US5949345A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Displaying computer information to a driver of a vehicle
Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC
•
Filing: 1997-05-27
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Granted: 1999-09-07
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Expires: 2017-05-27
Abstract
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.
Inventors
- 👤 Richard D. Beckert
- 👤 Mark M. Moeller
- 👤 Li Zhou
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 19:29
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60R; B60R16/00; B60R16/02; B60R16/023; B60R16/0231; B60K; B60K35/00; B60K35/10; B60K35/20; B60K35/21; B60K35/22; B60K35/29; B60K35/50; B60K35/53; B60K35/65; B60K35/654; B60K35/656; G; G01; G01C; G01C21/00; G01C21/26; G01C21/265; G01C21/34; G01C21/36; G01D; G01D7/00; G01D7/002; B60K2360/00; B60K2360/11; B60K35/28
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
103 words
A vehicle computer system comprising: a processor that is capable of executing application programs; a display device that is configurable for viewing by a driver of a vehicle while the vehicle is moving, the display device being responsive to the processor; an operating system that is executed by the processor; the operating system being configured to prevent display of non-driving-related information from the application program to the driver when the vehicle is moving; wherein the operating system allows application programs to designate certain information as being driving-related so that such information is displayed on the display device even when the vehicle is moving.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
103 words
A vehicle computer system comprising: a processor that is capable of executing application programs; a display device that is configurable for viewing by a driver of a vehicle while the vehicle is moving, the display device being responsive to the processor; an operating system that is executed by the processor; the operating system being configured to prevent display of non-driving-related information from the application program to the driver when the vehicle is moving; wherein the operating system allows application programs to designate certain information as being driving-related so that such information is displayed on the display device even when the vehicle is moving.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
46 words
A vehicle computer system as recited in claim 1, wherein: the operating system allows application programs to open display windows on the display device; the application programs specify attributes relating to such windows; and such attributes include an indication of whether the windows contain driving-related information.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
71 words
A vehicle computer system as recited in claim 1, wherein the display device is moveable between a first position in which it is viewable by the driver and a second position in which it is not viewable by the driver, the vehicle computer system further comprising: a sensor that indicates when the display device is moved to its first position; wherein the sensor is connected to be read by the processor.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
98 words
A vehicle computer system as recited in claim 1, wherein the display device is moveable between a first position in which it is viewable by the driver and a second position in which it is not viewable by the driver, the vehicle computer system further comprising: a sensor that indicates when the display device is moved to its second position; wherein the sensor is connected to be read by the processor; wherein the operating system is further configured to allow display of non-driving-related information on the display device when the display device is moved to its second position.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
A vehicle computer system as recited in claim 1, wherein the operating system is further configured to allow display of non-driving-related information to the driver when the vehicle is not moving.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
49 words
A vehicle computer system as recited in claim 1, further comprising; one or more sensors that detect when the vehicle is moving; wherein the operating system is responsive to the one or more sensors to allow display of non-driving-related information to the driver when the vehicle is not moving.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
87 words
A vehicle computer system as recited in claim 1, further comprising; a first sensor that detects when the vehicle is moving; a second sensor that detects a vehicle control state indicating a potential for vehicle movement; wherein the operating system is responsive to the sensors to allow display of non-driving-related information to the driver when both of the following conditions are true: (a) the first sensor indicates that the vehicle is not moving and (b) the second sensor indicates that there is no potential for vehicle movement.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
37 words
A vehicle computer system as recited in claim 1, wherein the operating system is configured to prevent display of non-driving-related information on the display device only when the display device is configured for viewing by the driver.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
58 words
A vehicle computer system as recited in claim 1, wherein: the operating system is configured to allow display of non-driving-related information to the driver when the vehicle is not moving; and the operating system is configured to allow display of non-driving-related information on the display device when the display device is not configured for viewing by the driver.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
155 words
A vehicle computer system comprising: a processor that is capable of executing application programs; a display device that is configurable for viewing by a driver of a vehicle while the vehicle is moving, the display device being responsive to the processor; a first sensor that indicates when the display device is configured for viewing by the driver; at least a second sensor that indicates when the vehicle is moving; an operating system that is executed by the processor; the operating system being responsive to the sensors to allow display of non-driving-related information on the display device only when either of the following conditions are true: (a) the display is not configured for viewing by the driver or (b) the vehicle is not moving; wherein the operating system allows application programs to designate certain information as being driving-related so that such information is displayed on the display device even when neither of the conditions are true.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
155 words
