Apple files for patent for ‘in-vehicle wireless communication’

Apple has filed for a patent (number 10200022192) for “in-vehicle wireless communication” that hints at future features of CarPlay and how it interacts with an iPhone or Apple Watch.

CarPlay provides a simplified way to use your iPhone interface on a car’s touch screen, giving users access to Siri voice controls, as well as Apple Maps, Apple Music, Phone, Messages, and a variety of third party apps.

The new patent filing involves ways to wirelessly coupling a user device (an iPhone or Apple Watch) with a vehicle accessory system (CarPlay) It includes the ability to enable the user interface associated with smartphone or smartwatch to be displayed on a CarPlay unit.

Here’s the summary of the patent filing: “he embodiments set forth herein disclose techniques for enabling a user device to seamlessly establish a secure, high-bandwidth wireless connection with a vehicle accessory system to enable the user device to wirelessly stream user interface (UI) information to the vehicle accessory system. 

“To implement this technique, a lower-bandwidth wireless technology (e.g., Bluetooth) is used as an initial means for establishing a Wi-Fi pairing between the user device and the vehicle accessory system. Wi-Fi parameters associated with a Wi-Fi network provided by the vehicle accessory system can be communicated to the user device using the lower-bandwidth wireless technology. A secure Wi-Fi connection can then be established between the user device and the vehicle accessory system using the provided Wi-Fi parameters. The embodiments also disclose a technique for enabling the user device to automatically reconnect with the vehicle accessory system in a seamless manner (e.g., when returning to a vehicle).”