Computer system for integrating car electronic devices

• US 20040186936A1
• Filed: 03/21/2003
• Published: 09/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Inventors: Wang, Wei-Jen, Chen, Long-Tai, Liu, Wen-Che, Wu, Ya-Wen, Shu, Ping-Hui
• Granted Patent: US 6,886,060 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/72
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/828 Mounting or fastening exchangeable modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/828 Exchangeable modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• 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 16/0231 Circuits relating to the driving or the functioning of the vehicle monitoring tyres B60C23/00; indicating overspeed B60K31/00; for dash boards B60K37/00, B60Q3/10; for indicating emergencies B60Q1/52; brake control systems B60T; registering or indicating the working of vehicles G07C5/00; measuring distance G01C, e.g. combinations of speed and distance G01C23/00; engine indicators G01L; measuring speed or acceleration G01P
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0858 wherein the data carrier is removable

Abstract

A computer system for integrating several car electronic devices is proposed. The computer system is installed in a housing, which is of the standard DIN size to be installed in a car dashboard. A computer host is disposed in the housing, and can run at least an operating system or at least a software program. At least an external electronic device is connected to the computer host through a plurality of connection ports disposed on the computer host. A control panel is disposed at the front end of the housing to control the computer host. A display for displaying text or picture information is also connected to the computer host. A touch panel adhering to the display is also provided. Data can be input through contacting the touch panel. The connection ports can connect all electronic devices in a car for integrating and controlling them.

Claims

1. A computer system for integrating car electronic devices, comprising:

a housing of standard DIN size to be installed in a car dashboard;

a computer host received in said housing and capable of running at least an operating system, a plurality of connection ports being disposed on said computer host to connect at least an electronic device; and

a control panel disposed at a front end of said computer host and having a plurality of keys for controlling said computer host.

2. The computer system for integrating car electronic devices as claimed in claim 1, wherein the standard DIN size of said housing is 1DIN size or 2DIN size.

3. The computer system for integrating car electronic devices as claimed in claim 1, wherein said operating system run by said computer host is an open-end multitask operating system like Windows CE, Windows XP Embedded or embedded Linux.

4. The computer system for integrating car electronic devices as claimed in claim 1, wherein said connection ports on said computer host are disposed at a rear end backboard of said computer host.

5. The computer system for integrating car electronic devices as claimed in claim 4, wherein said connection ports includes at least a serial port, at least a parallel port, at least a data communication port, at least a display connection port and at least an audio connection port.

6. The computer system for integrating car electronic devices as claimed in claim 1, wherein said electronic device connected with said computer host is an audio device, an anti-theft device, a navigation device, a car status diagnosis device, a car backing supplementary device, a mobile communication device or a central air-conditioning device.

7. The computer system for integrating car electronic devices as claimed in claim 6, wherein said audio device includes an AM/FM radio set, a CD player, an amplifier, a sound effect equalizer and at least a speaker.

8. The computer system for integrating car electronic devices as claimed in claim 1, wherein said computer host comprises:

a bus connected to said connection ports and used for data exchange between each device;

a CPU connected to said bus and used to run software programs or perform processing, operation or access of data;

a memory unit connected to said bus and used to store temporarily software programs or said operating system run by said CPU; and

a chipset connected to said bus and responsible for data control, access or exchange between said CPU and said memory unit and said connection ports.

9. The computer system for integrating car electronic devices as claimed in claim 8, wherein said memory unit comprises:

a random access memory unit used to temporarily store software programs and operation data; and

a flash memory unit used to store said operating system, a plurality of application programs and a plurality of drivers.

10. The computer system for integrating car electronic devices as claimed in claim 8, wherein said computer host further comprises a wireless transmission module, wherein said wireless transmission module is connected to said bus, is used to connect at least a wireless electronic device in a wireless way, and transmits or receives wireless data to and from said wireless electronic device.

