Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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VEHICLE COMPUTER SYSTEM
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to computer systems for vehicles.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Modern vehicles are typically equipped with several independent electronic
systems. Fox instance, most modern vehicles have a sound system and a security
system. The sound system usually consists of an AM/FM radio, a cassette or CD
{compact disk) player, an equalizer/amplif er, and speakers. The radio and
player are
arranged in a metal casing or housing that is mounted in a dashboard of the
vehicle.
The housing has a standardized size, often expressed in terms of DINS
(Deutsche
Industry Normen), to ensure that the sound system is compatible with and can
be
retrof t into most vehicle dashboards.
The security system is entirely separate from the sound system. The security
system generally consists of security sensors placed throughout the vehicle,
and a
central application-specific integrated circuit {ASTC) to monitor the sensors
and
determine whether security is being jeopardized. Security System also controls
actuators to lock/unlock doors or windows, and an alarm or siren.
Most late model { 1996 or later for OBD II, 1993 or later for OBD I) vehicles
are also constructed with a diagnostic system that analyzes performance of the
vehicle's engine, transmission and fuel system, and other components. The
diagnostic system can be coupled to an external computer to download or
monitor
diagnostic information that is useful to a vehicle mechanic during servicing
of the
vehicle. Additionally, the diagnostic system might include dashboard displays
that
inform the driver of various operating conditions.
~ In some recent models, vehicles are being equipped with a navigation system
that incorporates a global positioning system (GPS) receiver. The GPS receiver
has
an antenna to receive signals from a satellite network. The vehicle navigation
system
uses the satellite positioning signals to compute coordinates that locate the
vehicle
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over the surface of the earth with regard to longitude, latitude, and
altitude. Also,
with the appropriate map software, the vehicle's location can then be shown on
a
map.
Cellular communications systems have also been added to vehicles. These
communications systems enable the vehicle driver or occupant to transact
telephone '
calls from their vehicle. Some of the more sophisticated systems are voice
controlled
which permit the driver to initiate or receive calls while traveling without
removing a
hand from the driving wheel, or diverting his/her eyes from the navigation of
the
vehicle.
While these various electronics systems have proven useful to vehicle users,
there is a drawback in that the systems are unrelated and incompatible. Each
system
employs separate proprietary dedicated processors or ASICs which execute
incompatible proprietary software. If a vehicle owner would like to add a
security
system to his/her vehicle, the owner must purchase an entire security system
from
one of the vendors and have it customarily installed. There is no way to add
security
functionality to an existing electronics system, such as the navigation system
or the
sound system.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention concerns a vehicle computer system that is capable of
integrating these diverse and separate systems as well as offering a general
purpose
computing platform that allows for easy expandability. The vehicle computer
system
has a housing sized to be mounted in a vehicle dashboard. This system provides
an
open hardware architecture and supports an open platform operating system. The
open platform operating system supports multiple different applications that
can be
supplied by a software vendor. For instance, the operating system can support
applications pertaining to entertainment, navigation, communications,
security,
diagnostics, and others In the preferred implementation, the operating system
is a
multitasking operating system capable of concurrently running multiple
applications.
The computer has one or more storage devices (e.g., hard disk drive, CD drive,
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floppy disk drive, cassette player, or smart card reader) which permits the
user to
download programs from a storage medium (e.g., hard disk, CD, diskette,
cassette, or
smart card) to the computer. Also, the user can write data to writeable medium
(e.g.,
hard disk, diskette, cassette, or smart card). In this manner, the vehicle
owner can
easily add new systems to his/her vehicle by installing additional programs.
In one implementation, the vehicle computer system has two independent
processors. One processor {e.g., an Intel~ based microprocessor) is provided
on a
computer module which mounts to a stationary base unit of the housing that
resides
in the vehicle dashboard or other location. The operating system runs on this
processor to support the vehicle-related applications and to additionally
provide all of
the functionality typically afforded by a personal computer. Another processor
(e.g.,
a digital signal processor) is provided on a faceplate module that detachably
connects
to the base unit. The faceplate module has an AM/FM tuner, display, keypad,
and a
CODEC which are controlled by the second processor. A third module, known as
the
support module, resides in the stationary base unit. The support module
contains a
storage drive (which also functions as an entertainment player), power supply,
multimedia audio driver for the entertainment system, and a communications
bus.
The three modules operate cooperatively, or independently, of one another
except that the support module can not operate by itself. The faceplate module
can
be detached from the base unit and operate independently as a portable radio
with
mono-audio sound. By use of the CODEC with built in speaker and microphone,
the
faceplate module can further function as a portable phone or a handset unit
that can
communicate with the base unit in the vehicle. The portable faceplate module
can
also be used to receive paging information, take voice notes, and to remotely
operate
the security system. While detached, the faceplate module is powered by an
independent source, such as batteries.
