Reconfigurable messaging assembly

• US 10,429,968 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2014
• Issued: 10/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Incorporated (Visteon Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Incorporated (Visteon Corporation)
• Inventors: Bowden, Upton Beall, Wingrove, Theodore Charles, Eichbrecht, Michael, DeScisciolo, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Song, Daeho D
• Application Number:
  US14/535,034
• Publication Number:
  US 20160132164A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,790 Days
• Field of Search: 715740
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1605 Multimedia displays, e.g. with integrated or attached speakers, cameras, microphones
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/04 Electronic labels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A reconfigurable messaging assembly for a vehicle includes a low power bi-stable display attached to the vehicle for displaying an image, text, or video. A processor and a storage device are coupled with the display. A communicator including transceivers for WiFi, Bluetooth, and NFC is connected to the display for communicating with a portable electronic device. An interface device including a camera and a touchscreen both disposed on the vehicle is also coupled with the display and the processor for interacting with a primary user and a secondary user and for acquiring the images, text, and videos. The interface device is operatively connected to the communicator for interacting with a primary user and a secondary user. The assembly enables a primary user and a secondary user to show an image, text, or video using the display and to provide interaction with the primary user and the secondary user.

Claims

1. A reconfigurable messaging assembly comprising:

a display attached to a vehicle, and operable to present content, wherein the content includes one of an image, a video, a text, or a combination thereof;

a processor coupled to the display;

a storage device coupled to the display, and operable to store a primary content, a secondary content a primary video message and a secondary video message;

an interface device coupled to the display, wherein the interface device includes a camera operable to record video content and a touchscreen; and

a communicator coupled to the interface device and operable to communicate with a portable electronic device through a wireless connection;

wherein the processor is operable to;

store in the storage device the primary video message from the primary user as recorded by the camera;

receive a first input from a primary user via the touchscreen;

control the display to present the primary content from the storage device based on the first input from the primary user;

receive a second input from a secondary user via the communicator and the wireless connection from the portable electronic device regarding the primary content, the secondary user being different than the primary user;

control the display to update the primary content to the secondary content and present the primary video message from the storage device to the secondary user based on the second input from the secondary user;

store in the storage device the secondary video message from the secondary user as recorded by the portable electronic device and received via the communicator and the wireless connection;

receive a third input from the primary user from the touchscreen; and

control the display to present the secondary video message from the storage device to the primary user in response to the third input from the primary user.

2. The reconfigurable messaging assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said communicator includes at least one of a WiFi transceiver, a Bluetooth transceiver, a near field communication transceiver, and embedded modem or any combination therefore connected to said interface device, and is operable to communicate with the portable electronic device via the wireless connection.

3. The reconfigurable messaging assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to control the display to present a list of features of the vehicle.

4. The reconfigurable messaging assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to control the display to present a quick response code, the quick response code being associated with additional information about the vehicle.

5. The reconfigurable messaging assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to interface with a calendar, and based on the calendar being a specific date, control the display to present a date specific content associated with the specific date.

6. The reconfigurable messaging assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

the communicator has a near field communication transceiver operable to detect a near field communication capability nearby; and

the processor is configured to control the display to show a predetermined display content comprising at least one of a predetermined image, a predetermined text, or a predetermined video on the display in response to the near field communication transceiver detecting the portable electronic device having the near field communication capability proximate to the near field communication transceiver.

7. The reconfigurable messaging assembly set forth in claim 1, wherein the display, the camera and the touchscreen are disposed on the exterior of the vehicle.

8. The reconfigurable messaging assembly set forth in claim 1, wherein the display, the camera and the touchscreen are disposed in the interior of the vehicle.

