System and method for managing multiple applications in a display-limited environment

Abstract

Embodiments are directed towards providing a system that provides an environment in which multiple user applications can be executed in the background of a vehicle head unit without direct interaction by a user of the head unit. A category-management application is configured to communicate with the user applications. The category-management application receives a request for content. The category-management application provides a request to one or more of the user applications to cause the user applications to execute as background processes to fulfill the request. The category-management application receives responses from the user applications. The category-management application selects and presents content associated with the fulfilled request to the user.

1 . A head unit of a vehicle, comprising:
 a memory that is configured to store computer instructions, a first plurality of user applications, a second plurality of user applications, a first category-management application configured to communicate with the first plurality of user applications, and a second category-management application configured to communicate with the second plurality of user applications;   an output interface that is configured to present content to a user of the vehicle;   one or more processors that are configured to execute the computer instructions to:
 employ the first category-management application to request content from a first subset of the first plurality of user applications based on a request for content; 
 employ the second category-management application to request content from a second subset of the second plurality of user applications based on the request; 
 receive, by the first category-management application and from the first subset of user applications, a first plurality of content; 
 receive, by the second category-management application and from the second subset of user applications, a second plurality of content; 
 select, by the first category-management application, a first subset of content from the first plurality of content; 
 select, by the second category-management application, a second subset of content from the second plurality of content; 
 aggregate the first subset of content with the second subset of content into aggregated content based on the request; and 
 present the aggregated content via the output interface. 
   
     
     
         2 . The head unit of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to execute further computer instructions to:
 select the first category-management application and the second category-management application from a plurality of category-management applications based on the request.   
     
     
         3 . The head unit of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to employ the first category-management application to request content from the first subset of user applications by executing further computer instructions to:
 provide, by the first category-management application, the request to the first subset of user applications.   
     
     
         4 . The head unit of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to employ the first category-management application to request content from the first subset of user applications by executing further computer instructions to:
 receive, at the first category-management application, a current location of the vehicle; and   provide, by the first category-management application, the request and the current location to the first subset of user applications.   
     
     
         5 . The head unit of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to employ the first category-management application to request content from the first subset of user applications by executing further computer instructions to:
 receive, at the first category-management application, a route of travel for the vehicle from a navigation application; and   provide, by the first category-management application, the request and the route of travel to the first subset of user applications.   
     
     
         6 . The head unit of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to employ the first category-management application to request content from the first subset of user applications by executing further computer instructions to:
 provide an instruction to the first subset of user applications to cause the first subset of user applications to execute commands to fulfill the request without direct user interaction with the first subset of user applications.   
     
     
         7 . The head unit of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to employ the first category-management application to request content from the first subset of user applications by executing further computer instructions to:
 execute the first subset of user applications without the user selecting a dedicated application icon.   
     
     
         8 . The head unit of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to employ the first category-management application to request content from the first subset of user applications by executing further computer instructions to:
 execute the first subset of user applications without the first subset of user applications taking over a display of the head unit.   
     
     
         9 . The head unit of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to aggregate the first subset of content with the second subset of content by executing further computer instructions to:
 provide, by the first category-management application, the first subset of content to a navigation application;   provide, by the second category-management application, the second subset of content to the navigation application; and   employ the navigation application to aggregate the first subset of content with the second subset of content into the aggregated content.   
     
     
         10 . The head unit of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to aggregate the first subset of content with the second subset of content by executing further computer instructions to:
 prioritize the first subset of content and the second subset of content based on a current distraction profile for a driver of the vehicle.   
     
     
         11 . The head unit of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to aggregate the first subset of content with the second subset of content by executing further computer instructions to:
 prioritize the first subset of content and the second subset of content based on a timeline factor associated with an expected next event.   
     
     
         12 . The head unit of  claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of user applications and the second plurality of user applications are configured as background processes to execute without direct interaction with the user of the vehicle. 
     
     
         13 . The head unit of  claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of user applications and the second plurality of user applications are configured as background processes to execute without direct interaction with the user of the vehicle. 
     
     
         14 . The head unit of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to present the aggregated content by executing further computer instructions to:
 generate audio related to the aggregated content; and   output the audio to the user via an audio interface.   
     
     
         15 . A method to provide content to a user of a vehicle, comprising:
 receiving a request from the user for content;   interacting, by a first category-management application, with a first subset of a first plurality of user applications to fulfill the request;   interacting, by a second category-management application, with a second subset of a second plurality of user applications to fulfill the request;   receiving, by the first category-management application and from at least one of the first subset of user applications, first content in response to fulfillment of the request by the at least one of the first subset of user applications;   receiving, by the second category-management application and from at least one of the second subset of user applications, second content in response to fulfillment of the request by the at least one of the second subset of user applications;   coordinating, by the first category-management application and the second category-management application, aggregation of the first content and the second content to generate aggregated content based on the request; and   presenting the aggregated content to the user.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 selecting the first category-management application and the second category-management application from a plurality of category-management applications based on the request.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein interacting with the first category-management application to fulfill the request further comprises:
 providing, by the first category-management application, the request to the first subset of user applications.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein interacting with the first category-management application to fulfill the request further comprises:
 receiving, at the first category-management application, a current location of the vehicle; and   providing, by the first category-management application, the request and the current location to the first subset of user applications.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein interacting with the first category-management application to fulfill the request further comprises:
 receiving, at the first category-management application, a route of travel for the vehicle from a navigation application; and   providing, by the first category-management application, the request and the route of travel to the first subset of user applications.   
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform actions, the actions comprising:
 employing a first category-management application to obtain first content from a first plurality of user applications based on a request for content;   employing a second category-management application to obtain second content from a second plurality of user applications based on the request;   employing the first category-management application to select a first subset of content from the first content;   employing the second category-management application to select a second subset of content from the second content;   aggregating the first subset of content with the second subset of content into aggregated content based on the request; and   presenting the aggregated content to a user.