Mobile integration platform (MIP) integrated handset application proxy (HAP)

1. A system comprising:

a vehicle head unit having a first physical screen, the vehicle head unit implementing at least one type of second screen that is different than the first physical screen;

wherein the second screen comprises a generic application display screen;

a server computer, the server computer arranged for communications over a mobile network to a mobile phone;

wherein the server computer is further arranged to deliver phone application information associated with a specific user application program executable on a mobile phone, and the server delivers the phone application information to the mobile phone via the mobile network; and

wherein the phone application information enables extending a user interface of the specific user application program to utilize the second screen of the vehicle head unit;

a handset application proxy (HAP) software application executable in the mobile phone; and

a head unit proxy (HUP) software application executable on the vehicle head unit;

wherein the HAP and the HUP are arranged to communicate messages or events between them, and to utilize aspects of the phone application information to enable the specific user application program on the mobile phone to interact with the second screen of the vehicle head unit; and

wherein the handset application proxy (HAP) is arranged to send one or more of content, text and images to the head unit proxy (HUP) for rendering in accordance with a predetermined template layout of the second screen.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the vehicle head unit does not install or execute HMI display application logic specifically developed to interact with the specific user application program on the mobile phone.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the handset application proxy (HAP) software application and the head unit proxy (HUP) software application are each implemented in a scripting language.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the phone application information includes data for implementing a safety policy in connection with execution of the specific user application program.

5. The system of claim 3 wherein:

the generic application display screen comprises a template-based generic application display screen;

the HAP includes a message handling component, and at least one protocol stack coupled to the message handling component, for communications with the vehicle head unit;

the message handling component includes at least one scripting language component associated with the specific user application program; and

the scripting language component includes a corresponding template message translator component, the template message translator component configured for translating request and response messages generated by the specific user application program into a format compatible with the template-based generic application display screen of the vehicle head unit.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the scripting language component includes corresponding user application logic to obviate specific user application logic in the vehicle head unit.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the scripting language component maintains application state for the corresponding user application logic to obviate maintaining state in the vehicle head unit.

8. A computer-implemented method for use in a mobile phone, the computer-implemented method comprising:

identifying a user application program installed on the mobile phone;

using a processing device of the mobile phone, requesting information specific to the identified user application from a remote server;

receiving phone application information downloaded from the remote server responsive to the information request, wherein the phone application information enables extending a user interface of the identified user application program to utilize a generic application display screen of a vehicle head unit;

installing a handset application proxy (HAP) software application on the mobile phone; and

installing a head unit proxy (HUP) software application executable on the vehicle head unit;

wherein the HAP and the HUP are arranged to communicate messages or events between them, and to utilize aspects of the phone application information to enable the identified user application program on the mobile phone to interact with the generic application display screen of the vehicle head unit; and

wherein the generic application display screen comprises a template-based generic application display screen; and

in the handset application proxy (HAP) software application, translating request and response messages generated by the identified user application program into a format compatible with the template-based generic application display screen of the vehicle head unit.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 including:

in the handset application proxy (HAP) software application, translating messages or events received from the vehicle head unit into a format compatible with the identified user application program.

10. A computer-implemented method for use in a mobile phone, the computer-implemented method comprising:

identifying a user application program installed on the mobile phone;

using a processing device of the mobile phone, requesting information specific to the identified user application from a remote server;

receiving phone application information downloaded from the remote server responsive to the information request, wherein the phone application information enables extending a user interface of the identified user application program to utilize a generic application display screen of a vehicle head unit;

installing a handset application proxy (HAP) software application on the mobile phone; and

installing a head unit proxy (HUP) software application executable on the vehicle head unit;

wherein the HAP and the HUP are arranged to communicate messages or events between them, and to utilize aspects of the phone application information to enable the identified user application program on the mobile phone to interact with the generic application display screen of the vehicle head unit; and

wherein the generic application display screen comprises a template-based generic application display screen; and

in the handset application proxy (HAP) software application, translating a request message generated by the identified user application program into a format compatible with the template-based generic application display screen of the vehicle head unit so as to render one or more of content, text and images on the template-based generic application display screen of the vehicle head unit.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 including:

receiving a message from the vehicle head unit;

interacting with the user application program responsive to the received message; and

returning a result provided by the user application program to the vehicle head unit.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 including translating the result into a format compatible with the template-based generic application display screen of the vehicle head unit.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 including translating a button press event message from the vehicle head unit based on a current state of the user application program and based on a button identifier previously sent to the head unit for display.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 including translating a button press event message from the vehicle head unit based on a current state of the user application program and based on a button identifier previously sent to the vehicle head unit for display.