Communications interface module for vehicle
First Claim
1. A communications interface module mountable in a vehicle comprising:
- a housing for mounting in a vehicle;
a first electrical interface engaged with said housing for electrically communicating with a control system of a vehicle, the first electrical interface for receiving a selected electronic peripheral device from a plurality of different electronic peripheral devices, one of the plurality of different electronic peripheral devices communicates in first communications protocol and at least one other of the plurality of different electronic peripheral devices communications in a second communication protocol;
a second electrical interface engaged with said housing and spaced from said first electrical interface for being positioned in a passenger compartment of a vehicle;
a plurality of communication lines extending in said housing between said first electrical interface and said second electrical interface for exchanging a plurality of different communication formats between said first electrical interface and said second electrical interface; and
,a switch coupled between the plurality of communication lines and one of the first and second electrical interfaces, the switch for receiving a signal from one of the first and second electronic interfaces, automatically determining the communications protocol being used by the received signal, and automatically directing the signal to an appropriate one of the plurality of communications lines.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention provides a communications interface module mountable in a vehicle. The communications interface module includes a first electrical interface for electrically communicating with a control system of a vehicle. The communications interface module also includes a second electrical interface spaced from the first electrical interface for being positioned in a passenger compartment of a vehicle. The communications interface module includes a plurality of communication lines extending in parallel between the first electrical interface and the second electrical interface. The plurality of communication lines exchange a plurality of different communication formats between the first electrical interface and the second electrical interface.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A communications interface module mountable in a vehicle comprising:
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a housing for mounting in a vehicle; a first electrical interface engaged with said housing for electrically communicating with a control system of a vehicle, the first electrical interface for receiving a selected electronic peripheral device from a plurality of different electronic peripheral devices, one of the plurality of different electronic peripheral devices communicates in first communications protocol and at least one other of the plurality of different electronic peripheral devices communications in a second communication protocol; a second electrical interface engaged with said housing and spaced from said first electrical interface for being positioned in a passenger compartment of a vehicle; a plurality of communication lines extending in said housing between said first electrical interface and said second electrical interface for exchanging a plurality of different communication formats between said first electrical interface and said second electrical interface; and
,a switch coupled between the plurality of communication lines and one of the first and second electrical interfaces, the switch for receiving a signal from one of the first and second electronic interfaces, automatically determining the communications protocol being used by the received signal, and automatically directing the signal to an appropriate one of the plurality of communications lines. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 22)
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12. A method for placing a control system of a vehicle in electronic communication with an electronic peripheral comprising the steps:
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electrically communicating with a control system of the vehicle with a first electrical interface; positioning a second electrical interface in a passenger compartment of the vehicle spaced from the first electrical interface for electrically receiving an electronic peripheral, the second electrical interface for receiving a selected electronic peripheral device from a plurality of different electronic peripheral devices, one of the plurality of different electronic peripheral devices communicates in first communications protocol and at least one other of the plurality of different electronic peripheral devices communications in a second communication protocol; extending a plurality of communication lines in parallel between the first electrical interface and the second electrical interface for exchanging a plurality of different communication formats between the first electrical interface and the second electrical interface; receiving a signal at a switch from one of the first and second electronic interfaces, the switch being coupled between the plurality of communication lines and one of the first and second electrical interfaces; and automatically determining the communications protocol being used by the received signal and automatically directing the signal to an appropriate one of the plurality of communications lines. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A communications interface module mountable in a vehicle comprising:
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a housing for mounting in a vehicle; a first electrical interface engaged with said housing for electrically communicating with a control system of the vehicle; a second electrical interface engaged with said housing spaced from said first electrical interface for being positioned in a passenger compartment of the vehicle, the second electrical interface for receiving a selected electronic peripheral device from a plurality of different electronic peripheral devices, one of the plurality of different electronic peripheral devices communicates in first communications protocol and at least one other of the plurality of different electronic peripheral devices communications in a second communication protocol; a first communication line extending in said housing between said first electrical interface and said second electrical interface for communicating electrical power and electrical grounding from said first electrical interface to said second electrical interface; a second communication line extending in said housing between said first electrical interface and said second electrical interface for communicating serial and parallel data in two directions between said first electrical interface and said second electrical interface; a third communication line extending in said housing between said first electrical interface and said second electrical interface for communicating discrete signals in two directions between said first electrical interface and said second electrical interface; a fourth communication line extending in said housing between said first electrical interface and said second electrical interface for communicating analog/digital conversions in at least one direction from said first electrical interface to said second electrical interface; a fifth communication line extending in said housing between said first electrical interface and said second electrical interface for communicating unmodified signals in two directions between said first electrical interface and said second electrical interface; and
,a switch coupled between the communication lines and one of the first and second electrical interfaces, the switch for receiving a signal from one of the first and second electronic interfaces, automatically determining the communications protocol being used by the received signal, and automatically directing the signal to an appropriate one of the communications lines.
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Specification