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:
Jun. 18, 2002
Filed:
Mar. 31, 2000
Kazuo Kawakami, Tokyo, JP;
Clarion Co., Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
There is described an in-car switch controller which enables a driver to control electronic devices provided in a car. The controller includes a switch panel which can be placed in the vicinity of a driver's seat such that the driver can readily actuate the switch panel and which comprises a plurality of main switches and sub-switches paired up with the corresponding main switches, the sub-switch being arranged so as to designate and enable the function of the main switch; a display section which can be provided in the front panel or in the vicinity thereof and which displays an image of the main switch paired up with the corresponding sub-switch and an advice image pertaining to the function of the main switch, when the sub-switch is actuated; an image data storage section for storing image data used for producing the images of the main switches and their corresponding advice images; an image generation control section for generating the display image on the basis of the image data stored in the image data storage section; a display drive section for activating the display section so as to display the display screen prepared by the image generation control section; image data designation means for reading image data from the image data storage section in accordance with a specification instruction output from the sub-switch; and a control device which, upon receipt of an operation signal from the main switch enabled by the sub-switch, outputs a control signal for effecting the function assigned to the image of the switch displayed in the display section.