Information system for an apparatus

• US 20070106439A1
• Filed: 11/10/2005
• Published: 05/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Zhang, Jing, Lin, William, Sidlosky, David
• Granted Patent: US 7,640,085 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 1/0025 in a remote control unit remote control tuning in general H03J9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 2200/26 Remote control device with touch screen display
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 9/02 using radio transmission; using near-field transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/96 Touch switches specially adapted for electronic time-pieces with no moving parts G04G21/08

Abstract

An on-board information system is provided, including a help facility, which is operable to provide information to a requester. The information comprises audio or audio-visual descriptions for operating various systems and control devices, using on-board or off-board devices. An information system is provided, comprising a requestor-initiated information inquiry device, an information storage system, and, an information communications center. The information storage system communicates information to the communications center based upon a request for information initiated by the requester to the information inquiry device. The request for information can be canceled during delivery. The system is applicable to vehicles and other systems wherein operators may have limited knowledge of functioning of all aspects of the system.

Claims

1. Information system for a vehicle, comprising:

a requestor-initiated information inquiry device;

an information storage and retrieval system; and

,

an information communications center.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the information storage and retrieval system is operable to communicate information to the communications center based upon a request for information initiated by the requestor to the information inquiry device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein content of the information storage and retrieval system comprises a plurality of descriptions, each description related to a vehicle feature.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the requestor-initiated information inquiry device comprises a key operable to actuate a vehicle function.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein actuation of the information inquiry device comprises at least one of predetermined actuation durations, patterns or combinations thereof of the key operable to actuate the vehicle function.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the requestor-initiated information inquiry device comprises:

an inquiry key, and, a device actuator.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the inquiry key is further operable to cancel the requestor-initiated information inquiry.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the requestor-initiated information inquiry device comprises a graphic user interface device including a touch-screen function.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the graphic user interface device comprises an element of a remote device.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the remote device is operable to serve as the communication center.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the information storage and retrieval system comprises a storage medium electronically readable by an on-vehicle system.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein contents of the storage medium comprise a plurality of operating instructions, each operating instruction related to a vehicle feature.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein each operating instruction related to a vehicle feature comprises electronically-retrievable representations of images and sound.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein contents of the information storage and retrieval system are updateable.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the information storage and retrieval system comprises an electronic memory device remote from the vehicle.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the information communications center comprises an on-board audio-visual display device.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the information communications center comprises an audio device.

18. Method for providing vehicle information to a requestor, comprising:

providing a requestor-initiated information inquiry device, an information storage device, and a communications center;

determining input from the requestor to the information inquiry device;

activating a request for information to the information storage and retrieval system based upon the determined requester input; and

,

communicating information from the information storage and retrieval system to an information communication center, based upon the input from the requestor to the information inquiry device.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising canceling the communication of information upon actuation of a key.

20. System to deliver information to an operator of an apparatus, comprising:

an operator-initiated information inquiry device;

an information communications center; and

,

an information storage and retrieval system;

operable to communicate information to the communications center based upon a request for information initiated by the operator to the information inquiry device;

wherein the operator-initiated information inquiry device comprises at least one of an inquiry key, a key operable to actuate a function of the apparatus, or combinations thereof.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the information storage system comprises electronic media having contents comprising a plurality of operating instructions, each operating instruction descriptive of a feature of the apparatus.