System and method for customizing an audio message system within a vehicle

• US 20050043864A1
• Filed: 08/22/2003
• Published: 02/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Inventors: Echtenkamp, Patti F.
• Application Number:
  US10/646,155
• Publication Number:
  US 20050043864A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0231 Circuits relating to the driving or the functioning of the vehicle monitoring tyres B60C23/00; indicating overspeed B60K31/00; for dash boards B60K37/00, B60Q3/10; for indicating emergencies B60Q1/52; brake control systems B60T; registering or indicating the working of vehicles G07C5/00; measuring distance G01C, e.g. combinations of speed and distance G01C23/00; engine indicators G01L; measuring speed or acceleration G01P

Abstract

A method and system for customizing an audio message system within a vehicle are disclosed. A computing device is in communication with a user interface. A display on the user interface provides a menu having a plurality of selectable audio messages. In one embodiment, the computing device accesses a remote network to provide the menu. The user selects which messages the user would like active via the user interface. The selected messages are stored in a memory storage device. The memory storage device is optionally an internal memory storage device or a portable memory storage device or optionally located on a remote network. The selected messages can be stored as a profile in the memory storage device. An identifying means associates a profile with an individual user. The identifying means can activate a profile such that the selections of the profile are executed upon the occurrence of the triggering event.

Claims

1. A system for customizing an audio message within a vehicle comprising:

a computing device disposed within a vehicle,

a user interface in communication with said computing device,

a display in communication with said computing device and said user interface comprising a menu, wherein a user makes selections comprising audio messages from the menu using the user interface,

a memory storage device in communication with said computing device for storing at least one of said selections from said menu, and

a means for enabling the execution of a message selected by a user upon the occurrence and detection of a triggering event.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said memory storage device is a portable memory storage device.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein said portable memory storage device comprises a portable memory storage card.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein said memory storage device is an internal memory storage device.

5. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a means for accessing a remote network to provide said menu, wherein such a user selects one or more of said selections from said menu via said user interface.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein said means for accessing a remote network comprises a means for accessing a website of the manufacturer of the vehicle via an internet service provider to provide said menu.

7. The system according to claim 5, wherein said memory storage device is located on said remote network.

8. The system according to claim 5, wherein said memory storage device is a portable memory storage device.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein said portable memory storage device comprises a portable memory storage card.

10. The system according to claim 5, wherein said memory storage device is an internal memory storage device.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein said audio messages correspond to a condition of said vehicle.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein at least one of said audio messages informs the user that a vehicle light is activated.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein at least one of said audio messages informs the user that a door is ajar within said vehicle.

14. The system according to claim 11, wherein at least one of said audio messages informs said user that the vehicle is in need of oil.

15. The system according to claim 11, wherein at least one of said audio messages informs the user that at least one tire of said vehicle is in need of air.

16. The system according to claim 11, wherein at least one of said audio messages informs the user that the battery of the vehicle is in need of replacement.

17. The system according to claim 11, wherein at least one of said audio messages informs the user of a condition external of the vehicle.

18. The system according to claim 11, wherein at least one of said audio messages informs the user of the air temperature outside of the vehicle.

19. The system according to claim 1, further comprising providing an identifying means for associating a profile comprising at least one of said selections with an individual user, and wherein said identifying means activates said profile such that the selections of said profile are executed upon the occurrence of the triggering event.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein said identifying means is a password comprising at least one character which is entered on said user interface.

21. The system according to claim 19, wherein said identifying means is a push button on said user interface.

22. The system according to claim 19, wherein said identifying means is stored on a portable memory storage device card.

23. A method for customizing an audio message system within a vehicle comprising:

providing a computing device within a vehicle,

providing a user interface in communication with said computing device within the vehicle,

enabling a user to make selections comprising audio messages from a menu using the user interface,

storing at least one of said selections within a memory storage device, and

enabling the execution of said at least one selection stored within said memory device upon the occurrence of a triggering event.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein said memory storage device is a portable memory storage device.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein said portable memory storage device comprises a portable memory storage card.

26. The method according to claim 23, wherein said memory storage device is an internal memory storage device.

27. The method according to claim 23, wherein said menu is provided by accessing a remote network, and wherein such a user selects one of said selections from said menu via said user interface.

28. The method according to claim 27, wherein said memory storage device is located on said remote network.

29. The method according to claim 27, wherein the step of accessing a remote network comprises accessing a website of the manufacturer of the vehicle via an internet service provider to provide said menu.

30. The method according to claim 27, wherein said memory storage device is a portable memory storage card for storing said selection.

31. The method according to claim 30, wherein said portable memory storage device comprises a portable memory storage card.

32. The method according to claim 27, wherein said memory storage device is an internal memory storage device for storing said selection.

33. The method according to claim 27, wherein said audio messages correspond to a specific condition of said vehicle.

34. The method according to claim 33, wherein at least one of said audio messages informs the user that a vehicle light is activated.

35. The method according to claim 33, wherein one of said audio messages informs the user that a door is ajar within said vehicle.

36. The method according to claim 33, wherein one of said audio messages informs said user that the vehicle is in need of oil.

37. The method according to claim 33, wherein one of said audio messages informs the user that at least one tire of said vehicle is in need of air.

38. The method according to claim 33, wherein one of said audio messages informs the user that a battery of the vehicle is in need of replacement.

39. The method according to claim 33, wherein at least one of said audio messages informs the user of a condition external of the vehicle.

40. The method according to claim 33, wherein at least one of said audio messages informs the user of the air temperature outside of the vehicle.

41. The method according to claim 23, further comprising providing an identifying means for associating a profile comprising at least one of said selections with an individual user, and wherein said identifying means activates the profile such that the selections of the profile are executed upon the occurrence of the triggering event.

42. The method according to claim 41, wherein said identifying means is a password comprising at least one character which is entered on said user interface.

43. The method according to claim 41, wherein said identifying means is a push button on said user interface.

44. The method according to claim 41, wherein said identifying means is stored on a portable memory storage device card.