Integrated vehicle communications display

• US 20030085819A1
• Filed: 04/02/2002
• Published: 05/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volvo Trucks North America Incorporated (AB Volvo)
• Original Assignee: Volvo Trucks North America Incorporated (AB Volvo)
• Inventors: Quigley, Jon, Muse, Riley, Blackard, Michael, Kidd, Brian, Gustavsson, Tommy, Bate, John
• Granted Patent: US 6,828,924 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/988
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles

Abstract

A communications system for use in a vehicle that allows the user of the communications system to safely communicate from inside the vehicle. The communications system includes a memory for storing messages that will be transmitted by the driver to a receiving party, a sensor for sensing movement of the truck, a display unit coupled to the memory and the sensor for selectively displaying stored messages, a selector for selecting at least one stored message to be communicated to the receiving party, and a transmitter for transmitting the one or more stored messages. The display unit selectively displays the stored messages based on whether or not the vehicle is stopped preventing the operator from being distracted while driving.

Claims

1. A communications system for use in a truck, comprising:

a) memory for storing messages for transmission by a driver to a receiving party;

b) a sensor for sensing movement and/or location of such truck;

c) a display unit coupled to said memory and said sensor for displaying stored messages when said truck is stopped;

c) a selector for selecting at least one of said stored messages for transmission to the receiving party; and

d) a transmitter for transmitting one or more selected messages.

2. The communications system of claim 1 wherein said display unit is integral to a vehicle instrument panel.

3. The communications system of claim 1 wherein said selector includes a lever that extends from a steering column of said vehicle, a toggle switch for highlighting options and a button for selecting a highlighted option.

4. The communications system of claim 1 wherein said transmitter is included in a satellite communications unit, said satellite communications unit including a receiver for receiving messages from a sending party.

5. The communications system of claim 1 wherein said selector comprises a toggle switch on a satellite communications unit includes a lever that is actuated to indicate a subset of said stored messages on said display unit that can be selected by a driver by pressing a button on said lever.

6. The communications system of claim 1 wherein said selector is also actuated to display a subset of said vehicle operating parameters on said display unit.

7. The communications system of claim 1 wherein said transmitter transmits signals to a satellite.

8. The communications system of claim 1 wherein said transmitter is a satellite electronic communications unit.

9. The communications system of claim 8 further comprising a CB antenna coupled to said satellite electronic communications unit.

10. The communications system of claim 1 wherein said sensor is a global positioning system.

11. The communications system of claim 1 further comprising a databus operably connected to said display, said sensor operably connected to a vehicle engine and said display.

12. The communications system of claim 1 further comprising a databus operably connected to said display, said sensor operably connected to a vehicle transmission and said display.

13. A communications system for use in a heavy duty truck by a driver to safely send messages to a receiving party and to receive messages from a sending party comprising:

a) an instrument panel for displaying the status of a plurality of vehicle operating parameters;

b) a memory for storing a plurality of messages, wherein stored messages are selectively displayed on said text display unit, said stored messages include incoming messages from such sending party and predetermined messages to be sent to such receiving party;

c) a global positioning sensor for sensing movement of said truck;

d) a text display unit integrated into said instrument panel and coupled to said memory and to said global positioning sensor, said text display unit displays said predetermined messages only when said truck is stopped, said text display unit displays priority incoming messages regardless of movement of said truck, said text display unit displays non-priority incoming messages only when said truck is stopped;

e) an interface lever including a toggle switch and a return button extending from a steering column of said truck, movement of said switch allows such driver to highlight one of said predetermined messages when said truck is stopped, pressing said button selects a highlighted message, movement of said switch allows such driver to selectively view said priority incoming messages regardless of movement of such truck, movement of said switch allows such driver to highlight a response to said priority incoming messages regardless of movement of such truck, pressing said button selects a highlighted response, movement of said switch allows such driver to view said non-priority messages only when said truck is stopped, movement of said switch allows such driver to scroll through alpha-numeric characters, pressing said button allows said user to select a highlighted character to input free text messages only when such truck is stopped; and

f) a satellite electronic communications unit coupled to said display for transmitting and receiving messages; and

g) a CB antenna coupled to said satellite electronic communications unit for transmitting and receiving messages to a satellite and from a satellite.

14. The communications system of claim 13 wherein said CB antenna is coupled to said satellite electronic communications unit through a multiplex box.

15. A method of sending free text messages from inside a cab of a heavy duty truck, comprising:

a) monitoring a speed of said truck;

b) preventing a driver from entering free text messages when said truck is moving;

c) entering free text messages by operating a toggle switch on a lever that extends from a steering column of said truck when said truck is stopped;

d) displaying said free text messages on a display unit that is integral to a vehicle instrument panel when said vehicle is stopped; and

e) transmitting said free text message to a receiving party.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said free text message is transmitted via a satellite.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein said free text message is transmitted via terrestrial towers.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein said free text message is transmitted via a cellular phone.