The faceplate module and support module can operate independently of the
computer module. The faceplate module is physically connected to the front of
the
base unit and electronically interfaced with the support module. When
connected
and the computer module is not connected, the faceplate module totally
controls the
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entertainment system of the vehicle. The faceplate processor controls the
multimedia audio driver and the CD player in the support module. The faceplate
module derives its power from the vehicle batteries via the power supply in
the
faceplate module.
When the computer module is also present, the faceplate module is controlled '
as a hot pluggable peripheral device. The processor on the computer module has
full
control of the communications bus and is master to the faceplate processor.
The
computer module processor controls systems not contained in the faceplate and
can
indirectly control resources contained in the faceplate. Also, the faceplate
module
I O processor Iends signal processing resources to enhance the entertainment
services and
directly controls the resources contained in the faceplate.
The modular computer system affords tremendous flexibility when installing
the system in a vehicle. As a low cost base model, the support module and
faceplate
module are installed in place of the conventional sound system. The housing is
sized
I S to the standard DIN form factor, so that the low cost base model can be
substituted
directly for the present sound system. This low cost model gives the owner an
enhanced sound system with multimedia capabilities, plus a portable radiophone
system. The computer module can be installed as an upgrade feature to provide
full
computer system functionality. For instance, the computer module supports the
20 navigation, security, diagnostics, communications, and entertainment
systems, as
well as any other application that the vehicle owner would Iike to
subsequently
install; a standard expansion bus is part of the computer module. The
expansion bus
can be used for adding additional peripherals.
In another implementation, the vehicle computer system includes a centralized
25 server located in the dashboard or elsewhere in the vehicle and remote
client
computers located at the passengers of the vehicle. The server is connected to
retrieve data or programs from the storage device, such as the CD player,
floppy
diskette, or hard drive, and to download such information to the client
computers
over a data network arranged in the vehicle. In this manner, a passenger can
operate
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a game application or watch a video from their seat in the car without
interrupting the driver
or other occupants.
In yet another application, a single computer module could drive two or more
graphic displays using separate graphic controllers; thus displaying separate
images
such as a moving map for the driver on one display and entertainment or TV for
the
passenger on another display.
Accordingly, in one aspect, the present invention provides a vehicle computer
system comprising: a housing of a size suitable to be mounted within a vehicle
dashboard,
and including a first support structure; and a second support structure to
which the first
support structure is attachable; a computer mounted within the housing; and a
first processor
unit mounted to the first support structure of the housing to provide first
processing and
control capabilities; a second processor unit mounted to the second support
structure of the
housing to provide second processing and control capabilities; an open
platform operating
system executing on the computer, the operating system being configured to
support
multiple applications that are supplied by a vehicle user, the vehicle
computer system being
configured to integrate multiple vehicle-related electronic systems, and a
busing subsystem
to electrically interconnect the first and second processor units when the
first and second
support structures are physically connected to one another; wherein the first
support
structure is separable from the second support structure to expose at least
one storage drive
within the second support structure, the first support structure being
operable independently
of the second support structure; and wherein the first processor unit, the
second processor
unit, and the busing subsystem are arranged within the housing so that the
vehicle computer
system conforms to a form factor for mounting in the vehicle dashboard.
In a still further aspect, the present invention provides a vehicle computer
system
comprising: a housing of a size suitable to be mounted within a vehicle
dashboard and
having a faceplate and a base unit to which the faceplate is attachable, a
computer mounted
within the housing, an open platform operating system executing on the
computer, the
operating system being configured to support multiple applications that are
supplied by a
vehicle user, the vehicle computer system being configured to integrate
multiple vehicle-
related electronic systems, a support module mounted to the base unit, the
support module
having a communications bus and first and second interfacing slots to provide
access to the
communications bus; a first processor mounted to the faceplate to form a
faceplate module ,
the faceplate module being compatibly connected to the first interfacing slot
of the support
module; and a computer module mounted to the base unit and having a second
processor,
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the computer module being compatibly connected to the second interfacing slot
of the
support module; and wherein the faceplate is separable from the base unit to
expose at least
one storage drive within the second support structure, and wherein the
communications bus
electronically interconnects the faceplate module, the computer module, and
the support
module.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The same reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to reference like
components and features.
Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of a vehicle computer system.
Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic side view of a base unit and detachable faceplate
employed
in the vehicle computer system.
Fig. 3 is a block diagram of the vehicle computer system according to one
implementation having a faceplate module, a support module, and a computer
module.
Fig. 4 is a functional block diagram of the support module.
Fig. 5 is a functional block diagram of the faceplate module.
Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic side view of the faceplate operating as a
communications
device while detached from the base unit of the vehicle computer system.
Fig. 7 is a functional block diagram of the computer module.
Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic illustration of the vehicle computer system according
to
another embodiment having a centralized server computing unit and one or more
client
computing units distributed on a data network in a vehicle.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Fig. 1 shows a vehicle computer system 20 according to one implementation of
this invention. Vehicle computer system 20 has a centralized computer 22
coupled
to various peripheral devices, including a monitor 24, security sensors 26, a
vehicle
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diagnostic interface 28, speakers 30, vehicle battery 32, and antennas) 34..
