Vehicle console capable of wireless reception and transmission of audio and video data

• US 10,448,079 B2
• Filed: 04/19/2016
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: VOXX International Corporation
• Original Assignee: VOXX International Corporation
• Inventors: Tranchina, James R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bruckart, Benjamin R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bantamoi, Anthony
• Application Number:
  US15/132,399
• Publication Number:
  US 20160330504A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,274 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0264 for control means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0026 Windows, e.g. windscreen
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0056 using suction cups
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 19/167 Audio streaming, i.e. formatting and decoding of an encoded audio signal representation into a data stream for transmission or storage purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6075 adapted for handsfree use in a vehicle H04M1/6058 takes precedence; arrangements for holding telephones in a vehicle B60R11/0241
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41 Structure of client; Structure of client peripherals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4113 PC
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4135 external recorder interface circuits between an apparatus for recording television signals and a television receiver H04N5/775
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41422 located in transportation means, e.g. personal vehicle arrangements specially adapted for transportation systems in broadcast systems H04H20/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42202 environmental sensors, e.g. for detecting temperature, luminosity, pressure, earthquakes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43632 involving a wired protocol, e.g. IEEE 1394 high-speed IEEE 1394 serial bus H04L12/40052
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/38 Transmitter circuitry for the transmission of television signals according to analogue transmission standards H04N5/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 : Conference systems

Abstract

A console for a vehicle comprises an assembly housing capable of being mounted in an interior of the vehicle, a wireless receiver, houseable in the assembly housing, adapted to wirelessly receive audio and video data from at least one input device, a recording device, houseable in the assembly housing for recording the audio and video data received from the at least one input device, and a wireless transmitter, houseable in the assembly housing, adapted to wirelessly transmit the audio and video data to at least one receiving device.

Claims

1. A method of operating a vehicle entertainment system, comprising:

providing, at a console, a browser to an occupant of a vehicle;

establishing a wireless connection between the vehicle and a remote device outside the vehicle, the wireless connection with the remote device outside the vehicle is implemented by an 802.11 protocol, wherein the remote device includes a database of media files stored in memory and is configured to access additional media files via the internet in response to a request originating at the vehicle;

displaying, at the console, media content to the occupant of the vehicle via the browser, wherein the media content is available from the remote device;

receiving a selection of the media content, at the console, from the occupant via the browser;

receiving the selected media content, at the console, from the remote device;

wirelessly providing the selected media content from the console to a display device inside the vehicle;

receiving a wirelessly transmitted broadcast stream from a hand-held display inside the vehicle;

storing the broadcast stream in a memory; and

wirelessly providing the broadcast stream to the display device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote device is a computer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the browser is presented on a display screen at the console.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the display device is another hand-held display device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected media content is provided to the display device inside the vehicle via a short range wireless communication technology.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the short range wireless communication technology includes Bluetooth.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the hand-held display device includes a phone or a personal digital assistant.

8. A method of operating a vehicle entertainment system, comprising:

providing, at a console, a browser to an occupant of a vehicle;

establishing a wireless connection between the vehicle and a remote device outside the vehicle, the wireless connection with the remote device outside the vehicle is implemented by an 802.11 protocol, wherein the remote device includes a database of media files stored in memory and is configured to access additional media files via the internet in response to a request originating at the vehicle;

displaying, at the console, media content to the occupant of the vehicle via the browser, wherein the media content is available from the remote device;

receiving a selection of the media content, at the console, from the occupant via the browser;

receiving the selected media, content, at the console, from the remote device;

wirelessly providing the selected media content from the console to a display device inside the vehicle;

receiving a wirelessly transmitted broadcast stream from a first hand-held display inside the vehicle;

storing the broadcast stream in a memory; and

wirelessly providing the broadcast stream to a second hand-held display device inside the vehicle.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first hand-held display device includes a phone or a personal digital assistant, and the second hand-held display device includes a phone or a. personal digital assistant.