ON BOARD VEHICLE MEDIA CONTROLLER
The present disclosure describes a microprocessor executable media controller on board a vehicle operable (a) to determine a first spatial location of an external communication device, the external communication device being in wireless communication with the on board media controller and the first spatial location being associated with a first set of restrictions, the first set of restrictions being at least one of a control on connectivity access by the external communication device, a restriction on the connectivity access, and a restriction on one or more functions of the external communication device and (b), in response, to apply the first set of restrictions.
1 . A vehicle comprising a microprocessor executable media controller on board the vehicle operable (a) to determine a first spatial location of an external communication device, the external communication device being in wireless communication with the on board media controller and the first spatial location being associated with a first set of restrictions, the first set of restrictions being at least one of a control on connectivity access by the external communication device, a restriction on the connectivity access, and a restriction on one or more functions of the external communication device and (b), in response, to apply the first set of restrictions.
2 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein, as a result of applying the first set of restrictions, the media controller declines to accept connectivity access by the external communication device.
3 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein, as a result of applying the first set of restrictions, the media controller applies a restriction on the connectivity access.
4 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein, as a result of applying the first set of restrictions, the media controller restricts the one or more functions of the external communication device.
5 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the media controller measures, at a plurality of connectivity access points, a respective signal strength associated with a transmission by the external communication device, and, based on the measurements, determines the first spatial location by triangulation.
6 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein a second spatial location is associated with a second set of restrictions, the first and second sets of restrictions being different from one another.
7 . The vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the media controller monitors the external communication for a change from the first to the second spatial locations and, upon detecting the change, applies the second set of restrictions.
8 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the media controller is operable to receive a media stream from a remote node, the received media stream being for an occupant associated with at least one of an on board vehicle input/output system and external communication device, identify which on board vehicle input/output systems and/or external communication devices are restricted by the first set of restrictions and provide the media stream, in compliance with the first set of restrictions, to a selected input/output system and/or external communication device associated with the occupant.
9 . The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the first set of restrictions are applied as a due to operator command and/or as a result of a governing law.
10 . The vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the media stream is for all occupants of the vehicle but is provided only to unrestricted input/output systems and/or external communication devices, the unrestricted input/output systems and/or external communication devices being a subset of all input/output systems and/or external communication devices on board the vehicle.
11 . The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the restriction is as a result of a governing law and wherein the media controller, for a current satellite-positioning-system based position of the vehicle, current state of the vehicle, and a selected input/output system and/or external communication device determines that a law restricts the input/output system and/or external communication device from performing at least one of the following functions: texting from an on board input/output system and/or external communication device, displaying streaming video content to an on board input/output system and/or external communication device, initiating and/or continuing a cellular call, and providing a media channel of a multimedia media stream.
12 . The vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the selected input/output system and/or external communication device is associated with the vehicle operator and the current state of the vehicle is one or more of moving and in gear.
13 . The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the function is providing a media channel of a multimedia media stream and wherein the media controller presents a first channel, but not a second, of the multimedia stream to the selected input/output system and/or external communication device.
14 . A method, comprising:
a microprocessor executable media controller determining a first spatial location of an external communication device, the external communication device being in wireless communication with the on board media controller and the first spatial location being associated with a first set of restrictions, the first set of restrictions being at least one of a control on connectivity access by the external communication device, a restriction on the connectivity access, and a restriction on one or more functions of the external communication device, and
in response, microprocessor executable media controller applying the first set of restrictions.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein, as a result of applying the first set of restrictions, the media controller declines to accept connectivity access by the external communication device.
16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein, as a result of applying the first set of restrictions, the media controller applies a restriction on the connectivity access.
17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein, as a result of applying the first set of restrictions, the media controller restricts the one or more functions of the external communication device.
18 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the media controller measures, at a plurality of connectivity access points, a respective signal strength associated with a transmission by the external communication device, and, based on the measurements, determines the first spatial location by triangulation.
19 . The method of claim 14 , wherein a second spatial location is associated with a second set of restrictions, the first and second sets of restrictions being different from one another.
20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the media controller monitors the external communication for a change from the first to the second spatial locations and, upon detecting the change, applies the second set of restrictions.
21 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
the media controller receiving a media stream from a remote node, the received media stream being for an occupant associated with at least one of an on board vehicle input/output system and external communication device,
the media controller identifying which on board vehicle input/output systems and/or external communication devices are restricted by the first set of restrictions, and
the media controller providing the media stream, in compliance with the first set of restrictions, to a selected input/output system and/or external communication device associated with the occupant.
