The present invention relates to a multi-media system and method for a vehicle that enables a user to access portable device content using interactive vehicle controls.
Consumer electronic devices are capable of storing hundreds and even thousands of files. The type of files stored on the electronic devices may include voice, audio, data and the like. These devices may be portable, thereby providing the user added convenience in accessing the files. Although the convenience in file access has improved, there exists a wide horizon for improvement.
Particularly, users desire to access content located on these devices while in a vehicle. However, with conventional multi-media systems, a query of the content on the device requires a search of substantially all files located on the device. In the case of devices having hundreds and even thousands of files, executing a query is burdensome on the processing power of the vehicle and time consuming. Additionally, in the environment of a vehicle, driving is the primary priority. Accordingly, time consuming searches of data located on the device is distracting and hence undesirable to vehicle occupants, particularly the driver. As such, there is a need for a multi-media system that enables efficient search and retrieval of information on a device.
The present invention was conceived in view of these and other disadvantages of conventional multi-media systems.
The present invention provides a multi-media system and method for a vehicle that enables a user to access content on a device. The system includes a user interface that is operable with the vehicle and adapted to receive a query command, wherein the query command is received in a predetermined form. Additionally, the user interface provides corresponding query results to the user. A controller is included that is operable with the user interface and is configured to communicate with the device. The controller, in response to the query command, searches accelerator files containing data pertaining to the content. The controller also locates accelerator files that correspond with the query command and provides a corresponding accelerator file data to the user interface.
The method includes receiving a query command through the use of the user interface, wherein the user interface is operable with the vehicle and the query command is received in a predetermined form. The method further includes searching the accelerator or media files containing data pertaining to the content and locating the accelerator files that correspond with the query command. The method also includes providing the corresponding accelerator file data to the user interface and providing the query results to the user.
The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may be best understood with reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:
As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein. However, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale, and some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular proponents. Therefore, specific functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for the claims and/or as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ in the present invention.
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Vehicle 14 includes a controller 18 that communicates with a user interface 20. As recognized by one of ordinary skill, controller 18 has data processing capabilities as well as volatile and non-volatile memory. Controller 18 enables communications between device 12 and vehicle 14 by processing signals received from device 12. Additionally, controller 18 is adapted to generate signals in response to inputs from user interface 20 that are received by device 12. Interface 20 may be a graphical user interface that is located on the instrument panel of a vehicle. As such, interface 20 may include a touchscreen that enables a user to enter various commands by touching certain areas of interface 20.
Controller 18 and interface 20, which may be referred to as multimedia system, enables a user to access content located on device 12. Particularly, the user may input various commands that are processed and executed via controller 18 and device 12. As will be described hereinafter, in some instances the multimedia system (e.g., controller 18 and interface 20) may create, store, and retrieve files located on controller 18 and/or device 12.
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A search button 40 may be included that allows the user to search a device selected from menu 22. Particularly, contacting search button 40 launches an alternative screen (
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Now, an exemplary description of the receipt and execution of a query command to access content located on the device will be described. When the device is connected to the vehicle, an initialization of the device occurs. During initialization, a connectivity configuration is established and stored in the controller's non-volatile memory. This may also be referred to as device registration. Next, a database or accelerator file may be created which links the file names and associated metadata to specific files or content on the device. This accelerator file may be temporarily stored in memory, written to non-volatile memory of the controller, or written to the device. Once the accelerator files for the content are stored, the content on the device may be accessed in an efficient manner.
Particularly, when a user enters a query command and executes a search, the multimedia system is not required to open each file located on the device to identify the corresponding files or content. In executing the search based on the query command, the multimedia system accesses the accelerator files, which expedites searching and improves usability in a vehicle environment. In one embodiment, the accelerator file is a flat-text file. Additionally, the accelerator files contain information that pertains to the content located on a device. In one embodiment, the content located on the device includes files partitioned into segments. In such an embodiment, the files include a header segment. As such, the multimedia system, in creating the accelerator file, reads the header from each file and creates the corresponding accelerator files.
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At block 58, the method determines whether any accelerator files exist. If accelerator files exist, the contents of the accelerator file or database will be updated as depicted by block 60. Block 60 will be described in further detail hereinafter.
If no accelerator files exist, a block 62 occurs, wherein the method determines whether a media feature has been selected. If a media feature has been selected, the method determines whether the device is enabled by a media transfer protocol (MTP), for example. In one embodiment, the MTP enables media in various formats including Windows Media Audio (WMA), Windows Media Video (WMV), and the like. If the device is MTP enabled, the method establishes an MTP connection as depicted by block 66. At block 68, the method requests information from the device. At block 70, the method, via the controller, requests a list of the content on the device. At block 72, the requested content list is received. In one embodiment, the content list is received in an array-of-handles. It is recognized that an array-of-handles may be an array with entries that are handles to objects of the same type in consecutive locations in the array. At block 74, the method creates the accelerator file or database. Creation of the accelerator file will be described in further detail hereinafter.
Referring back to block 62, if the media feature is not selected, a block 76 occurs wherein the method determines whether a file system is available. If a file system is available, the method maps the file system at block 78. At block 80, the method may authenticate the user. At block 82, the method acquires a list of feature related files. As depicted by block 74, the method creates the accelerator file/database. Once the accelerator file is created at block 74, the initialization is complete as depicted by block 86 and the user may begin entering query commands to execute the search for device content. Block 86 will be described in further detail hereinafter.
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Referring back to block 130, if the device has sufficient storage, a block 132 occurs. As depicted by block 132, the method checks for write access to the device's file system. Accordingly, the method determines whether the multimedia system has write access to the device as shown by block 134. If the method has write access, the multimedia system writes the database or accelerator file to the device as depicted by block 136. Accordingly, the initialization is complete as shown by block 138. Referring back to block 134, if the multimedia system does not have write access, a block 142 occurs. At block 142, the method determines whether authentication is required. If no authentication is required, the system maintains the database or accelerator file in volatile memory. Subsequently, the initialization is complete as illustrated by block 138. Referring back to block 142, if authentication is required, the user is authenticated by block 146. Additionally, the method writes the database or accelerator file to the device as shown by block 148. Consequently, the initialization is complete as depicted by block 138.
While the best mode for carrying out the invention has been described in detail, those familiar with the art to which this invention relates will recognize various alternative designs and embodiments for practicing the invention as defined by the following claims.