Multimedia device integration system
First Claim
1. A multimedia device integration system comprising:
- a car stereo system;
an after-market device external to the car stereo system;
an interface positioned within the car stereo system and connected between the car stereo system and the after-market device for exchanging data and audio signals between the car stereo system and the after-market device;
means for processing and dispatching commands for controlling the after-market device from the car stereo system in a format compatible with the after-market device; and
means for processing and displaying data from the after-market device on a display of the car stereo system in a format compatible with the car stereo system.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An multimedia device integration system is provided. One or more after-market audio or video devices, such as a CD player, CD changer, digital media device (e.g., MP3 player, MP4 player, WMV player, Apple iPod, portable music center, or other device) satellite receiver (e.g., XM or Sirius receiver), DAB receiver, video device (e.g., DVD player), cellular telephone, or any other device or combinations thereof, is integrated for use with an existing OEM or after-market car stereo or video system, wherein control commands can be issued at the car stereo or video system and data from the after-market device can be displayed on the car stereo or video system. Control commands generated at the car stereo or video system are received, processed, converted into a format recognizable by the after-market device, and dispatched to the after-market device for execution. Information from the after-market device is converted into a format recognizable by the car stereo or video system, and dispatched to the car stereo or video system for display thereon. One or more auxiliary input sources can be integrated with the car stereo or video system, and selected using the controls of the car stereo or video system. A docking station is provided for docking a portable audio or video device for integration with the car stereo or video system.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. A multimedia device integration system comprising:
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a car stereo system;
an after-market device external to the car stereo system;
an interface positioned within the car stereo system and connected between the car stereo system and the after-market device for exchanging data and audio signals between the car stereo system and the after-market device;
means for processing and dispatching commands for controlling the after-market device from the car stereo system in a format compatible with the after-market device; and
means for processing and displaying data from the after-market device on a display of the car stereo system in a format compatible with the car stereo system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A multimedia device integration system comprising:
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a car stereo system;
a cellular telephone external to the car stereo system;
an interface connected between the car stereo system and the cellular telephone for exchanging data and audio signals between the car stereo system and the cellular telephone;
means for processing and dispatching commands for controlling the cellular telephone from the car stereo system in a format compatible with the cellular telephone; and
means for processing and displaying data from the cellular telephone on a display of the car stereo system in a format compatible with the car stereo system. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7)
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8. A multimedia device integration system comprising:
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a car video system;
a cellular telephone external to the car video system;
an interface connected between the car video system and the cellular telephone for exchanging data, audio, and video signals between the car video system and the cellular telephone;
means for processing and dispatching commands for controlling the cellular telephone from the car video system in a format compatible with the cellular telephone; and
means for processing and displaying data from the cellular telephone on a display of the car video system in a format compatible with the car video system. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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11. A multimedia device integration system comprising:
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a car video system;
an after-market video device external to the car video system;
an interface connected between the car video system and the after-market video device for exchanging data, audio, and video signals between the car video system and the after-market video device;
means for processing and dispatching commands for controlling the after-market video device from the car video system in a format compatible with the after-market video device; and
means for processing and displaying data from the after-market video device on a display of the car video system in a format compatible with the car video system. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. A multimedia device integration system comprising:
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an interface in electrical communication with a car stereo system and an after-market device;
a plurality of configuration jumpers in the interface for specifying a first device type corresponding to the car stereo system and a second device type corresponding to the after-market device; and
a plurality of protocol conversion software blocks stored in memory in the interface for converting signals from the after-market device into a first format compatible with the car stereo system and for converting signals from the car stereo system into a second format compatible with the after-market device, wherein at least one of the protocol conversion software blocks are selected by the interface using settings of the plurality of configuration jumpers. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A multimedia device integration system comprising:
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an interface in electrical communication with a car video system and an after-market device;
a plurality of configuration jumpers in the interface for specifying a first device type corresponding to the car video system and a second device type corresponding to the after-market device; and
a plurality of protocol conversion software blocks stored in memory in the interface for converting signals from the after-market device into a first format compatible with the car video system and for converting signals from the car video system into a second format compatible with the after-market device, wherein at least one of the protocol conversion software blocks are selected by the interface using settings of the plurality of configuration jumpers. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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20. A multimedia device integration system comprising:
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an interface in electrical communication with a car stereo system and an after-market device;
first and second wiring harnesses attached to the interface, wherein the first wiring harness includes a first electrical configuration corresponding to the car stereo system and the second wiring harness includes a second electrical configuration corresponding to the after-market device; and
a plurality of protocol conversion software blocks stored in memory in the interface for converting signals from the after-market device into a first format compatible with the car stereo system and for converting signals from the car stereo system into a second format compatible with the after-market device, wherein at least one of the protocol conversion software blocks are selected by the interface using the first and second electrical configurations of the first and second wiring harnesses. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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22. A multimedia device integration system comprising:
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an interface in electrical communication with a car video system and an after-market device;
first and second wiring harnesses attached to the interface, wherein the first wiring harness includes a first electrical configuration corresponding to the car video system and the second wiring harness includes a second electrical configuration corresponding to the after-market device; and
a plurality of protocol conversion software blocks stored in memory in the interface for converting signals from the after-market device into a first format compatible with the car video system and for converting signals from the car video system into a second format compatible with the after-market device, wherein at least one of the protocol conversion software blocks are selected by the interface using the first and second electrical configurations of the first and second wiring harnesses. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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24. A method for integrating an after-market device for use with a car stereo system comprising:
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interconnecting the car stereo system and the after-market device with an interface;
determining a first device type corresponding to the car stereo system and a second device type corresponding to the after-market device;
loading a protocol conversion software block from memory in the interface using the first and second device types;
converting signals from the after-market device into a first format compatible with the car stereo system using the protocol conversion software block;
converting signals from the car stereo system into a second format compatible with the after-market device using the protocol conversion software block; and
exchanging converted signals between the car stereo system and the after-market device. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27)
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28. A method for integrating an after-market device for use with a car video system comprising:
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interconnecting the car video system and the after-market device with an interface;
determining a first device type corresponding to the car video system and a second device type corresponding to the after-market device;
loading a protocol conversion software block from memory in the interface using the first and second device types;
converting signals from the after-market device into a first format compatible with the car video system using the protocol conversion software block;
converting signals from the car video system into a second format compatible with the after-market device using the protocol conversion software block; and
exchanging converted signals between the car video system and the after-market device. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31)
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32. A method for retrieving a song from an after-market device from a car stereo system comprising:
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allowing a user to specify an alphanumeric character using controls of the car stereo system;
querying a database of songs in the after-market device using the alphanumeric character;
displaying a list of potentially matching songs in the after-market device on a display of the car stereo system; and
allowing the user to select a desired song from the list of potentially matching songs for playing the desired song on the car stereo system. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35)
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36. A multimedia device integration system comprising:
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a car audiovisual system;
a plurality of after-market devices external to the car audiovisual system;
an interface connected between the car audiovisual system and the plurality of after-market devices for exchanging data, audio, and video signals between the car audiovisual system and the plurality of after-market devices;
means for processing and dispatching commands for controlling the plurality of after-market devices from the car audiovisual system in at least one format compatible with at least one of the plurality of after-market devices; and
means for processing and displaying data from the plurality of after-market devices on a display of the car audiovisual system in a format compatible with the car audiovisual system.
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Specification