US 10,382,617 B2 · Managing features associated with a user equipment based on a location of the user equipment within a vehicle

Abstract

In an aspect, a user equipment (UE) is positioned within a driver operation zone of a vehicle, one or more UE-based user interfaces (UIs) are restricted and forwarded to a vehicle-based UI controller to permit access to the one or more UE-based features via a vehicle-based UI. In another aspect, the UE in the driver operation zone is engaged in hands-free speakerphone mode via a vehicle audio system of the vehicle, and an attempt to transition the UE to handset-based audio mode is blocked. In another aspect, when a handset-based audio capture and/or playback attempt of the UE is detected, the UE interacts with a vehicle audio system to temporarily reduce volume being output by one or more proximal speakers. In another aspect, the UE streams media to a media presentation device in its own zone or another zone of the vehicle for presentation thereon.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method of operating a user equipment (UE) within a vehicle with an in-vehicle configuration that includes a driver operation zone, comprising:

determining that the UE is located within the driver operation zone of the vehicle based upon interaction between the UE and an in-vehicle location detection system;
restricting, in response to the determination, one or more UE-based user interfaces (UIs) provisioned on the UE for accessing one or more UE-based features;
forwarding, in response to the determination, the one or more UE-based UIs to a vehicle-based UI controller that is coupled to a vehicle-based UI of the vehicle that is accessible to an operator of the UE within the driver operation zone to permit access to the one or more UE-based features via the vehicle-based UI;
detecting, while the UE is engaged in hands-free speakerphone mode via a vehicle audio system of the vehicle, an attempt to transition to a handset-based audio mode;
and
blocking the transition to the handset-based audio mode based on the determination that the UE is located within the driver operation zone, wherein the detected attempt to transition to the handset-based audio mode corresponds to the UE being detected in proximity to an ear of an operator of the UE.

3 more elements

A user equipment (UE) within a vehicle with an in-vehicle configuration that includes a driver operation zone, comprising:

a memory;
and
a processor coupled with the memory and configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations comprising:
determining that the UE is located within the driver operation zone of the vehicle based upon interaction between the UE and an in-vehicle location detection system;
restricting, in response to the determination, one or more UE-based user interfaces (UIs) provisioned on the UE for accessing one or more UE-based features;
and
forwarding, in response to the determination, the one or more UE-based UIs to a vehicle-based UI controller that is coupled to a vehicle-based UI of the vehicle that is accessible to an operator of the UE within the driver operation zone to permit access to the one or more UE-based features via the vehicle-based UI;
detecting, while the UE is engaged in hands-free speakerphone mode via a vehicle audio system of the vehicle, an attempt to transition to a handset-based audio mode;
blocking the transition to the handset-based audio mode based on the determination that the UE is located within the driver operation zone, wherein the detected attempt to transition to the handset-based audio mode corresponds to the UE being detected in proximity to an ear of an operator of the UE.

6 more elements

A user equipment (UE) within a vehicle with an in-vehicle configuration that includes a driver operation zone, comprising:

a memory;
and
a processor coupled with the memory and configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations comprising:
determining that the UE is located within the driver operation zone of the vehicle based upon interaction between the UE and an in-vehicle location detection system;
restricting, in response to the driver operation zone determination, one or more UE-based user interfaces (UIs) provisioned on the UE for accessing one or more UE-based features;
forwarding, in response to the driver operation zone determination, the one or more UE-based UIs to a vehicle-based UI controller that is coupled to a vehicle-based UI of the vehicle that is accessible to an operator of the UE within the driver operation zone to permit access to the one or more UE-based features via the vehicle-based UI;
determining that the UE is located within a given zone of the vehicle based upon interaction between the UE and the in-vehicle location detection system;
receiving a request to stream media from the UE to at least one zone;
identifying at least one target media presentation device in the at least one zone;
associating the UE with the at least one target media presentation device in the at least one zone;
streaming the media from the UE to the at least one target media presentation device in the at least one zone for presentation thereon;
determining whether the given zone is an administrator operation zone or a guest operation zone;
permitting a first level of access to data and/or services via the UE if the given zone corresponds to the administrator operation zone, and permitting a second level of access to the data and/or services via the UE if the UE corresponds to the guest operation zone.

10 more elements

A user equipment (UE) within a vehicle with an in-vehicle configuration that includes a driver operation zone, comprising:

a memory;
and
a processor coupled with the memory and configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations comprising:
determining that the UE is located within the driver operation zone of the vehicle based upon interaction between the UE and an in-vehicle location detection system;
restricting, in response to the driver operation zone determination, one or more UE-based user interfaces (UIs) provisioned on the UE for accessing one or more UE-based features;
forwarding, in response to the driver operation zone determination, the one or more UE-based UIs to a vehicle-based UI controller that is coupled to a vehicle-based UI of the vehicle that is accessible to an operator of the UE within the driver operation zone to permit access to the one or more UE-based features via the vehicle-based UI;
determining that the UE is located within a given zone of the vehicle based upon interaction between the UE and the in-vehicle location detection system;
receiving a request to stream media from the UE to at least one zone;
identifying at least one target media presentation device in the at least one zone;
associating the UE with the at least one target media presentation device in the at least one zone;
and
streaming the media from the UE to the at least one target media presentation device in the at least one zone for presentation thereon,
wherein the at least one zone is a different zone than the given zone and the at least one target media presentation device includes a first set of media presentation devices configured to support media presentation within the different zone, or
wherein the at least one zone includes the given zone and at least one other zone and the at least one target media presentation device includes a second set of media presentation devices configured to support media presentation within both the given zone and the at least one other zone.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Managing features associated with a user equipment based on a location of the user equipment within a vehicle

Life of this patent

Managing features associated with a user equipment based on a location of the user equipment within a vehicle

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20