VEHICLE TEXT MESSAGING SYSTEM AND METHOD USING A METER CLUSTER DISPLAY

• US 20120050028A1
• Filed: 08/27/2010
• Published: 03/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nissan North America Incorporated (Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Nissan Technical Center North America Incorporated (Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: MASTRONARDI, James, RUMBERGER, Ryan, MELDRUM, Michael, YOSHINAMI, Asako, PIXLEY, Deborah
• Application Number:
  US12/870,111
• Publication Number:
  US 20120050028A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/441
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/148 Instrument input by voice
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/589 Wireless data transfers
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/148 Input by voice
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/154 Combined instruments with analogue meters and additional displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/589 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• 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 35/60 Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/85 Arrangements for transferring vehicle- or driver-related data
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 37/00 Dashboards as road-vehicle superstructure sub-units B62D25/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6091 including a wireless interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/44 for communication between vehicles and infrastructures, e.g. vehicle-to-cloud [V2C] or vehicle-to-home [V2H]

Abstract

A method for presenting a new message received by a vehicle that includes a meter cluster display, an audio system, and an input device. The method includes receiving the new message at the vehicle, presenting a notification of the new message upon receipt of the new message by providing an audio alert via the audio system and displaying a visual notification on the meter cluster display, operating the meter cluster display to display a prompt for instructions to read the new message, operating the input device to receive the instructions to read the new message, and operating the audio system to audibly present the new message in accordance with the instructions.

Claims

1. A method for presenting a new message received by a vehicle that includes a meter cluster display, an audio system, and an input device, the method comprising:

receiving the new message at the vehicle;

presenting a notification of the new message upon receipt of the new message by providing an audio alert via the audio system and displaying a visual notification on the meter cluster display;

operating the meter cluster display to display a prompt for instructions to read the new message;

operating the input device to receive the instructions to read the new message; and

operating the audio system to audibly present the new message in accordance with the instructions.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising

presenting a plurality of options to respond to the new message upon finishing audibly presenting the new message;

and

prompting for input to select one of the options.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein

the presenting of a plurality of options includes presenting a reply to the new message option as one of the plurality of options.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein

the presenting a reply to the new message option includes presenting a plurality of preprogrammed replies by operating the meter cluster display to display visual information representing each of the preprogrammed replies, and operating the audio system to audibly present each of the preprogrammed replies, in response to selection of the reply to the new message option.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein

the presenting a reply to the new message option includes presenting a custom message by operating the meter cluster display to display visual information representing the custom message and operating the audio system to audibly present the custom message.

6. The method according to claim 2, wherein

the presenting a plurality of options includes presenting a save the new message option as one of the plurality of options.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising

saving the new message as a custom message upon selection of the save the new message option.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein

the presenting a plurality of options includes presenting a reply to the new message option as one of the plurality of options, and upon selection of the reply to the new message option, presenting the custom message by operating the meter cluster display to display visual information representing the custom message and operating the audio system to audibly present the custom message.

9. The method according to claim 2, wherein

the presenting a plurality of options includes presenting a view the new message option as one of the plurality of options.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising

detecting whether a safety condition of the vehicle exists;

and

operating the meter cluster display to display information representing at least a portion of the new message upon selection of the view the new message option and detection that the safety condition exists.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein

the detecting includes detecting whether a speed of the vehicle is less than a predetermined speed, and indicting that the safety condition exists when the speed is less than the predetermined speed.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising

responding to the new message by automatically sending a preprogrammed reply upon receiving the new message.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising

selecting, from a plurality of preprogrammed replies, the preprogrammed reply to be automatically sent by the responding.

14. The method according to claim 1, further comprising

returning to an idle state, which includes clearing the visual notification and prompt from the meter cluster display, after a predetermined amount of time has elapsed from when the new message was received.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the operating the input device includes operating the input device to receive the instructions as audible input via a microphone.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the operating the input device includes operating the input device to receive the instructions as manual input via manipulation of a manual control device.

17. The method according to claim 1, further comprising

operating the meter cluster display to display a first portion of the new message.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising

operating a primary display, separate from the meter cluster display, to display second portion of the new message which is larger than the first portion of the new message.

19. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the presenting a notification further comprises presenting a tactile alert upon receipt of the new message.

20. A method for responding to a new message received in a vehicle that includes a meter cluster display, an audio system, and an input device, the method comprising:

receiving a custom message;

saving the custom message;

receiving a new message;

presenting a notification of the new message upon receipt of the new message by providing an audio alert via the audio system and displaying a visual notification on the meter cluster display;

prompting for instructions to read the new message;

operating the input device to receive the instructions to read the new message;

operating the audio system to audibly present the new message in accordance with the instructions;

presenting a reply to the new message option;

operating the audio system to audibly present the custom message, upon selection of the reply to the new message option;

prompting for selection of the custom message; and

sending the custom message in response to the new message upon selection of the custom message via the input device.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein

the saving the custom message includes presenting a save option upon receipt of the custom message, and saving the custom message upon selection of the save option.

22. The method according to claim 20, wherein

the saving the custom message includes presenting a plurality of custom message slots, prompting for input via the input device to select one of the custom message slots, and saving the custom message to the selected custom message slot upon selection of the custom message slot via the input device.

23. A vehicle messaging system comprising:

a meter cluster display;

a primary display;

an audio system;

an input device; and

a controller configured to;

receive a new message;

control notification of the new message upon receipt of the new message by controlling the audio system to provide an audio alert and controlling the meter cluster display to display a visual notification;

control the meter cluster display to prompt for instructions to read the new message;

accept the instructions to read the new message via the input device; and

control the audio system to audibly present the new message in response to the instructions.