Method and apparatus for in-vehicular communications

• US 10,247,944 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2014
• Issued: 04/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sensedriver TechnologiesLLC
• Original Assignee: Sensedriver TechnologiesLLC
• Inventors: Amaru, Michael, Chin, Kingsley, Humad, Aditya, Soucy, Paul, Herrera, Gustavo
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Richard H
• Application Number:
  US15/106,618
• Publication Number:
  US 20160341962A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,564 Days
• Field of Search: 349 11
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1446 Touch switches
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/782 on the steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/23 Head-up displays [HUD] optical aspects of head-up displays G02B27/01
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/60 Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0229 for displays, e.g. cathodic tubes
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0235 of flat type, e.g. LCD
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0264 for control means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/001 Vehicle control means, e.g. steering-wheel or column
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0154 with movable elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0163 Electric or electronic control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0165 associated with a head-down display
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0169 Supporting or connecting means other than the external walls
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0187 slaved to motion of at least a part of the body of the user, e.g. head, eye
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0194 with combiner of laminated type, for optical or mechanical aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0101 characterised by optical features G02B27/0172 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0149 characterised by mechanical features G02B27/0176 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 : Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback

Abstract

A vehicular heads-up-display system includes a windshield-mountable partially reflective mirror that allows a vehicle user to view material displayed on the partially reflective mirror while, at the same time, viewing the road ahead without obstruction. A mount configured to accept a portable electronic device, such as a smartphone, may be situated to project the display of the portable electronic device to the windshield mountable partially reflective mirror when mounted in a vehicle. A tactile input device, including a wireless interface for entry of and transmission of input from a vehicle user to a smartphone may be configured for mounting on a vehicle steering wheel.

Claims

1. An in-dashboard vehicle heads-up-display system, comprising:

a vehicle dashboard including;

a receptacle configured to receive and support a portable electronic device in a display-exposed orientation; and

a transmission path defined in the dashboard and constructed and arranged to allow transmission of a graphical output from a display of the portable electronic device; and

a reflective apparatus aligned to receive the graphical output from the display and to reflect the graphical output for use by a driver of the vehicle,

wherein the reflective apparatus comprises a switchable mirror, the switchable mirror comprising a plurality of layers, including;

a first protective layer;

a first liquid crystal layer formed on the first protective layer;

a second liquid crystal layer formed on the first liquid crystal layer;

a frost layer formed on the second liquid crystal layer; and

a second protective layer formed on the frost layer.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the reflective apparatus is arranged with respect to the display to reflect the graphical output and an angle of between about 60 and 120 degrees with respect to horizontal.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the reflective apparatus is a flip-up reflective apparatus.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the reflective apparatus is mounted to the dashboard.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the reflective apparatus is mounted to the dashboard by at least one hinge or pivot.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the transmission path is an opening in the dashboard and the reflective apparatus is configured to rotate between a closed position that covers the opening and one or more open positions, each open position corresponding to a different output angle of the reflective apparatus.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the reflective apparatus is configured to rotate between a plurality of different output angles of the reflective apparatus.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the first liquid crystal layer has a reflectance of about 50%; and

the second liquid crystal layer has a reflectance of about 40%.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a first anti-reflective coating formed on the first protective layer; and

a second anti-reflective coating formed on the second protective layer.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein a degree of reflectance of the switchable mirror is electronically controllable to adjust to ambient lighting conditions and the system further comprises a set of control electronics coupled to the switchable mirror.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a set of control electronics; and

a wireless communications interface configured to couple the set of control electronics to at least one of the portable electronic device and a set of vehicle control electronics.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising a computer program product stored on and executable by the portable electronic device and configured to enable control of the portable electronic device via voice commands.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising a computer program product stored on and executable by the portable electronic device and configured to enable control of the portable electronic device via a wireless remote tactile device.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the graphical output reflected by the reflective apparatus includes one or more of:

vehicle navigation content;

audio control content;

music control content;

telephone control content;

text message display content;

web browsing content;

vehicle speed;

vehicle direction; and

/or

vehicle control content.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the portable electronic device is a smartphone.

16. A vehicle heads-up-display system, comprising:

a receptacle configured to receive and support a portable electronic device, the receptacle including an opening that enables transmission of a graphical output from a display of the portable electronic device in a first direction;

a mount configured to secure the receptacle within a vehicle;

an electronically controllable, partially reflective switchable mirror mounted in alignment with the display of the portable electronic device to receive and reflect a graphical output from the display at an output angle of between about 60 and 120 degrees with respect to horizontal;

a set of control electronics; and

a wireless communications interface configured to couple the set of control electronics to at least one of the portable electronic device and a set of vehicle control electronics,

wherein the switchable mirror comprises a plurality of layers, including;

a first protective layer;

a plurality of liquid crystal layers formed on the first protective layer, each having a partial reflectance;

a frost layer formed on at least one of the plurality of liquid crystal layers; and

a second protective layer formed on the plurality of liquid crystal layers.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein:

a first liquid crystal layer has a reflectance of about 50%; and

a second liquid crystal layer has a reflectance of about 40%.

18. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

a first anti-reflective coating formed on the first protective layer; and

a second anti-reflective coating formed on the second protective layer.

19. An in-dashboard vehicle heads-up-display system, comprising:

a vehicle dashboard including;

a receptacle configured to receive and support a portable electronic device in a display-exposed orientation; and

a transmission path defined in the dashboard and constructed and arranged to allow transmission of a graphical output from a display of the portable electronic device;

a reflective apparatus aligned to receive the graphical output from the display and to reflect the graphical output for use by a driver of the vehicle, the reflective apparatus comprising a switchable mirror, a degree of reflectance of the switchable mirror being electronically controllable to adjust to ambient lighting conditions; and

a set of control electronics coupled to the switchable mirror,

wherein a camera of the portable electronic device is employed as a light sensor for light-level sensing to automatically control the degree of reflectance of the switchable mirror via the control electronics.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the switchable mirror comprises a plurality of layers, including at least one liquid crystal layer.