Removable dashboard instrument system

• US 9,251,627 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2013
• Issued: 02/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sears Brands LLC (Sears Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sears Brands LLC (Sears Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Carl, Ross
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEWANDROSKI, SARA J
• Application Number:
  US13/785,337
• Publication Number:
  US 20140257623A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,064 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29.1, 701/29.4, 701/33.2, 701/33.4, 701/410, 701/412, 701/448, 701/491, 701/26, 701/50, 701/411, 700/253
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/61 Specially adapted for utility vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/61 Specially adapted for utility vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/81 Fastening of instruments, e.g. to dashboard
• 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: B60R 11/02 for radio sets, television sets, telephones, or the like; Arrangement of controls thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0858 wherein the data carrier is removable
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/48 for in-vehicle communication

Abstract

An instrument system for a vehicle in which information regarding the operation of the vehicle is displayed on the display of a portable communication device. Information regarding the operation of the vehicle may be sensed by at least one sensor. The sensed information may be communicated to a vehicle controller and/or transmitted to the portable communication device. The sensed information may be used by the vehicle controller and/or the portable communication device to derive information regarding the performance or operation of the vehicle and displayed on the display. The portable communication device may also retrieve or derive other information relating to the operation of the vehicle, such as information obtained from a remote server, and display the additional information for the user of the vehicle. The vehicle may be configured to receive the secure placement of the portable communication device in the vehicle, such as on a dashboard.

Claims

1. An instrument system for a motorized vehicle comprising:

a portable communication device comprising;

a receiver configured to receive information regarding operation of the motorized vehicle from a vehicle transmitter;

a display configured to display the information received by the receiver; and

a controller having a processor, the processor configured to control the display of the information received by the receiver;

wherein the portable communication device is configured to record terrain information, the terrain information comprising one or more of;

the received information regarding operation of the motorized vehicle, and images captured by a camera during operation of the motorized vehicle;

and wherein the processor is configured to determine a course of travel for the motorized vehicle based on the recorded terrain information and information from a Global Positioning System for display at the display.

2. The instrument system of claim 1, wherein the portable communication device comprises an accelerometer that is configured to provide information relating to the rate of travel of the motorized vehicle, and wherein the processor controls the display of the information relating to the rate of travel of the motorized vehicle at the display.

3. The instrument system of claim 1, wherein the portable communication device comprises a memory that is configured to record the received information, and wherein the controller is configured to apply the recorded information to provide information regarding the maintenance of the vehicle.

4. The instrument system of claim 1, wherein the portable communication device is a smartphone.

5. The instrument system of claim 1, wherein the portable communication device is configured to receive information from a remote server relating to the operation of motorized vehicle and display at least a portion of the information from the remote server on the display.

6. The instrument system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to perform calculations on the received information to derive operational data, and wherein the operational data comprises at least some of the information that is displayed on the display.

7. The instrument system of claim 1, wherein processor is configured to execute an instrument application that provides sector information regarding the terrain on which the motorized vehicle is being operated to a display.

8. The instrument system of claim 1, comprising a securement mechanism configured to secure the portable communication device to the motorized vehicle.

9. The instrument system of claim 8, comprising a shield configured to cover at least a portion of the portable communication device when the portable communication device is secured to the motorized vehicle.

10. The instrument system of claim 8, wherein the securement mechanism comprises a housing having an interior portion and an outer portion, the interior portion configured to receive the insertion of the portable communication device.

11. The instrument system of claim 1, wherein the motorized vehicle comprises a dashboard, wherein a pocket is disposed within the dashboard, the pocket configured to receive the insertion of at least a portion of the portable communication device.