System And Method For Customizing An Information Display Within A Vehicle

• US 20110080278A1
• Filed: 10/06/2009
• Published: 04/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Gabriel, David Crist, Crombez, Dale Scott
• Application Number:
  US12/574,321
• Publication Number:
  US 20110080278A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/438
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/174 Economic driving
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/589 Wireless data transfers
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/215 characterised by the combination of multiple visual outputs, e.g. combined instruments with analogue meters and additional displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/28 characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/60 Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/654 the user being the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/85 Arrangements for transferring vehicle- or driver-related data
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/445 Differential gearing distribution type
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/90 Vehicles comprising electric prime movers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/84 Data processing systems or methods, management, administration

Abstract

A display system having an information display configured to display at least one digital indicator. The display system may be configured to receive one or more customization settings indicative of a type, quantity, and placement of at least one digital indicator. A controller may transmit the customization settings to the information display so that at least one digital indicator is shown using the customization settings.

Claims

1. A vehicle display system comprising:

a display including at least one digital indicator;

a receiver configured to receive a customization setting from a source originating external to the vehicle; and

a controller configured to transmit a signal so that the at least one digital indicator is shown on the display according to the customization setting.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the customization setting is indicative of a type of digital indicator to be displayed on the display, a quantity of digital indicators to be displayed on the display, and a placement of the at least one digital indicator on the display.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the customization setting is generated remotely with a software application for customizing the display according to operator preferences.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the type of digital indicator is selected from a set of existing digital indicators provided through the software application.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the type of digital indicator is created by an operator using the software application to generate a new digital indicator.

6. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a voice-activated receiver configured to receive audible customization settings.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least one customization setting is a default customization setting and the controller is configured to receive information pertaining to the default customization setting when the vehicle is started.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the display further includes a touch screen configured to receive customization settings from an operator.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to receive and process information pertaining to operation of the vehicle from a vehicle bus.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein at least a portion of the information received from the vehicle bus and processed by the controller is mapped to the at least one digital indicator according to the customization setting.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the one or more of the digital indicators are customizable using the information received from the vehicle bus.

12. A display method for a vehicle comprising:

receiving a display customization setting from a source originating external to the vehicle; and

transmitting a signal so that at least one digital indicator is shown on a display according to the customization setting.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the customization setting is indicative of a type of digital indicator to be displayed on the display, a quantity of digital indicators to be displayed on the display, and a placement of the at least one digital indicator on the display.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the customization setting is generated remotely with a software application for customizing the display according to operator preferences.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising receiving and processing information pertaining to operation of the vehicle from a vehicle bus.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising mapping the processed information to the at least one digital indicator according to the customization setting.

17. A display system comprising:

an information display configured to display at least one digital indicator;

a transceiver configured to connect to an internet; and

a controller configured to;

download and store a customization setting from a server located on the internet to a storage device, wherein the customization setting is indicative of a type, quantity, and placement of the at least one digital indicator; and

transmit a signal so that the at least one digital indicator is shown on the information display according to the customization setting.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein the controller is further configured to receive information pertaining to operation of the vehicle from a vehicle bus.

19. The system according to claim 17, wherein the information display displays an internet software application accessed with the transceiver, and the customization setting is received from the server using the internet software application.

20. The system according to claim 17, wherein the internet software application is further configured to customize at least one of the digital indicators using information available from the vehicle bus.