Circuitry and method

Abstract

The disclosure pertains to a circuitry for an electric vehicle, wherein the circuitry is configured to: determine that the electric vehicle is being charged at a charging station; establish, via a communication connection to the charging station, a communication connection to a game server; and provide, to at least one occupant of the electric vehicle, a game from the game server; wherein the providing of the game to the at least one occupant includes receiving an operation instruction inputted by the at least one occupant to an operation unit for interacting with the game.

Description

[0001] CIRCUITRY AND METHOD

[0002] TECHNICAL FIELD

[0003] The present disclosure generally pertains to a circuitry and a method, and, in particular, to a circuitry and a method for an electric vehicle.

[0004] TECHNICAL BACKGROUND

[0005] It is known that, in some instances, people spend a significant amount of time in a vehicle. Due to a gaining popularity of electric vehicles (EVs), it is expected that people will also spend a significant amount of time in an EV.

[0006] It is also known that infotainment systems in vehicles (including EVs) are gaining popularity.

[0007] Although there exist techniques for infotainment systems in vehicles, it is generally desirable to provide an improved circuitry and method for an electric vehicle.

[0008] SUMMARY

[0009] According to a first aspect, the disclosure provides a circuitry for an electric vehicle, wherein the circuitry is configured to: determine that the electric vehicle is being charged at a charging station; establish, via a communication connection to the charging station, a communication connection to a game server; and provide, to at least one occupant of the electric vehicle, a game from the game server; wherein the providing of the game to the at least one occupant includes receiving an operation instruction inputted by the at least one occupant to an operation unit for interacting with the game.

[0010] According to a second aspect, the disclosure provides a method for an electric vehicle, wherein the method includes: determining that the electric vehicle is being charged at a charging station; establishing, via a communication connection to the charging station, a communication connection to a game server; and providing, to at least one occupant of the electric vehicle, a game from the game server; wherein the providing of the game to the at least one occupant includes receiving an operation instruction inputted by the at least one occupant to an operation unit for interacting with the game.

[0011] Further aspects are set forth in the dependent claims, the drawings and the following description.

[0012] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] Embodiments are explained by way of example with respect to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a circuitry for an electric vehicle;

[0014] Fig. 2 illustrates an embodiment of a system;

[0015] Fig. 3 illustrates a smartphone according to an embodiment;

[0016] Fig. 4 illustrates embodiments of a split-screen configuration;

[0017] Fig. 5 illustrates an embodiment of a method for an electric vehicle that includes providing a cloud-native game;

[0018] Fig. 6 illustrates an embodiment of a method for an electric vehicle that includes providing a local game;

[0019] Fig. 7 illustrates an embodiment of a general-purpose computer.

[0020] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0021] Before a detailed description of the embodiments under reference of Fig. 1 is given, general explanations are made.

[0022] As mentioned in the outset, in some instances, people spend a significant amount of time in a vehicle. Due to a gaining popularity of electric vehicles (EVs), it is expected that people will also spend a significant amount of time in an EV. For example, while (a battery of) the EV is charging, occupants of the EV may want to stay in the EV. Although charging times may be reduced based on fast charging technologies, waiting for the EV to be charged may become boring for the occupants.

[0023] It is also known that infotainment systems in vehicles (including EVs) are gaining popularity. Therefore, new possibilities occur for providing infotainment to occupants of an EV while the EV is charging.

[0024] For example, gaming solutions may be offered to a driver and / or another occupant of an EV when the EV is parked. Assuming the vehicle is charging or parked in a parking lot, the occupants (driver and / or other occupants) may want to play some games.

[0025] Consequently, some embodiments of the disclosure pertain to a circuitry for an electric vehicle (EV), wherein the circuitry is configured to: determine that the EV is being charged at a charging station; establish, via a communication connection to the charging station, a communication connection to a game server; and provide, to at least one occupant of the EV, a game from the game server; wherein the providing of the game to the at least one occupant includes receiving an operation instruction inputted by the at least one occupant to an operation unit for interacting with the game. The circuitry may be configured to execute instructions (e.g., software, firmware), and may include a programmed microprocessor (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU), an applicationspecific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) or the like. The instructions may cause the circuitry to provide a functionality related to providing the game to the at least one occupant of the EV, as disclosed herein.

[0026] The circuitry may include a memory that stores the instructions and further data necessary for the functionality of the circuitry. The memory may include a flash memory, an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a dynamic random-access memory (DRAM), a static random-access memory (SRAM) or the like.

[0027] The circuitry may include a communication unit that is configured to communicate with another device via universal serial bus (USB), peripheral component interconnect (PCI), serial port (RS- 232), parallel port (IEEE 1284), ethernet, wireless local area network (WLAN; e.g., Wi-Fi, IEEE 802.11), Bluetooth, high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI), DisplayPort, or the like.

[0028] The circuitry may, for example, be realized as a general -purpose computer 150, as described with respect to Fig. 7.

[0029] The EV may include any vehicle that can carry at least one occupant and that is electrically powered by a battery. For example, a traction engine of the EV may be powered based on electric energy stored in the battery. Thus, after an electric energy stored in the battery is consumed (e.g., when a charge level of the battery has dropped below a minimum charge threshold), charging the battery may be necessary for allowing further locomotion of the EV.

[0030] The EV may be realized as a car, a truck, a motorcycle, an e-bike, a tractor, a bus, an air-taxi, an airplane, a helicopter, a multicopter, a boat, a submarine, an air cushion vehicle, a rail vehicle, or the like. In the following, a (electric) car is used as an example of the EV, without limiting the disclosure to a car. The skilled person may understand how to realize the present technology for other kinds of EV accordingly.

[0031] The circuitry may be included in the EV. For example, the circuitry may be included in an onboard computer of the EV or may be connected to the on-board computer.

[0032] The circuitry may determine that the EV is being charged at a charging station based on monitoring a state of the battery (e.g., based on determining that a charge level of the battery is increasing), based on monitoring a charging current of the battery, based on a communication of the charging station and / or based on a corresponding indication from a battery controller of the battery. The charging station may be configured to provide electric power for charging the battery. The charging station may provide the electric power to the EV via a wired connection (plug & charge; e.g., Combined Charging System (CCS), IEC 62196, etc.). However, the disclosure is not limited to a wired connection. The charging station may provide the electric power as well based on wireless power transfer (WPT; e.g., SAE J2954), an automated connection device (ACD; e.g., SAE J3105), or the like.

[0033] For charging the battery, the EV may establish a communication connection to the charging station and may negotiate, with the charging station via the communication connection, parameters of a charging operation of the battery (e.g., a charging voltage, a charging amperage, a charging power, a charging frequency, a rate and / or duty cycle of charging pulses, a start and / or end of the charging operation, or the like).

[0034] The charging station may be connected to a communication network (e.g., the internet, or an intranet of an operator of the charging station), and may be configured to forward, via the communication connection between the charging station and the EV, communication between the EV and another host in the communication network (e.g., the game server).

[0035] Therefore, the circuitry may establish a communication connection to the game server via the communication connection to the charging station, and the charging station may forward corresponding communication between the EV and the game server.

