Entertainment system on-board a vehicle for visualizing on a display real-time vehicle data

• US 20040068350A1
• Filed: 10/07/2002
• Published: 04/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: James B. Tomson
• Original Assignee: Blink Engineering Corp.
• Inventors: Tomson, James B.
• Granted Patent: US 6,871,121 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/36 Input/output arrangements for on-board computers

Abstract

An entertainment system is provided on-board a vehicle for visualizing real-time vehicle data on a display mountable on-board the vehicle. The system has a visualization computer system for acquiring real-time data from the on-board vehicle computer representing one or more parameters of vehicle operation, and visualizing entertaining images on the display having graphics with one or more characteristics updated in real-time in accordance with such real-time data. The parameters of vehicle operation may represent those available from the vehicle computer via an On-Board Diagnostic port of the vehicle, e.g., vehicle speed, engine RPM, or air intake temperature. The graphics can represent two or three dimensional geometric object(s) or a graphical model, and the characteristics updated may represent one or more of speed of movement, shape, size, or color of such objects, or elements of the model, and as such, images of these graphics are distinctly different from typical dashboard instrumentation for operating a vehicle.

Claims

1. An entertainment system on-board a vehicle for visualizing real-time vehicle data provided by an on-board vehicle computer comprising:

means for acquiring data from the vehicle computer representing at least one parameter of vehicle operation;

a display mountable on-board said vehicle; and

means for visualizing images on said display having graphics with one or more characteristics updated in real-time in accordance with said acquired data in which said acquiring means provides real-time updates in said data for use by said visualizing means, and said images on said display provide entertainment and are distinct from dashboard instrumentation for operating said vehicle.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein said characteristics represent one or more selected from the group of speed of movement, shape, size, or color of said graphics.

3. The system according to claim 1 wherein said graphics represents one or more three-dimensional objects.

4. The system according to claim 1 wherein said graphics represents one or more two-dimensional objects.

5. The system according to claim 1 wherein said image represents a model of the vehicle or a component of the vehicle, and said characteristics represent one or more elements of said model which changes in accordance with said parameter of vehicle operation provided by said acquired data.

6. The system according to claim 1 wherein said parameter of vehicle operation represents one of vehicle speed, engine RPM, air intake temperature, or throttle position.

7. The system according to claim 1 wherein said parameter of vehicle operation represents one or said parameters available from the vehicle computer via an on-board diagnostic port of said vehicle.

8. The system according to claim 1 wherein said acquiring means comprises:

a visualization computer system for requesting said data representing said parameter of vehicle operation; and

an interface coupled to said visualization computer system and said vehicle computer for enabling said visualization computer system to request and receive said data.

9. The system according to claim 8 wherein the vehicle has an on-board diagnostic port coupled to said vehicle computer, and said interface is connected to said port.

10. The system according to claim 8 wherein the vehicle computer has a data bus and said interface in coupled to said data bus of said vehicle computer.

11. The system according to claim 8 further comprising an Electronic Control Unit coupled to said vehicle computer, and said interface is coupled to said Electronic Control Unit to request and receive said data representing said parameter of vehicle operation.

12. The system according to claim 8 wherein said visualization computer system provides said visualizing means.

13. The system according to claim 1 wherein said visualizing means further comprises:

means for defining one or more graphics which change in accordance with said acquired data; and

means for generating images in accordance with said graphics and outputting said images to said display.

14. The system according to claim 13 wherein said visualization computer system has memory and provides said visualizing means by defining one or more graphics which change in accordance with said acquired data, generating images using one or more graphical application programs stored in said memory in accordance with said graphics, and outputting said images to said display.

15. The system according to claim 13 wherein said visualization computer system is located on-board said vehicle separate from said vehicle computer.

16. The system according to claim 1 wherein said display represents one of a color LCD screen or CRT.

17. The system according to claim 1 further comprising a user interface for enabling a user to select the graphics of said images on said display.

18. The system according to claim 1 wherein said display in mounted to the dashboard of the vehicle.

19. The system according to claim 1 wherein said display is mounted in the interior of said vehicle.

20. The system according to claim 1 wherein said display is mounted in the exterior of said vehicle.

21. The system according to claim 1 wherein said display represents a plurality of displays mounted on-board the interior or exterior of said vehicle.

22. The system according to claim 1 wherein said acquiring means acquires data from the vehicle computer representing multiple different parameters of vehicle operation, and said visualizing means visualizes images on said display having graphics with one or more characteristics updated in real-time in accordance with said acquired data representing multiple different parameters.

23. The system according to claim 1 wherein said data represents one or more parameters of vehicle operation and is provided by one or more sensors of vehicle operation located in said vehicle.

24. A method for entertainment on-board a vehicle for visualizing real-time vehicle data provided by an on-board vehicle computer comprising the steps of:

acquiring data from the vehicle computer representing at least one parameter of vehicle operation;

mounting a display on-board said vehicle; and

visualizing images on said display having graphics with one or more characteristics updated in real-time in accordance with said acquired data in which said acquiring step is carried out in real-time to update in said data.

25. The method according to claim 24 wherein said visualizing step further comprises the steps of:

defining one or more graphics which change in accordance with said acquired data;

generating images in accordance with said graphics; and

outputting said images to said display.

26. An entertainment system on-board a vehicle for visualizing real-time vehicle data comprising:

means for acquiring data from one of more sensors in said vehicle representing at least one parameter of vehicle operation;

a display mountable on-board said vehicle; and

means for visualizing images on said display having graphics with one or more characteristics updated in real-time in accordance with said acquired data in which said acquiring means provides real-time updates in said data for use by said visualizing means, and said images on said display provide entertainment and are distinct from dashboard instrumentation for operating said vehicle.

27. The system according to claim 26 wherein said vehicle has a vehicle computer system and said sensors are coupled to said vehicle computer system, and said acquiring means and visualizing means is provided by a computer system, separate from said vehicle computer system, and coupled to said vehicle computer system for acquiring data from said sensors.

28. The system according to claim 26 wherein said vehicle has a vehicle computer system separate from said sensors, and said acquiring means and visualizing means is provided by a computer system coupled to said sensors and separate from said vehicle computer system.

29. An apparatus for on-board attachment to a vehicle computer, said apparatus comprising a computer system, separate from said vehicle computer, coupled to said vehicle computer for acquiring data from the vehicle computer representing at least one parameter of vehicle operation, and producing images having graphics with one or more characteristics updated in real-time in accordance with said acquired data in which said acquiring step is carried out in real-time to update in said data.

30. The apparatus according to claim 29 further comprising a display in said interior or exterior of said vehicle and coupled to said computer system for displaying said images.