The
computer 22 is assembled in a housing 36 that is sized to be mounted in a
vehicle
dashboard, similar to a conventional car stereo. Preferably, the housing 36
has a ,
form factor of a single DIN (Deutsche Industry Normen). But, it possibly could
be
housed in a 2 DIN unit or other special form factor for an OEM. '
The computer 22 runs an open platform operating system which supports
multiple applications. Using an open platform operating system and an open
computer system architecture, various software applications and hardware
peripherals can be produced by independent vendors and subsequently installed
by
the vehicle user after purchase of the vehicle. This is advantageous in that
the
software applications do not need to be dedicated to specially designed
embedded
systems. The open hardware architecture is preferably running a multitasking
operating system that employs a graphical user interface. One preferred
operating
system is a Windows~ brand operating system sold by Microsoft Corporation,
such
I S as Windows 95~ or Windows NT~ or other derivative versions of Windows. A
multitasking operating system allows simultaneous execution of multiple
applications.
The computer 22 includes at least one storage drive which permits the vehicle
user to download programs and data from storage medium. In the illustrated
implementation, the computer 22 has a CD ROM drive 38 which reads application
related CDs, as well as musical, video, game, or other types of entertainment
CDs. In
this manner, the CD ROM drive 38 performs a dual role of storage drive and
entertainment player. Also, a hard disk drive (not shown in Fig. 1 ) is
included on the
computer module which can be used for storing both application programs and
user
data. The computer 22 has an optional 3.5" floppy diskette drive 40, a smart
card
reader 42, and dual PCMCIA card sockets 44 which accept PCMCIA card types II
and III. Hereinafter, the acronym "PC-Card" will be used in place of the
acronym
"PCMCIA."
The storage drives are mounted in a stationary base unit 46 of housing 36.
The base unit 46 is constructed and sized to be fxedly mounted in the
dashboard.
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The housing 36 also has a faceplate 48 which is pivotally mounted to the front
of the
base unit 46. The faceplate can be rotated to permit easy and convenient
access to
the storage drives.
Fig. 2 shows the housing 36 in more detail. Faceplate 48 has a physical
S coupling assembly SO which enables the pivotal movement to alternately cover
or
expose the storage drives within the base unit 46. Additionally, the physical
coupling
assembly SO enables the faceplate 48 to be attached to or detached from the
base unit
46. This is represented in Fig. 1 in which the faceplate 48 is entirely
detached from
the base unit 46.
With reference again to Fig. 1, the computer 22 has a keypad S2 and a display
S4 on the faceplate 48. The display S4 is preferably a back lit LCD. The
operating
system executing on the computer 22 controls the faceplate keys S2 and the
faceplate
display S4 as peripheral devices when the faceplate is attached to the base
unit.
Additionally, as will be described below in more detail, the computer has a
voice
I S recognition device situated on the faceplate to permit the user to
verbally enter
commands in a hands-free, eyes-free environment. These voice commands can be
used for controlling most operating modes of the vehicle computing platform.
The
computer 22 is also equipped with an IrDA (infrared developers association)
transceiver port S6 mounted on the faceplate 48 to transmit and receive data
and
programs using infrared signals. The entire faceplate unit 48 behaves as a
multifunction peripheral to the computing platform.
To load an application or data onto the computer 22, the vehicle user inserts
a
CD or diskette, if the application is not already contained on the hard disk,
into the
appropriate drive and the operating system downloads the application or data
2S therefrom. The installation process can be automatically handled by the
operating
system, or with the assistance of commands input from the user in the form of
keyed
sequences on the keypad S2 or verbal instructions using the voice recognition
device.
Another technique to load data or applications or transfer data with other
computing
devices is through the use of the IrDA transceiver port S6.
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The computer 22 can output visual data to the LCD 54 at the facepiate, Qr to
the standalone monitor 24. The monitor 24 is preferably a small flat panel
display
(e.g., 6.4" screen} that is movably mounted on a stand or yoke and remotely
located
from the computer. The monitor 24 is fully adjustable to different viewing
positions
that can be seen by the driver or other passengers in the vehicle. The type of
data
displayed on the monitor can range widely from word instructions concerning
the
vehicle's performance, to diagrammatic directions used by the navigation
system, to
video movies for in-car entertainment. The monitor 24 is equipped with an
automatic
overnde switch 58 which automatically disables the display of any non-driving
related data when being viewed by the driver. In the event that the monitor is
positioned for driver viewing, only information supportive and helpful to
driving
(e.g., diagnostics, navigation directions) is displayed on the monitor, while
distracting information (e.g., video movies, games) are blocked from display.
In one
implementation, the switch is an electrical cylindrical switch which closes
when the
I S display is capable of being viewed by the driver; thus, the software can
sense the
display position and only allow permitted information to be displayed.
In general, the vehicle computer system 20 can be used to integrate multiple
vehicle-related systems onto one open platform hardware and software
architecture.
