Vehicle based communication system with a handheld device

• US 9,060,378 B1
• Filed: 11/24/2010
• Issued: 06/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: James Moyles
• Original Assignee: James Moyles
• Inventors: Richardson, Gus C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phung
• Application Number:
  US12/927,819
• Time in Patent Office: 1,665 Days
• Field of Search: 340/425.5, 340/426.16, 340/995, 701/1, 359/630
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/563 Vehicle displaying mobile device information
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/589 Wireless data transfers
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/834 Docking arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/23 Head-up displays [HUD] optical aspects of head-up displays G02B27/01
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/50 Instruments characterised by their means of attachment to or integration in the vehicle B60K35/231 takes precedence
• 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: H04M 1/6091 including a wireless interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A touch screen/keyboard is positionable within a vehicle. The touch screen/keyboard has a cradle. A projector is positioned on a dashboard of the vehicle. In this manner data is displayed on a windshield of the vehicle. A receiver couples the touch screen/keyboard and the projector. In this manner digital data is transmitted and received. A handheld communication device is adapted to be received in the cradle. The handheld communication device, when wirelessly coupled to the standard touch screen/keyboard, is adapted to transmit data for display on the windshield.

Claims

1. A handheld device for sending and receiving text messages through heads up displaying and selective inputting, the sending and receiving and the displaying and inputting being done in a safe, convenient and economical manner, the system comprising, in combination:

a vehicle (14) having a forward end (16) and a rearward end (18), the vehicle including a dashboard (20) and a windshield (22) extending laterally across the width of the vehicle, the vehicle also including a rearwardly extending steering wheel (24) located to one side of the dashboard and the windshield;

a standard touch screen/keyboard (28) coupled to a laterally intermediate region of the dashboard and extending rearwardly thereof, the standard touch screen/keyboard having alpha-numeric keys (30) adapted to be contacted by a user to create text messages, the standard touch screen/keyboard having a cradle (32);

a projector (38) positioned on top of the dashboard forwardly of and in longitudinal alignment with the steering wheel, the projector adapted to project text messages onto the windshield centered in front of a user while sitting at the steering wheel, the projected text messages include a plurality of optional formats including horizontally and vertically spaced messages;

a receiver (42) positioned within the dashboard, the receiver wirelessly coupling the standard touch screen/keyboard and the projector for transmitting digital data from the standard touch screen/keyboard to the projector, the receiver including an antenna (44) for receiving digital data from the standard touch screen/keyboard and for transmitting the received digital data to the projector for transmitting the received digital data to the projector for display as messages, the windshield having a height and a width, each message having a height and a width, the windshield having an upper 67 percent devoid of messages and a lower 33 percent adapted to receive messages over the majority of its extent in front of the steering wheel, the width of the message being greater than the height of the message; and

a handheld communication device (52) having a small touch screen/keyboard (54), the communication device having a small touch screen/keyboard being chosen from the class of handheld communication devices with a small touch screen/keyboard including cell phones, smart phones and PADs, the hand held communication device adapted to be selectively received in the cradle, the handheld communication device when wirelessly coupled to the standard touch screen/keyboard adapted to transmit digital data through the standard touch screen/keyboard and receiver and projector for display on the windshield, the touch screen/keyboard having an application (58) adapted to be contacted by a user to activate the system and to inactivate the system.