[0036] The circuitry may provide the game from the game server to the at least one occupant (e.g., a driver or a passenger) of the EV upon determining that the EV is being charged. For example, the charging station may advertise the game to the circuitry. The circuitry may indicate to the at least one occupant of the EV that the game is available. The at least one occupant may select (e.g., by pressing a corresponding button or by uttering a voice command) to play the game. The circuitry may then request the game from the game server and provide the game to the at least one occupant.

[0037] The game may be based on interactions of the at least one occupant with the game. For example, playing the game may include driving a vehicle or walking through a virtual world, moving a simulated object, or the like. An occupant of the EV (e.g., any one of the at least one occupants) may interact with the game by inputting a corresponding operation instruction to the operation unit, and a state of the game may change according to the operation instruction (e.g., a vehicle may move or an avatar may walk accordingly through the virtual world, or the simulated object may move accordingly). The operation instruction may include pressing a button of the operation unit, touching a touchpad or touchscreen of the operation unit, operating a joystick, uttering a voice command, performing a gesture, or the like. The operation unit may be configured to detect the operation instruction from the occupant (e.g., via a button, touchpad, touchscreen, joystick, microphone, and / or camera provided in the operation unit).

[0038] The providing of the game may include receiving, by the circuitry, the operation instruction from the operation unit. For example, the operation unit may be provided in or attached to the EV, or the operation unit may be connected to the EV via a wired connection (e.g., via USB) or via a wireless connection (e.g., Wi-Fi or Bluetooth).

[0039] In some embodiments, the communication connection to the charging station includes a wired connection via a charging cable between the EV and the charging station.

[0040] Signals that correspond to the communication between the EV / circuitry and the charging station or game server may be modulated to a charging current in the charging cable. Alternatively, the charging cable may include one or more dedicated wires for communication between the EV and the charging station.

[0041] For example, the communication between the EV and the charging station may be transmitted through the charging cable based on ISO 15118, DIN SPEC 70121, CHAdeMO, open automated demand response (OpenADR), or the like. For example, the communication may be based on HomePlug Green PHY and / or on controller area network (CAN). For example, the communication connection between the EV and the charging station may provide a data rate of 10 Mbps. However, the disclosure is not limited to this data rate or to the mentioned protocols, and the skilled person may find other suitable technologies for realizing a communication connection between the EV and the charging station.

[0042] Establishing the communication connection between the circuitry and the game server through a physical connection via the charging cable may allow transmitting (e.g., download, upload, stream, etc.) content at high fidelity and low latency between the circuitry and the game server.

[0043] In some embodiments, the communication connection to the charging station includes a wireless connection.

[0044] For example, the wireless connection may be based on Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11), Bluetooth, optical wireless communications (OWC; e.g., visible light communication (VLC), Li-Fi, Terahertz communication, infrared communication, ultraviolet communication (UVC), IEEE 802.15.7, IEEE 802.1 Ibb, infrared physical layer specification (IrPHY), etc.), or the like.

[0045] For example, the wireless transceiver of the charging station may be provided at a side of the EV, below the EV (e.g., integrated in a road surface) or above the EV. For example, a wireless transceiver of the charging station may be provided at a connector of the charging cable that is plugged into an inlet of the EV.

[0046] Thus, a wired connection between the EV and the charging station may not be needed for establishing the connection between the EV and the charging station.

[0047] In some embodiments, the operation unit includes at least one of a steering wheel, a pedal and a button of the EV.

[0048] The EV may be parked during charging, and a control element configured to control a driving of the EV (e.g., a steering wheel of the EV, a pedal of the EV, a button of the EV, etc.) may be used, during charging, as the operation unit to which an occupant (e.g., a driver) of the EV inputs an operation instruction for interacting with the game.

[0049] For example, if the game includes driving a vehicle, the occupant may drive the vehicle in the game using the same control elements and a same procedure for driving the vehicle in the game as for driving the EV.

[0050] Thus, the game may be controlled using existing controls of the EV.

[0051] In some embodiments, the operation unit includes a handheld device connected to the EV via a wireless connection.

[0052] The handheld device may include a mobile / portable device, for example, a remote control, a smartphone, a tablet, a notebook, a smartwatch, or the like. The handheld device may be connected to the EV (and, thus, to the circuitry) via a wired connection (e.g., via USB or ethernet) or via a wireless connection (e.g., via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth).

[0053] For example, one or more occupants of the EV may use a physical gaming controller (e.g., a gaming controller of a game console) as the operation unit for interacting with the game. The at least one occupant may connect the physical gaming controller to the EV (and, thus, to the circuitry).

[0054] For example, one or more occupants of the EV may connect their respective smartphones (mobile phones) to the EV and use them as respective operation units (controllers) for interacting with the game. The respective smartphone may display a control element (e.g., a button, a slider, a handwheel, a joystick etc.) on a touchscreen of the smartphone, and the user may input an operation instruction by touching the displayed control element and / or performing a touch gesture on the displayed control element. In some embodiments, the providing of the game to the at least one occupant includes transmitting, to the game server, an indication of the operation instruction.

[0055] For example, the game may be configured as a cloud-native game, such that the game server may receive operation instructions from users of the game, may execute a logic of the game, and may determine a state of the game based on the logic of the game and on the operation instructions from the users.

[0056] In some embodiments, the providing of the game to the at least one occupant includes: obtaining a content that represents a state of the game, wherein the state of the game is based on the operation instruction; and providing the content to the at least one occupant.

[0057] The state of the game may correspond to a course of the game. For example, the state of the game may include a position, speed and / or orientation of a vehicle, avatar or any other object in a virtual world according to the operation instruction from the at least one occupant.

[0058] The content may include a video content that shows the vehicle, avatar or other object, respectively, in the virtual world according to its position, speed and / or orientation included in the state of the game, or a video content that shows the virtual world from a view of the vehicle or avatar accordingly. The content may also include an audio content, for example, a driving sound of the vehicle (e.g., of an engine of the vehicle), a sound that is associated with an action performed by the avatar, and / or an environmental sound of the virtual world. The skilled person may find further examples of a (e.g., video or audio) content that represents the state of the game.

[0059] In some embodiments, the obtaining of the content includes receiving the content from the game server.

[0060] As mentioned, the game may be configured as a cloud-native game, wherein the game server may determine a state of the game based on the operation instruction, may generate the content that represents the state of the game (e.g., render the video content of the game and / or generate the audio content of the game), and may transmit the generated content to an output control unit that controls an output of the content to the respective users (e.g., to the circuitry, which may control an output of the content to the at least one occupants of the EV; or to the handheld device (e.g., smartphone) or to an external screen that is external to the EV).

[0061] For example, the circuitry may transmit the operation instruction from the at least one occupant to the game server and stream the content from the game server, and the game server may perform a determination of the state of the game based on the operation instruction. For example, the game server may be part of a cloud (e.g., a remote computer network), and the game (e.g., the content) may be streamed over cloud services.

[0062] In some embodiments, the obtaining of the content includes: downloading a logic of the game from the game server; determining, based on the logic of the game and on the operation instruction, a state of the game; and generating the content according to the determined state of the game.

