Media Device Interface System and Method for Vehicle Information Systems

• US 20090077595A1
• Filed: 09/15/2008
• Published: 03/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Avionics Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Avionics Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Rhoads, Cedric, Sizelove, Steven, Kirby, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 8,819,745 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/76
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0624 Arrangements of electrical connectors, e.g. for earphone, internet or electric supply
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6205 Two-part coupling devices held in engagement by a magnet
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/38 having concentrically or coaxially arranged contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 35/04 Turnable line connectors with limited rotation angle with frictional contact members
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/20 for assembling or disassembling contact members with insulating base, case or sleeve
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41422 located in transportation means, e.g. personal vehicle arrangements specially adapted for transportation systems in broadcast systems H04H20/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49208 by assembling plural parts

Abstract

An information system suitable for use in cooperation with portable media devices, such as an Apple iPod® digital electronic media device, and methods for manufacturing and using same. The information system supports a simple manner for seamlessly integrating the personal media device with the information system, immersing a user in a rich and intuitive media environment. When the personal media device and the information system are coupled, viewing content from the personal media device can be integrated “on the fly” into the information system via an interactive user interface system. The personal media device likewise can receive control commands and/or operating power from the information system. Thereby, the user can advantageously enjoy his own personal viewing content from the personal media device via the larger video presentation system and/or the enhanced audio presentation system of the information system, while recharging an internal battery system of the personal media device.

Claims

1. A user interface system suitable for use with an information system in communication with a content source, said presentation system comprising:

an access point that couples a personal media device with the information system;

a user control system that selects viewing content available from the personal media device for presentation and that controls a presentation of the selected viewing content;

a video presentation system that presents a video portion of the selected viewing content; and

an audio presentation system that presents an audio portion of the selected viewing content,

wherein, when the personal media device and the information system communicate via said access point, the personal media device becomes integrated with the information system, and the presentation system selectably presents the selected viewing content and viewing content available from the content source.

2. The user interface system of claim 1, wherein said access point comprises a wired access point that couples the personal media device with the information system via a communication cable.

3. The user interface system of claim 2, wherein said wired access point includes at least one break-away communication connector system.

4. The user interface system of claim 1, wherein said user control system and said video presentation system are at least partially integrated into a touchscreen display system.

5. The user interface system of claim 1, wherein operation of the personal media device is controlled by said user control system.

6. The user interface system of claim 1, wherein said audio presentation system includes a communication connector system.

7. The user interface system of claim 6, wherein said communication connector system includes a break-away communication connector system.

8. The user interface system of claim 7, wherein said break-away communication connector system includes a system communication connector that cooperates with a peripheral communication connector of a peripheral audio presentation system.

9. The user interface system of claim 8, wherein the peripheral audio presentation system is selected from a peripheral group consisting of a headphone, a speaker, and an amplifier.

10. The user interface system of claim 8, wherein the peripheral audio presentation system comprises a powered peripheral audio presentation system, and wherein operating power is provided to said powered peripheral audio presentation system via said system communication connector.

11. The user interface system of claim 10, wherein the powered peripheral audio presentation system is noise canceling headphones.

12. The user interface system of claim 8, wherein said system communication connector includes a plurality of system contacts and a system magnet system, said system contacts cooperating with a plurality of peripheral contacts of the peripheral communication connector, said system magnet system providing a magnetic coupling with a peripheral magnet system of the peripheral communication connector.

13. The user interface system of claim 12, wherein said system contacts are disposed on a system printed circuit board, and wherein said peripheral contacts are disposed on a peripheral printed circuit board.

14. The user interface system of claim 13, wherein said system magnet system is disposed around said system contacts, and wherein said peripheral magnet system is disposed around said peripheral contacts.

15. The user interface system of claim 1, wherein said video presentation system receives and presents a menu structure of available viewing content from the personal media device, and wherein said user control system selects the selected viewing content via the menu structure.

16. The user interface system of claim 1, wherein the personal media device is selected from a device group consisting of a laptop computer, a palmtop computer, a personal digital assistant, a cellular telephone, a MPEG Audio Layer 3 (MP3) device, an iPod®

digital electronic media device, and an iPhone®

digital electronic media device.

17. A method for integrating a personal media device with an information system in communication with a content source, comprising:

providing a communication cable assembly for coupling the personal media device with an access point of the information system;

providing a user control system that selects viewing content available from the personal media device for presentation and a content presentation system that presents the selected viewing content under control of said user control system;

when the personal media device and the information system communicate via the communication cable assembly,

integrating the personal media device with the information system; and

enabling said content presentation system to selectably present the selected viewing content and viewing content available from the content source via said user control system.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said integrating the personal media device with the information system includes enabling operation of the personal media device to be controlled via said user control system.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein said integrating the personal media device with the information system includes receiving and presenting a menu structure of available viewing content from the personal media device and enabling said user control system to select the selected viewing content via the menu structure.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising providing a break-away communication connector system that includes a system communication connector that cooperates with a peripheral communication connector of a peripheral audio presentation system.