22 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the first set of restrictions are applied as a due to operator command and/or as a result of a governing law.
23 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the media stream is for all occupants of the vehicle but is provided only to unrestricted input/output systems and/or external communication devices, the unrestricted input/output systems and/or external communication devices being a subset of all input/output systems and/or external communication devices on board the vehicle.
24 . The method of claim 23 , wherein the restriction is as a result of a governing law and wherein the media controller, for a current satellite-positioning-system based position of the vehicle, current state of the vehicle, and a selected input/output system and/or external communication device determines that a law restricts the input/output system and/or external communication device from performing at least one of the following functions: texting from an on board input/output system and/or external communication device, displaying streaming video content to an on board input/output system and/or external communication device, initiating and/or continuing a cellular call, and providing a media channel of a multimedia media stream.
25 . The method of claim 24 , wherein the selected input/output system and/or external communication device is associated with the vehicle operator and the current state of the vehicle is one or more of moving and in gear.
26 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the function is providing a media channel of a multimedia media stream and wherein the media controller presents a first channel, but not a second, of the multimedia stream to the selected input/output system and/or external communication device.
27 . A non-transient, tangible computer readable medium comprising a microprocessor executable media controller on board a vehicle, the media controller being in the form of computer executable instructions that, when executed, determine a first spatial location of an external communication device, the external communication device being in wireless communication with the on board media controller and the first spatial location being associated with a first set of restrictions, the first set of restrictions being at least one of a control on connectivity access by the external communication device, a restriction on the connectivity access, and a restriction on one or more functions of the external communication device, and, in response, apply the first set of restrictions.
28 . The computer readable medium of claim 27 , wherein, as a result of applying the first set of restrictions, the media controller declines to accept connectivity access by the external communication device.
29 . The computer readable medium of claim 27 , wherein, as a result of applying the first set of restrictions, the media controller applies a restriction on the connectivity access.
30 . The computer readable medium of claim 27 , wherein, as a result of applying the first set of restrictions, the media controller restricts the one or more functions of the external communication device.
31 . The computer readable medium of claim 27 , wherein the media controller measures, at a plurality of connectivity access points, a respective signal strength associated with a transmission by the external communication device, and, based on the measurements, determines the first spatial location by triangulation.
32 . The computer readable medium of claim 27 , wherein a second spatial location is associated with a second set of restrictions, the first and second sets of restrictions being different from one another.
33 . The computer readable medium of claim 32 , wherein the media controller monitors the external communication for a change from the first to the second spatial locations and, upon detecting the change, applies the second set of restrictions.
34 . The computer readable medium of claim 27 , further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the media controller to:
receive a media stream from a remote node, the received media stream being for an occupant associated with at least one of an on board vehicle input/output system and external communication device,
identify which on board vehicle input/output systems and/or external communication devices are restricted by the first set of restrictions, and
provide the media stream, in compliance with the first set of restrictions, to a selected input/output system and/or external communication device associated with the occupant.
35 . The computer readable medium of claim 34 , wherein the first set of restrictions are applied as a due to operator command and/or as a result of a governing law.
36 . The computer readable medium of claim 35 , wherein the media stream is for all occupants of the vehicle but is provided only to unrestricted input/output systems and/or external communication devices, the unrestricted input/output systems and/or external communication devices being a subset of all input/output systems and/or external communication devices on board the vehicle.
37 . The computer readable medium of claim 36 , wherein the restriction is as a result of a governing law and wherein the media controller, for a current satellite-positioning-system based position of the vehicle, current state of the vehicle, and a selected input/output system and/or external communication device determines that a law restricts the input/output system and/or external communication device from performing at least one of the following functions: texting from an on board input/output system and/or external communication device, displaying streaming video content to an on board input/output system and/or external communication device, initiating and/or continuing a cellular call, and providing a media channel of a multimedia media stream.
38 . The computer readable medium of claim 37 , wherein the selected input/output system and/or external communication device is associated with the vehicle operator and the current state of the vehicle is one or more of moving and in gear.
39 . The computer readable medium of claim 38 , wherein the function is providing a media channel of a multimedia media stream and wherein the media controller presents a first channel, but not a second, of the multimedia stream to the selected input/output system and/or external communication device.