[0063] The game may be configured as a local game as an alternative to the above-mentioned cloudnative gaming, and the game may be loaded on an on-board computer of the EV. For example, the circuitry may download the logic of the game from the game server and execute the game locally (e.g., the circuitry may execute instructions that represent the logic of the game). For example, the circuitry may install the game on a storage of the circuitry, in a sandbox (e.g., virtual machine, virtual environment, docker container, etc.) or in a random-access memory (RAM) of the circuitry.

[0064] The logic of the game may include instructions that represent the game. For example, the instructions may be represented as a machine code, a binary code, a script and / or a source code that, when (interpreted / compiled as necessary and) executed by the circuitry, causes the circuitry to determine the state of the game based on the operation instruction from the at least one occupant, and to generate the (e.g., video and / or audio) content that represents the state of the game.

[0065] In some embodiments, the providing of the content to the at least one occupant includes causing a display unit of the EV to display the content.

[0066] As mentioned, the content may include video content, and may also include audio content.

[0067] The providing of the content to the at least one occupant may include causing the video content to be displayed on one or more on-board screens of the vehicle or by one or more head-up units (head-up display, HUD) with projection of the video content on one or more windshields of the EV. The providing of the content of the at least one occupant may also include playing the audio content by one or more loudspeakers of the EV.

[0068] The providing of the content to the at least one occupant may include transmitting the content to a mobile device (which may include a display device and, thus, may be an example of a display unit), and the mobile device may output the content (e.g., display the video content on a display unit of the mobile device and / or play the audio content by a loudspeaker of the mobile device). The mobile device may include any handheld, portable and / or wearable device such as a remote control, a game controller, a smartphone, a tablet, a notebook, a smartwatch, smartglasses, a head-mounted display (HMD), or the like. The mobile device may be held or worn by the at least one occupant and may be connected to the EV (and, thus, to the circuitry) via a wired connection (e.g., via USB or ethernet) or via a wireless connection (e.g., via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth) for receiving the content from the circuitry. For example, the mobile device that outputs the content to the at least one user may also be used as the operation unit to which the at least one user inputs the operation instruction for interacting with the game.

[0069] The providing of the content to the at least one occupant may include displaying the video content on an external screen that is external to the EV. For example, an external screen may be mounted in front of a parking spot of the charging station in which the EV is parked during charging, and the video content may be transmitted to the external screen for display. For example, the circuitry ZEV may transmit the video content to the external screen (e.g., via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, or via the communication connection to the charging station) such that the external screen displays the video content, or the EV may include a video projector that may project the video content to the external screen. When the external screen is used, the circuitry may stream the content to the external screen via a network connection, for example, over a wireless connection or via a physical connection through a charging cable between the EV and the charging station in order to stream the content to the external screen at high fidelity and / or at low latency.

[0070] However, the disclosure is not limited to obtaining the content by the circuitry. In some embodiments, the charging station receives the content from the game server or generates (e.g., render) the content itself, and transmits the content to the external screen. In some embodiments, the game server may stream the content directly to the mobile device (e.g., via mobile telecommunications such as high-speed packet access (HSPA), long-term evolution (LTE), new radio (NR) or the like, or via a Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connection to the charging station), such that the content is not transmitted to the mobile device via the EV / circuitry (and, in some embodiments, not even via the charging station).

[0071] In some embodiments, when a plurality of occupants are in the EV, the content includes a plurality of representations of the state of the game in a split-screen configuration, wherein each of the plurality of representations corresponds to a respective one of the plurality of occupants.

[0072] For example, the content may include a video content with the split-screen configuration. The split-screen configuration may divide an image of the video content into a plurality of sections, for example, into two halves (e.g., a left and a right half, or an upper and a lower half), into three thirds (e.g., a left, a middle and a right third), into four quarters (e.g., an upper left, an upper right, a lower left and a lower right quarter) or the like. The sections may have all a same size or may have different sizes. The sections may be shaped as rectangles, as circular sectors, as triangles, as hexagons or the like. The skilled person may find further ways of shaping and / or arranging the sections of the split-screen configuration.

[0073] The number of sections of the split-screen configuration may correspond to at least a number of representations of the state of the game that should be displayed. For example, when two representations of the state of the game should be displayed (e.g., corresponding to two respective occupants of the EV), the split-screen configuration may include two sections. For example, when three representations of the state of the game should be displayed (e.g., corresponding to three respective occupants), the split-screen configuration may include three sections (e.g., three thirds) or four sections (e.g., four quarters, wherein only three of the four quarters may display a respective representation of the game corresponding a respective occupant). The skilled person may find a suitable number of sections in the split-screen representation for a given number of representations of the state of the game to be displayed.

[0074] Each of the plurality of representations of the state of the game that correspond to a respective occupant may provide a view of the game (e.g., of a virtual world of the game) that is relevant for the respective occupant. For example, each of the plurality of representations may show the virtual world from a view of a vehicle or avatar controlled by the respective occupant with an operation instruction, may show the vehicle or avatar controlled by the respective occupant with the respective operation instruction in the virtual world, may show the virtual world from a viewpoint that corresponds to the respective occupant, and / or may show an event in the game that is relevant for the respective occupant in the game.

[0075] For example, the split-screen configuration may include a respective representation of the state of the game for each occupant of the EV, or for each occupant that joins the game.

[0076] For example, the split-screen configuration may be displayed on an on-board screen at a dashboard of the EV or may be projected to a windshield of the EV by a HUD, and the split- screen configuration may include two representations of the state of the game, one that corresponds to a driver of the EV and one that corresponds to a front-seat passenger of the EV, wherein rear-seat passengers may view the game on respective screens that are provided at respective backrests in front of them or may view the game on respective mobile devices (e.g., smartphones or the like, as described above). For example, the split-screen configuration may be displayed on an external screen that is provided external to the EV, as described, and may include a respective representation of the state of the game for each occupant of the EV (who joins the game), or only for a driver and a front-seat passenger. The at least one occupant of the EV may select for which occupant(s) a respective representation of the state of the game should be displayed in the split-screen configuration. The external screen may be arranged such that it can be seen from a plurality of EVs that are being charged at adjacent charging stations, and the external screen may display, e.g. in a split-screen configuration, representations of the state of the game that correspond to respective occupants of the plurality of EVs.

[0077] In some embodiments, the providing of the content to the at least one occupant includes causing a handheld device to reproduce the content, the handheld device being connected to the EV via a wireless connection.

[0078] As mentioned, the handheld device may include a smartphone, tablet, notebook, game controller, smartglasses, HMD or the like, and may also be used as the operation unit to which an occupant of the EV inputs the operation instruction for interacting with the game. The circuitry may transmit the (e.g., video and / or audio) content to the handheld device via the wireless connection (e.g., via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or the like). The handheld device may receive the content from the circuitry and reproduce the content. The reproducing of the content may include displaying video content on a display unit of the handheld device and / or playing audio content by a loudspeaker of the handheld device, as described.

[0079] In some embodiments, the game includes interacting with an occupant of a further EV that is charged at a further charging station.

