Audio help system

• US 20090240845A1
• Filed: 03/18/2008
• Published: 09/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Denso International America Incorporated (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Denso International America Incorporated (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Kurpinski, Christopher M., Wakamatsu, Toshihiro, Keeling, Thomas J., McBride, Justin P., Wiegand, Michael A.
• Application Number:
  US12/077,454
• Publication Number:
  US 20090240845A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/16
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/143 Touch sensitive instrument input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1438 Touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/55 Remote control arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/80 Arrangements for controlling instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 37/00 Dashboards as road-vehicle superstructure sub-units B62D25/14
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/037 for occupant comfort , e.g. for automatic adjustment of appliances according to personal settings, e.g. seats, mirrors, steering wheel

Abstract

A communication system includes a communication device and a controller that detects input supplied to a vehicle subsystem. The controller consequently causes the communication device to output operational instruction information about the subsystem.

Claims

1. A communication system for a vehicle with at least one subsystem having an input device with which a user supplies an input, the communication system comprising:

a communication device; and

a controller that detects the input supplied with the input device and consequently causes the communication device to output operational instruction information about the at least one subsystem.

2. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the operational instruction information is operational instruction information about how to program the at least one subsystem.

3. The communication system of claim 1, further comprising a portable device and a receiver system, wherein the receiver system detects when the portable device is within a predetermined range of the vehicle, and wherein the controller causes the communication device to output the operational instruction information when the receiver system detects that the portable device is within the predetermined range of the vehicle.

4. The communication system of claim 3, wherein the controller automatically activates when the receiver system detects that the portable device is within the predetermined range of the vehicle, and wherein the controller automatically deactivates when the receiver system detects that the portable device is outside the predetermined range of the vehicle.

5. The communication system of claim 1, further comprising a counter that records a number of times the communication device outputs the operational instruction information, and wherein the controller disables output of the operational instruction information from the communication device after the counter records a predetermined number of times.

6. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the communication device includes at least one of a speaker and a video screen.

7. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the communication device is a user-interactive communication device.

8. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the controller also causes the communication device to output warning information about the at least one subsystem when the controller detects the input supplied with the input device.

9. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the controller is a programmable controller that allows a user to program the output of the operational instruction information.

10. A vehicle comprising:

a communication device;

at least one subsystem with an input device with which a user supplies an input; and

a controller that detects the input supplied with the input device and consequently causes the communication device to output operational instruction information about the at least one subsystem.

11. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the at least one subsystem is chosen from a group consisting of a wiper system, an interior light system, an exterior light system, a door system, a lock system, a navigation system, a climate control system, a seat adjustment system, a steering column adjustment system, an audio system, a video system, a mirror adjustment system, a safety system, an engine power delivery system, and an ignition system.

12. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the operational instruction information is operational instruction information about how to program the at least one subsystem.

13. The vehicle of claim 10, further comprising a portable device and a receiver system, wherein the receiver system detects when the portable device is within a predetermined range of the vehicle, and wherein the controller causes the communication device to output the operational instruction information when the receiver system detects that the portable device is within the predetermined range of the vehicle.

14. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the controller automatically activates when the receiver system detects that the portable device is within the predetermined range of the vehicle, and wherein the controller automatically deactivates when the receiver system detects that the portable device is outside the predetermined range of the vehicle.

15. The vehicle of claim 10, further comprising a counter that records a number of times the communication device outputs the operational instruction information, and wherein the controller disables output of the operational instruction information from the communication device after the counter records a predetermined number of times.

16. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the communication device includes at least one of a speaker and a video screen.

17. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the communication device is a user-interactive communication device.

18. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the controller also causes the communication device to output warning information about the at least one subsystem when the controller detects the input supplied with the input device.

19. The vehicle of claim 18, wherein the communication device outputs at least one of the operational instruction information and the warning information to an exterior area of the vehicle.

20. A vehicle comprising:

a communication device with at least one of a speaker and a video screen;

at least one subsystem chosen from a group consisting of a wiper system, an interior light system, an exterior light system, a door system, a lock system, a navigation system, a climate control system, a seat adjustment system, a steering column adjustment system, an audio system, a video system, a mirror adjustment system, a safety system, an engine power delivery system, and an ignition system, the at least one subsystem having an input device with which a user supplies an input;

a portable device;

a receiver system that detects when the portable device is within a predetermined range of the vehicle; and

a controller that activates when the receiver system detects that the portable device is within the predetermined range of the vehicle, the controller deactivating when the receiver system detects that the portable device is outside the predetermined range of the vehicle, the controller detecting the input supplied with the input device and consequently causing the communication device to output operational instruction information about the at least one subsystem.