11. The computer system for integrating car electronic devices as claimed in claim 10, wherein said wireless electronic device is an anti-theft device, a navigation device, a car status diagnosis device, a car backing supplementary device, a mobile communication device or a central air-conditioning device.

12. The computer system for integrating car electronic devices as claimed in claim 8, wherein said computer host further comprises a storage, wherein said storage is connected to said bus and used to access, upgrade or expand said operating system, a plurality of application programs and a plurality of drivers.

13. The computer system for integrating car electronic devices as claimed in claim 12, wherein said storage is a hard disk drive.

14. The computer system for integrating car electronic devices as claimed in claim 12, wherein said storage is a CD-ROM drive.

15. The computer system for integrating car electronic devices as claimed in claim 12, wherein said storage is a memory card.

16. The computer system for integrating car electronic devices as claimed in claim 1, wherein a memory card slot is further disposed on said control panel for insertion of a memory card.

17. The computer system for integrating car electronic devices as claimed in claim 1, wherein a CD-ROM drive slot is further disposed on said control panel.

18. The computer system for integrating car electronic devices as claimed in claim 1, wherein a USB communication port is further disposed on said control panel.

19. The computer system for integrating car electronic devices as claimed in claim 1, wherein an IEEE1394 communication port is further disposed on said control panel.

20. The computer system for integrating car electronic devices as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a display, wherein said display is connected to one of said connection ports and used to display text or image information.

21. The computer system for integrating car electronic devices as claimed in claim 20 further comprising a touch panel, wherein said touch panel adheres to said display and is electrically connected to one of said connection ports of said computer host, data being inputted through contacting an image or text information displayed on said display.

22. A communication system for integrating car electronic devices, comprising:

a plurality of wireless electronic devices, each having a wireless transmission module;

a plurality of wired electronic devices, each having a wired connection interface;

a communication host having a wireless network interface and a wired network interface, said wireless network interface being connected to said wireless electronic devices to form a wireless network, said wired network interface being connected to said wired electronic devices to form a wired network, and said communication host being capable of connecting all said wireless electronic devices and said wired electronic devices via said wireless network and said wired network, an ID code being set for each of said communication host, said wireless electronic devices and said wired electronic devices for mutual data exchange.

23. The communication system for integrating car electronic devices as claimed in claim 22, wherein said wireless transmission module comprises:

a master control unit used to control data exchange between said electronic device and said communication host;

a wireless signal transmitter connected to said master control unit and used to transmit wireless signals to said communication host via said wireless network interface; and

a wireless signal receiver connected to said master control unit and used to receive wireless signals from said communication host via said wireless network interface.

24. The communication system for integrating car electronic devices as claimed in claim 23 further comprising a storage unit, wherein said storage unit is connected to said master control unit and used to store said ID code.

25. The communication system for integrating car electronic devices as claimed in claim 22, wherein said wireless connection interface comprises:

a master control unit used to control data exchange between said electronic device and said communication host;

a wired signal transmitter connected to said master control unit and used to transmit wired signals to said communication host via said wired network interface; and

a wired signal receiver connected to said master control unit and used to receive data from said communication host via said wired network interface.

26. The communication system for integrating car electronic devices as claimed in claim 25, further comprising a storage unit, wherein said storage unit is connected to said master control unit and used to store said ID code.

27. The communication system for integrating car electronic devices as claimed in claim 22, wherein said wireless electronic device is an anti-theft device, a navigation device, a car status diagnosis device, a car backing supplementary device, a mobile communication device or a central air-conditioning device.

28. The communication system for integrating car electronic devices as claimed in claim 22, wherein said wired electronic device is an audio device, an anti-theft device, a navigation device, a car status diagnosis device, a car backing supplementary device, a mobile communication device or a central air-conditioning device.

29. The communication system for integrating car electronic devices as claimed in claim 28, wherein said audio device includes an AM/FM radio set, a CD player, an amplifier, a sound effect equalizer and at least a speaker.