19. A method of communicating from inside a cab of a truck, comprising:

a) monitoring a speed of said truck;

b) storing predetermined text messages for transmission by a driver to a receiving party;

c) preventing said predetermined messages from being displayed when said truck is moving;

d) displaying said text messages on a display unit that is integral to a vehicle instrument panel when said vehicle is stopped;

e) selecting one of said text messages by operating a toggle switch on a lever that extends from a steering column of said truck when said truck is stopped; and

f) transmitting said text message to said receiving party.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein said text message is transmitted via a satellite.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein said free text message is transmitted via terrestrial towers.

22. The method of claim 19 wherein said free text message is transmitted via a cellular phone.

23. A method of communicating from inside a cab of a heavy duty truck, comprising:

a) monitoring a speed of said truck;

b) storing received messages that are received from a sending party;

c) preventing said received messages from being displayed when said truck is moving;

d) displaying said received messages on a display unit that is integral to a vehicle instrument panel when said vehicle is stopped;

e) selecting a predetermined response by operating a toggle switch on a lever that extends from a steering column of said truck when said truck is stopped; and

d) transmitting said response to a receiving party.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein said free text message is transmitted via a satellite.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein said free text message is transmitted via terrestrial towers.

26. The method of claim 23 wherein said free text message is transmitted via a cellular phone.

27. A method of communicating from inside a cab of a truck, comprising:

a) monitoring the truck engine to determine if the truck is running;

b) monitoring motion of said truck with a global positioning system;

c) storing received messages that are received from a sending party, said received messages including low priority messages and high priority messages;

d) preventing said low priority messages from being displayed when said truck is moving;

e) displaying high priority messages on a display unit that is integral to a truck instrument panel regardless of whether said truck is moving;

f) selecting a predefined high priority response to said high priority messages by moving a toggle switch on a lever that extends from said steering column;

g) transmitting said predefined high priority response to said high priority messages to a receiving party;

h) displaying low priority messages on said display when said truck is stopped;

i) selecting a low priority response to said low priority messages by operating said lever when said truck is stopped;

j) transmitting said low priority response;

k) storing predetermined text messages for transmission by a driver to a receiving party;

l) preventing said predetermined messages from being displayed on said display when said truck is moving;

m) displaying said predetermined messages on said display unit when said vehicle is stopped;

n) selecting one of said predetermined messages with said toggle switch when said truck is stopped; and

o) transmitting said predetermined message to a receiving party via a satellite to receiving party.

28. The method of claim 27 further comprising entering a free text message by scrolling through alpha-numeric characters by pressing said toggle switch and selecting characters by pressing an enter button and transmitting said free text message.

29. A communications system for use in a truck to contact a service center, comprising:

a) memory for storing a roadside assistance message for transmission by a driver to a said service center;

b) a satellite communications unit in communication with the memory;

c) a world wide web server in communication with the satellite communications unit and the service center; and

,

d) a roadside assistance button coupled to said satellite communications unit, wherein pushing said button causes said satellite communications unit to send a roadside assistance signal to a satellite that sends the signal to said server that communicates the signal to the service center.

30. The communications system of claim 29 further comprising a global positioning system that locates said truck and transmits the coordinates of said truck to said service center.

31. A method of communicating from inside the cab of a truck, comprising:

a) storing a roadside assistance message for transmission to a service center;

b) pressing a roadside assistance button;

c) communicating said roadside assistance message to a satellite communications unit;

d) transmitting said roadside assistance message to a satellite;

e) transmitting said roadside assistance message to a worldwide web server; and

,

f) accessing said roadside assistance message at said service center.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising locating the position of the truck with a global positioning system and providing the position of the truck to the service center.

33. The method of claim 31, further comprising transmitting the roadside assistance signal to a truck company dispatcher.

34. A communications system for use in a truck, comprising:

a) a display unit for displaying incoming and outgoing messages;

b) a selector coupled to said display unit for selectively viewing incoming messages and sending outgoing messages;

c) a memory coupled to said display;

d) a datalink coupled to said display;

e) an electronic communications unit coupled to said display;

f) a GPS antenna coupled to said electronic communications unit; and

,

g) at least one of a CB antenna and a radio antenna coupled to said electronic communications unit.

35. The communications system of claim 34, wherein said at least one of said CB antenna and said radio antenna are coupled to said electronic communications unit by a multiplex box.

36. The system of claim 34 wherein said CB antenna is coupled to said electronic communications unit by a multiplex box and a radio is connected directly to a separate radio antenna.

37. The communications system of claim 34, wherein said data link monitors components of such truck.

38. A method of communicating from a cab of a truck, comprising:

a) sending a message from the truck to a service center via a world wide web server indicating that a breakdown has occurred;

b) preventing messages from sources other than said service center via the world wide web to said truck;

c) analyzing said message sent from said truck to said service center;

d) sending a message from said service center to said truck;

e) enabling messages from sources other than said service center to send messages via the wold wide web to said truck.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein said message from said truck to said service center includes fault codes of said truck.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein said message from said truck to said service center includes a location of said truck.

41. The method of claim 38, wherein said message from said truck to said service center includes a breakdown message.