Advanced law enforcement and response technology
First Claim
1. A control system for controlling a plurality of vehicular-based peripheral subsystems, the control system comprising:
- a controller disposed within a vehicle, the controller adapted to receive input commands and provide device control commands in response thereto;
a user interface device operably interconnected with the controller to provide input commands to the controller; and
a plurality of peripheral subsystems operably interconnected to the controller to receive device control commands from said controller and be controlled thereby.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A central control system is described that affords intuitive and easy control of numerous subsystems associated with a police car or other emergency vehicle and reduces the cockpit clutter associated with present control systems. A single user interface device is associated with a central controller capable of receiving input commands and outputting device control commands to a plurality of controlled devices or subsystems. Preferably, the central controller comprises a programmable digital computer. An emergency response system is also described which rapidly coordinates and controls operation of a plurality of emergency subsystems associated with the vehicle in accordance with a predetermined scheme of operation for the devices. In one preferred embodiment, the controller receives a single input command and, in response, provides specific device control commands to several individual controlled devices on a relatively simultaneous basis. A hierarchical device command structure is also taught which permits individual control of features among each of the controlled subsystems.
52 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A control system for controlling a plurality of vehicular-based peripheral subsystems, the control system comprising:
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a controller disposed within a vehicle, the controller adapted to receive input commands and provide device control commands in response thereto;
a user interface device operably interconnected with the controller to provide input commands to the controller; and
a plurality of peripheral subsystems operably interconnected to the controller to receive device control commands from said controller and be controlled thereby. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A vehicle having a passenger compartment and a storage compartment, the vehicle comprising:
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a plurality of vehicular-based peripheral subsystems;
a controller for said subsystems operably interconnected with each of said subsystems, the controller being located within the storage compartment of the vehicle; and
a user interface device for the controller which is operably interconnected with the controller, the user interface device being located within the passenger compartment. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. An emergency response system for use in an emergency vehicle, the system comprising:
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a. a plurality of emergency vehicle response subsystems;
b. means for selectively controlling said plurality of subsystems to produce a coordinated response. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A process for controlling a plurality of emergency vehicle subsystems which are interconnected to a common controller with a single user interface device, the process comprising the steps of:
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a. actuating the user interface device by providing a single input command to the controller;
b. transmitting a first device control command from the controller to a first subsystem; and
c. transmitting a second device control command from the controller to a second subsystem relatively simultaneously with said first control command.
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19. A vehicle-based controller capable of operational control of at least one vehicular-based peripheral subsystem, the controller comprising:
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a. a microprocessor;
b. data storage area;
c. means for receiving a user input command;
d. means for providing a device control command to said peripheral subsystem;
e. means for receiving data communication from outside of said vehicle; and
f. means for retransmitting said data communication outside of said vehicle.
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20. A system for providing data communications between a receiving vehicle and an extra vehicular source, the system comprising:
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a. a data receiver disposed upon said vehicle;
b. a data transmitter associated with the extra-vehicular source;
c. data input means associated with said data transmitter. - View Dependent Claims (24)
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21. A method of issuing a traffic citation comprising:
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a. entering driver and offense information into a portable computer unit;
b. transmitting the driver and offense information and a print command from the portable computer unit to a vehicle-based controller; and
c. printing a traffic citation from a printer operably interconnected with the controller upon the controller'"'"'s receipt of the print command. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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Specification