For instance, the vehicle computer system 20 can serve as a multimedia
entertainment system, a navigation system, a communications system, a security
system, and a diagnostics system. Moreover, the vehicle computer system 20
provides additional functionality traditionally associated with desk-top and
laptop
personal computers. For instance, vehicle computer system 20 can support ward
processing applications, spreadsheet applications, database applications, and
appointment/schedule applications. Furthermore, the vehicle computer system 20
can be configured to operate as a server to other computing units in the
vehicle to
a
distribute games, video movies, and the Iike to passengers.
Fig. 3 shows the computer 22 according to one implementation of the
invention. Computer 22 has three primary modules: a faceplate module 60, a
support module 62, and a computer module 64.
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Support Module 62
The support module 62 resides in the stationary base unit 46 (Fig. 1) that is
mounted in the vehicle dashboard. The support module 62 includes a power
supply
subsystem 66 and an internal bus 68 for the computer 22. The internal bus 68
has a
~ 5 first interfacing slot 70 and a second interfacing slot 72 which provide
shared access
to the bus from the faceplate module 60 and the computer module 64. The
support
module 62 also has the CD ROM player 38, ,a multimedia audio driver 78, audio
amplifier, and sound control circuitry.
Fig. 4 shows the support module in more detail. The power supply subsystem
66 derives power from the vehicle battery, and transforms the battery voltage
level
(e.g., 10-I6 volts) to appropriate chip voltage levels (e.g., 3.3-5 volts) or
to a voltage
sufficient to run the CD player 3 8, diskette memory drive 40, hard disk
drive, and
other devices possibly requiring I2 volts. The internal bus 68 preferably
comprises
two separate buses: an data-related bus 200 (e.g., a PCI bus) and a radio-
related bus
202 (e.g., an I2C bus). The first and second interfacing slots 70, 72 include
the data
bus interface 204 for bus 200 and the radio bus interface 206 for bus 202. The
second interfacing slot also includes a power interface to supply power to the
CPU
module. For the faceplate module, however, vehicle power is taken directly
from the
vehicle battery and passed to the faceplate module, which has its own power
regulation circuitry.
The multimedia audio driver 78 controls the audio sound system of the
vehicle. It is coupled to control the CD ROM 76, and parallel sound
controllers 208
and 210. The audio data coming out of the CD-ROM drive can be selected to feed
the parallel sound controllers which control the volume, treble, bass, and
balance for
the front and rear speakers, respectively. The use of two sound control chips
enables
different audio sources to be selected and played in the front and rear of the
vehicle.
For example, the vehicle driver can listen to navigation instructions while
the rear
seat passengers can listen to their favorite tunes.
The audio signals are amplified by power amplifier 212 and converted to
stereo sound by quad-speaker system 214. The multimedia audio drive 78 also
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supports an auxiliary microphone input 216, and an auxiliary stereo jack input
218
for attaching an external tape drive, portable tape player or some other
external sound
sources. A game/joystick port 220 is also provided in the support module 62
and ,
coupled to the multimedia driver 78.
Faceplate Module 60 '
With reference to Fig. 3, the faceplate module 60 resides on the detachable
faceplate 48 (Fig. 1). The faceplate module 60 includes a first processor in
the form
of a digital signal processor (DSP) 80, although other types of processors may
be
employed. The faceplate module 60 further includes an electrical interface 82
which
i 0 compatibly couples to the first interfacing slot 70 on support module 62
to permit
data communication between the faceplate module and the support module.
The faceplate module 60 is primarily dedicated to entertainment and
communications. When the faceplate module is coupled to the support module,
the
DSP 80 uses the internal shared bus 68 on the support module 62 to control the
CD
player 3 8 via the multimedia audio chip 78 when playing musical or video CDs
and
the multimedia audio driver 78 to optimize sound and video quality. It should
be
noted that analog or digital cassette players, or other entertainment players,
can be
substituted for the CD player or added to the system.
The faceplate module 60 is also equipped with a radio tuner 84 which supports
radio functionality. The radio tuner 84 includes an AM/FM tuner, RBDS
demodulator, and decoder to recover information transmitted on the FM
subcarrier
programming. Additionally, a cellular telephone 85 or an RF transceiver can
optionally be attached to the faceplate. The faceplate module 60 includes an
audio
analog to digital converter and digital to analog converter (or "CODEC") 86
that
converts analog voice signals into data that can be sampled by the DSP 80.
Also, the
CODEC converts DSP sample data into analog signals that can drive a small loud
speaker.. The CODEC 86 in conjunction with the cellular phone 85 can be
configured to provide full cellular phone functionality, independent of the
computer
module 64, or to operate as a remote handset that communicates with the
computer
module 64 or other phone. The CODEC 86 controls a microphone 88 to receive
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verbal input, and a speaker 90 to output voice. A power port 92 is also
provided on
the faceplate module 60 to enable use of an external power source (e.g.,
cellular
battery pack 94) when the faceplate module is physically detached from the
base unit
or to regulate the vehicle battery voltage when attached to the base unit.
