Data acquisition and display system for motor vehicles

• US 7,928,837 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2008
• Issued: 04/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OPUS IVS Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Drew Technologies Incorporated (Opus Group AB)
• Inventors: Herron, Brian, Drew, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Benjamin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pham; Lam P
• Application Number:
  US12/046,072
• Publication Number:
  US 20090043446A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,134 Days
• Field of Search: 340438-454, 340459-462, 701 29- 35
• US Class Current: 340/438
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1442 Emulation of input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/55 Remote control arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/566 Mobile devices displaying vehicle information
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/1442 Emulation of input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/55 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/566 Mobile devices displaying vehicle information
• 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: G01C 21/3664 Details of the user input interface, e.g. buttons, knobs or sliders, including those provided on a touch screen; remote controllers; input using gestures

Abstract

The present invention is directed toward a data acquisition and display system for vehicles that includes a GPS receiver and connects to the vehicle'"'"'s on-board computer(s) via a data link connector. The system includes a display module suitable for permanent or temporary attachment within the interior of a vehicle. The display module includes a display computer including a suitable processor, operating system, software and tangible data storage media to allow multiple user configurable functions for display on a full color monitor that also functions as a touch screen for inputting commands to the computer. The display module collects information from the GPS receiver via direct electrical communication and/or vehicle via multiple busses and senders through the data link connector and displays the information on the screen of the display module in a user configured graphics format. The direct connection between the display module and the data link facilitates bi-directional communication with the vehicle'"'"'s on-board computer(s) for diagnostics as well as reprogramming of the on-board computer(s) which may be accomplished in real-time.

Claims

1. An aftermarket data acquisition and display system for displaying operator configurable information within a motor vehicle comprising:

a display module constructed and arranged to be secured within the interior of said motor vehicle, said display module including a display computer in electrical communication with a display monitor, a GPS receiver, and at least one vehicle connection port, said display computer including software constructed and arranged for operator configuration of said display computer regarding the delivery of instructions to said display monitor for display of at least two operator configured visual images relating to data received from said GPS receiver and said at least one vehicle connection port upon said display monitor;

said GPS receiver constructed and arranged for receiving GPS signals from a plurality of GPS satellites, said GPS receiver in electrical communication with said display computer for determining a location of the GPS device as a function of the GPS signals; and

a data link connector extending between said vehicle connection port and at least one on-board computer positioned within said motor vehicle for bi-directional electrical communication of data relating to said motor vehicle, said display monitor simultaneously displaying said at least two operator configured visual images, the position of each of said at least two operator configured visual images on said display monitor being repositionable relative to other operator configured images on said display monitor based on operator configuration.

2. The data acquisition and display system of claim 1 wherein said display module includes at least one peripheral input port in electrical communication with said display computer for electrical communication with at least one peripheral device, said software constructed and arranged for operator configuration of said display computer regarding the delivery of instructions to said display monitor for display of an operator configured visual image relating to data received from said peripheral device on said display monitor.

3. The data acquisition and display system of claim 1 wherein said peripheral device is a digital camera.

4. The data acquisition and display system of claim 1 wherein said peripheral device is an accelerometer.

5. The data acquisition and display system of claim 1 wherein said display module includes a physical computer readable carrier constructed and arranged for storage of data received from said on-board computer and said GPS, whereby said data may be selectively recalled and replayed on said display monitor.

6. The data acquisition and display system of claim 5 wherein said computer readable carrier is constructed and arranged for storage of data received from said at least one peripheral device.

7. The data acquisition and display system of claim 6 wherein said display computer attaches a timestamp to said data received and stored by said computer readable carrier, whereby said on-board computer data and said peripheral device data may be recalled and viewed simultaneously.

8. The data acquisition and display system of claim 1 wherein said monitor is a touch screen constructed and arranged for inputting commands to said display computer.

9. The data acquisition and display system of claim 1 wherein display computer is constructed and arranged to automatically change said visual image based on signals received from said on-board computer.

10. A data acquisition and display system for displaying operator configurable information within a motor vehicle comprising:

a display module constructed and arranged to be secured within the interior of said motor vehicle, said display module including;

a GPS receiver for receiving GPS signals from a plurality of GPS satellites, said GPS receiver in electrical communication with said display computer for determining a location of the GPS device as a function of the GPS signals;

at least one vehicle connection port in electrical communication with said display computer;

a data link connector extending between said vehicle connection port and at least one on-board computer positioned within said motor vehicle for bi-directional electrical communication of data relating to said motor vehicle;

a display computer in electrical communication with a display monitor, said display monitor simultaneously displaying at least two operator configured visual images relating to data received from said GPS receiver and said at least one on-board computer, the position of each of said at least two operator configured visual images on said display monitor being repositionable relative to other operator configured images on said display monitor based on operator configuration;

said display computer including software constructed and arranged for operator configuration of said display computer regarding the delivery of instructions to said display monitor for display of said at least two operator configurable visual images relating to said data received on said display monitor.

11. The data acquisition and display system of claim 10 wherein said operator configured visual image is selected from the group consisting of graphics, graphs, fonts, needles, buttons, program generated objects and backgrounds.

12. The data acquisition and display system of claim 10 wherein display computer is constructed and arranged to automatically change said visual image based on ambient light conditions within the motor vehicle.

13. The data acquisition and display system of claim 10 wherein display computer is constructed and arranged to automatically change said visual image based on signals received from said on-board computer.

14. The data acquisition and display system of claim 10 wherein said display module includes at least one peripheral input port in electrical communication with said display computer for electrical communication with at least one peripheral device, said software constructed and arranged for operator configuration of said display computer regarding the delivery of instructions to said display monitor for display of an operator configured visual image relating to data received from said peripheral device on said display monitor.

15. The data acquisition and display system of claim 14 wherein said peripheral device communicates with said peripheral device port via wireless connection.

16. The data acquisition and display system of claim 15 wherein said wireless connection utilizes a Bluetooth protocol.

17. The data acquisition and display system of claim 10 wherein said display computer and said software are constructed and arranged for operator configuration of said on-board computer regarding at least one operational parameter of a vehicular system controlled by said on-board computer.

18. The data acquisition and display system of claim 10 wherein said data received from said on-board computer is vehicle diagnostic data.

19. The data acquisition and display system of claim 10 wherein display computer is constructed and arranged to automatically change said visual image or emit an audio sound based on signals received from said on-board computer, said signals represent vehicle operating parameters outside of preset limits.

20. A data acquisition and display system for displaying operator configurable information within a motor vehicle comprising:

a display module constructed and arranged to be secured within the interior of said motor vehicle, said display module including a display computer and a display monitor in electrical communication with each other, said display module including at least one vehicle connection port in electrical connection with said display computer, a data link connector extending between said vehicle connection port and at least one on-board computer positioned within said motor vehicle for bi-directional electrical communication of data relating to said motor vehicle, a GPS receiver for receiving GPS signals from a plurality of GPS satellites, said GPS receiver in electrical communication with said display computer for determining a location of the GPS receiver as a function of the GPS signals, said display module includes a physical computer readable memory carrier constructed and arranged for storage of data received from said on-board computer pertaining to said at least one on-board computer and from said GPS receiver, said data being selectively recalled and displayed simultaneously on said display monitor based on time stamps of said data, said display computer including software constructed and arranged for configuration of said display computer regarding the delivery of instructions to said display monitor for simultaneous display at least two configured visual images relating to data received from said on-board computer and from said GPS receiver on said display monitor.