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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
First Claim
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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.

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