' S Fig. S shows the faceplate module 60 in more detail. It has its own power
supply subsystem 300 which receives power from either the vehicle battery or
from a
battery pack in the event that the faceplate module is detached from the base
unit.
The faceplate power supply subsystem 300 transforms the input voltage level to
a
suitable chip voltage level of 3.3 volts or S volts.
The DSP 80 has an SRAM 302 for data storage and buffering and a flash
memory 304 for program and voice template storage. This flash memory can be
updated via the data bus and JTAG (Joint Test Action Group) port 305. Using
the
voice template in the flash memory 304, the DSP 80 operates in conjunction
with the
CODEC 86 as a voice recognition device that records and analyzes voice
commands
in relation to the stored voice template to determine and execute verbal
instructions.
In some cases the request will need to be sent to the CPU module if present.
The DSP 80 is coupled to a f eld programmable gate array (FPGA) 306 which
coordinates data flow on the faceplate module. The FPGA 306 is coupled to the
data
bus interface 308 and the radio bus interface 310 which form part of the
electrical
interface 82 that connects to the first interfacing slot 70 of the support
module 62.
The data bus interface 308 also provides connection to any internal components
embedded in the faceplate module 60, such as the cellphone chipset 8S. The
faceplate module 60 also has an IrDA interface port 312 coupled to the irDA
port S6
to convey the data to the computer module 64, as described below. This IrDA
2S interface 312 is also part of the electrical interface 82.
The DSP 80 further controls the keypad S2 and display S4 via the FPGA 306.
_ The DSP 80 scans and interprets inputs from the keypad S2. The input data
can be
acted upon by the DSP 80 or sent to the computer module 64 via the data bus
interface 308. The display S4 is preferably a back lit LCD, driven by a
backlight
circuit 314 and a display driver 316. The display is memory mapped to an I/O
space
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in the DSP 80 for direct control by the DSP. Additionally, the computer module
64
can send commands to the DSP to indirectly control the display resources and
other
DSP controlled resources. A watchdog timer 3I8 contained on the faceplate
module
gets periodically reset by the DSP. If the DSP fails to reset this timer, then
something is hung and all resources on alI three modules are reset and the
unit '
recovers to a default state.
The faceplate module has an AM/FM tuner 320 connected to receive an RF
signal from an antenna 322. The antenna 322 can be the vehicle antenna, or a
separate remote antenna that is used by the faceplate module when detached
from the
base unit. The RF signal received at the tuner 320 is demodulated by a
demodulator
324 to retrieve the information signal from the carrier signal. The
information signal
is then decoded by a decoder 326 and passed to the DSP 80 via the FPGA 306. It
is
noted that the decoding function performed by decoder 326 can alternatively be
performed by logic contained in the FPGA 306. The DSP passes the radio signal
I S over the data bus interface 308 to the multimedia audio driver in the
support module
62 to be played over the sound system in high quality, stereo sound.
A separate mono CODEC 86 is also coupled to receive analog sound signals
from the microphone 322 or tuner 320. The CODEC 86 in conjunction with the
microphone 88, speaker 90, and cellphone or RF transceiver provides
telecommunications functionality in the faceplate module. A gain/filter 332
and a
speaker driver 334 associated with the CODEC 86 are optimized to provide
premium
voice recognition and playback for use against vehicle and environmental
noise. The
CODEC 86 can also be used to supply voice commands to the DSP 80 via FPGA
306. The DSP 80 is programmed to recognize certain voice commands using a
voice
template stored in the flash memory 304.
The faceplate module 60 can be disconnected from the base unit and
employed as a portable RF device for both radio reception and
telecommunications
with the optional cellphone module or RF transceiver module. As shown in Fig.
5,
the cellphone module 85 is connected to the data bus I/F 308 and to an antenna
87 to
provide telecommunications. Fig. 6 shows the faceplate module 60 detached from
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the base unit and coupled to a conventional cellular battery pack 350 and a
cellular
phone RF transceiver and antenna unit 352. The faceplate module 60 can play
monosound radio using the speaker 90, and provide telecommunications directly
to a
cellular network, or indirectly through the base unit. Additionally, the
portable RF
. 5 device can provide support for features like paging, voice recording, and
voice
dialing.
Computer Module 64
The computer module 64 may reside in the dashboard-mounted base unit 46 or
in a separate location and includes a second processor in the form of a
microprocessor 100, such as an Intel~ 486 microprocessor. The computer module
64 is configured as a plug-in motherboard having an electrical interface 402
which
compatibly couples to the second interfacing slot 72 on support module 62.
When
plugged in, the computer module 64 has access to the internal shared bus 68.
In this
manner, the faceplate module 60, support module 62, and computer module 64 all
I S share the same internal bus 68 to communicate with one another. The
comnmtPr
module 64 derives power from power supply subsystem 66 on the support module
62.
The microprocessor 100 runs an open platform operating system, such
Windows 95~ or Windows NT~ or other Windows~ derivative operating systems
from Microsoft Corporation. The operating system is stored in a hard disk
drive 104
(e.g., >200 Mbytes). The computer module 64 supports any variety of
applications
that the vehicle user might desire. These applications can also be stored on
the hard
disk drive 104 or on a removable storage medium, such as a CD ROM, cassette,
CD
changer, or floppy diskette. A DRAM 105 (e.g., 8 Mbytes) and flash memory 106
(e.g., S I2 Kbytes) are employed in the computer module to support the
microprocessor 100 in running the operating system and loaded applications.
When the user wishes to install a program on the computer module 64, he/she
inserts a floppy diskette into the floppy disk drive 40 or a CD ROM into the
CD drive
3 8. The operating system senses the new storage device and initiates the
install
procedures. BIOS extensions are stored with the operating system to enable
booting
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from the CD ROM or floppy disk drive (FDD). The computer module 64 has a CD
ROM driver 108 and diskette driver 110 to control the CD player 38 or diskette
drive
40, respectively, during this read operation. If contained on the CD, the
program data ,
is transferred from the CD ROM drive 38 through the MM chip 78 to bus 68 on
the
support module 62, and then over the interface coupling 72/102 to the '
microprocessor I00 and RAM I06 on the computer module 64. If the data is
contained on the floppy disk, then the data is transferred directly through
the FDD
interface contained on the computer module. As noted above, data can also be
input
via the IrDA port 56 on the faceplate. Such data is transferred via the
faceplate/support coupling 70/82, the shared bus 68 {or separate conductor),
and the
support/computer coupling 72/I02 to the IrDA interface circuitry I I I
contained on
the computer module.
The computer module 64 has a navigation system 112 which includes both a
GPS (global positioning system) receiver and a map application, such as
AutomapTM,
a program produced by Microsoft Corporation. A security system 114 is provided
in
the computer module 64 to manage vehicle security. The security system I14
monitors the security sensors 26 {Fig. 1) for any potential threat of theft or
vandalism. The security system I I4 is connected to actuators which
lack/unlock
doors and windows, and to an alarm which can be activated upon detection of
unwanted tampering.
An OBD (On Board Diagnostic) interpreter I 16 is provided in the computer
module to communicate with the OBD system built into the vehicle by the
manufacturer. The OBD interpreter I16 interprets the status data received and
provides performance related information from the vehicle's OBD system to the
microprocessor 100. Also, commands can be provided to the interpreter which
allows non-critical car systems to be controlled.
The computer module 64 also includes at least one flat panel display
controller
1 I8 to control the flat panel monitor 24. A dual PC card socket 44 is
provided to
support 2-type II or 1-type III PC cards. Such cards might be configured as
extra
memory, modems, network adapters, or other components. The computer module 64
SLiRCTITI ITir SNFFT lRLILE 2B~
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I5
also has a smart card reader 42 which accepts smart cards (i.e., plastic cards
with an
integrated circuit mounted thereon). The smart cards can be programmed as a
key to
the vehicle, to contain encrypted driver identif canon that the security
system uses to
authenticate the driver before the vehicle can be started, and be programmed
to
remember vehicle driver conf guration prof les. In the event the
microprocessor does
not recognize the identification on the smart card, the security system can
activate the
alarm or take other precautionary measures to prevent theft by unauthorized
users.
For added security, a driver might also be asked to input a PIN (personal
identification number) using the keypad 52 on the faceplate.
I O The computer module also includes expansion slots 124 to support a variety
of
peripheral devices. For instance, the computer module G4 can support
additional
peripherals via the expansion slots such as a universal serial bus, analog
I/O, an RF
transceiver, a cellular phone/modem, a display, a tape player, an MPEG
video/audio
decoder, a TV tuner, a gyroscope, a keyboard, a mouse, a joystick, and a
docking
station.
Fig. 7 shows the computer module 64 in more detail. The microprocessor 100
is coupled to a bus controller 400, such as an PCI bus controller. The bus
controller
400 is attached to the data bus interface 402 and the expansion slots 124.
Additionally, the bus controller 400 directly supports the hard disk drive
104. A
DRAM 105 (e.g., 8 Mbytes) and a flash memory 106 (e.g., 512 Kbytes) provide
data
and caching storage for the microprocessor. The microprocessor I00 manages the
flat panel display controller I I8 with video memory 408 {e.g., 512 Kbytes) to
output
visual display data received from bus controller 400 to the flat panel display
24 (Fig.
1).
An FPGA 4I0 is connected to the bus controller 400 and is controlled by the
microprocessor 100. The FPGA 410 is connected to the navigation system I 12
and
the OBD interpreter 11 G. The GPS receiver 112 is connected to GPS antenna 113
to
receive RF signals from the satellite-based GPS. The GPS antenna 113 is
separate
from the AM/FM antenna 322 (Fig. 5) and the cellphone antenna 87 (Fig. 5)
because
of the different wavelengths. However, in another implementation, the GPS
antenna
CA 02211660 1997-07-28
WO 97!19833 PCT/IJS96/19075
16
113 and the celiphone antenna 87 can be packaged as two antenna elements ir!
one
enclosure. The navigation system I12 can be implemented using a GPS chipset
manufactured by Trimble Navigation, Rockwell International, Phillips
Semiconductor or others. The OBD interpreter 116 is connected to an OBD
interface
412 that interconnects to the vehicle manufacturer's diagnostic system.
