Vehicle communication system

• US 8,447,365 B1
• Filed: 08/11/2009
• Issued: 05/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Howard M. Imanuel
• Original Assignee: Howard M. Imanuel
• Inventors: Imanuel, Howard M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Tuan
• Application Number:
  US12/462,864
• Time in Patent Office: 1,379 Days
• Field of Search: 455/566, 455/369.1, 455/569.2, 455/575.9, 455/90.3, 455/569.1
• US Class Current: 455/569.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/135 Joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/148 Instrument input by voice
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/334 Projection means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/55 Remote control arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/589 Wireless data transfers
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/5894 SIM cards
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/5911 Bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/135 Joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/148 Input by voice
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/152 Displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/334 Projection means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/55 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/58 Data transfers
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/589 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/5894 SIM cards
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/5911 Bluetooth
• 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: B60K 35/22 Display screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/80 Arrangements for controlling instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/85 : Arrangements for transferring vehicle- or driver-related data
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 37/06 : of controls, e.g. controls knobs
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/01 : Head-up displays

Abstract

A vehicle has a dashboard, a windshield, a driver area with a steering wheel. A transceiver transmits and receives digital data for both text messages and voice messages. A voice activated wireless electronic device with a keyboard and a screen is built into the dashboard. A voice assembly includes a speaker and a microphone. A text assembly includes a display mounted in the dashboard. A joystick is adapted to allow a driver to manipulate data on both the screen of the electronic device and the display. A central processing unit operatively couples the transceiver, electronic device, speaker, microphone, and joystick.

Claims

1. A vehicle communication system for use by a driver in transmitting messages and receiving messages, both the transmitting and receiving being done in text form and in voice form, the system comprising, in combination:

a vehicle having a dashboard and a roof and a windshield between the dashboard and the roof, the windshield having a top adjacent to the roof and a bottom adjacent to the dashboard, the top and bottom being separated by a height, the vehicle also having a driver area with a steering wheel;

a transceiver including a transmitter adapted to transmit digital data for both text messages and voice messages, the transceiver including a receiver adapted to receive digital data for both text messages and voice messages;

a voice activated wireless electronic device with a keyboard and a screen, preferably adapted to use Bluetooth protocol, the electronic device being built into the dashboard and adapted to receive and transmit digital data in both text form and voice form;

a voice assembly including a speaker and a microphone, the speaker being mounted in the roof adjacent to the windshield above the driver area, the microphone being mounted in the dashboard in proximity to the driver area;

a text assembly including a projector mounted in the dashboard and adapted to create a heads-up display on the windshield of text from the digital data received and transmitted by the voice activated wireless device, the display having a lower extent adjacent to the dashboard, the display having an upper extent below a mid-point of the windshield, the display and the windshield both having a height with the height of the display being between 10 percent and 20 percent of the height of the windshield, the text assembly also including a joystick in the driver area within a convenient reach of a driver, the joystick adapted to allow the driver to manipulate data on both the screen of the electronic device and the display;

a central processing unit operatively coupling the transceiver, electronic device, speaker, microphone and projector for transmitting and receiving messages in text form and in voice form;

a remote telecommunication device chosen from the class of telecommunication devices including cell phones, telephones, computers, and like devices;

intermediate devices including satellites and towers to facilitate data transmission between the remote telecommunication device and the transceiver; and

wherein the system is adapted to be programmed through the keyboard of the electronic device.