g., engine system, windshield wipers, anti-lock braking system, etc.).

[0071] Furthermore, the non-transient storage device 510 may contain map information and software components, enabling the processor 504 to perform route guidance processing. Additionally, the output device 506 may include a display for avatar appearance, map display, displaying vehicle location markers, and displaying images indicating vehicle driving status. The output device 506 may also include a speaker or headphone jack for audio guidance.

[0072] Bus 502 may include, but is not limited to, Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, Microchannel Architecture (MCA) bus, Enhanced ISA (EISA) bus, Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) local bus, and PCI bus. In particular, for automotive devices, bus 502 may also include Controller Area Network (CAN) bus or other architectures designed for automotive applications.

[0073] The computing device 500 may also include a working memory 514, which may be any type of working memory capable of storing instructions and / or data that are conducive to the operation of the processor 504, and may include, but is not limited to, random access memory and / or read-only memory devices.

[0074] Software components may reside in working memory 514, including but not limited to operating system 516, one or more application programs 518, drivers, and / or other data and code. Instructions for implementing the above methods and steps may be included in the one or more application programs 518, and modules / units / components of the aforementioned various devices / servers / clients may be implemented by processor 504 reading and executing the instructions of the one or more application programs 518.

[0075] It should also be recognized that variations can be made to suit specific needs. For example, custom hardware and / or specific components may be used, and implementation may take place in hardware, software, firmware, middleware, microcode, hardware description language, or any combination thereof. Furthermore, connectivity with other computing devices, such as network input / output devices, may be employed. For example, some or all of the disclosed methods and apparatus may be implemented using the logic and algorithms according to the invention via programmable hardware (e.g., programmable logic circuits including field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) and / or programmable logic arrays (PLAs)) that uses assembly language or hardware programming languages ​​(e.g., Verilog, VHDL, C++).

[0076] Although various aspects of the invention have been described so far with reference to the accompanying drawings, the methods, systems, and apparatus described above are merely examples, and the scope of the invention is not limited to these aspects but is defined only by the appended claims and their equivalents. Various components may be omitted or replaced by equivalent components. Furthermore, the steps may be performed in a different order than that described in the invention. Moreover, various components can be combined in various ways. Importantly, as technology advances, many of the components described may be replaced by equivalent components that appear later.

Claims

1. A method for sharing current content of an in-vehicle infotainment system (IVI), comprising: Receive a request from a user to share the current content on the IVI side, wherein the current content includes the current foreground content on the IVI side or the current background content on the IVI side; Based on the sharing request, the current content on the IVI side is transmitted to the content storage end in real time; as well as A QR code is provided for the user to scan with their own device, and the QR code includes a link to the content storage.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: The current content on the IVI side is updated based on the user's interaction with the current content played on the IVI side through the browser application on their own device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising: A prompt appears to authorize the user's sharing request.

4. The method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Transmitting the current content on the IVI side to the content storage terminal in real time further includes: transmitting the real-time screen recording of the current content to the content storage terminal.

5. A method for sharing current content of an in-vehicle infotainment system (IVI), comprising: Initiate a request to share the current content on the IVI side, wherein the current content includes the current foreground content on the IVI side or the current background content on the IVI side; Using a built-in device to scan the QR code provided by the IVI, the browser application of the built-in device is invoked to navigate to the link indicated by the QR code, which points to the content storage end storing the current content on the IVI side; as well as View the current content on the IVI side in the browser application of the device, or interact with the displayed current content on the IVI side in the browser application of the device.

6. A method for sharing current content of an in-vehicle infotainment system (IVI), comprising: Receive a request from a user to share the current content on the IVI side, wherein the current content includes the current foreground content on the IVI side or the current background content on the IVI side; Based on the sharing request, the current content on the IVI side is transmitted to the content storage end in real time; A QR code is provided for the user to scan with their own device, the QR code including a link to the content storage terminal; Using the built-in device to scan the QR code provided by the IVI, the browser application of the built-in device is invoked to navigate to the link indicated by the QR code, which points to the content storage terminal; as well as The browser application on the built-in device plays the current content requested on the IVI side.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising: The current content on the IVI side is updated based on the user's interaction with the current content played on the IVI side in the browser application on the user's own device.

8. A system for sharing current content of an in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) system, comprising: A sharing initiation module is configured to: based on a user's request to share the current content on the IVI side, transmit the current content on the IVI side to the content storage terminal in real time, wherein the current content includes the current foreground content on the IVI side or the current background content on the IVI side. as well as A sharing method providing module is configured to provide a QR code for the user's own device to scan, the QR code including a link to the content storage terminal.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising: A shared authorization module, configured to: provide a prompt to authorize the user's sharing request; or A shared content synchronization module is configured to update the current content on the IVI side based on the user's interaction with the current content played on the IVI side in the browser application on the user's own device.

10. A vehicle comprising: The system for sharing the current content of an in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) system as described in claim 8; as well as Display screen.

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