MODULAR IN-VEHICLE INFOTAINMENT ARCHITECTURE WITH UPGRADEABLE MULTIMEDIA MODULE
Systems and methods for providing a modular in-vehicle infotainment architecture with an upgradeable multimedia module are disclosed. A particular embodiment includes: receiving data signals at a multimedia module via a vehicle subsystem connection from one or more vehicle subsystems of a vehicle; processing the data signals on the multimedia module, by use of a data processor, to produce modified data signals, at least a portion of the modified data signals including data signals associated with an in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) system in the vehicle; transferring the modified data signals from the multimedia module to a mobile device via a mobile device interface; and causing the mobile device to render an information display on a user interface on the mobile device, the information display including information indicative of the modified data signals.
1 . A method comprising:
receiving data signals at a multimedia module via a vehicle subsystem connection from one or more vehicle subsystems of a vehicle;
processing the data signals on the multimedia module, by execution of processing instructions in a data processor, to produce modified data signals, at least a portion of the modified data signals including data signals associated with an in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) system in the vehicle;
transferring the modified data signals from the multimedia module to a mobile device via a mobile device interface; and
causing the mobile device to render an information display on a user interface on the mobile device, the information display including information indicative of the modified data signals.
2 . The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the vehicle subsystems of the vehicle are from the group: an in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) system and an electronic control unit (ECU) of the vehicle.
3 . The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the vehicle subsystem connection includes a connector from the group: a DisplayPort connector, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector, and a CarLink Connector.
4 . The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the vehicle subsystem connection includes a detachable connector.
5 . The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the mobile device interface includes an interface from the group: USB On-The-Go (USB OTG), WiFi, and Bluetooth (BT).
6 . The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the mobile device interface includes a wireless interface.
7 . The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the multimedia module includes an operating system.
8 . The method as claimed in claim 1 including causing the mobile device to render an information display on a user interface on a network-connected network resource, the information display including information indicative of the modified data signals.
9 . The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the multimedia module includes a tuner.
10 . A multimedia module comprising:
one or more data processors;
a vehicle subsystem connector to connect the multimedia module with one or more vehicle subsystems of a vehicle;
a mobile device interface to connect the multimedia module with one or more mobile devices; and
a module operating system, executable by the one or more data processors, to:
receive data signals at the multimedia module via the vehicle subsystem connector from the one or more vehicle subsystems of the vehicle;
process the data signals on the multimedia module to produce modified data signals, at least a portion of the modified data signals including data signals associated with an in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) system in the vehicle;
transfer the modified data signals from the multimedia module to a mobile device of the one or more mobile devices via the mobile device interface; and
cause the mobile device to render an information display on a user interface on the mobile device, the information display including information indicative of the modified data signals.
11 . The multimedia module as claimed in claim 10 wherein the one or more vehicle subsystems of the vehicle are from the group: an in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) system and an electronic control unit (ECU) of the vehicle.
12 . The multimedia module as claimed in claim 10 wherein the vehicle subsystem connector includes a connector from the group: a DisplayPort connector, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector, and a CarLink Connector.
13 . The multimedia module as claimed in claim 10 wherein the vehicle subsystem connector includes a detachable connector.
14 . The multimedia module as claimed in claim 10 wherein the mobile device interface includes an interface from the group: USB On-The-Go (USB OTG), WiFi, and Bluetooth (BT).
15 . The multimedia module as claimed in claim 10 wherein the mobile device interface includes a wireless interface.
16 . The multimedia module as claimed in claim 10 being further configured to cause the mobile device to render an information display on a user interface on a network-connected network resource, the information display including information indicative of the modified data signals.
17 . The multimedia module as claimed in claim 10 wherein the multimedia module includes a tuner.
18 . A non-transitory machine-useable storage medium embodying instructions which, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to:
receive data signals at a multimedia module via a vehicle subsystem connection from one or more vehicle subsystems of a vehicle;
process the data signals on the multimedia module to produce modified data signals, at least a portion of the modified data signals including data signals associated with an in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) system in the vehicle;
transfer the modified data signals from the multimedia module to a mobile device via a mobile device interface; and
cause the mobile device to render an information display on a user interface on the mobile device, the information display including information indicative of the modified data signals.
19 . The machine-useable storage medium as claimed in claim 18 wherein the vehicle subsystem connection includes a connector from the group: a DisplayPort connector, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector, and a CarLink Connector.
20 . The machine-useable storage medium as claimed in claim 18 wherein the mobile device interface includes an interface from the group: USB On-The-Go (USB OTG), WiFi, and Bluetooth (BT).