Device, system and method for displaying a cell phone control signal in front of a driver

• US 7,734,414 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2006
• Issued: 06/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ace Visiontech Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Gil Alter, Gil Minzari, Guy Levin, Shai Ghilai, Yariv Gershony
• Inventors: Gershony, Yariv, Minzari, Gil, Ghilai, Shai, Levin, Guy, Alter, Gil
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu; Yonel
• Application Number:
  US11/396,942
• Publication Number:
  US 20070233376A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,526 Days
• Field of Search: 701/36, 701/1, 701/211, 345/8
• US Class Current: 701/211
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6091 including a wireless interface

Abstract

A device, system and method for transmitting a signal that controls a function of a cellular telephone from a key pad mounted on a steering wheel, and displaying an indication of such signal on a screen in front of a driver.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a display, said display for mounting in front of a driver between a dashboard and a windshield said display comprising an optical collimating system, wherein said optical collimating system is to project an indication of a control signal onto said display, said indication collimated near infinity;

a control pad for mounting on a steering wheel; and

a communication link;

wherein said control pad is to transmit said control signal over said communicant link, said control signal is to control a function of a cellular telephone, and wherein said display is to display an indication of said control signal.

2. The system as in claim 1, wherein said optical collimating system, comprises a variable brightness function to alter a brightness of said indication of said control signal on said display.

3. The system as in claim 1, wherein said display is mounted at a fixed distance from said optical collimating system.

4. The system as in claim 1, wherein said communication link comprises a wireless communication link between at least two of said control pad, said display and said cellular telephone.

5. The system as in claim 1, wherein said control pad is constructed of a flexible material to assume a contour of an area of a steering wheel upon which said control panel is affixed.

6. The system as in claim 1, wherein said control panel comprises a power source.

7. The system as in claim 1, comprising a mounting unit to mount said display from a windshield at an angle, said angle adjustable with pressure from fingers.

8. The system as in claim 1, wherein said display has a concave shape, and comprising a projector to project said indication onto said display.

9. A device comprising a screen for mounting in front of an automobile driver and above an automobile dashboard, said screen to display characters being optically collimated near infinity, by an optical collimating system which projects an indication of a control signal on the display said characters indicating a cellular telephone control signal.

10. The device as in claim 9, comprising a projector to project said characters onto said screen.

11. The device as in claim 10, wherein said projector comprises a lighting element with adjustable brightness.

12. The device as in claim 9, comprising a wireless receiver to receive indications of said cellular telephone control signal.

13. The device as in claim 9, wherein said screen comprises an area for four character display lines.

14. The device as in claim 9, comprising a wireless receiver to receive an indication of a cellular telephone control signal.

15. A method comprising:

transmitting a cellular telephone control signal from a control pad attached to a car steering wheel; and

displaying an optically collimated indication of said control signal on a screen, said screen located in front of a driver;

wherein said indication is collimated near infinity.

16. The method as in claim 15, wherein said transmitting comprises transmitting over a wireless link.

17. The method as in claim 15, comprising adjusting a brightness of said displaying.

18. The method as in claim 15, wherein said transmitting comprises wirelessly transmitting said control signal from said control pad to a cellular telephone.

19. The method as in claim 15, wherein said displaying comprises displaying up to four lines of characters on said screen.