9. The reconfigurable messaging assembly set forth in claim 1, wherein the display is a low power bi-stable display.

10. A reconfigurable messaging assembly comprising:

a display attached to a vehicle, and operable to present content;

a processor coupled to the display;

a storage device coupled to the display, and operable to store a primary content, a secondary content, a primary video message and a secondary video message;

a camera coupled to the display, and operable to record the primary video message;

a touchscreen coupled to the display, and operable to receive a first input and a third input; and

a communicator coupled to the display, and operable to communicate with a portable electronic device through a wireless connection,

wherein the processor is operable to;

store in the storage device the primary video message as recorded by the camera;

receive the first input from the touchscreen;

control the display to present the primary content from the storage device in response to the first input;

receive a second input via the communicator and the wireless connection from the portable electronic device after the primary content has been presented;

control the display to update the primary content to the secondary content and present the primary video message from the storage device in response to the second input;

store in the storage device the secondary video message as recorded by the portable electronic device and received via the communicator and the wireless connection;

receive the third input from the touchscreen; and

control the display to present the secondary video message from the storage device in response to the third input.

11. The reconfigurable messaging assembly as set forth in claim 10, wherein the display, the camera and the touchscreen are mounted outside the vehicle.

12. The reconfigurable messaging assembly as set forth in claim 10, wherein the display, the camera and the touchscreen are mounted inside the vehicle.

13. The reconfigurable messaging assembly as set forth in claim 10, wherein:

the communicator includes a near field communication transceiver operable to detect a near field communication capability nearby; and

the processor is operable to control the display to present a predetermined content in response to the near field communication transceiver detecting the portable electronic device having the near field communication capability proximate to the near field communication transceiver.

14. A reconfigurable messaging assembly comprising:

a display attachable to an exterior of a vehicle, and operable to present content;

a processor coupled to the display;

a storage device coupled to the display, and operable to store a plurality of available time slots of the vehicle and a first image of a first user;

a camera coupled to the display, and operable to record video content and the first image of the first user;

a touchscreen coupled to the display, and operable to receive an initial input and a first input; and

a communicator coupled to the interface device and the display, and operable to communicate with a plurality of portable electronic devices through a wireless connection, wherein the processor is operable to;

receive the initial input from the touchscreen;

control the display to present the plurality of available time slots of the vehicle in response to the initial input;

receive the first input from the touchscreen indicating a first selection of one or more first time slots of the plurality of available time slots;

control the camera to record the first image of the first user in response to the first input;

store the first image of the first user and the first selection of the one or more first time slots in the storage device;

control the display in response to the first input to update the available time slots to show that the one or more first time slots have been reserved; and

control the communicator to send the first selection of the one or more first time slots to a first portable electronic device of the plurality of portable electronic devices proximate to the vehicle in response to updating the plurality of available time slots.

15. The reconfigurable messaging assembly as set forth in claim 14, wherein the processor is further operable to:

receive a second input via the communicator and the wireless connection from a second electronic device of the plurality of portable electronic devices indicating a second selection of one or more second time slots of the plurality of available time slots;

control the display in response to the second input to update the plurality of available time slots to show that the one or more second time slots have been reserved; and

control the communicator to send the second selection of the one or more second time slots to the second electronic device in response to updating the plurality of available time slots.

16. The reconfigurable messaging assembly as set forth in claim 15, wherein the processor is further operational to:

control the camera to record a second image in response the second input; and

store the second image and the second selection of the one or more second time slots in the storage device.

17. The reconfigurable messaging assembly as set forth in claim 14, wherein the plurality of available time slots are a plurality of ride sharing time slots, a plurality of vehicle reservation time slots or a combination thereof.

18. The reconfigurable messaging assembly as set forth in claim 14, wherein the processor is further operational to:

receive a second input from the touchscreen;

control the camera to record a first video message in response to the second input;

store the video message in the storage device;

receive a third input from the touchscreen; and

control the display to play the first video message stored in the storage device in response to the third input.

19. The reconfigurable messaging assembly as set forth in claim 18, wherein the processor is further operational to:

receive a second video message from a second electronic device of the plurality of portable electronic devices via the communicator and the wireless connection;

store the second video message in the storage device;

receive a fourth input from the touchscreen; and

control the display to play the second video message stored in the storage device in response to the fourth input.