Eaton Corporation

Edwin Eames Pickens

Charles John Luebke

Edward Francis Buck

David Mark Nelsen

John Edmund Dunne

Michael John Drapac

John Robert Skibinski

Norman John Colle

Alan Robert Coloske

An indicator unit is provided to display information to occupants in a motor vehicle. An interface to a communication network provides data required for the specific information being displayed. The indicator unit is adapted to fit into a standard sized aperture found in motor vehicle dashboards, thereby enabling indicators for different operating parameters as desired by the owner to be incorporated into the dashboard of a particular vehicle. An input device also may be provided by which an occupant of the motor vehicle can control operation of the indicator unit.

Intelligent indicators for a motor vehicle

An indicator unit is provided to display information to occupants in a motor vehicle. The indicator unit is adapted for connection to a communication network and intercepts messages that carry data between other vehicle equipment. A control circuit is programmed to identify the existing network messages that carry the data needed for the information display. The control circuit operates a display device in response to received data. Because the indicator eavesdrops on the network and intercepts existing data messages, other equipment in the motor vehicle do not have to be programmed to communicate specifically with the indicator. This facilitates adding specific indicators to a particular truck.

Motor vehicle dashboard indicators with an intelligent computer network interface

Growing community of inventors

Milwaukee, WI, United States of America

Edwin Eames Pickens