GB2390347A

GB2390347A - Portable interface device for a vehicle

Info

Publication number: GB2390347A
Application number: GB0215253A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jeremy John Greenwood; Stephen Paul Nicholls
Original assignee: Ford Global Technologies LLC
Current assignee: Ford Global Technologies LLC
Priority date: 2002-07-02
Filing date: 2002-07-02
Publication date: 2004-01-07
Also published as: GB0215253D0

Abstract

A portable interface device for a vehicle comprises a screen 15 for displaying information to a user, and a user input 32 in the form of a joystick. The device can be held in the hand and used remotely from the vehicle to control various functions of the vehicle, or it can be mounted in a docking station 50 in the vehicle. When in the docking station it is powered by a 12V supply through a connector 26 and communicates with the vehicle through an infra red communication channel 68. When the supply voltage is detected by the device is displays information on the screen in landscape format. When the supply is not detected, in order to make the device more suitable for hand-held use, the display is in portrait format.

Description

Portable Interface Devices The present invention relates to portable

interface devices for vehicles.

5 As the number of functions and features of a vehicle which can be selected and controlled by the driver increases, the need for a user friendly interface between the driver and the vehicle also increases.

Accordingly the present invention provides a portable interface device 10 arranged to enable a user to interface with a vehicle, the device comprising control means, communication means arranged to communicate with the vehicle, a screen for providing a display of information to the user, and user input means, wherein the device is adapted to be placed in a docking station in the vehicle, and includes docking detection means arranged to 15 detect when it is in the docking station, and the control means is arranged to control the screen so that it can provide the display in each of two orientations, and to select one of said orientations in response to detection by the docking detection means that the device is in the docking station.

20 The present invention further provides an interface system for a vehicle comprising a device according to the invention, a docking station in the vehicle for receiving the device, and communication means on the vehicle for communicating with the device.

25 The present invention still further provides a vehicle including an interface system according to the invention.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 5 Figure 1 is a functional block diagram of a communication device according to the invention; Figure 2 shows the device of Figure 1 in a docking station in a vehicle; 10 Figure 3 shows the location of the docking station of Figure 2 in the vehicle; Figure 4 shows the device of Figure 1 in a carrier; and 15 Figure 5 shows an interface device according to a second embodiment of the invention.

Referring to Figure I a portable communication unit 8 comprises a central microprocessor 10 which is connected to a user input 12, a digital display 20 14, a digital camera 16, an infra red communication unit 18 arranged to transmit and receive infra red signals, a microwave communication unit 20 arranged to transmit and receive microwave signals, a UHF communication unit 22 arranged to transmit and receive UHP signals and a satellite navigation or GPS unit 24, and a 12V electrical connector 26 arranged to 25 connect the unit to a DC power supply. The unit 8 further comprises a battery 28 and a charging circuit 29 arranged to charge the battery 28 under the control of the microprocessor 10. The charging circuit 29 is arranged to supply power to the microprocessor directly from the connector 26 if it is connected to a supply, or from the battery 28 if it is not, and to control 30 charging of the battery from the connector 26.

Referring to Figure 2, the unit 8 comprises a casing 30, with the display 14, in the form of a rectangular screen 15, set into its rectangular front side 30a. The screen IS is orientated so that its longer edges lSa are parallel to the longer sides 30b of the front side 30a of the casing. The user input 12 in S the form of a joystick 32 mounted on the front side 30a of the casing 30, adjacent to the display 14. Control of the display by the user is menu driven and performed by moving or tilting the joystick 32 in each of four possible directions, which are indicated on the casing 30 around the joystick 32 by means of permanent markers or arrows 34. The unit further comprises a 10 UHF aerial 36 connected to the UHF unit 22 and a microwave aerial 38 connected to the microwave unit 20. An infra red transmitter 40 and receiver 42 are mounted in the end of the casing 30 and connected to the infra red communication unit 18, and the 12V connector 26 is mounted in end of the casing 30 next to the infra red transmitter and receiver 40, 42.

The device 8 is arranged to be removably mounted in a docking station 50 in a vehicle. The docking station SO comprises two side walls 52, 54 and an end wall 56, the walls 52, 54, 56 being shaped so that the device 8 can be slid into and out of the docking station 50 from one end 58, and so that, 20 when in the docking station, the whole of the screen IS is visible and the joystick 32 can be operated. At the closed end 60 of the docking station a 12V electrical supply connector 62 is provided, mounted in the end wall 56 and positioned such that, on sliding the device 8 into the docking station SO, it will be connected to the 12V connector 26 on the device 8. Also 25 mounted in the end wall 56 are an infra red transmitter 64 and receiver 66, positioned so that, with the device in the docking station 50, they will be adjacent to, but not in contact with, the receiver 42 and transmitter 40 on the device 8. The transmitter and receiver 64, 66 are connected to an infra red input/output device 68 which in turn is connected to a communications 30 module 70 in the vehicle. This module 70 is also connected to a UHF aerial 72 and microwave aerial 74 enabling it to communicate via UHF and microwave, as well as infra red, with the device 8.

Referring to Figure 3, the docking station 50 is located in the interior of the vehicle 80 in a position where it is visible to the driver. Specifically it is located centrally just above the windscreen 82, and just above the rear view 5 mirror 84. The docking station 50 is also arranged horizontally so that, when the device is docked in it, the screen 15 is orientated horizontally with its longer edges 15a at the top and bottom and its shorter edges 15b at the sides.

10 The unit is operable to perform a number of functions The GPS unit 24 enables it to act as a navigation tool, with navigational information displayed on the screen 15, the video camera 16 and microwave communication channel enable it to record video images for display on the screen 15 or for communication to the vehicle 80, or to other similar units, 15 and also to receive video images and display them on the screen 15. The infra red link is used to transmit data between the vehicle 80 and the unit 8 when it is in the docking station 50, so that that information can be displayed to the driver on the screen. This enables it to display other information about the vehicle to the driver when it is docked. This can be, 20 for example, information about the oil, fuel and water levels in the vehicle, or diagnostic information indicating any possible faults with the vehicle which might need attention. The UHF link enables the unit 8 to communicate remotely with the vehicle so as to provide remote control of vehicle functions such as the vehicle's security system, or its active 25 suspension system to enable raising and lowering of the vehicle to aid the driver in connecting up a trailer to the vehicle.

Control of the unit 8 by the user is carried out by operation of the joystick 32 which moves a cursor or highlighter 86 on the screen 15 to select 30 functions from a menu on the screen. When the unit 8 is removed from the docking station 50 and is held in the hand of the user, it is most convenient of the display on the screen 15 is in portrait format, that is with the bottom

and top of the display at the shorter edges 15b of the screen. This enables the unit 8 to be held with the joystick 32 towards the user. However, when the unit 8 is docked, the display needs to be in landscape format, with the top and bottom of the display along the longer edges 15a of the screen 15.

5 Therefore, the microprocessor is arranged to detect when the unit 8 is in the docking station and to control the orientation of display on the screen 15 in response. In this embodiment, the microprocessor detects via the charging circuit 29 10 when the supply voltage is connected to the 12V terminal 26 and uses that as an indicator of whether the unit 8 is in the docking station or not. If it is, then the display on the screen is formatted in landscape format, so that it can be viewed by the driver of the vehicle. If the 12V supply voltage is not detected, then the microprocessor assumes that the unit 8 is being hand 15 held, and rotates the display on the screen through 900 so that it appears on the screen 15 in portrait format. In either case the joystick 32 can be used to move the marker 86 round the screen to select various functions which are presented on the screen 15.

20 In order to ensure that the vehicle battery is not drained by the unit 8, the microprocessor 10 is arranged to receive signals via the infra red link 18 from the vehicle engine management system indicating when the vehicles engine is running, and to charge the battery 28 only when the engine is running. However it should be noted that the detection of docking is only 25 dependent on detection of the 12V connection since the display needs to be in the landscape format whenever the unit 8 is docked, regardless of whether the battery can be charged.

In a second embodiment of the invention, the microprocessor is arranged to 30 detect when the unit 8 is docked by means of the infra red link. While it is operating, the unit 8 continually transmits from its IR transmitter 40 a signal requesting a response from the vehicle. If the unit 8 is docked this

signal is picked up by the IR receiver 66 in the docking station and passed on to the communications unit 70 on the vehicle This responds by sending a reply signal via the transmitter 64 to the receiver 42 on the unit 8. This response is used as an indicator that the unit 8 is in the docking station 50.

5 The presence of absence of the response is therefore used to determine the orientation of the display on the screen IS.

Referring to Figure 4, in the second embodiment the unit 8 is also mountable in a further docking station or carrier 90 which can be mounted 10 in suitable position outside, or completely remote from the vehicle, for example on a bicycle handlebar 92. This docking station is also arranged to hold the unit 8 in the horizontal position, and the microprocessor therefore also needs to be able to detect when the unit 8 is in this carrier 90 and rotate the display to the landscape format. To achieve this, the carrier 90 IS includes a mirror 94 arranged to be adjacent the infra red transmitter and receiver 40, 42. The mirror is arranged to reflect infra red light transmitted from the transmitter 40 back to the receiver 42. Therefore, when the transmitter sends out the request signal the same signal is immediately detected at the receiver. This is taken as an indication that the unit 8 is in 20 the carrier 90, and the display is orientated accordingly.

