Information display apparatus and method thereof

• US 8,395,522 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2010
• Issued: 03/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kweon, Donguke
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tai T
• Application Number:
  US12/859,824
• Publication Number:
  US 20110187547A1
• Time in Patent Office: 935 Days
• Field of Search: 340/670, 340/438, 340/458, 340/461, 340/467, 340/902, 340/904, 340/905, 455/441, 455/445, 455/567
• US Class Current: 340/670
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/141 Activation of instrument input devices by approaching fingers or pens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3822 specially adapted for use in vehicles H04B1/3827 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3877 Arrangements for enabling portable transceivers to be used in a fixed position, e.g. cradles or boosters
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/57 Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6075 adapted for handsfree use in a vehicle H04M1/6058 takes precedence; arrangements for holding telephones in a vehicle B60R11/0241
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages

Abstract

Disclosed are an information display apparatus and a method thereof capable of allowing a user to conveniently and safely drive by displaying a sender'"'"'s information corresponding to a call signal, on a windshield of a vehicle, through a display unit such as a Head-Up Display (HUD) or a projector, if the vehicle is in a running state when the call signal is received.

The information display apparatus comprises a communication unit configured to receive a call signal, and a controller configured to detect a vehicle speed when the call signal is received, and configured to display a sender'"'"'s information corresponding to the call signal, on a display unit, based on the vehicle speed.

Claims

1. A method for providing an indication of an incoming communication to a user of a vehicle, comprising:

receiving an indication of an incoming communication;

accessing speed information at least in part enabling determination of a current speed of the vehicle;

determining a current speed of the vehicle using the accessed speed information;

accessing a threshold speed;

comparing the current speed of the vehicle to the threshold speed;

determining whether the current speed of the vehicle is above or below the threshold speed;

presenting information related to the incoming communication to the user of the vehicle in a first manner if it is determined that the current speed of the vehicle is below the threshold speed; and

presenting information related to the incoming communication to the user of the vehicle in a second manner, that differs from the first manner, if it is determined that the current speed of the vehicle is equal to or above the threshold speed.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein presenting in the first manner leverages a different output device than presenting in the second manner.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein presenting information related to the incoming communication to the user of the vehicle in the first manner includes visually displaying information associated with the incoming communication to the user of the vehicle;

and

wherein presenting information related to the incoming communication to the user of the vehicle in the second manner includes communicating information associated with the incoming communication to the user of the vehicle using an audio device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein visually displaying information associated with the incoming communication to the user of the vehicle includes displaying a telephone number, a name, and art image associated with a person that initiated the incoming communication.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a driving state of the vehicle, using the accessed speed information;

accessing a response message stored within a memory; and

providing the response message to a source that initiated the incoming communication responsive to the determination made about the driving state of the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the response message is provided to the source that initiated the incoming communication responsive to determining that the driving state of the vehicle is a moving state.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the response message includes information relating to an interruption of delivery of the incoming communication based on at least one of a speed of the vehicle, a driving state of the vehicle, weather information, a location of the vehicle, and traffic information.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a driving state of the vehicle, using the accessed speed to information;

wherein presenting information related to the incoming communication to the user of the vehicle in the first manner includes;

providing information related to the incoming communication to the user of the vehicle in a first configuration if it is determined that the driving is state of the vehicle is a stopped state; and

providing information related to the incoming communication to the user of the vehicle in a second configuration if it is determined that the driving state of the vehicle is a moving state.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein providing in the first configuration includes connecting a voice call.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold speed is determined based on one or more of, speed limit information, traffic information, weather information, and temperature information.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold speed is set by the user of the vehicle.

12. A system for providing an indication of an incoming communication to a user of a vehicle, comprising:

a wireless communication unit configured to receive an indication of an incoming communication;

speed determination unit configured to determine speed information for the a vehicle and a current speed for the vehicle;

a threshold speed determination module configured to determine a threshold speed;

a speed comparator configured to compare the current speed of the vehicle to the threshold speed and to determine whether the current speed of the vehicle is above or below the threshold speed;

a first output device configured to present information related to the incoming communication to the user of the vehicle in a first manner if it is determined that the current speed of the vehicle is below the threshold speed; and

a second output device configured to present information related to the incoming communication to the user of the vehicle in a second manner, that differs from the first manner, if it is determined that the current speed of the vehicle is equal to or above the threshold speed.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the first and second output device are the same output device, wherein presenting in the first manner includes visually displaying information related to the incoming communication, and wherein presenting in the second manner includes visually displaying different information or a different amount of information than presenting in the first manner.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the first output device is a visual output device configured to visually display information associated with the incoming communication to the user of the vehicle;

and

wherein the second output device is an audio device configured to audibly communicate information associated with the incoming communication to the user of the vehicle.

16. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

a driving state identifier configured to determine a driving state of the vehicle, using the accessed speed information; and

a memory for storing a response message;

wherein the wireless communication unit is further configured to provide the response message to a source that initiated the incoming communication responsive to the driving state identifier determining that the driving state of the vehicle is a moving state.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the response message includes information relating to an interruption of delivery of the incoming communication based on at least one of a speed of the vehicle, a driving state of the vehicle, weather information, a location of the vehicle, and traffic information.

18. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

driving state identifier configured to determine a driving state of the vehicle, using the accessed speed information;

wherein the first output device is further configured to;

provide information related to the incoming communication to the user of the vehicle in a first configuration if it is determined that the driving is state of the vehicle is a stopped state; and

provide information related to the incoming communication to the user of the vehicle in a second configuration if it is determined that the driving state of the vehicle is a moving state.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein providing in the first configuration includes connecting a voice call.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the threshold speed determination module determines the threshold speed based on one or more of, speed limit information, traffic information, weather information, and temperature information.

15. The system of 14, wherein presenting in the first manner includes displaying a telephone number, a name, and an image associated with a person that initiated the incoming communication.

21. A system for providing an indication of an incoming communication to a user of a vehicle, comprising:

a wireless communication unit configured to receive an indication of an incoming communication;

speed determination unit configured to determine speed information for the a vehicle and a current speed for the vehicle;

a threshold speed determination module configured to determine a threshold speed;

a speed comparator configured to compare the current speed of the vehicle to the threshold speed and to determine whether the current speed of the vehicle is above or below the threshold speed;

means for presenting information related to the incoming communication to the user of the vehicle in a first manner if it is determined that the current speed of the vehicle is below the threshold speed and presenting information related to the incoming communication to the user of the vehicle in a second manner, that differs from the first manner, if it is determined that the current speed of the vehicle is equal to or above the threshold speed.