Automotive information system and method of controlling the same, recording medium storing control program, disk playback apparatus, and semiconductor integrated circuit

• US 7,130,656 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2001
• Issued: 10/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd. (Faurecia SA)
• Original Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd. (Faurecia SA)
• Inventors: Kanazawa, Satoru, Kurihara, Nobuhiro, Okagaki, Hiroyuki, Hamashima, Sadafumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Milord, Marceau
• Application Number:
  US09/990,246
• Publication Number:
  US 20020032876A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,806 Days
• Field of Search: 455/557, 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 455/563, 455/410, 455/412.2, 713/300, 710/36, 710/724
• US Class Current: 455/557
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/102 a signal being sent to a remote location, e.g. a radio signal being transmitted to a police station, a security company or the owner

Abstract

An automotive information system has a main unit including a CPU and component units connected to the main unit through a universal serial BUS (USB), such as a car audio system including a CD-ROM auto-changer, a security control system, and a telephone system. At least one of the USB-connected component device, e.g., the security control system and/or the telephone system, has a detecting unit that detects occurrence of an event such as illegal approach to the automobile or receipt of telephone call. The USB-connected component device also has a start signal transmitting unit that transmits a start signal to the main unit when occurrence of the event is detected by the detecting unit. The main unit has a start signal receiving unit and a power control unit that serves turn on the power supply to the main unit in response to the start signal received by the start signal receiving unit. The main unit also has an inquiring unit which inquires the USB-connected component devices whether these component devices have sent the start signal. The USB-connected component device has an answering unit which answers the inquiry.

Claims

1. An automotive information system, comprising:

a main unit having means for detecting a start signal, and means for turning on a power supply to said main unit in response to said start signal; and

at least one peripheral device connected to said main unit and having means for detecting that a predetermined condition has been satisfied, and means for sending said start signal to said main unit when said predetermined condition has been satisfied, wherein said main unit includes means operative when said power supply is turned on in response to said start signal for the peripheral device, for inquiring from said peripheral device whether said peripheral device has sent the start signal, and wherein said peripheral device has means for answering the inquiry.

2. An automotive information system, comprising:

a main unit having means for detecting a start signal, and means for turning on a power supply to said main unit in response to said start signal; and

at least one peripheral device connected to said main unit and having means for detecting that a predetermined condition has been satisfied, and means for sending said start signal to said main unit when said predetermined condition has been satisfied, wherein said main unit includes means operative when said power supply is turned on in response to said start signal for the peripheral device, for inquiring from said peripheral device whether said peripheral device has sent the start signal, and wherein said peripheral device has means for answering the inquiry;

wherein said main unit and said device are connected by system cable means comprising

a first power line that enables electrical power to be supplied from said main unit to said peripheral device when the power supply to said main unit has been turned on;

a data line for enabling exchange of data between said main part and said peripheral device;

a second power line for enabling backup power to said peripheral device at least when the power supply to said main unit has not been turned on; and

a signal line for transmitting said start signal from said peripheral device to said main unit.

16. An automotive information system according to claim 2 further including a backup battery power source mounted in the vehicle remote from the plurality of peripheral devices and operatively connected to the plurality of peripheral devices through the second power line.

3. An automotive information system comprising a main unit, and a security control unit and a wireless telephone unit that are connected to said main unit,

wherein said security control unit includes:

a sensor for sensing a predetermined extraordinary event; and

means for sending a start signal to said main unit when the sensor senses the predetermined extraordinary event;

wherein said main unit includes;

means for detecting said start signal from the security control device;

means operative to turn on a power supply to said main unit in response to said start signal; and

means for sending, when said power supply is turned on in response to said stan signal received from said security control unit, a notification request signal to said wireless telephone unit to request said wireless telephone unit to send a notification of occurrence of the extraordinary event; and

wherein said wireless telephone unit includes;

means for detecting said notification request signal; and

means for activating the telephone function of said wireless telephone unit in response to said notification request signal to notify a user of the occurrence of the extraordinary event.

4. An automotive system comprising a main unit, a wireless telephone unit connected to said main unit, a speaker, and a microphone;

wherein said wireless telephone unit includes;

means for detecting receipt of a telephone call; and

means for sending a start signal to said main unit upon detection of the receipt of the telephone call;

wherein said main unit includes;

means for detecting said start signal;

means for turning on power supply to said main unit in response to said start signal;

means for informing a user of the receipt of the telephone call when said power supply to said main unit is turned on in response to said stan signal received from said wireless telephone unit;

means for detecting a responding operation of the user for responding to the telephone call; and

means for sending, when said responding operation is detected, connecting instruction to said wireless telephone unit to request said wireless telephone unit to connect the telephone call to said main unit;

said wireless telephone unit further includes;

means for detecting said connecting instruction; and

means responsive to said connecting instruction, for connecting the telephone call to said main unit; and

wherein said main unit further includes means for enabling the user to communicate with the telephone caller by means of said speaker and said microphone.