The bus controller 400 supports a PC card controller 414 which manages two
PC card sockets 416 and 418. The first PC card socket 416 accepts a type II PC
card
when no type III card is present in the second slot, and the second PC card
socket 418
accepts either a type II or type III PC card. The FPGA 4I0 is further
connected to a
smart card reader 42, and to an IrDA interface 420 via IrDA circuitry 1 I 1.
The IrDA
interface 420 is coupled to receive or transmit data via infrared signals
using the
IrDA port 56 -on the faceplate. The FPGA has a DUART or other serial-to-
parallel
converter to perform rudimentary conversion of the serial data stream received
from
the smart card or infrared carrier signal to a data set usable by the
microprocessor.
IS The computer module 64 is equipped with a second radio receiver unit
consisting of an AM/FM tuner 422 connected to receive an RF signal from
antenna
34, a demodulator 424, and a decoder 426. The second radio receiver unit can
be
used to receive radio signals for timed recording of radio programming for
Iater
playback. Additionally, the second radio receiver can be tuned to receive both
the
FM subcarrier and audio programming of the primary FM channel. Such FM
subcarrier might carry weather, news, sports, financial, traff c, paging, or
other
information. With two radio receiver units (i.e., one in the faceplate module
and one
in the computer module), the computer system can receive both the primary
channel
and the subchannels concurrently. A radio bus interface 428 is used to connect
the
second radio receiver unit to the FPGA (410) which then converts the data to
digital
data to be transmitted over the data bus (e.g., PCI bus) to the multimedia
audio driver
and sound system on the support module 62.
An analog I/O 430 and converters 432 are optionally provided on the
computer module 64 to provide an analog input port to the computer and are
used to
interface to the security system. The security sensors 26 (Fig. 1 ) are
connected to
.,~ ~nr.,re~r~ t~re cuccT If~) 11 F 951
CA 02211660 1997-07-28
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17
analog inputs 430, while the actuators which lock/unlock doors and windows and
an
alarm are driven by analog outputs 430.
The modular vehicle computer system described herein offers a unique
flexibility to be customarily configured according to the tastes and
preferences of
each vehicle owner. There are three primary conf gurations of the modular
vehicle
computer system: a portable RF device, an entertainment/communication system,
and a fully operable computer system that supports communications and
entertainment.
Configuration 1: Portable 1tF Device
In this first configuration, the faceplate module 60 is physically detached
from
the base unit and electrically disconnected from the support module interface
slot 70
to operate as a portable RF electronics device. In this mode, the faceplate
module GO
functions as a portable radio unit with monosound via the single speaker 90.
The
faceplate module 60 can also function as a portable telecommunications device
using
the CODEC 86, microphone 88, and speaker 90 for voice inputloutput, and the
keypad 52 or voice to dial numbers. Additionally, by virtue of the RF receiver
and
using the RBDS information over the FM subcarrier, the faceplate module can
function as a pager to receive messages that can be stored as voice notes, or
displayed
on the LCD 54. Also, voice can be recorded by the user and stored in the flash
memory of the faceplate.
Configuration 2: Vehicle Entertainment/Communication System
In this second configuration, the faceplate module 60 is attached to the base
unit and electrically connected to the interface slot 70 to communicate with
the
support module G2. However, the computer module is removed from the base unit.
In this arrangement, the double module unit fimctinnc a~ ~r
entertainment/communications system in that it provides all of the
functionality of
conventional car stereo systems while optionally integrating telecommunication
functionality. The DSP 80 in the faceplate module 60 controls the AM/FM radio,
the
CD ROM drive, and the multimedia audio drive. The vehicle user can play CDs or
tune to a favorite radio station and listen to high quality, stereo sound.
Additionally,
__._..__ _.._~ ._... _ _
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I8
the user can receive and initiate telephone calls, receive pages, or record
voice notes
in the same manner as the portable faceplate module. One added convenience is
that
all of these features are voice activated to maintain a hands-free, eyes-free
driving
environment.
Configuration 3: FuII Computer System
In the third configuration, both the faceplate module 60 and the computer
module 64 are coupled to the support module. The triple module arrangement
forms
the full computer system capable of supporting a wide range of applications
(e.g.,
navigation, security, diagnostics) as well as communications. Additionally,
the tri-
module configuration provides an enhanced entertainment system that offers
both
audio and video, as well as a second tuner to receive financial, weather, and
other
news in the FM sub carriers via RBDS.
When both processing modules are connected to the support module, the
microprocessor 100 on the computer module 64 operates as the master processor
with
full control of the shared bus 68 and resources. The DSP 80 in the faceplate
module
functions as a slave processor. This hierarchy is established simply by
plugging the
computer module into the support module which places the DSP in a slave mode.