[0080] For example, the game may be configured as a multiplayer game such that a plurality of users may join a same instance of the game and may, e.g., control a respective vehicle, avatar or the like in a same virtual world. Interacting with another user of the game (instance) may include controlling a vehicle, avatar or the like (based on the operation instruction) in the game such that the vehicle, avatar or the like has an impact on a vehicle, avatar or the like controlled by the other user. The plurality of users that join the same instance of the game may include the at least one occupant of the EV and the occupant of the further EV. The further charging station may be located close to the charging station at which the EV is being charged such that the further EV may be parked close to the EV (e.g., next to the EV, or at least within a range of vision of the EV). However, the further charging station may also be located at a distant site, and the at least one occupant of the EV may not see or know the occupant of the further EV. For example, the game may include a car racing game, and the at least one occupant of the EV may race with the occupant of the further EV in a simulated car race while the EV and the further EV are being charged.

[0081] Thus, if there are more than one EVs present / parking at the charging station (or charging at a nearby charging station), a multiplayer model of the game may be enabled for connecting supported EVs together and allowing players (e.g., occupants of the respective connected EVs) to compete in real-time playing computer games. Even multiple occupants in the EV may play in parallel in either split-screen configuration (external or internal screens), or each one using their individual infotainment screens, or mobile phones or a combination of these.

[0082] For example, in some instances, people sometimes decide to perform (e.g., illegal) drag racing from a traffic light. Such drag racing may be performed in a fully safe manner in a virtual game. However, the disclosure is not limited to drag racing, but may pertain to any kind of game involving vehicles.

[0083] In some embodiments, the game includes a simulation of driving a vehicle that matches a specification of the EV.

[0084] For example, the game may be configured as a racing game in which the at least one occupant controls (drives) a vehicle that matches the specification of the EV. The specification may include a criterion such as a brand, a model, a car category (e.g., roadster, station wagon, van, compact car, racing car, truck, or the like), a maximum speed, a maximum acceleration, an engine power, a vehicle mass, a vehicle size, or the like.

[0085] The circuitry may determine (or read from a storage) an indication of the specification of the EV and may select, as a vehicle driven by the at least one occupant in the game, a vehicle that matches the specification, or (e.g., in the case of cloud-native gaming, as described above) the circuitry may transmit the indication of the specification of the EV to the game server, and the game server may select, as a vehicle driven by the at least one occupant in the game, a vehicle that matches the specification according to the indication.

[0086] Thus, the specification of the EV may be used in the game.

[0087] In some embodiments, the game includes interacting with a user that is simulated to drive a vehicle that corresponds to a specification of the EV.

[0088] The specification may include the criterion described above. For example, the game may be configured as a multiplayer car racing game. The at least one occupant of the EV may join the multiplayer car racing game with a vehicle that matches the specification of the EV. The game server may select, as a competitor for the at least one occupant in the multiplayer car racing game, a player who joins the multiplayer car racing game with the vehicle that corresponds to the specification of the EV. For example, the competitor may be an occupant of a further EV that is being charged at a further charging station.

[0089] For example, gamers may be grouped into races of cars with somehow similar vehicle specifications to keep a competition realistic and fair.

[0090] Some embodiments pertain to method for an EV, wherein the method includes: determining that the EV is being charged at a charging station; establishing, via a communication connection to the charging station, a communication connection to a game server; and providing, to at least one occupant of the EV, a game from the game server; wherein the providing of the game to the at least one occupant includes receiving an operation instruction inputted by the at least one occupant to an operation unit for interacting with the game.

[0091] The method may be performed by the circuitry described above. Any feature described above with respect to the circuitry may correspond to an analogous feature of the method.

[0092] Some embodiments pertain to a system that includes: an EV, a charging station, and a game server; wherein the EV includes the circuitry described above.

[0093] The EV, the charging station and the game server may exhibit any feature described above, and the circuitry may be configured to perform the method described above.

[0094] For example, the charging station may establish a communication connection with the EV and may provide an electric power to the EV for charging (a battery of) the EV. The charging station may forward a communication between the EV and the game server via the communication connection of the charging station with the EV.

[0095] The game server may include a storage on which the game is stored, and may establish a communication connection with the EV (and, thus, with the circuitry) via the communication connection between the EV and the charging station.

[0096] For example, if the game is configured as a cloud-native game, the game server may receive from the EV an indication of an operation instruction inputted by at least one occupant of the EV for interacting with the game, may execute a logic of the game for determining a state of the game based on the operation instruction, may generate a content that represents the state of the game, and may provide (e.g., stream) the content to the circuitry (or to the charging station or to a mobile device or to an external screen external to the EV) for providing the content to the at least one occupant of the EV, as described above. For example, if the game is configured as a local game, the circuitry may download a logic of the game from the game server via the communication connection between the circuitry and the game server, may execute the logic of the game for determining a state of the game based on an operation instruction inputted by at least one occupant of the EV for interacting with the game, may generate a content based on the state of the game, and may send the content to a display unit (e.g., of the EV, of a mobile device and / or of an external screen external to the EV) for providing the content to the at least one occupant of the EV, as described above.

[0097] The features described above with respect to the circuitry, the method and / or the system may be combined in any suitable way.

[0098] In some embodiments, the charging station may serve as a gaming station that provides a variety of games that could be streamed into EVs that are using the charging station at a time (e.g., while the EVs are being loaded). This may serve as additional initiative to encourage drivers to use specific charging stations. Furthermore, awards may be provided as incentives - for example, free charging for a fastest driver on a Gran Turismo track on the day (without limiting the disclosure to one specific game), or similar perks.

[0099] In some embodiments, providing the game via the communication connection between the EV and the charging station solves some problems of existing solutions of in-vehicle gaming, especially once high data rates are needed for high-definition and low-latency gaming, e.g., for multiplayer or cloud gaming. For example, a data connection between the charging station and the game server may provide a higher data rate and / or a lower latency than a mobile connection between the EV and the internet, especially if many users (e.g., many occupants of EVs) cause a high data traffic in a mobile telecommunications network (e.g., by playing cloud-native games while charging their respective EVs at adjacent charging stations) in a small area (e.g., within one radio cell).

[0100] The methods as described herein are also implemented in some embodiments as a computer program causing a computer and / or a processor to perform the method, when being carried out on the computer and / or processor. In some embodiments, also a non-transitory computer- readable recording medium is provided that stores therein a computer program product, which, when executed by a processor, such as the processor described above, causes the methods described herein to be performed.

[0101] Returning to Fig. 1, Fig. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a circuitry 1 for an electric vehicle (EV). The circuitry includes a processing unit 2, a storage unit 3 and a communication unit 4. The processing unit 2 includes a processor that executes software instructions. Based on the software instructions, the processing unit 2 controls a functionality of the circuitry 1. The storage unit 3 stores the software instructions for the processing unit 2 and further data that are generated or needed by the processing unit 2. The communication unit 4 establishes, via a communication network, communication connections with other hosts in the communication network for receiving and transmitting data.

[0102] The circuitry 1 performs a method for an EV, such as the method 50 of Fig. 5 or the method 70 of Fig. 6.