Referring to Figure 5, in a third embodiment of the invention a communication unit 100, which comprises all of the features of the first embodiment, further comprises a tilt switch 102 which is arranged to detect 25 the orientation of the unit 100 and send signals to the microprocessor 104 accordingly. When the unit lOO is in the docking station 105, the tilt switch will indicate that the unit 100 is in the horizontal orientation, and the microprocessor will control the display on the screen 106 accordingly.

When the unit 100 is removed from the docking station, the orientation of 30 the display on the screen 106 will depend on the orientation in which the unit 100 is being held.

Claims

Claims

1. A portable interface device arranged to enable a user to interface with a vehicle, the device comprising control means, communication means arranged to communicate with the vehicle, a screen for providing a display 5 of information to the user, and user input means, wherein the device is adapted to be placed in a docking station in the vehicle, and includes docking detection means arranged to detect when it is in the docking station, and the control means is arranged to control the screen so that it can provide the display in each of two orientations, and to select one of 10 said orientations in response to detection by the docking detection means that the device is in the docking station.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the control means is arranged, when the docking detection means does not detect that the device 15 is in the docking station, to select a different one of said orientations.

3. A device according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said orientations are substantially 90 apart.

20 4. A device according to claim 3 wherein the screen is substantially rectangular and said orientations comprise a portrait orientation and a landscape orientation.

5. A device according to any foregoing claim further comprising a user 25 input operable to move a marking means on the screen so as to enable selection of functions of the device, the input being operable with each of said orientations of the display.

6. A device according to claim 5 wherein the input device comprises a 30 joystick.

7. A device according to any foregoing claim further comprising a power connecter arranged to be connected to a power supply when the device is in the docking station, and the docking detection means is arranged to detect docking by detection connection of the connector to the 5 power supply.

8. A device according to any foregoing claim wherein the communication means comprises a communication channel arranged to enable the device to communicate with the vehicle when the device is in the 10 docking station, and the docking detection means is arranged to detect docking by detecting communication through said channel.

9. A device according to claim 8 wherein docking detection means is arranged to detect receipt through said channel of a signal from the vehicle.

10. A device according to claim 8 wherein the docking detection means is arranged to detect return through said channel of a signal transmitted through said channel by the device.

20 11. A device according to claim 10 wherein said channel includes a transmitter and a receiver, and the docking detection means is arranged to detect return to the receiver of a signal transmitted from transmitter.

12. A device according to any foregoing claim wherein the docking 25 detection means comprises a tilt switch arranged to detect the orientation of the device.

13. A device according to any foregoing claim wherein the docking detection means is further arranged to detect when the device is in a remote 30 carrier not on the vehicle, and to select one of the orientations of the display accordingly.

14. A device according to claim 13 wherein the device is a device according to claim 10 or claim 11.

IS. An interface system for a vehicle comprising a device according to 5 any foregoing claim, a docking station in the vehicle for receiving the device, and communication means on the vehicle for communicating with the device.

16. A system according to claim 1 S wherein the docking station is 10 arranged to determine the orientation of the device when the device is in the docking station.

17. A system according to claim IS or claim 16 wherein the device is arranged to transmit request signals, the communication means on the IS vehicle is arranged to respond by transmitting a response signal, and the control means is arranged to use the response signal as an indication that the device is in the docking station.

18. A system according to any of claims IS to 17 wherein the docking 20 station is arranged to locate the device so that the screen is visible to a driver of the vehicle.

19. A vehicle including a system according to any of claims IS to 18.

25 20. A combination of a device according to claim 13 or claim 14 and a remote carrier adapted to be located in a position remote from the vehicle.

21. A combination according to claim 21 wherein the device is a device according to claim 10 or claim 11 and the carrier includes reflecting means 30 arranged to reflect said signal.

22. A carrier arranged to receive a device according to claim 13 or claim 14, the carrier being arranged to determine the position of the device, and including reflecting means arranged to reflect said signal when the device is in the carrier.

s 23. A portable interface device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 and 2, Figure 4 or Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings. 10 24. An interface system for a vehicle substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures I to 3, Figure 4 or Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings.

25. A carrier for an interface device substantially as hereinbefore IS described with reference to Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings.