Patent•
Vehicle computer system with wireless internet connectivity
10 Sep 1999-
TL;DR: A vehicle computer system has a housing sized to be mounted in a vehicle dashboard or other appropriate location, where a computer is mounted within the housing and executes an open platform, multi-tasking operating system.
Abstract: A vehicle computer system has a housing sized to be mounted in a vehicle dashboard or other appropriate location. A computer is mounted within the housing and executes an open platform, multi-tasking operating system. The computer runs multiple applications on the operating system, including both vehicle-related applications (e.g., vehicle security application, vehicle diagnostics application, communications application, etc.) and non-vehicle-related applications (e.g., entertainment application, word processing, etc.). The computer system has an Internet wireless link to provide access to the Internet. One or more of the applications may utilize the link to access content on the Internet.
Citations
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Patent•
04 Apr 2005
723 citations
Patent•
30 Nov 2007TL;DR: In this paper, a system for monitoring a vehicle that includes a wireless appliance in electrical contact with an in-vehicle computer is presented, where the appliance is configured to collect diagnostic data from the computer and send out the incoming data packet over the same network to modify the communication software.
Abstract: The invention provides a system for monitoring a vehicle that includes a wireless appliance in electrical contact with an in-vehicle computer. The wireless appliance features: 1) a data-collection component that supports communication software that collects diagnostic data from the computer; and 2) a data-transmission component, in electrical communication with the data-collection electronics, configured to transmit an outgoing data packet comprising the diagnostic data over a network and receive over the same network an incoming data packet that modifies the communication software. The wireless appliance communicates with a host computer system that is configured to: 1) receive the outgoing data packet from the network; 2) process the outgoing data packet to generate a set of vehicle diagnostic data; 3) host a web site on the Internet that displays the vehicle diagnostic data; and 4) send out the incoming data packet over the same network to modify the communication software.
617 citations
Patent•
18 Aug 2005TL;DR: In this paper, a fully automated web service with location-based services is presented, which is involved in transmission of situational location dependent information to automatically located mobile receiving data processing systems.
Abstract: Provided is a fully automated web service with location based services generally involved in transmission of situational location dependent information to automatically located mobile receiving data processing systems. The web service communicates with a receiving data processing system in a manner by delivering information to the device when appropriate without the device requesting it at the time of delivery. There are varieties of configurations made by different user types of the web service for configuring information to be delivered, and for receiving the information. The web service maximizes anonymity of users, provides granular privacy control with a default of complete privacy, and supports user configurable privileges and features for desired web service behavior and interoperability. The web service is fully automated to eliminate human resources required to operate services. Integrated with the web service are enhanced location based services providing map solutions, alerts, sharing of novel services between users, and complete user control for managing heterogeneous device interoperability through the web service.
542 citations
Patent•
26 May 2000TL;DR: In this paper, a system for communicating information facilitates wireless communication between electronic devices, which includes a transceiver provided in a vehicle and an electronic device located external to the transceiver using a Bluetooth communications standard.
Abstract: A system for communicating information facilitates wireless communication between electronic devices. The system includes a transceiver provided in a vehicle. The transceiver communicates with an electronic device located external to the transceiver using a Bluetooth communications standard.
408 citations
Patent•
10 Jun 1999
TL;DR: In this article, an information and control system for personnel transport devices is presented, which is coupled to the elevator system of a building and includes a touch panel input device, a flat panel display having a touch sensitive screen, and speech recognition and synthesis systems serving each elevator car.
Abstract: An information and control system for personnel transport devices. In one embodiment, the information and control system is coupled to the elevator system of a building, and includes a touch panel input device, a flat panel display having a touch sensitive screen, and speech recognition and synthesis systems serving each elevator car. The speech recognition and synthesis systems and input device(s) are operatively coupled to a processor and storage devices having a plurality of different types of data stored thereon. Each elevator car is also a client connected to a LAN, WAN, intranet, or Internet, and capable of exchanging data with and retrieving data therefrom. Functions performed by the information and control system include a voice-actuated building directory, download of selected data to personal electronic devices (PEDs), monitoring of areas adjacent to the elevator car on destination floors, and control of lighting and security monitoring in selectable areas of destination floors. The system is also optionally fitted with an RFID interrogator/reader capable of recognizing RFID tags carried by passengers on the elevator, thereby granting access to various controlled locations automatically after password authentication. The RFID system also allows the authenticated passenger(s) to control utilities such as lighting and HVAC within specific zones on their destination floors. The information and control system is also optionally equipped with an occupancy estimating sub-system which allows elevator cars to bypass calling floors when their capacity is reached or exceeded.
395 citations
References
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Patent•
30 Aug 1996
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a system for fleet management having a main process 1501 and client processes 1503, 1505, with a graphical user interface user apparatus 1508 having a display and user interface such as a keyboard.
