Navigation system remote control unit with data caddy functionality
First Claim
1. An improved remote control unit for a navigation system, wherein the navigation system is installed in a vehicle and wherein said improved remote control unit comprises:
- a housing removable from said vehicle and having a size suitable for holding in a hand of a driver of said vehicle;
an energy supply mounted in said housing;
a user interface located on said housing by which the driver can manually input commands for control of said navigation system;
a data transmission interface located on said housing by which data signals embodying the commands input by the driver are transmitted from said housing to a data input port on said navigation system wherein said data transmission interface is coupled to receive energy for operation thereof from said energy supply;
a re-writable data storage memory located in said housing;
a data reception interface located on said housing through which data from an external computing device other than the navigation system can be input into said re-writable memory; and
programming stored within said housing providing for operating the data reception interface to receive data therefrom for temporary storage in said re-writable data storage memory and transmission therefrom via said data transmission interface.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An improved remote control unit for an in-vehicle navigation system and methods for use thereof. The improved remote control unit includes a re-writable data storage memory and a data reception interface through which data from an external computing device can be transmitted to the remote control unit and stored in the re-writable data storage memory. The remote control unit also includes appropriate programming that provides for receiving data from an external computing device, storing the data in the re-writable data storage memory, and then transmitting the stored data from the re-writable data storage memory to the in-vehicle navigation system from a data transmission interface of the improved remote control unit. The improved remote control unit can also be used to transfer data from the in-vehicle navigation system to an external computing device. In one embodiment, the data reception interface is implemented by replacing the uni-directional infrared transmitter of a conventional remote control unit with a bi-directional infrared interface capable of both transmitting and receiving data.
427 Citations
21 Claims
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1. An improved remote control unit for a navigation system, wherein the navigation system is installed in a vehicle and wherein said improved remote control unit comprises:
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a housing removable from said vehicle and having a size suitable for holding in a hand of a driver of said vehicle;
an energy supply mounted in said housing;
a user interface located on said housing by which the driver can manually input commands for control of said navigation system;
a data transmission interface located on said housing by which data signals embodying the commands input by the driver are transmitted from said housing to a data input port on said navigation system wherein said data transmission interface is coupled to receive energy for operation thereof from said energy supply;
a re-writable data storage memory located in said housing;
a data reception interface located on said housing through which data from an external computing device other than the navigation system can be input into said re-writable memory; and
programming stored within said housing providing for operating the data reception interface to receive data therefrom for temporary storage in said re-writable data storage memory and transmission therefrom via said data transmission interface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A remote control unit for a navigation system, wherein said navigation system is installed in a vehicle, said remote control unit comprising:
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a housing removable from said vehicle and having a size suitable for holding in a hand of a driver of said vehicle;
a user interface located on said housing by which the driver can manually input commands for control of said navigation system;
a re-writable data storage memory located in said housing;
a bi-directional signaling interface located on said housing by which data embodying said commands input by the driver are transmitted from said housing to a data input port on said navigation system and through which data from another computing device can be input into said re-writable data storage memory; and
programming stored within said housing and providing for operating the bi-directional signaling interface to receive data therethrough for temporary storage in said re-writable data storage memory and transmission therefrom via said bi-directional signaling interface. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
an energy supply mounted in said housing; and
wherein said bi-directional signaling interface is coupled to receive energy for operation thereof from said energy supply.
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9. The invention of claim 7 wherein said bi-directional interface is an infrared interface.
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10. A method of transferring data from an external computing device to an in-vehicle navigation system comprising:
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removing a remote control unit of said in-vehicle navigation system from a vehicle in which said in-vehicle navigation system is installed;
coupling a data port of the remote control unit to an external computing device located outside the vehicle;
transmitting data from the external computing device to the remote control unit;
storing the transmitted data in a re-writable memory of the remote control unit;
conveying the remote control unit back to the vehicle; and
transmitting the data stored in the re-writable memory of the remote control unit to the in-vehicle navigation system. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
after the step of transmitting the data stored in the re-writable memory of the remote control unit to the in-vehicle navigation system, removing the remote control unit from the vehicle again;
coupling the data port of the remote control unit to the external computing device located outside the vehicle again;
transmitting data from the external computing device and the remote control unit again; and
storing the data transmitted again in the re-writable memory of the remote control unit again including the step of writing over data previously stored in the re-writable memory.
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14. The method of claim 13 further comprising the steps of:
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after the step of storing the data transmitted again in the re-writable memory of the remote control unit again, conveying the remote control unit back to the vehicle again; and
transmitting the data stored again in the re-writable memory of the remote control unit to the in-vehicle navigation system.
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15. The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of:
after the step of removing a remote control unit of said in-vehicle navigation system, carrying the remote control unit from the vehicle to the external computing device.
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16. The method of claim 10 wherein the data transmitted from the external computing device to the remote control unit represents desired destinations.
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17. A method of transferring data from an in-vehicle navigation system to an external computing device comprising:
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transmitting data from the in-vehicle navigation system to a remote control unit of said in-vehicle navigation system;
storing the transmitted data in a re-writable memory of the remote control unit;
removing the remote control unit from a vehicle in which said in-vehicle navigation system is installed;
coupling a data port of the remote control unit to an external computing device located outside the vehicle; and
transmitting the data stored in the re-writable memory of the remote control unit to the external computing device. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
after the step of transmitting the data stored in the re-writable memory of the remote control unit to the external computing device, conveying the remote control unit back to the vehicle.
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19. The method of claim 17 wherein the data transmitted from the in-vehicle navigation system to the remote control unit includes expense-related data.
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20. The method of claim 17 wherein said steps of transmitting data from the in-vehicle navigation system and transmitting data to the external computing device are performed using infrared signals.
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21. The method of claim 17 wherein said steps of transmitting data from the in-vehicle navigation system and transmitting data to the external computing device are performed through a bi-directional interface of said remote control unit.
Specification