Wireless Gauge, System, And Method

• US 20170124787A1
• Filed: 10/27/2016
• Published: 05/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Auto Meter Products Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Auto Meter Products Incorporated
• Inventors: Devlin, Justin
• Application Number:
  US15/336,389
• Publication Number:
  US 20170124787A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/151 Instrument output devices for configurable output
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/55 Remote control arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/573 Mobile devices controlling vehicle functions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/583 Data transfer between instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/589 Wireless data transfers
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/151 Reconfigurable output
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/52 Control of displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/55 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/573 Mobile devices controlling vehicle functions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/58 Data transfers
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/583 between instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/589 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• 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 35/20 Output arrangements, i.e. from vehicle to user, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/80 Arrangements for controlling instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/81 for controlling displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/85 Arrangements for transferring vehicle- or driver-related data
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0825 using optical means

Abstract

A wireless gauge, system, and method are provided for use in a vehicle. The system includes a transmitting device that transmits information about a vehicle wirelessly to one or more gauges. The system and method may be implemented such that it is unnecessary to cut through or otherwise extend additional wiring through a vehicle'"'"'s firewall, but instead use an existing vehicle data port. Further, the add-on gauges do not necessarily require additional wiring from the vehicular data port or from the individual vehicle sensors unless desired. A computing device may also be included to configure the add-on gauge, such as by modifying the illumination, alarms, alarm set points, and the like.

Claims

1. A system for displaying vehicle status information, the system comprising:

a transmitting device including an electrical contact and a wireless output, the electrical contact configured to couple to and communicate with a vehicular data port and the wireless output configured to provide at least one of output data from the vehicular data port or analyzed information derived from the output data from the vehicular data port; and

an add-on gauge configured to mount to a vehicle, the add-on gauge including a wireless input configured to receive data from the wireless output and a display to display data from the wireless output.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a computing device wirelessly coupled to at least one of the transmitting device and the add-on gauge.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the computing device is wirelessly coupled to the add-on gauge and wirelessly configures the display.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the computing device displays at least one of the output data from the vehicular data port and the analyzed information derived from the output data.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the add-on gauge includes a wired power input configured to be coupled to the vehicle.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising at least one additional gauge, the at least one additional gauge being wired to the add-on gauge to receive vehicular data therefrom.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the transmitting device and the add-on gauge includes a wired connection configured to couple to a vehicular sensor.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the add-on gauge includes indicia for a first detected vehicle parameter and an alarm for a second detected vehicle parameter.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the transmitting device is configured to store and configure configuration settings for the add-on gauge.

10. The system of claim 1 further comprising an access point, the access point configured to transmit data between at least two of the transmitting device, the add-on gauge, and the computing device.

11. A method of displaying vehicle status information on an add-on gauge, the method comprising:

wirelessly transmitting, via a transmitting device electrically coupled to a vehicular data port, at least one of output data or analyzed information from the output data from a vehicular data port;

wirelessly receiving at the add-on gauge at least one of the output data or the analyzed information from the output data; and

displaying information on the add-on gauge about at least one of the output data or the analyzed information from the output data.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising wirelessly communicating between a computing device and at least one of the transmitting device or the add-on gauge.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising wirelessly configuring the add-on gauge via the computing device.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising displaying at least one of the output data from the vehicular data port or the analyzed information derived from the output data on the computing device.

15. The method of claims 11 further comprising transmitting vehicular data from the add-on gauge to an additional add-on gauge via a wired connection.

16. The method of any of claim 11 further comprising displaying information on the add-on gauge from a sensor wired to the add-on gauge.