Modular electronic display and accessory mounting system for a vehicle
First Claim
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1. A flexible modular electronic display and accessory mounting system for a vehicle comprising:
- a plurality of electrical accessory modules each providing information to be displayed to a vehicle operator;
at least one electrical display for displaying information associated with at least one of said accessory modules;
a housing for mounting to a vehicle and including first and second spaced apart mounting areas;
an electrical circuit located within said first mounting area of said housing, said circuit including a microprocessor electrically coupled to the vehicle'"'"'s electrical system and one of a socket and plug for receiving at least one of said electrical accessory modules, wherein said module includes the other of a plug and socket for electrically coupling said module to said circuit; and
wherein said at least one display is located within said second mounting area of said housing and is electrically coupled to said circuit for displaying information associated with said at least one of said plurality of electrical accessory modules.
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Abstract
A modular electronic system for vehicles employing a microprocessor to facilitate the implementation of additional vehicular features embodied in electronic accessory modules. The system includes a housing with separate mounting areas for receiving at least one of a plurality of plug-in electrical modules and one of a plurality of display boards for displaying information relating to associated modules.
264 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A flexible modular electronic display and accessory mounting system for a vehicle comprising:
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a plurality of electrical accessory modules each providing information to be displayed to a vehicle operator; at least one electrical display for displaying information associated with at least one of said accessory modules; a housing for mounting to a vehicle and including first and second spaced apart mounting areas; an electrical circuit located within said first mounting area of said housing, said circuit including a microprocessor electrically coupled to the vehicle'"'"'s electrical system and one of a socket and plug for receiving at least one of said electrical accessory modules, wherein said module includes the other of a plug and socket for electrically coupling said module to said circuit; and wherein said at least one display is located within said second mounting area of said housing and is electrically coupled to said circuit for displaying information associated with said at least one of said plurality of electrical accessory modules. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A modular electronic display and accessory mounting system for a vehicle having an internal electrical system comprising:
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a plurality of electrical accessory modules each having a predetermined function; at least one display board including a display for displaying information associated with at least one of said accessory modules; a housing for mounting to a vehicle for receiving at least one of said accessory modules; a circuit board positioned within said housing, said circuit board including a microprocessor electrically coupled to the vehicle'"'"'s electrical system, wherein said circuit board and at least one electrical accessory module each include connectors for removably electrically coupling said at least one module to said circuit board; and wherein said display is electrically coupled to said at least one circuit board, wherein said microprocessor processes data from said at least one module and provides display signals in response thereto for application to said display. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A modular electronic accessory and display system for a vehicle having an internal electrical system comprising:
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a circuit board including a microprocessor electrically coupled to the vehicle'"'"'s electrical system; a plurality of electrical accessory modules; and a plurality of displays for displaying information associated with said accessory modules, wherein when at least one of said electrical accessory modules and at least one of said displays is electrically coupled to said circuit board, said microprocessor electrically couples said at least one accessory module with said at least one display board and the vehicle'"'"'s electrical system. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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25. A mounting system for coupling a plurality of electronic accessory modules to a main circuit board comprising:
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at least one circuit board including a microprocessor electrically coupled to the vehicle'"'"'s electrical system, said circuit board including connectors for receiving a plurality of plug-in accessory modules; a plurality of electrical accessory modules; and a housing for receiving said circuit board and said accessory modules, wherein said electrical accessory modules and said housing include means to identify which accessory module is associated with its corresponding connector on said circuit board. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28)
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29. A method of mounting a plurality of electrical accessories and displays to a vehicle comprising:
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coupling a circuit board including a microprocessor to the vehicle'"'"'s electrical system; providing a plurality of electrical accessory modules; providing a plurality of display boards for displaying information associated with said accessory modules; coupling at least one of said accessory modules and at least one of said display boards to said circuit board; and programming said microprocessor to interface said at least one accessory module with said at least one display board and the vehicle'"'"'s electrical system. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32)
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33. A modular electronic accessory and display system for a vehicle having an internal electrical system comprising:
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a circuit board including a microprocessor electrically coupled to the vehicle'"'"'s electrical system; a plurality of electrical accessory modules; a plurality of plug-in displays for displaying information associated with said accessory modules; a housing including receptacles for receiving said circuit board, said plurality of plug-in displays and said plurality of electrical modules which are compatible with predetermined displays; and stopper means extending from one of said displays and modules over selected receptacles to prevent the mounting of incompatible displays and accessory modules in said housing, wherein when at least one of said electrical accessory modules and at least one of said displays is electrically coupled to said circuit board, said microprocessor electrically couples said at least one accessory to module with said at least one display board and the vehicle'"'"'s electrical system.
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Specification