[0103] Fig. 2 illustrates an embodiment of a system 10.

[0104] The system 10 includes an EV 11 that is connected to a charging station 12 of the system 10 via a charging cable 13 for charging a battery 14 of the EV 11. While the battery 14 is being charged, a driver 15, a front-seat passenger 16 and a rear-seat passenger 17 (examples of occupants) of the EV 11 are sitting in the EV 11 and are playing a game that is provided to them by a circuitry 18 of the EV 11 from a game server 19 of the system 10. The circuitry 18 is an example of the circuitry 1 of Fig. 1. For providing the game, the circuitry 18 establishes, via a wired communication connection to the charging station 12 through the charging cable 13, a communication connection to the game server 19 through the internet 20.

[0105] The system 10 includes a further EV 21 that is connected to a further charging station 22 of the system 10 via a further charging cable 23 for charging a battery 24 of the EV 21. While the battery 24 is being charged, a driver 25 (an example of an occupant) of the EV 21 is sitting in the EV 21 and is playing a game that is provided to him by a circuitry 26 of the EV 21 from the game server 19. The EV 21 is configured similar to the EV 11, and the circuitry 26 is a further example of the circuitry 1 of Fig. 1. For providing the game, the circuitry 26 establishes, via a wired communication connection to the charging station 22 through the charging cable 23, a communication connection to the game server 19 through the internet 20.

[0106] The game is configured as a multiplayer car racing game. The occupants 15, 16, 17 and 25 have joined a same instance of the game and drive respective cars (examples of vehicles) in a virtual world of the game (i.e., are simulated to drive the cars) in a car racing against each other. The cars which the occupants 15, 16 and 17 drive in the game match a specification of the EV 11, in which they are sitting, and the car which the occupant 25 drives in the game matches a specification of the EV 21, in which he is sitting. The game server 19 determines that the specification of the EV 21 matches a specification of the EV 11 and, thus, assigns the occupant 25 of the EV 25 to the same instance of the game as the occupants 15, 16 and 17 of the

[0107] EV 11.

[0108] The game allows the occupants 15, 16, 17 and 25 to hit each other’s cars (an example of interacting with the respective other occupant 15, 16, 17 or 25). For example, at a point in time during the game, the occupant 17 of the EV 11 hits, with his car in the game, the car in the game of the occupant 25 of the EV 21.

[0109] For driving the respective cars (an example of interacting with the game), the occupants 15, 16, 17 and 25 input corresponding operation instructions to respective operation units. The driver 15 of the EV 11 inputs operation instructions to a steering wheel, a gas pedal, a brake pedal and a button (which are examples of operation units) of the EV 11. The front-seat passenger 16 of the EV 11 inputs operation instructions to a game controller (an example of a handheld device and of an operation unit) that is connected to the EV 11 via Bluetooth (an example of a wireless connection). The rear-seat passenger 17 of the EV 11 inputs operation instructions to a smartphone (another example of a handheld device and of an operation unit; e.g., the smartphone 30 described later with respect to Fig. 3) that is connected to the EV 11 via Wi-Fi (another example of a wireless connection). The driver 25 of the EV 21, similar to the driver 15 of the EV 11, inputs operation instructions to a steering wheel, a gas pedal, a brake pedal and a button (which are examples of operation units) of the EV 21. The providing of the game to the occupants 15, 16, 17 and 25 includes receiving, by the respective circuitry 18 or 26, the operation instructions inputted by the respective occupants 15, 16, 17 and 25 to the respective operation units for interacting with the game.

[0110] The circuitry 18 further obtains a content that represents a state of the game, wherein the state of the game is based on the operation instructions from the occupants 15, 16, 17 and 25, and the circuitry 18 provides the content to the occupants 15, 16, and 17 of the EV 11. The content includes a video content.

[0111] For providing the content to the driver 15 and the front-seat passenger 16, the circuitry 18 causes a display unit of the EV 11 to display the content. The display unit includes a head-up display (HUD) of the EV 11. Both the driver 15 and the front-seat passenger 16 can see the content displayed by the HUD. The content includes a plurality of representations of the state of the game in a split-screen configuration. In the case of Fig. 2, the content displayed by the HUD of the EV 11 includes two representations of the state of the game in a vertical split-screen configuration (such as the vertical split-screen configuration 41 described later with respect to Fig. 4), wherein the representation displayed on a left half of the HUD corresponds to the driver 15, and the representation displayed on a right half of the HUD corresponds to the frontseat passenger 16. Thus, each of the plurality of representations displayed by the HUD corresponds to a respective occupant 15 or 16.

[0112] For providing the content to the rear-seat passenger 17 of the EV 11, the circuitry 18 causes a display unit of the smartphone, to which the rear-seat passenger 17 inputs operation instructions, to display (which is an example of reproducing) the content. As mentioned, the smartphone is connected to the EV 11 via Wi-Fi (a wireless connection), and the circuitry 18 transmits the content to the smartphone via this connection.

[0113] For providing the content to the driver 25 of the EV 21, the circuitry 26 causes an external screen 27 (an example of a display unit) to display the content. The external screen 27 is external to the EV 21 and is provided in front of the EV 21 such that the driver 25 can see the content displayed on the external screen 27. The external screen 27 is connected to the charging station 22, and the circuitry 26 transmits the content to be displayed to the external screen 27 via the communication connection to the charging station 22.

[0114] The respective circuitry 18 and 26 provides the game to the respective occupants 15, 16, 17 and 25 according to the method 50 of Fig. 5 or, in alternative embodiments, according to the method 70 of Fig. 6.

[0115] It is noted that, in some embodiments, the communication connection between the EV 11 and the charging station 12 and / or the communication connection between the EV 21 and the charging station 22 includes a wireless connection in addition or alternatively to the wired connection via the respective charging cable 13 and / or 23.

[0116] It is also noted that, in some embodiments, the split-screen configuration of the HUD of the EV 11 is configured as a horizontal split-screen configuration (e.g., the horizontal split-screen configuration 42 described later with respect to Fig. 4).

[0117] It is further noted that, in some embodiments, the external screen 27 receives the content to be displayed from the game server 19 instead of from the circuitry 26.

[0118] Fig. 3 illustrates a smartphone 30 according to an embodiment. The smartphone 30 is an example of a handheld device. The smartphone 30 includes a touchscreen 31 that is configured to display video content and to receive operation instructions that are input as touch operations. The smartphone 30 is further configured to establish a wireless communication connection via Wi-Fi and / or Bluetooth (the user can select between Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for the wireless communication connection) to an EV (such as the EV 11 of Fig. 2). Via the wireless communication connection, the smartphone 30 transmits the received operation instructions to a circuitry (e.g., the circuitry 18 of Fig. 2) of the connected EV (e.g., EV 11), and receives the content to be displayed on the touchscreen 31 from the circuitry (e.g., circuitry 18). Therefore, the smartphone 30 and its touchscreen 31 are examples of an operation unit and of a display unit. As shown in Fig. 3, an occupant (e.g., the rear-seat passenger 17 of Fig. 2) may hold the smartphone 30 crosswise for viewing a content that represents a state of a game in landscape format.

[0119] Fig. 4 illustrates embodiments of a split-screen configuration.

[0120] A vertical split-screen configuration 41 is split vertically. A left half of the vertical split-screen configuration 41 displays a representation of a state of a game (e.g., the game described with respect to Fig. 2) that corresponds to a first occupant, and a right half of the vertical split-screen configuration 41 displays a representation of the game that corresponds to a second occupant.

[0121] A horizontal split-screen configuration 42 is split horizontally. An upper half of the horizontal split-screen configuration 42 displays a representation of a state of a game (e.g., the game described with respect to Fig. 2) that corresponds to a first occupant, and a lower half of the horizontal split-screen configuration 42 displays a representation of the game that corresponds to a second occupant.

[0122] A quartered split-screen configuration 43 is split horizontally and vertically. An upper left quarter of the quartered split-screen configuration 43 displays a representation of a state of a game (e.g., the game described with respect to Fig. 2) that corresponds to a first occupant, an upper right quarter of the quartered split-screen configuration 43 displays a representation of the state of the game that corresponds to a second occupant, a lower left quarter of the quartered split-screen configuration 43 displays a representation of the state of the game that corresponds to a third occupant, and a lower right quarter of the quartered split-screen configuration 43 displays a representation of the state of the game that corresponds to a fourth occupant.

[0123] Fig. 5 illustrates an embodiment of a method 50 for an EV that includes providing a cloud-native game. The method 50 is an example of a method that is performed by the circuitry 1 of Fig. 1, by the circuitry 18 of Fig. 2 or by the circuitry 26 of Fig. 2. In the method 50, a cloud-native game is provided to occupants of an EV (e.g., to the occupants 15, 16, and 17 of the EV 11 of Fig. 2, or to the occupant 25 of the EV 21 of Fig. 2), wherein a determination of a state of the cloud-native game and a generation of content that represents the state of the cloud-native game is performed in a cloud (e.g., by the game server 19 of Fig. 2).

[0124] At 51, the circuitry 18 or 26 determines that the respective EV 11 or 21 is being charged. At 52, the circuitry 18 or 26 establishes, via the wired communication connection to the respective charging station 12 or 22 through the respective charging cable 13 or 23, a communication connection to the game server 19.

[0125] At 53, the circuitry 18 provides the cloud-native game to the occupants 15, 16 and 17 of the EV 11, and the circuitry 26 provides the cloud-native game to the occupant 25 of the EV 21.

[0126] The providing of the game to the occupant(s) at 53 includes receiving, at 54, an operation instruction inputted by the occupants 15, 16, 17 or 25, respectively, to respective operation units for interacting with the cloud-native game, as described with respect to Fig. 2.

[0127] The providing of the game to the occupant(s) at 53 further includes transmitting, at 55, an indication of the respective operation instructions received at 54 from the respective occupants 15, 16, 17 or 25 to the game server 19.

[0128] The game server 19 receives, at 57, the indication of the operation instruction and determines, at 58, a state of the cloud-native game based on the respective indicated operation instructions and based on executing a logic of the cloud-native game. The game server 19 then generates, at 59, a content that represents the state of the game and transmits, at 60, the content to the respective circuitry 18 or 26.

[0129] The providing of the game to the occupant(s) at 53 further includes obtaining, at 56, the content. The obtaining of the content at 56 includes receiving, at 61, the content from the game server 19.

[0130] At 62, the circuitry 18 or 26 provides the content to the occupants 15, 16 and 17 or 25, respectively. The providing of the content to the occupants 15, 16, 17 and 25 includes causing a display unit to display (i.e., reproduce) the content. The display unit includes a display unit 63a of the EV (such as the HUD described with respect to Fig. 2), a handheld device 63b (such as the smartphone 30 of Fig. 3) connected to the EV via a wireless connection, and an external screen 63c (such as the external screen 27 of Fig. 2), as described with respect to Fig. 2.

[0131] It is noted that, in some embodiments, the display unit 63a of the EV includes, in addition or alternatively to the HUD, a screen provided at a dashboard of the EV. It is also noted that, in some embodiments, only one or two of the display units 63a, 63b and 63c is / are caused to display the content.

[0132] When a plurality of occupants are in an EV (such as the occupants 15, 16 and 17 in the EV 11 of Fig. 2), the content includes a plurality of representations of the state of the cloud-native game in a split-screen configuration, wherein each of the plurality of representations corresponds to a respective one of the plurality of occupants, as described with respect to Fig. 4. The cloud-native game provided by the method 50 includes interacting with an occupant of a further EV that is charged at a further charging station, as described with respect to Fig. 2.

[0133] The cloud-native game provided by the method 50 further includes a simulation of driving a vehicle that matches a specification of the EV to whose occupants the could-native game is provided, and interacting with a user (such as the occupant 25 of the further EV 21 of Fig. 2) that is simulated to drive a vehicle that corresponds to a specification of the EV, as described with respect to Fig. 2.

[0134] Note that, in some embodiments, the communication connection to the charging station includes a wireless connection.

[0135] Note also that, in some embodiments, the generating of the content at 59 is performed by the circuitry 18 or 26 instead of the game server 19. Note further that, in some embodiments, the providing of the content to the occupant(s) at 62 (e.g., causing the handheld device 63b and / or the external screen 63c to display the content) is performed by the game server 19.

[0136] Moreover, in some embodiments, the providing of the game to the occupants at 53 includes a loop that causes the receiving of the operation instruction at 54, the transmitting of the indication of the operation instruction at 55, the obtaining of the content at 56 and the providing of the content at 62 to be performed as often as necessary for providing the game to the occupants. The loop may be terminated when a charging of the respective EV (e.g., the EV 11 or the EV 21) is finished or interrupted, when the game is finished, or when the occupants 15, 16, 17 and / or 25 quit the game.

[0137] Fig. 6 illustrates an embodiment of a method 70 for an EV that includes providing a local game. In opposite to the cloud-native game of Fig. 5, the local game includes performing a determination of a state of the local game and a generation of content that represents the state of the local game by a circuitry of an EV (e.g., the circuitry 18 of the EV 11 or the circuitry 26 of the EV 21 of Fig. 2) instead of a cloud. The cloud (e.g., the game server 19 of Fig. 2) is used for downloading (a logic of) the local game and, if the local game is configured as a multiplayer game, for synchronizing a state between respective instances of the local game in respective circuitries of multiple EV (e.g., in the circuitry 18 of the EV 11 and the circuitry 26 of the EV 21 of Fig. 2).

[0138] The method 70 is an example of a method that is performed by the circuitry 1 of Fig. 1, the circuitry 18 of Fig. 2 and / or the circuitry 26 of Fig. 2. Differences of the method 70 with respect to the method 50 of Fig. 5 are described below. Features that have a same reference sign in Fig. 5 and in Fig. 6 do not differ between the methods 50 and 70. A repeated description of such features is omitted; instead, it is referred to the corresponding description with respect to Fig. 5.

[0139] At 71, the circuitry 18 or 26 provides the game to the respective occupants 15, 16 and 17 or 25, as described with respect to the providing of the game at 53 of Fig. 5. The providing of the game at 71 includes receiving the operation instructions from the respective occupants 15, 16, 17 and 25, and obtaining, at 72, a content that represents a state of the local game.

