Motor vehicle dashboard indicators with an intelligent computer network interface
First Claim
1. In a motor vehicle having a communication network which carries messages between devices in the motor vehicle, an indicator comprising:
- a display device which presents information to an occupant of the motor vehicle; and
a circuit connected to the communication network and intercepting messages which are intended for receipt by a given device other than the indicator, the control circuit controlling the display device to present information to the occupant in response to contents of the messages which are intercepted.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An indicator unit is provided to display information to occupants in a motor vehicle. The indicator unit is adapted for connection to a communication network and intercepts messages that carry data between other vehicle equipment. A control circuit is programmed to identify the existing network messages that carry the data needed for the information display. The control circuit operates a display device in response to received data. Because the indicator eavesdrops on the network and intercepts existing data messages, other equipment in the motor vehicle do not have to be programmed to communicate specifically with the indicator. This facilitates adding specific indicators to a particular truck.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. In a motor vehicle having a communication network which carries messages between devices in the motor vehicle, an indicator comprising:
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a display device which presents information to an occupant of the motor vehicle; and
a circuit connected to the communication network and intercepting messages which are intended for receipt by a given device other than the indicator, the control circuit controlling the display device to present information to the occupant in response to contents of the messages which are intercepted. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14)
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11. In a motor vehicle, an indicator which displays information in response to data transmitted via a communication network wherein a first network device addresses the data to a second address device other than the indicator, said indicator comprising:
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an interface circuit which couples the indicator to the communication network;
a display device which presents the information to an occupant of the motor vehicle; and
a control circuit connected to the interface circuit and to the display device, the control circuit intercepting data addressed to the second network device and controlling the display device to present information to the occupant in response to the data addressed to the second network device.
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Specification