5. A method of controlling an automotive information system having a main unit and at least one device connected to said main unit, said method comprising the steps of:

enabling said device to detect that a predetermined condition has been satisfied;

causing said device to send a start signal to said main unit when the satisfaction of said predetermined condition is detected;

causing said main unit to detect said start signal; and

enabling said main unit to turn on power supply to said main unit in response to said start signal.

6. A method according to claim 5, further comprising the steps of:

causing, when the power supply is turned on in response to said start signal, said main unit to send an inquiry to said device to inquire whether said device has sent the start signal; and

enabling said device to answer the inquiry.

7. A method of controlling an automotive information system having a main unit, and a security control unit and a wireless telephone unit that are connected to said main unit, said method comprising the steps of:

enabling said security control unit to sense an extraordinary event;

causing, when the extraordinary event is sensed, said security control system to send a start signal to said main unit;

enabling said main unit to detect said start signal;

enabling said main unit to turn on power supply to said main unit in response to said start signal;

causing, when said power supply is turned on in response to said start signal received from said security control unit, said main unit to send a notification request signal to said wireless telephone unit to request said wireless telephone unit to send a notification of occurrence of the extraordinary event;

causing said wireless telephone unit to detect said notification request signal; and

activating a telephone function of said wireless telephone unit in response to said notification request signal to notify a user of the occurrence of the extraordinary event.

8. A method of controlling an automotive system having a main unit, a wireless telephone unit connected to said main unit, a speaker, and a microphone, said method comprising the steps of:

enabling said wireless telephone unit to detect receipt of a telephone call;

causing said wireless telephone unit to send a start signal to said main unit upon detection of the receipt of the telephone call;

enabling said main unit to detect said start signal;

enabling said main unit to turn on power supply to said main unit in response to said start signal;

enabling said main unit to inform a user of the receipt of the telephone call when said power supply to said main unit is turned on in response to said start signal received from said wireless telephone unit;

enabling said main unit to detect a responding operation of the user for responding to the telephone call;

causing said main unit to send connecting instruction to said wireless telephone unit to request said wireless telephone unit to connect the telephone call to said main unit;

causing said wireless telephone unit to detect said connecting instruction; and

causing said wireless telephone unit to connect the telephone call to said main unit in response to said connecting instruction; and

causing said main unit to enable the user to communicate with the telephone caller by means of said speaker and said microphone.

9. An information processing apparatus, comprising a main unit and at least one device connected to said main unit, wherein said device includes:

means for detecting tat a predetermined condition has been satisfied; and

means

for sending a start signal to said main unit upon detection of satisfaction of the predetermined condition; and

wherein said main unit includes;

means for detecting said start signal;

means for turning on power supply to said main unit in response to said start signal; and

means for inquiring, when the power supply is turned on in response to said start signal, said device whether said device has sent said start signal; and

wherein said device includes means for answering the inquiry.

10. An automotive information system cable for connecting main unit of an automotive information system and a device included in said automotive information system of claim 9;

comprising;

a first power line that enables electrical power to be supplied from said main unit to said device when the power supply to said main unit has been turned on;

a data line for enabling exchange of data between said main part and said device;

a second power line for enabling backup power to said device at least when the power supply to said main unit has not been turned on; and

a signal line for transmitting a start signal from said device to said main unit.

11. An electronic device to be connected to a control unit of an automotive information system, comprising:

means for detecting that a predetermined condition has been satisfied;

means for sending a start signal to said control unit upon detection of satisfaction of said predetermined condition; and

means for answering an inquiry given by said control unit as to whether said electronic device has sent said start signal.

12. An automotive information system control unit implementing an automotive information system in cooperation with at least one electronic device connected thereto, said automotive information system control unit comprising:

means for detecting a start signal sent from said electronic device;

means for turning on power supply to said main unit upon detection of the start signal; and

means for inquiring, when the power supply is turned on in response to said start signal, said electronic device whether said electronic device has sent said start signal.

