Vehicle data system with common supply of data and power to vehicle devices
First Claim
1. A vehicle data system comprisingvehicle local area network means for conveying data to different points in a vehicle, andcontrol means coupled with said vehicle local area network means, and automatically operable for non-specifically assigning unique addresses to data devices without an assigned address when said data devices are coupled with the vehicle local area network means at any of said different points in the vehicle.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle for transport, fork lift or delivery route operations, for example, includes on-board peripherals which are coupled through a Local Area Network (LAN) into a data system. A LAN data bus provides selective access to the peripherals or data devices such as, for example, a large area display, a keyboard, a printer and a data terminal. The data system controls or provides data on tasks executed by or in connection with the operation of the vehicle. To increase the versatility of the vehicle, the data terminal, multiple data terminals, or any of the other data devices may be removably coupled to the LAN to be operable externally of the vehicle. A mobile mount adapter provides a secure electrical connection of a respective data terminal to the LAN to removably incorporate the data terminal into the data system, and provide a common supply of both data and power to the data device.
127 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A vehicle data system comprising
vehicle local area network means for conveying data to different points in a vehicle, and control means coupled with said vehicle local area network means, and automatically operable for non-specifically assigning unique addresses to data devices without an assigned address when said data devices are coupled with the vehicle local area network means at any of said different points in the vehicle.
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5. A vehicle data transmission system for controlling the transmission of data along a network which interconnects a plurality of data exchange points, each of the plurality of data exchange points being connected to a corresponding one of a plurality of portable data terminals, each of the plurality of data terminals comprising means for data gathering and a terminal power source, said system comprising:
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a) a plurality of terminal mounting adaptors, each adaptor associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of data exchange points for receiving and mounting a corresponding one of the plurality of portable data terminals for movement with the vehicle; b) vehicle data/power bus means for conveying data to and from the plurality of data exchange points and for applying power from a vehicle power source to each of said plurality of terminal mounting adaptors; and c) a plurality of actuable data couplers, each data coupler associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of portable data terminals and a corresponding one of the plurality of data exchange points and actuatable in response to the receipt of a data transmission command to be disposed from an isolated state to a connected state wherein that data terminal mounted within said corresponding mounting adaptor is coupled to said vehicle data/power bus means to permit the data transmission via the corresponding one data exchange point, said isolated state places no load on said vehicle data/power bus means. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A vehicle data transmission system for controlling the transmission of data, said system comprising:
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a) a plurality of portable data terminals, each portable data terminal comprising a terminal power source; b) a plurality of terminal mounting adaptors, each terminal mounting adaptor associated with a corresponding one of a plurality of data exchange points for receiving and mounting a corresponding one of said plurality of portable data terminals for movement with the vehicle; c) vehicle data/power bus means for conveying data to and from said plurality of data exchange points and for applying power from a vehicle power source to each of said plurality of terminal mounting adaptors; and d) a plurality of actuatable data couplers, each actuatable data coupler associated with a corresponding one of said plurality of portable data terminals and a corresponding one of said plurality of data exchange points and actuatable in response to the receipt of a data transmission command to be disposed from an isolated state to a connected state wherein that portable data terminal mounted within said corresponding mounting adaptor is coupled to said vehicle data/bus means to permit the data transmission via said corresponding data exchange point, said isolated state .places no load on said vehicle data/power bus means. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A vehicle data transmission system comprising:
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a) a portable data terminal comprising means for data gathering, a first electrical contact and a terminal power source; b) vehicle data/power bus means for conveying data to and from said first electrical contact and for applying power from a vehicle power source to a second electrical contact, said second electrical contact comprises a resilient, electrically conductive member disposable between a relaxed state and a depressed state; c) a terminal mounting adaptor for receiving and mounting said portable data terminal for movement with the vehicle, said terminal mounting adaptor having said second electrical contact affixed thereto, means for defining a channel for receiving said portable data terminal in a received position therein so that said first electrical contact is aligned to electrically connect with said second electrical contact and to dispose said resilient, electrically conductive member to its depressed state, and means for releasably retaining said portable data terminal within said channel in said received position during the mobile use of the vehicle and for providing quick removal of said portable data terminal from said channel for portable use remote from the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification