The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 18, 1999
Filed:
Dec. 08, 1997
Paul J Steffan, Elk Grove, CA (US);
Ming Chun Chen, Irvine, CA (US);
Other;
Abstract
A vehicle communications system having a remote control unit installed in the interior of a vehicle and a display unit located on the exterior of the vehicle. The display unit has an input from the remote control unit and an input from a vehicle interface module that has inputs from the vehicle such as the braking system and the turning signal system. The remote control unit is controllable by the driver in the vehicle and has a table of preset and preprogrammed messages selectable by the driver. The driver selects a message to be displayed and sends the message to the display unit. Any input to the vehicle interface module from the vehicle signaling systems overrides the signal input from the remote control unit unless the display unit is mounted on the front of the vehicle. The driver can select a message from a table of messages that are sequentially displayed on the remote control unit. The table of messages is stored on a flash memory in the remote unit and in a flash memory in the display unit. The table of messages in the remote unit is programmable via a USB programming port. The table of messages in the display unit can be programmed via an RF signal sent to the display unit by the remote unit.