[0140] The obtaining of the content at 72 includes downloading, at 73, a logic of the local game. The game server 19 transmits, at 74, the logic of the local game to the circuitry 18 or 26 that performs the method 70.

[0141] The obtaining of the content at 72 further includes determining, at 75, the state of the local game based on the operation instructions received at 54 and based on executing the logic of the local game. The obtaining of the content at 72 includes generating, at 76, a content that represents the state of the game.

[0142] The circuitry 18 or 26 then provides, at 62, the content to the respective occupants 15, 16 and 17 or 25, respectively, as described with respect to Fig. 5.

[0143] In some embodiments, the providing of the game to the occupants at 71 includes a loop that causes the receiving of the operation instruction at 54, the obtaining of the content at 72 and the providing of the content at 62 to be performed as often as necessary for providing the game to the occupants, as described for the providing of the game at 53 of Fig. 5.

[0144] Apart from the differences described above, the features described with respect to the method 50 and / or to the cloud-native game of Fig. 5 apply accordingly to the method 70 and / or to the local game of Fig. 6.

[0145] Fig. 7 illustrates an embodiment of a general -purpose computer 150. The general -purpose computer 150 is an example of an information processing apparatus that includes circuitry that is configured to perform the method according to the present technology (e.g., the method 50 of Fig. 5 or the method 70 of Fig. 6). The computer has components 151 to 161, which can form a circuitry, such as any one of the circuitry 1 of Fig. 1, the circuitry 18 of Fig. 2, the circuitry 26 of Fig. 2, or the like, as described herein.

[0146] Embodiments which use software, firmware, programs or the like for performing the methods as described herein can be installed on computer 150, which is then configured to be suitable for the concrete embodiment. The computer 150 has a CPU 151 (Central Processing Unit), which can execute various types of procedures and methods as described herein, for example, in accordance with programs stored in a read-only memory (ROM) 152, stored in a storage 157 and loaded into a random-access memory (RAM) 153, stored on a medium 160 which can be inserted in a respective drive 159, etc.

[0147] The CPU 151, the ROM 152 and the RAM 153 are connected with a bus 161, which in turn is connected to an input / output interface 154. The number of CPUs, memories and storages is only exemplary, and the skilled person will appreciate that the computer 150 can be adapted and configured accordingly for meeting specific requirements which arise when it functions as an information processing apparatus according to the present technology.

[0148] At the input / output interface 154, several components are connected: an input 155, an output 156, the storage 157, a communication interface 158 and the drive 159, into which a medium 160 (compact disc (CD), digital video disc (DVD), universal serial bus (USB) flash drive, secure digital (SD) card, CompactFlash (CF) memory, or the like) can be inserted.

[0149] The input 155 can be a pointer device (mouse, graphic table, or the like), a keyboard, a microphone, a camera, a touchscreen, an eye-tracking unit etc.

[0150] The output 156 can have a display (liquid crystal display (LCD), cathode ray tube (CRT) display, light-emitting diode (LED) display, electronic paper, etc.; e.g., included in a touchscreen), loudspeakers, etc.

[0151] The storage 157 can have a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid-state drive (SSD), a flash drive and the like.

[0152] The communication interface 158 can be adapted to communicate, for example, via universal serial bus (USB), a serial port (RS-232), parallel port (IEEE 1284), a local area network (LAN; e.g., ethemet), wireless local area network (WLAN; e.g., Wi-Fi, IEEE 802.11), mobile telecommunications system (GSM, UMTS, LTE, NR etc.), Bluetooth, near-field communication (NFC), ZigBee, infrared, etc.

[0153] It should be noted that the description above only pertains to an example configuration of computer 150. Alternative configurations may be implemented with additional or other sensors, storage devices, interfaces or the like. For example, the communication interface 158 may support other radio access technologies than the mentioned UMTS, LTE and NR.

[0154] It should be recognized that the embodiments describe methods with an exemplary ordering of method steps. The specific ordering of method steps is however given for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as binding. Changes of the ordering of method steps may be apparent to the skilled person.

[0155] Please note that the division of the circuitry 1 into units 2 to 4 is only made for illustration purposes and that the present disclosure is not limited to any specific division of functions in specific units. For instance, the circuitry 1, 18 and / or 26 could be implemented by a respective programmed processor, field programmable gate array (FPGA) and the like.

[0156] The methods 50 and 70 can also be implemented as a computer program causing a computer and / or a processor, such as the circuitry 1, 18 or 26 discussed above, to perform the method, when being carried out on the computer and / or processor. In some embodiments, also a non- transitory computer-readable recording medium is provided that stores therein a computer program product, which, when executed by a processor, such as the processor described above, causes the method described to be performed.

[0157] The features described herein for the various methods and / or circuitries may be combined in any suitable way.

[0158] All units and entities described in this specification and claimed in the appended claims can, if not stated otherwise, be implemented as integrated circuit logic, for example on a chip, and functionality provided by such units and entities can, if not stated otherwise, be implemented by software.

[0159] In so far as the embodiments of the disclosure described above are implemented, at least in part, using software-controlled data processing apparatus, it will be appreciated that a computer program providing such software control and a transmission, storage or other medium by which such a computer program is provided are envisaged as aspects of the present disclosure.

[0160] Note that the present technology can also be configured as described below.

[0161] (1) A circuitry for an electric vehicle, the circuitry being configured to: determine that the electric vehicle is being charged at a charging station; establish, via a communication connection to the charging station, a communication connection to a game server; and provide, to at least one occupant of the electric vehicle, a game from the game server; wherein the providing of the game to the at least one occupant includes receiving an operation instruction inputted by the at least one occupant to an operation unit for interacting with the game. (2) The circuitry of (1), wherein the communication connection to the charging station includes a wired connection via a charging cable between the electric vehicle and the charging station.

[0162] (3) The circuitry of (1) or (2), wherein the communication connection to the charging station includes a wireless connection.

[0163] (4) The circuitry of any one of (1) to (3), wherein the operation unit includes at least one of a steering wheel, a pedal and a button of the electric vehicle.

[0164] (5) The circuitry of any one of (1) to (4), wherein the operation unit includes a handheld device connected to the electric vehicle via a wireless connection.

[0165] (6) The circuitry of any one of (1) to (5), wherein the providing of the game to the at least one occupant includes: transmitting, to the game server, an indication of the operation instruction.

[0166] (7) The circuitry of any one of (1) to (6), wherein the providing of the game to the at least one occupant includes: obtaining a content that represents a state of the game, the state of the game being based on the operation instruction; and providing the content to the at least one occupant.

[0167] (8) The circuitry of (7), wherein the obtaining of the content includes: receiving the content from the game server.

[0168] (9) The circuitry of (7), wherein the obtaining of the content includes: downloading a logic of the game from the game server; determining, based on the logic of the game and on the operation instruction, a state of the game; and generating the content according to the determined state of the game.

[0169] (10) The circuitry of any one of (7) to (9), wherein the providing of the content to the at least one occupant includes causing a display unit of the electric vehicle to display the content.