21. An information system suitable for installation aboard a vehicle, comprising:

a headend system that provides overall system control functions for the vehicle information system, said headend system being in communication with a content source;

an access point that couples a personal media device with said headend system;

a user interface system that includes;

a user control system that selects viewing content available from the personal media device for presentation and that controls a presentation of the selected viewing content; and

a content presentation system that presents the selected viewing content; and

a distribution system that communicates with said headend system, said user interface system, and said access point,

wherein, when the personal media device and the information system communicate via said access point, the personal media device becomes integrated with the information system, and the presentation system selectably presents the selected viewing content and viewing content available from the content source via said user control system.

22. The information system of claim 21, wherein said content source is at least partially incorporated with said headend system.

23. The information system of claim 21, wherein said headend system communicates with a remote content source.

24. The information system of claim 23, wherein the remote content source provides Internet content to said information system for presentation via said content presentation system.

25. The information system of claim 21, wherein said content presentation system includes an audio presentation system that presents an audio portion of the selected viewing content.

26. The information system of claim 21, wherein said content presentation system comprises a video presentation system that presents a video portion of the selected viewing content.

27. The information system of claim 21, wherein said distribution system comprises a wired distribution system.

28. The information system of claim 21, wherein said access point comprises a wired access point that couples the personal media device with the information system via a communication cable.

29. The information system of claim 21, wherein said user control system and said content presentation system are at least partially integrated into a touchscreen display system.

30. The information system of claim 21, wherein operation of the personal media device is controlled by said user control system.

31. The information system of claim 21, wherein said audio presentation system includes a break-away communication connector system that includes a system communication connector that cooperates with a peripheral communication connector of a peripheral audio presentation system.

32. The information system of claim 31, wherein the peripheral audio presentation system comprises a powered peripheral audio presentation system, and wherein operating power is provided to said powered peripheral audio presentation system via said system communication connector.

33. The information system of claim 32, wherein the powered peripheral audio presentation system is noise canceling headphones.

34. The information system of claim 31, wherein said system communication connector includes a plurality of system contacts and a system magnet system, said system contacts cooperating with a plurality of peripheral communication connector of the peripheral communication connector, said system magnet system providing a magnetic coupling with a peripheral magnet system of the peripheral communication connector.

35. The information system of claim 34, wherein said system contacts are disposed on a system printed circuit board, and wherein said peripheral contacts are disposed on a peripheral printed circuit board.

36. The information system of claim 35, wherein said system magnet system is disposed around said system contacts, and wherein said peripheral magnet system is disposed around said peripheral contacts.

37. The information system of claim 21, wherein said video presentation system receives and presents a menu structure of available viewing content from the personal media device, and wherein said user control system selects the selected viewing content via the menu structure.

38. The information system of claim 37, wherein the menu structure is a hierarchical menu structure.

39. The information system of claim 21, wherein the information system is suitable for installation aboard an aircraft.

40. An aircraft, comprising:

a fuselage and a plurality of passenger seats arranged within the fuselage; and

a vehicle information system, said vehicle information system coupled with said fuselage and comprising;

a content source;

a headend system that provides overall system control functions for the vehicle information system;

an access point that couples a personal media device with said headend system; and

a user interface system that includes;

a user control system that selects viewing content available from the personal media device for presentation and that controls a presentation of the selected viewing content; and

a content presentation system that presents the selected viewing content; and

a distribution system that communicates with said content source, said headend system, said access point, and said user interface system,

wherein, when the personal media device and the information system communicate via said access point, the personal media device becomes integrated with the information system, and the presentation system selectably presents the selected viewing content and viewing content available from the content source via said user control system.

41. The aircraft of claim 40, further comprising a storage compartment that stores the personal media device, said storage compartment being disposed at one of said passenger seats.

42. The aircraft of claim 41, wherein said storage compartment is disposed adjacent to an armrest of said selected passenger seat.

43. The aircraft of claim 41, wherein said storage compartment is disposed on one of a seatback and a headrest of an adjacent passenger seat.

44. The aircraft of claim 40, wherein the user control system is separate from the personal media device.

45. The aircraft of claim 40, wherein the user control system is provided at an armrest of said selected passenger seat.

46. The aircraft of claim 40, wherein the user control system is disposed on one of a seatback and a headrest of an adjacent passenger seat.

47. The aircraft of claim 40, wherein said user control system provides a control signal to the personal media device via said access point, said control signal controlling operation of the personal media device.

48. The aircraft of claim 40, wherein said access point is disposed on said user interface system.

49. The aircraft of claim 40, wherein said access point is disposed on one of a seatback and a headrest of an adjacent passenger seat.

50. The aircraft of claim 40, wherein said access point is disposed on an armrest of said selected passenger seat.