Computer system for integrating car electronic devices

• US 6,886,060 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2003
• Issued: 04/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Inventors: Wang, Wei-Jen, Chen, Long-Tai, Wu, Ya-Wen, Liu, Wen-Che, Shu, Ping-Hui
• Primary Examiner(s): Shin, Christopher B.
• Application Number:
  US10/392,819
• Publication Number:
  US 20040186936A1
• Time in Patent Office: 767 Days
• Field of Search: 701 1- 2, 701 33- 41, 701/200, 710/1, 710 72- 74, 367679-686, 705 1- 5, 340/933, 340/825.49, 370/312, 370/8, 180167-179, 455 301- 306
• US Class Current: 710/72
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/828 Mounting or fastening 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, wherein said connection ports on said computer host are disposed at a rear end backboard of said computer host and wherein said connection ports include a display connection port and a display connected to said display connection port and used to display text or image information; and

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 to said touch panel through contacting an image or text information displayed on said display;

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

wherein the standard DIN size of said housing is 1DIN size or 2DIN size;

wherein said operating system run by said computer host is an open-end multitask operating system;

wherein said connection ports includes at least a serial port, at least a parallel port, at least a data communication port, and at least an audio connection port;

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;

wherein said audio device includes an AM/FM radio set, a CD player, an amplifier, a sound effect equalizer and at least a speaker;

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;

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;

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;

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;

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;

wherein said storage is a hard disk drive, a CD-ROM drive, or a memory card;

wherein a memory card slot is disposed on said control panel for insertion of a memory card;

wherein a CD-ROM drive slot is further disposed on said control panel;

wherein a USB communication port is further disposed on said control panel; and

wherein an IEEE 1394 communication port is further disposed on said control panel.

2. The communication system for integrating car electronic devices as claimed in claim 1, wherein said operating system comprises at least one of Windows CE, Windows XP Embedded, and embedded Linux.