[0170] (11) The circuitry of (10), wherein, when a plurality of occupants are in the electric vehicle, the content includes a plurality of representations of the state of the game in a split-screen configuration, wherein each of the plurality of representations corresponds to a respective one of the plurality of occupants.

[0171] (12) The circuitry of any one of (7) to (11), wherein the providing of the content to the at least one occupant includes causing a handheld device to reproduce the content, the handheld device being connected to the electric vehicle via a wireless connection.

[0172] (13) The circuitry of any one of (1) to (12), wherein the game includes interacting with an occupant of a further electric vehicle that is charged at a further charging station.

[0173] (14) The circuitry of any one of (1) to (13), wherein the game includes a simulation of driving a vehicle that matches a specification of the electric vehicle.

[0174] (15) The circuitry of (14), wherein the game includes interacting with a user that is simulated to drive a vehicle that corresponds to a specification of the electric vehicle.

[0175] (16) A method for an electric vehicle, the method comprising: determining that the electric vehicle is being charged at a charging station; establishing, via a communication connection to the charging station, a communication connection to a game server; and providing, to at least one occupant of the electric vehicle, a game from the game server; wherein the providing of the game to the at least one occupant includes receiving an operation instruction inputted by the at least one occupant to an operation unit for interacting with the game.

[0176] (17) The method of ( 16), wherein the communication connection to the charging station includes a wired connection via a charging cable between the electric vehicle and the charging station.

[0177] (18) The method of ( 16) or ( 17), wherein the communication connection to the charging station includes a wireless connection.

[0178] (19) The method of any one of (16) to (18), wherein the operation unit includes at least one of a steering wheel, a pedal and a button of the electric vehicle. (20) The method of any one of (16) to (19), wherein the operation unit includes a handheld device connected to the electric vehicle via a wireless connection.

[0179] (21) The method of any one of (16) to (20), wherein the providing of the game to the at least one occupant includes: transmitting, to the game server, an indication of the operation instruction.

[0180] (22) The method of any one of (16) to (21), wherein the providing of the game to the at least one occupant includes: obtaining a content that represents a state of the game, the state of the game being based on the operation instruction; and providing the content to the at least one occupant.

[0181] (23) The method of (22), wherein the obtaining of the content includes: receiving the content from the game server.

[0182] (24) The method of (22), wherein the obtaining of the content includes: downloading a logic of the game from the game server; determining, based on the logic of the game and on the operation instruction, a state of the game; and generating the content according to the determined state of the game.

[0183] (25) The method of any one of (22) to (24), wherein the providing of the content to the at least one occupant includes causing a display unit of the electric vehicle to display the content.

[0184] (26) The method of (25), wherein, when a plurality of occupants are in the electric vehicle, the content includes a plurality of representations of the state of the game in a split-screen configuration, wherein each of the plurality of representations corresponds to a respective one of the plurality of occupants.

[0185] (27) The method of any one of (22) to (26), wherein the providing of the content to the at least one occupant includes causing a handheld device to reproduce the content, the handheld device being connected to the electric vehicle via a wireless connection.

[0186] (28) The method of any one of (16) to (27), wherein the game includes interacting with an occupant of a further electric vehicle that is charged at a further charging station. (29) The method of any one of (16) to (28), wherein the game includes a simulation of driving a vehicle that matches a specification of the electric vehicle.

[0187] (30) The method of (29), wherein the game includes interacting with a user that is simulated to drive a vehicle that corresponds to a specification of the electric vehicle.

[0188] (31) A system, comprising: an electric vehicle, a charging station, and a game server; wherein the electric vehicle includes the circuitry of any one of (1) to (15).

[0189] (32) A computer program comprising program code causing a computer to perform the method according to anyone of (16) to (30), when being carried out on a computer.

[0190] (33) A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium that stores therein a computer program product, which, when executed by a processor, causes the method according to anyone of (16) to (30) to be performed.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A circuitry for an electric vehicle, the circuitry being configured to: determine that the electric vehicle is being charged at a charging station; establish, via a communication connection to the charging station, a communication connection to a game server; and provide, to at least one occupant of the electric vehicle, a game from the game server; wherein the providing of the game to the at least one occupant includes receiving an operation instruction inputted by the at least one occupant to an operation unit for interacting with the game.

2. The circuitry of claim 1, wherein the communication connection to the charging station includes a wired connection via a charging cable between the electric vehicle and the charging station.

3. The circuitry of claim 1, wherein the communication connection to the charging station includes a wireless connection.

4. The circuitry of claim 1, wherein the providing of the game to the at least one occupant includes: transmitting, to the game server, an indication of the operation instruction.

5. The circuitry of claim 1, wherein the providing of the game to the at least one occupant includes: obtaining a content that represents a state of the game, the state of the game being based on the operation instruction; and providing the content to the at least one occupant.

6. The circuitry of claim 5, wherein the obtaining of the content includes: receiving the content from the game server.

7. The circuitry of claim 5, wherein the obtaining of the content includes: downloading a logic of the game from the game server; determining, based on the logic of the game and on the operation instruction, a state of the game; and generating the content according to the determined state of the game.

8. The circuitry of claim 5, wherein the providing of the content to the at least one occupant includes causing a display unit of the electric vehicle to display the content.

9. The circuitry of claim 8, wherein, when a plurality of occupants are in the electric vehicle, the content includes a plurality of representations of the state of the game in a split-screen configuration, wherein each of the plurality of representations corresponds to a respective one of the plurality of occupants.

10. The circuitry of claim 5, wherein the providing of the content to the at least one occupant includes causing a handheld device to reproduce the content, the handheld device being connected to the electric vehicle via a wireless connection.

11. A method for an electric vehicle, the method comprising: determining that the electric vehicle is being charged at a charging station; establishing, via a communication connection to the charging station, a communication connection to a game server; and providing, to at least one occupant of the electric vehicle, a game from the game server; wherein the providing of the game to the at least one occupant includes receiving an operation instruction inputted by the at least one occupant to an operation unit for interacting with the game.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the communication connection to the charging station includes a wired connection via a charging cable between the electric vehicle and the charging station.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the communication connection to the charging station includes a wireless connection.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the providing of the game to the at least one occupant includes: transmitting, to the game server, an indication of the operation instruction.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the providing of the game to the at least one occupant includes: obtaining a content that represents a state of the game, the state of the game being basedon the operation instruction; and providing the content to the at least one occupant.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the obtaining of the content includes: receiving the content from the game server.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the obtaining of the content includes: downloading a logic of the game from the game server; determining, based on the logic of the game and on the operation instruction, a state of the game; and generating the content according to the determined state of the game.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the providing of the content to the at least one occupant includes causing a display unit of the electric vehicle to display the content.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein, when a plurality of occupants are in the electric vehicle, the content includes a plurality of representations of the state of the game in a split-screen configuration, wherein each of the plurality of representations corresponds to a respective one of the plurality of occupants.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the providing of the content to the at least one occupant includes causing a handheld device to reproduce the content, the handheld device being connected to the electric vehicle via a wireless connection.

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