Meritor Heavy Vehicle Technology, LLC

Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Rockwell International Corporation

Reno V Ramsey

Dennis A Kramer

George Chene

Brian Jeffrey Mueller

Lee A French

Jack R Worrall

Wayne Shintaku

Gerald D Lawruk

Thomas A Seder

James A Carpenter

Brian V Sychta

William E Conway

Davide Silvestri

Mohannad F Murad

Gregg R Kittinger

Ronald G Moore

George Degener

Paul E Janos

Al E Tousignant

Lynne Edgar

Manish Khadtare

A touchscreen panel is configured to accept an input touch command. The touchscreen panel includes a liquid crystal display (LCD) layer. The touchscreen panel also includes a touch sensor having a receiving element and a transmitting element, each arranged on the LCD layer. The receiving element and the transmitting element together are configured to detect an impending touch of the touch sensor via a hover system and a touch event in a touch-detecting mode. At least one of the receiving element and the transmitting element is configured to operate in a heating mode, as a heating element, when the impending touch of the touch sensor is not detected. The resultant heating element generates a heat energy input to the LCD layer and accelerates responsiveness of the LCD layer to the touch event. A method of controlling a touchscreen panel is also disclosed.

Touchscreen panel with heating function

A display assembly includes a display console having an image plane spaced from a touch plane. The touch plane includes at least one touch sensitive area. A controller is operatively connected to the display console, and includes a processor and tangible, non-transitory memory on which is recorded instructions for executing a method of dynamically adjusting at least one touch sensitive area in real-time. The controller may be programmed to determine respective correction shifts to each pixel in the touch sensitive area for multiple viewing positions of one or more users. The display console may be curved. The controller may be programmed to simultaneously a first correction shift to a first touch sensitive area for the viewing position of the first user and a second correction shift to a second touch sensitive area for the viewing position of the second user.

Dynamic adjustment of touch sensitive area in a display assembly

A rear view video system for a vehicle includes a display and a rear view camera that generates a raw video signal. A video modification module receives the raw video signal and generates a modified video signal based thereon. A video analysis module analyzes whether the modified video signal is valid or invalid. A switch outputs the modified video signal to the display when the vehicle is in reverse and the modified video signal is valid and outputs the raw video signal to the display when the vehicle is in reverse and the modified video signal is invalid.

Redundant video path for vehicle rear view camera system

Methods and systems are provided for controlling camera images of vehicle cameras. In one example, a camera, a radio system, a processor, and a display are disposed onboard a vehicle. The camera is configured to generate camera images. The radio system is configured to process the camera images. The processor is configured to at least facilitate determining whether a radio system of the vehicle is functioning properly; processing the camera images through the radio system prior to displaying the camera images within the vehicle, if the radio system is functioning properly; and providing instructions for displaying the camera images within the vehicle without processing the camera images through the radio system, if the radio system is not functioning properly. The display is configured to display the camera images in accordance with the instructions provided by the processor.

Rear vision camera switching

A system for setting vehicle operator preferences is provided. The system includes a vehicle control module for controlling a vehicle component such as an HVAC unit. A data link is connected to the vehicle control module and may be an infrared signal receiver, a radio frequency signal receiver, a vehicle communications bus, or any other suitable data link. A portable handheld computing device includes a program having vehicle preferences stored in a memory. Preferably, the vehicle preferences may be input by the operator into the portable handheld computing device. The portable handheld computing device may be a Handspring&reg; device, a Palmpilot&reg; device, or any other suitable portable computing device. The portable handheld computing device sends the vehicle preferences to the vehicle control module through the data link to control the vehicle component. The vehicle preferences are sent by IR, RF, or any other suitable means. The system may be used to control an HVA system, for example. The portable handheld computing device may include a temperature sensor received in an expansion port for sensing the temperature in the area of the portable handheld computing device. The portable handheld computing device may be taken to a sleeping area of a vehicle cab to control the temperature locally when the operator is sleeping.

Individualized vehicle settings

A method and system is provided for inspecting and maintaining a vehicle. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a method of capturing vehicle data including the steps of servicing a vehicle at a location corresponding to service data. Service data is input into a portable handheld computing device and transferred from the portable handheld computing device to a vehicle onboard computer. Vehicle warranty data is provided on the vehicle onboard computer. The service data and the vehicle warranty data are retrieved from the vehicle onboard computer. In another embodiment of the present invention, a method of inspecting a vehicle includes communicating with the vehicle systems using a portable handheld computing device to automatically inspect the vehicle systems. Prompts are displayed on the portable handheld computing device to guide a vehicle inspector to inspect additional vehicle systems. A help option is displayed on the portable handheld computing device associated with one of the additional vehicle systems. Selecting the help option displays instructions related to the vehicle system, such as how to inspect the system and how to fix the system if any problems are encountered.

Vehicle inspection and maintenance system

The present invention provides a system for automatically shutting down a vehicle. The system includes a vehicle system for performing a vehicle function such as brakes for performing braking of the vehicle. A vehicle control system controls the vehicle system by controlling valve switches or actuators to manipulate the vehicle system. A portable handheld computing device includes a program defining a vehicle shutdown sequence. Preferably, the portable handheld computing device is what is known as a personal digital assistant (PDA), such as a Handspring&reg; or Palmpilot&reg;. A cradle removably receives the portable handheld computing device to connect the portable handheld computing device with the vehicle control system, such as through the vehicle databus. A switch enables the portable handheld computing device to command the vehicle control system to perform the vehicle shutdown sequence. The switch may be an ignition switch, a dedicated vehicle shutdown sequence switch, or an icon on a PDA display touch screen. Once the switch has been actuated, the program residing on the portable handheld computing device commands the vehicle control systems to perform the vehicle shutdown sequence. For example, the vehicle shutdown sequence may command the pneumatic power control system to purge a wet tank to remove the water from the wet tank to prevent it from rusting.

Automated vehicle shutdown sequence

A personal computer generally of the type commonly available under the trade name Palm Pilot&trade; is utilized on a heavy vehicle to obtain information. The information may be analyzed by software provided on the computer. The computer is removed from a docking module on the vehicle and plugged into a docking module at a headquarters base. Data can then be downloaded to the headquarters. At the same time, the headquarters can upload information into the computer which may be then downloaded into the vehicle when the computer is returned to the vehicle. The information taken from the vehicle to the computer may include trip information such as mileage, state line crossing, etc. The information uploaded into the computer may include trip information which can then provide instructions to a navigation system on the vehicle. Moreover, the system may also provide diagnostic analyses while on the vehicle.

Personal data computer for vehicle monitoring

A vehicle data storage system is provided which includes a plurality of sensors for sensing vehicle operating conditions, such as engine temperature. A control module receives the vehicle operating conditions and translates the vehicle operating conditions into vehicle information. A portable hand held computing device, such as a Handspring&reg; or Palmpilot&reg;, has a data storage device or memory that receives the vehicle information. The data storage device is limited by a particular memory capacity. A secondary storage device receives the vehicle information from the data storage device from the portable hand held computing device when the memory capacity reaches a desired memory capacity level, such as when there is only 10% of the memory left in the data storage device. Additionally, one of the vehicle operating conditions in one of the subsystem control modules may comprise a triggering event. The triggering event may be detecting a high engine temperature in an engine temperature sensor. The subsystem control module then produces a request signal for event data in response to the triggering event. A memory buffer stores the vehicle information from all of the subsystem control modules. The event data is defined by a first predetermined time before the triggering event to a second predetermined time after the triggering event so that the data surrounding the triggering event resides in the memory buffer. The data in the memory buffer is written over by new data unless a request signal is received. A secondary storage device receives the event data in response to the request signal.

Vehicle systems data storage

A remote signal transmitter that is capable of producing a command comprising a signal including a first value and an answer calculated using the first value as an input variable in a transfer function. The transmitter broadcasts the signal to a receiver which receives the first value and the answer. The receiver then performs a second calculation using the first value to produce a second answer. The first answer incident upon the receiver is then compared with the second answer and if a predetermined comparison test is satisfied, the subsequent command is implemented. The preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a means to increment the first value each time the transmitter is utilized. In addition, the receiver includes a screening process in which the second calculation performed by the receiver will not be performed if a previously used first value is received.

Apparatus for remote implementation of a command

A dual battery backup system which provides power to selected portions of a trip recorder according to a load shedding strategy to maximize duration of operation and data retention in the event of interruption of primary power supply. The trip recorder is divided into three subsystems; a central processing unit, input/output and memory/clock subsystems. In the event of interruption of power from the vehicle battery, backup power is supplied to all systems according to a load shedding strategy. Power supplied to the input/output subsystem and the central processing unit are interrupted after the passage of predetermined amounts of time. The memory subsystem receives power after all other subsystems have been shed enabling memory retention for a period of up to ten years.

Growing community of inventors

Sterling Heights, MI, United States of America

Reno V Ramsey