Car stereo having a removable panel

• US 5,537,673 A
• Filed: 06/15/1995
• Issued: 07/16/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pioneer Electronics (USA) Incorporated (Pioneer Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Pioneer Electronics (USA) Incorporated (Pioneer Corporation)
• Inventors: Nuka, Tadao, Nagashima, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisenzopf, Reinhard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FAILE, ANDREW I
• Application Number:
  US08/490,644
• Time in Patent Office: 397 Days
• Field of Search: 455/74, 455/89, 455/345, 455/348, 455/346, 455/90, 455/347, 455/351, 340/539, 340/426, 379/58-59, 379/63, 379/433, 379/440, 381/86
• US Class Current: 455/346
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3805 with built-in auxiliary receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6041 Portable telephones adapted for handsfree use
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6075 adapted for handsfree use in a vehicle H04M1/6058 takes precedence; arrangements for holding telephones in a vehicle B60R11/0241

Abstract

A removable panel has a plurality of operation buttons for operating a car stereo. A cellular telephone system operated by the operation buttons is provided in the panel. A controller is provided in the panel for rendering the car stereo inoperative in response to an instruction received through the cellular telephone system.

Claims

1. A car stereo having a removable panel attached to a body of the car stereo provided in an automobile, the panel having a plurality of operation buttons for selecting a frequency received by the car stereo, the car stereo comprising:

a radio telephone system provided in the panel, the radio telephone system having an antenna and a telephone section;

a battery provided in the panel for operating the radio telephone system; and

control means, provided in one of the car stereo body and the panel, for rendering the car stereo into a disabled state in response to an instruction received through the radio telephone system, in the disabled state the car stereo cannot be operated even though the operation buttons are operated therein preventing theft of the car stereo.

2. The car stereo according to claim 1 wherein

the radio telephone system is operated through the operation buttons of the panel.

3. The car stereo according to claim 1 wherein

the panel has a display for displaying conditions of the car stereo, the panel has a display driver for displaying operation of the radio telephone.

4. The car stereo according to claim 1 further comprising

a detector means for detecting removing the panel, and operating means responsive to the detected removal of the panel for rendering the telephone system operative.

5. The car stereo according to claim 1 further comprising

muting means responsive to a received telephone call for muting sound of the car stereo.

7. A car stereo according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of operation buttons for selecting a frequency received by the car stereo are also used as push buttons for the radio telephone system.

6. A car stereo having a removable panel attached to a body of the car stereo provided in an automobile, the panel having a plurality of operation buttons for selecting a frequency received by the car stereo, the car stereo comprising:

a radio telephone system provided in the panel, the radio telephone system having an antenna and a telephone section;

the plurality of operation buttons for selecting a frequency received by the car stereo to be used as push buttons for the radio telephone system;

a battery provided in the panel for operating the radio telephone system; and

control means, provided in one of the car stereo body and the panel, for rendering the car stereo into a disabled state in response to an instruction received through the radio telephone system, in the disabled state the car stereo cannot be operated even though the operation buttons are operated therein preventing theft of the car stereo.