The DSP is relegated to audio signal processing for enhanced stereo sound,
scanning
the keypad 52, exporting visual data to the LCD 54, controlling the faceplate
tuner
and performing voice recognition. As a result, the faceplate module 60 is
treated as a
peripheral device on the shared bus 68 that is controlled by the computer
module 64,
whereby the keypad 52, LCD 54, communications CODEC 86, and faceplate tuner
serve as T/O peripherals accessed via registers in the faceplate FPGA.
The faceplate module 60 can be removed while the computer module 64 is
powered up. With the loss of these peripherals, the computer module 64 loses
same
functionality and some DSP enhanced audio qualities. However, the computer
module 64 still supports many applications, including security, diagnostics,
navigation, paging, and others.
It is further noted that the complete vehicle computer system can be removed
from the base unit for security reasons, or to plug the computer into a
docking station
m ~RSTiTUT~ SHEET tRULE 26)
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19
at the user's residence or office: With a docking station, the user can
install or
configure various programs for vehicle usage, or simply use the computer
module as
a portable computer.
System Software
- 5 As noted above, the vehicle computer system runs an open platform
operating
system, such as Windows 95~, Windows NT~, or Windows~ derivative. There are
several applications that are supported by the operating system. These
applications
include a navigation application, a security application, a radio-on-demand
application (program recording and playback based on radio program attribute
such
as time or content), a paging application, and a faceplate user interface. The
applications can be stored on the hard disk drive, or on CD ROMs that are
inserted
into the CD ROM drive.
The vehicle computer system also implements several application program
interfaces (APIs) that offer specific functionality to support the various
applications.
Example APIs include a position and navigation API, a smart card and
cryptography
API, a diagnostics API, radio/TV tuner API, and analog I/O API.
These applications and APIs are vehicle related. Other applications which are
unrelated to vehicles can also be loaded onto the computer. Such applications
might
include a banking/fznancial application, such as MoneyTM from Microsoft
Corporation, to assist the user in banking while on the road. There might also
be
video applications that facilitate display of in-car video movies or games.
Essentially, the vehicle computer system can support any applications that run
on the
open platform operating system, which are many and varied.
Vehicle Network
Fig. 8 shows a vehicle computer network system 500 designed for a vehicle
502. In this example illustration, the vehicle 502 is a minivan or sport
utility vehicle
, which seats seven occupants. The system 500 has a server computing unit 504
which
is mounted in a first location of the vehicle 502. Preferably, this server
computing
unit 504 is implemented as computer 22 described above and mounted in the
vehicle
SUBSTITUTE SHEET (SUlE 26y
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WO 97/19833 PCT/LTS96/19075
dashboard or other suitable location. The server computing unit 504 runs a
server
operating system, such as Windows NT~.
A mass storage device or database 506 is provided at the server computing .
unit 504 to store data. In one implementation, the storage device 506
comprises data
5 and programs stored on a CD that can be read using the CD ROM drive of the
server
computing unit. Alternatively, the storage device 504 can be implemented as a
hard
disk drive or a tape storage.
A data network 508 is arranged throughout the vehicle 502 to provide
connection ports at various locations remote from the server computing unit
504.
I O Here, connection ports 5I0 are provided at each of the rear five passenger
seats.
The vehicle computer network system 500 has one or more client processing
units 512 equipped with a compatible interface adapter for the network
connection
port 510. Once connected to the network, the client processing unit 5I2 can
receive
data and programs from the central storage device 506 via server computing
unit 504.
I5 The client processing unit 5I2 preferably has a visual display screen and
audio sound
card to provide multimedia entertainment.
According to this arrangement, the server computing unit 504 can provide in-
car entertainment to passengers. For instance, a movie can be shown to a
passenger
by inserting a video disk into the CD ROM drive 506 at the server computing
unit
20 504. The central computing unit becomes a video server distributing video
over the
data network 508 to the client processing units 512. Other types of
entertainment
include games and music.
The network system can be configured to be interactive in which the client
computing units 512 can request certain entertainment from the server
computing
unit 504. For example, suppose a game CD having multiple games is loaded in
the
CD ROM drive. One passenger wants to play an combat video game, while another
passenger wishes to play computer chess. Each client computing unit can
request the
appropriate game from the server computing unit 504, which retrieves the games
and
distributes them to the requesting client computing units.
SUBSTITUTE SNEET (RULE 26)
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21
In compliance with the statute, the invention has been described in language
more or less specific as to structure and method features. It is to be
understood,
however, that the invention is not limited to the specific features described,
since the
means herein disclosed comprise exemplary forms of putting the invention into
effect. The invention is, therefore, claimed in any of its forms or
modifications
within the proper scope of the appended claims appropriately interpreted in
accordance with the doctrine of equivalents and other applicable judicial
doctrines.
SUBSTITUTE SHEfT (RULE 26)