13. An automotive information system, comprising:

a main unit having means for detecting a start signal, and means for turning on a power supply to said main unit in response to said start signal; and

at least one peripheral device connected to said main unit and having means for detecting that a predetermined condition has been satisfied, and means for sending said start signal to said main unit when said predetermined condition has been satisfied, wherein said main unit includes means operative when said power supply is turned on in response to said start signal for the peripheral device, for inquiring from said peripheral device whether said peripheral device has sent the start signal, and wherein said peripheral device has means for answering the inquiry;

wherein said main unit and said peripheral device are connected by system cable means comprising

a first power line that enables electrical power to be supplied from said main unit to said peripheral device when the power supply to said main unit has been turned on;

a data line for enabling exchange of data between said main part and said peripheral device;

a second power line for enabling backup power to said peripheral device at least when the power supply to said main unit has not been turned on; and

a signal line for transmitting said start signal from said peripheral device to said main unit.

14. An automotive information system, comprising:

a main unit having means for detecting a start signal, and means for turning on a power supply to said main unit in response to said start signal; and

at least one peripheral device connected to said main unit and having means for detecting that a predetermined condition has been satisfied, and means for sending said start signal to said main unit when said predetermined condition has been satisfied, wherein said main unit includes means operative when said power supply is turned on in response to said start signal for the peripheral device, for inquiring from said peripheral device whether said peripheral device has sent the start signal, and wherein said peripheral device has means for answering the inquiry;

wherein a plurality of peripheral devices are connected to the main unit and each peripheral device has means for detecting that one or more predetermined conditions have been identified;

means for sending a start signal when one or more predetermined conditions have been satisfied; and

means for receiving and responding to an inquiry from the main unit to identify the peripheral device that sent the start signal.

15. An automotive information system, comprising:

a main unit having means for detecting a start signal, and means for turning on a power supply to said main unit in response to said start signal; and

at least one peripheral device connected to said main unit and having means for detecting that a predetermined condition has been satisfied, and means for sending said start signal to said main unit when said predetermined condition has been satisfied, wherein said main unit includes means operative when said power supply is turned on in response to said start signal for the peripheral device, for inquiring from said peripheral device whether said peripheral device has sent the start signal, and wherein said peripheral device has means for answering the inquiry;

wherein the main unit includes a user interface face plate that is removably attached wherein removal renders the main unit incapable of directly receiving user inputs.

17. An automotive information system, comprising:

a main unit having means for detecting a start signal, and means for turning on a power supply to said main unit in response to said start signal; and

at least one peripheral device connected to said main unit and having means for detecting that a predetermined condition has been satisfied, and means for sending said start signal to said main unit when said predetermined condition has been satisfied, wherein said main unit includes means operative when said power supply is turned on in response to said start signal for the peripheral device, for inquiring from said peripheral device whether said peripheral device has sent the start signal, and wherein said peripheral device has means for answering the inquiry;

wherein the means for detecting a start signal includes an interrupt control register unit which is prohibited from setting up a search for the start signal.

18. An automotive information system that can connect and power a plurality of peripheral devices mounted to a vehicle, comprising:

a host main unit configured for mounting in the vehicle including;

a host power control unit;

a start signal receiving unit connected to the power control unit;

an inquiring unit;

a host processing unit; and

a host communication unit connected to the inquiring unit, the start signal unit, the host power control unit, and the host processing unit;

a plurality of peripheral devices configured for mounting on the vehicle, each including;

a peripheral power control unit;

a detecting unit;

a start signal transmitting unit connected to the detecting unit,

an answering unit;

a peripheral processing unit; and

a peripheral communication unit connected to the answering unit, the start signal transmitting unit, the peripheral power control unit and the peripheral processing unit; and

a USB cable including;

a first power line to enable electrical power to be supplied from the host power control unit to the plurality of peripheral devices;

a data line for enabling exchange of data between the host main unit and one or more peripheral devices;

a second power line for enabling backup electrical power to be provided to one or more peripheral devices when the host power control unit is turned off;

a signal line for transmitting the start signals from the start signal transmitting units to the start signal receiving units and an inquire signal from the inquiring unit to the answering unit wherein the plurality of peripheral devices, powered by the backup electrical power, can initiate a start of power by the host main unit and the host main unit, when powered up, can respond by inquiring which of the plurality of peripheral devices sent the start signal.

19. An automotive information system according to claim 18 further including a backup battery power source mounted in the vehicle remote from the plurality of peripheral devices and operatively connected to the plurality of peripheral devices through the second power line of the USB cable.

20. An automotive information system according to claim 19 wherein the start signal receiving unit includes an interrupt control register unit which is prohibited from setting a mask which would block the start signal from the plurality of peripheral devices.