Abstract: The invention provides a system for fleet management having a main process 1501 and client processes 1503, 1505. The system has a graphical user interface user apparatus 1508 having a display and user interface such as a keyboard. The system also uses a main process manager 1501 operably coupled to the display 1508 through a central processor. The child processes include a current report receiver 1503 operably coupled to the display through said central processor, and a history report receiver 1505 operably coupled to the display through the central processor. The child processes are also each operably coupled to a mobile information center, which provides vehicle position data and the like. This vehicle position data are received and transmitted to a fleet of vehicles (e.g., couriers, etc.) through the mobile information center.
267 citations
Patent•
28 Sep 1993
TL;DR: In this paper, a battery system for a vehicle includes a main battery for energizing the vehicle SLI circuits and an auxiliary battery for powering the vehicle EHC system, the battery system providing back-up of the auxiliary battery by the main battery under certain conditions and back up of the main batteries by the auxiliary batteries under certain other conditions.
Abstract: A battery system for a vehicle includes a main battery for energizing the vehicle SLI circuits and an auxiliary battery for energizing the vehicle EHC system, the battery system providing back-up of the auxiliary battery by the main battery under certain conditions and back-up of the main battery by the auxiliary battery under certain other conditions, and the battery system providing opportunity charging of the auxiliary battery once the vehicle engine is running whereby the auxiliary battery shares the charging current with the main battery with the auxiliary battery being gradually connected to the source of charging current for the main battery by increasing the duty cycle of the drive circuit that connects the auxiliary battery to the source of charging current while monitoring the state of charge of the main battery and decreasing the duty cycle of the drive circuit to protect the main battery state of charge. In other embodiments, separate sources of charging current are provided for the auxiliary battery.
224 citations
Patent•
21 May 1998TL;DR: In this article, the operating system monitors the sensors and prevents the display of non-driving-related windows to the driver when the vehicle is in motion or when it has the potential for motion.
Abstract: A vehicle computer system includes a display device that is configurable for viewing by a driver of a vehicle while the vehicle is moving. The display device is responsive to a processor that executes application programs in conjunction with an operating system. A plurality of sensors are used to indicate the position of the display device, to indicate vehicle motion, and to indicate the state of a chosen vehicle control such as a parking brake. Application programs open display windows in conjunction with the operating system. In opening a window, an application program can indicate whether the window will contain driving-related information. The operating system monitors the sensors and prevents the display of non-driving-related windows to the driver when the vehicle is in motion or when it has the potential for motion. Specifically, the operating system in such a situation hides any windows that have not been specified as being driving-related. Initially, all windows are assumed to contain non-driver related information; hence, they are hidden until it is determined what type of information they display.
182 citations
Patent•
24 Jun 1996TL;DR: In this article, the authors describe a high speed data exchange between the peripheral devices for streaming continuous audio or video data in a vehicle computer, where the data stream is organized into multiple frames, with each frame having multiple data bits and at least one valid bit to indicate whether the data bits are valid.
Abstract: A vehicle computer system has a housing sized to be mounted in a vehicle dashboard or other appropriate location. The housing includes a base unit and a faceplate. A first logic unit is mounted to the base unit to form a support module. The support module has two interfacing slots and can support connections to multiple peripheral devices. The support module facilitates high speed data exchange between the peripheral devices for streaming continuous audio or video data. The support module has a fast data memory to temporarily hold data being communicated between the peripheral devices. The support module also has a memory access circuit associated with each of the peripheral devices which designates at least one storage area within the fast data memory to hold data received from, or to be sent to, the associated peripheral device. The vehicle computer has a computer module which can be connected to or removed from one interfacing slot of the support module. A multi-bit bus (e.g., PCI bus) interfaces the computer module and the support module. The vehicle computer system also has a logic unit mounted to the faceplate to form a faceplate module. This module is detachably connected to the other interfacing slot of the support module. When the faceplate module is attached, a high speed serial interface electronically couples the support module to the faceplate module. The high speed serial interface enables the logic units on the support and faceplate modules to exchange a high speed, synchronized, serial bit stream. This data stream is organized into multiple frames, with each frame having multiple data bits and at least one valid bit to indicate whether the data bits are valid.
122 citations
Patent•
21 Jul 1992
TL;DR: In this article, a dual-battery switch circuit associated with a load is provided, which includes a primary battery, a secondary battery, and a circuit disposed to apply energy from the primary battery to the load.
Abstract: A dual-battery switch circuit associated with a load is provided. The switch circuit includes a primary battery, a secondary battery, a circuit disposed to apply energy from the primary battery to the load, and a controller which disposed to sense attempts to apply energy to the load. The controller is configured to couple the secondary battery to the primary battery with respect to the load when a predetermined number of attempts to apply energy to the load occur within a predetermined time period after a first attempt. Alternatively, a controller is provided which couples the secondary battery to the primary battery with respect to the load when an attempt is made to apply energy to the load and the temperature is below a predetermined level.
89 citations