Car audio/video system

• US 20060112409A1
• Filed: 06/01/2005
• Published: 05/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Namsung Corporation
• Original Assignee: Namsung Corporation
• Inventors: Yoon, Seong-Ho
• Granted Patent: US 7,812,892 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/75
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/02 for radio sets, television sets, telephones, or the like; Arrangement of controls thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0264 for control means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/008 Adjustable or movable supports
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/027 for Din-sized apparatus

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a car audio/video (A/V) system in which both a rear panel informing a user of a variety of operational statuses of the car A/V system and a front panel having a TFT-LCD panel are installed in a 1-DIN-sized casing, thus improving the efficiency of usage of a limited space. The car A/V system includes a rear panel provided with a first display unit; a front panel provided with a plurality of key input elements and a second display unit; and a control means for executing an operation corresponding to a specified command signal input by manipulating the key input elements. In the car A/V system, both the front panel and the rear panel are installed in the front of a 1-DIN (Deutsches Institut für Normung)-sized casing of the system such that the front panel is placed in front of the rear panel and both the front panel and the rear panel are tilted as directed by the control means and are opened forward from the front of the casing.

Claims

1. A car audio/video system, comprising:

a rear panel provided with a first display unit;

a front panel provided with a plurality of key input elements and a second display unit; and

control means for executing an operation corresponding to a specified command signal input by manipulating the key input elements,

wherein both the front panel and the rear panel are installed in front of a 1-DIN (Deutsches Institut fü

r Normung)-sized casing of the system such that the front panel is placed in front of the rear panel and both the front panel and the rear panel are tilted as directed by the control means and are opened forward from the front of the casing.

2. The car audio/video system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the second display unit is placed on a central portion of the front panel and is made of a TFT (thin film transistor)-LCD (liquid crystal display) panel having a predetermined size.

3. The car audio/video system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first display unit displays thereon numerals and symbols to confirm a variety of operational statuses, while the second display unit displays thereon a moving image and a real-time variable map image.

4. The car audio/video system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the plurality of key input elements includes a tilt button, so that, when the tilt button is manipulated, the control means controls a tilting motion of the front panel based on an input tilting angle adjustment value.

5. The car audio/video system as set forth in claim 4, wherein the tilting angle adjustment value is input by a volume control element or an up/down button, which are included in the plurality of key input elements.

20. The car audio/video system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the control means comprises a tilt mechanism to tilt the front panel and the rear panel, the tilt mechanism comprising:

at least one motor;

a plurality of gear mechanisms to transmit a rotational force of the motor while reducing a rotational speed and changing a rotational force transmission direction; and

a plurality of lever mechanisms to move and rotate the front panel and the rear panel using the rotational force transmitted through the gear mechanisms.

6. A car audio/video system, comprising:

a rear panel provided with a first display unit;

a front panel provided with a plurality of key input elements and a second display unit, the key input elements being used to select a desired mode from among a radio mode, an optical disc mode and a TV mode, and to input fine adjustment values, a mode change signal and an operation command signal in a selected mode; and

a main unit comprising;

radio broadcast signal processing means for processing a signal of a radio broadcast channel selected by an AM/FM tuner;

TV broadcast signal processing means for processing a signal of a TV broadcast channel selected by a TV tuner;

optical disc playing means for playing an optical disc having sound data recorded thereon and reproducing sound; and

control means for executing an operation corresponding to a specified command signal input by manipulating the key input elements,

wherein both the front panel and the rear panel are installed in front of a 1-DIN (Deutsches Institut fir Normung)-sized casing of the system such that the front panel is placed in front of the rear panel and both the front panel and the rear panel are moved as directed by the control means.

8. The car audio/video system as set forth in claim 6, wherein the main unit further comprises a navigation interface jack to interface with a navigation system, so that, when a signal indicative of the navigation system having been turned on is input while a mode, selected from along the radio mode, the optical disc mode and the TV mode, is operated, the control means enters the selected mode and a road guidance service of the navigation system at the same time.

10. The car audio/video system as set forth in claim 6, wherein the plurality of key input elements includes a tilt button, so that, when the tilt button is manipulated, the control means controls a tilting motion of the front panel based on an input tilting angle adjustment value.

12. The car audio/video system as set forth in claim 10, wherein, upon receiving a tilt button manipulation signal, the control means displays information characters, representing tilt initiation, on the first display unit and the second display unit.

14. The car audio/video system as set forth in claim 6, wherein the second display unit is placed on a central portion of the front panel and is made of a TFT (thin film transistor)-LCD (liquid crystal display) panel having a predetermined size.

16. The car audio/video system as set forth in claim 6, wherein the first display unit displays thereon numerals and symbols to confirm a variety of operational statuses, while the second display unit displays thereon a moving image and a real-time variable map image.

7. A car audio/video system, comprising:

a rear panel provided with a first display unit;

a front panel provided with a plurality of key input elements and a second display unit, the key input elements being used to select a desired mode from among a radio mode, an optical disc mode, a TV mode and an external input mode, and to input fine adjustment values, a mode change signal and an operation command signal in a selected mode;

a main unit comprising;

radio broadcast signal processing means for processing a signal of a radio broadcast channel selected by an AM/FM tuner;

TV broadcast signal processing means for processing a signal of a TV broadcast channel selected by a TV tuner;

optical disc playing means for playing an optical disc having sound data recorded thereon and reproducing sound; and

control means for executing an operation corresponding to a specified command signal input by manipulating the key input elements; and

external audio/video selecting means for controlling, in conjunction with the control means, the input/output of external input signals transmitted from an external input source,

wherein both the front panel and the rear panel are installed in front of a 1-DIN (Deutsches Institut fü

r Normung)-sized casing of the system such that the front panel is placed in front of the rear panel and both the front panel and the rear panel are moved as directed by the control means.

9. The car audio/video system as set forth in claim 7, wherein the main unit further comprises a navigation interface jack to interface with a navigation system, so that, when a signal indicative of the navigation system having been turned on is input while a mode, selected from along the radio mode, the optical disc mode, the TV mode and the external input mode, is operated, the control means enters the selected mode and a road guidance service of the navigation system at the same time.

11. The car audio/video system as set forth in claim 7, wherein the plurality of key input elements includes a tilt button, so that, when the tilt button is manipulated, the control means controls a tilting motion of the front panel based on an input tilting angle adjustment value.

13. The car audio/video system as set forth in claim 11, wherein, upon receiving a tilt button manipulation signal, the control means displays information characters, representing tilt initiation, on the first display unit and the second display unit.

15. The car audio/video system as set forth in claim 7, wherein the second display unit is placed on a central portion of the front panel and is made of a TFT (thin film transistor)-LCD (liquid crystal display) panel having a predetermined size.

17. The car audio/video system as set forth in claim 7, wherein the first display unit displays thereon numerals and symbols to confirm a variety of operational statuses, while the second display unit displays thereon a moving image and a real-time variable map image.

18. The car audio/video system as set forth in claim 7, wherein the external input source is at least one of a DVD player, a video cassette player, a rear view camera, and a game console box.

19. The car audio/video system as set forth in claim 18, wherein, when a reverse gear is selected, the control means displays an input image, automatically produced by the rear view camera in response to a reverse gear select signal, on the second display unit of the front panel.