Vehicle computer system with transparent display

• US 9,235,553 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2013
• Issued: 01/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Fitch, Timothy R., Oberpriller, Mark Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Mary
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sweeney, Brian P
• Application Number:
  US13/780,271
• Publication Number:
  US 20140114530A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,048 Days
• Field of Search: 701/36, 701/45, 180/271
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/195 Blocking or enabling display functions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/02 responsive to conditions relating to the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/29 Instruments characterised by the way in which information is handled, e.g. showing information on plural displays or prioritising information according to driving conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/15 Fork lift trucks, Industrial trucks
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/24 Electrical devices or systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/13 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/00 Traffic control systems for road vehicles arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00 ; automatic vehicle control B62D

Abstract

The invention relates to a vehicle computer system. The vehicle computer system gathers data from a safety sensor to determine whether the proper safety conditions are present for the vehicle operator to interact with the vehicle computer system. A safety controller receives safety condition data gathered from the safety sensor and instructs the display manager to disable the display of information to the vehicle operator during unsafe operating conditions. The vehicle computer system advantageously employs a transparent display screen to provide greater field of vision of the vehicle operator than could be provided by a traditional display screen.

Claims

1. A vehicle computer system comprising:

a central processing unit;

a non-transitory mass storage device;

an operating system stored on said non-transitory mass storage device and executed by said central processing unit;

an input apparatus for receiving input from a user;

a transparent display device;

a safety sensor;

a display manager adapted to control the display of information on said transparent display device;

a safety controller adapted to instruct said display manager to stop or start the display of information and/or display only certain types of information on said transparent display device based on safety condition data received from said safety sensor;

a mounting bracket for removably mounting said vehicle computer system to said vehicle; and

an application program adapted to implement an augmented reality environment.

2. The vehicle computer system of claim 1 comprising a network interface.

3. The vehicle computer system of claim 1 wherein said input means is integrated with said transparent display device.

4. A computer-equipped vehicle that displays information to the operator only when certain safety conditions are met, the vehicle comprising:

a vehicle;

a vehicle computer system comprising;

a central processing unit;

a non-transitory mass storage device;

an operating system stored on said non-transitory mass storage device and executed by said central processing unit;

an input apparatus for receiving input from a user;

a transparent display device;

a safety sensor;

a display manager adapted to control the display of information on said transparent display device; and

a safety controller adapted to instruct said display manager to stop or start the display of information and/or display only certain types of information on said transparent display device based on safety condition data received from said safety sensor;

a mounting means for mounting said vehicle computer system to said vehicle;

said mounting means is a mounting bracket for removably mounting said vehicle computer system to said vehicle; and

an application program adapted to implement an augmented reality environment.

5. The computer-equipped vehicle of claim 4 wherein said vehicle computer system comprises a network interface.

6. The computer-equipped vehicle of claim 4 wherein said input means is integrated with said transparent display device.

7. The computer-equipped vehicle of claim 4 wherein said vehicle comprises a forklift.

8. The computer-equipped vehicle of claim 4 wherein said vehicle comprises a crane.

9. The computer-equipped vehicle of claim 4 wherein said vehicle comprises an automobile.

10. The computer-equipped vehicle of claim 4 wherein said vehicle comprises a mass-transit vehicle.