Removable modular universal telematics services engine for an audio-visual control unit

A device, comprising:

• an auxiliary processing module to:
• perform wireless communications, graphics processing, and application processing;
• pass signals, via complementary contacts, to an auxiliary processing module interface connected to an audio-visual control unit of a vehicle when the auxiliary processing module has been coupled with the auxiliary processing module interface,
• the wireless communications, graphics processing, and application processing supplementing processing by the audio-visual control unit when the auxiliary processing module is selected using software running on the audio-visual control unit, and
• a display device being coupled to the audio-visual control unit;
• receive a vehicle identification number of the vehicle from a communication network of the vehicle;
• compare the retrieved vehicle identification number with a previously stored vehicle identification number;
• permit use of features that the auxiliary processing module is configured to perform based on the retrieved vehicle identification number matching the previously stored vehicle identification number;
• and
• configure a switching means that operates when use of the auxiliary processing module has been selected to couple output from the auxiliary processing module to the display device.

A method comprising:

• detecting, by an auxiliary processing module, coupling to an auxiliary processing module interface coupled to an audio-visual control unit of a vehicle:
• determining, by the auxiliary processing module, that the coupling of the auxiliary processing module to the auxiliary processing module interface is a first coupling:
• retrieving, by the auxiliary processing module and from a communications network of the vehicle, a vehicle identification number of the vehicle;
• storing the vehicle identification number;
• receiving, by the auxiliary processing module and via a user interface, a selection of at least one feature that the auxiliary processing module has been configured to perform,
• the user interface being presented by the audio-visual control unit on a graphical display device coupled to the audio-visual control unit;
• and
• configuring, by the auxiliary processing module, switching to enable video graphic signals passing from the auxiliary processing module to the graphical display device.