A vehicle computer system comprising: a processor that is capable of executing application programs; a display device that is configurable for viewing by a driver of a vehicle while the vehicle is moving, the display device being responsive to the processor; a first sensor that indicates when the display device is configured for viewing by the driver; at least a second sensor that indicates when the vehicle is moving; an operating system that is executed by the processor; the operating system being responsive to the sensors to allow display of non-driving-related information on the display device only when either of the following conditions are true: (a) the display is not configured for viewing by the driver or (b) the vehicle is not moving; wherein the operating system allows application programs to designate certain information as being driving-related so that such information is displayed on the display device even when neither of the conditions are true.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
43 words
A vehicle computer system as recited in claim 10, wherein: the operating system allows application programs to open display windows on the display device; the application programs specify attributes relating to such windows; and such attributes indicate whether the windows contain driving-related information.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
84 words
A computer-readable storage medium containing an application program that is to be executed by a vehicle computer system, the application program having instructions for performing steps comprising: interacting with an operating system to open one or more display windows; indicating to the operating system whether respective windows are driving-related and whether the windows are to be displayed to the driver when the vehicle is moving, wherein non-driving-related windows are not to be displayed to a driver of a vehicle when the vehicle is moving.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
84 words
A computer-readable storage medium containing an application program that is to be executed by a vehicle computer system, the application program having instructions for performing steps comprising: interacting with an operating system to open one or more display windows; indicating to the operating system whether respective windows are driving-related and whether the windows are to be displayed to the driver when the vehicle is moving, wherein non-driving-related windows are not to be displayed to a driver of a vehicle when the vehicle is moving.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
28 words
A computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 12, wherein the indicating step comprises setting an attribute when opening a window to indicate that the window is driving-related.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
77 words
A computer-readable storage medium containing instructions that are executable by a computer system on a vehicle to perform steps comprising: opening windows in response to requests by application programs, wherein the requests indicate whether the windows contain driving-related information; detecting when the vehicle is moving; preventing display of non-driving-related information to the driver when the vehicle is moving; allowing display of non-driving-related information on the display device when the display device is not viewable by the driver.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
77 words
A computer-readable storage medium containing instructions that are executable by a computer system on a vehicle to perform steps comprising: opening windows in response to requests by application programs, wherein the requests indicate whether the windows contain driving-related information; detecting when the vehicle is moving; preventing display of non-driving-related information to the driver when the vehicle is moving; allowing display of non-driving-related information on the display device when the display device is not viewable by the driver.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
20 words
A computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 14, wherein the detecting step comprises responding to more than one sensor.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
39 words
A computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 14, wherein the detecting step comprises responding to at least two sensors, a first of the sensors indicating vehicle motion, a second of the sensors indicating a potential for vehicle movement.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
79 words
A method of displaying information to a driver of a vehicle, comprising the following steps: submitting requests to an operating system to open display windows on a display device in a vehicle; indicating in the requests whether the respective windows contain driving-related information; displaying only windows containing driving-related information to the driver when the vehicle is moving, and allowing display of windows containing non-driving-related information on the display device when the display device is not viewable by the driver.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
79 words
A method of displaying information to a driver of a vehicle, comprising the following steps: submitting requests to an operating system to open display windows on a display device in a vehicle; indicating in the requests whether the respective windows contain driving-related information; displaying only windows containing driving-related information to the driver when the vehicle is moving, and allowing display of windows containing non-driving-related information on the display device when the display device is not viewable by the driver.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
45 words
A method as recited in claim 17, further comprising the following additional steps: detecting a vehicle control state indicating a potential for vehicle movement; preventing display of windows containing non-driving-related information to the driver when the vehicle control state indicates a potential for vehicle movement.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
40 words
A method as recited in claim 17, further comprising the following additional steps: detecting when the vehicle is in a park setting; preventing display of windows containing non-driving-related information to the driver when the vehicle is in the park setting.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
40 words
A method as recited in claim 17, further comprising the following additional steps: detecting when the vehicle has its parking brake set; allowing display of windows containing non-driving-related information to the driver when the vehicle has its parking brake set.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-09-06 | 2003-03-08 | 2003-09-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-09-06 | 2007-03-08 | 2007-09-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-09-06 | 2011-03-08 | 2011-09-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |