CONTROL UNIT FOR OFF-ROAD VEHICLES INCLUDING HOUSING CONFIGURED TO FIT WITHIN PRE-EXISTING CAVITY OF OFF-ROAD-VEHICLE CAB

• US 20080091343A1
• Filed: 08/22/2007
• Published: 04/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Leica Geosystems AG (Hexagon AB)
• Original Assignee: Leica Geosystems AG (Hexagon AB)
• Inventors: Gray, Stuart, Hill, Donald, Velde, Aleksander
• Granted Patent: US 9,404,749 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/207
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/26 Indicating devices E02F5/145 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/32 Multimode operation in a single same satellite system, e.g. GPS L1/L2

Abstract

A control unit disposed in the cab of an off-road vehicle includes a user interface; an attitude and heading reference system and a housing. The attitude and heading reference system includes a processor and at least one of a positioning receiver, magnetometer, compass, gyro and accelerometer electrically connected to the processor. The housing is sized to be fittingly received in a pre-existing DIN slot in the cab of the off-road vehicle.

Claims

1. A control unit comprising:

at least two of means for entertaining, means for communicating and means for navigating; and

a housing that houses the at least two means for entertaining, means for communicating and means for navigating, the housing sized to be fittingly received in a pre-existing cavity in an off-road vehicle.

2. The control unit according to claim 1, wherein the pre-existing cavity is a DIN slot for receiving an entertainment unit.

3. A control unit disposed in the cab of an off-road vehicle, comprising:

a user interface;

an attitude and heading reference system including a processor and at least one of a positioning receiver, magnetometer, compass, gyro and accelerometer electrically connected to the processor; and

a housing sized to be fittingly received in a pre-existing DIN slot in the cab of the off-road vehicle.

4. The control unit according to claim 3, further comprising at least one of (i) a radio receiver capable of receiving at least one of AM, FM and weatherband frequencies, (ii) a CD player, (iii) amplifiers, (iv) an audio signal processor operatively coupled to an I2S integrated circuit, (vi) a satellite radio, (vii) an MP3player, (viii) a WMA player, and (ix) a DVD player.

5. The control unit according to claim 3, further comprising a radio receiver and a radio transceiver.

6. The control unit according to claim 3, further comprising an RF connector, an ISO connector, a serial port and a CAN port for connecting with at least one control system of the off-road vehicle including a steering mechanism, a control mechanism for an implement and a virtual terminal.

7. The control unit according to claim 3, wherein the processor is in communication with a steering mechanism of the vehicle.

8. The control unit according to claim 3, wherein the positioning receiver is a single-frequency or dual-frequency positioning receiver.

9. The control unit according to claim 3, wherein the DIN slot in the off-road vehicle is a cavity in an instrument panel or dashboard of the vehicle.

10. The control unit according to claim 3, wherein the user interface includes a removable data storage interface.

11. The control unit according to claim 3, wherein the user interface comprises an LED, an LCD and a dial for inputting information by a user and displaying information to a user.