Multi-functional touchpad controller for automobile

Abstract

A touchpad has a smart man-machine interface. Through a computer system in an automobile, the smart man-machine interface controls systems and multimedia equipments in the automobile, such as an air conditioner and an audio/video player. The interface provides several control modes, such as to control with a keypad, with a writing pad or with a mouse. And the computer system can be connected with a few sets of the touchpad and a display through wire lines or wireless connections.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be better understood from the following detailed description(s) of the preferred embodiment(s) according to the present invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which

FIG. 1 is a structural view of a first preferred embodiment according to the present invention;

FIG. 2A till FIG. 2C are views showing a touchpad module under a keypad mode, a writing-pad mode and a mouse mode;

FIG. 2D and FIG. 2E are structural views showing preferred embodiments of keypads for the touchpad module;

FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B are views showing a remote control module using a touchpad or using a substantial keypad together with a touch pad;

FIG. 4A till FIG. 4C are a structural view and status-of-use views showing statuses of use of the second preferred embodiment;

FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B are views showing statuses of use of a third preferred embodiment;

FIG. 6A and FIG. 6B are views showing statuses of use of a fourth preferred embodiment; and

FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 are views of prior arts.

Claims

1. A multi-functional touchpad controller for an automobile, comprising: a touchpad module, said touchpad module being an input device for an automobile computer, a positioning navigator, and a multimedia and communication system;an automobile audio/video module, said automobile audio/video module processing audio/video signals;a first automobile display module, said first automobile display module displaying image, navigation map and information from said automobile computer;a remote control module, said remote control module having a wireless output unit to control said touchpad controller remotely;a response module, said response module showing a response through a signal selected from a group consisting of a sound signal, an optical signal and an image signal; anda central controlling module, said central controlling module having a wireless unit to receive signals from a device selected from a group consisting of said touchpad module and said remote control module, said central controlling module transferring transformed signals to said first automobile display module and said automobile audio/video module.

2. The touchpad controller according to claim 1, wherein said central controlling module further comprises an automobile computer unit, a automobile navigation unit, and a multimedia and communication unit; andwherein said automobile computer unit sets up in-car systems in said automobile.

3. The touchpad controller according to claim 2, where in said in-car system includes at least a device selected from a group consisting of a window system, an air conditioner system, a door-lock system, an anti-theft system, a lamp system and a wiper system.

4. The touch pad controller according to claim 1, wherein said central controlling module further comprises a card reader, an input/output (I/O) module and a microphone jack.

5. The touch pad controller according to claim 4, wherein said card reader reads a card selected from a group consisting of an secure digital (SD) card, a multimedia card (MMC) and an reduced size multimedia card (RS-MMC).

6. The touch pad controller according to claim 4, wherein said I/O module has an I/O interface selected from a group consisting of a universal serial bus (USB) interface, a high-speed serial bus (1394) interface and a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI).

7. The touch pad controller according to claim 4, wherein said I/O module is connected with a device having an I/O interface andwherein said I/O interface is selected from a group consisting of a USB interface, a 1394 interface and an HDMI interface.

8. The touchpad controller according to claim 7, wherein said device is selected from a group consisting of a computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a multimedia player and a smart phone.

9. The touchpad controller according to claim 1, where in said first automobile display module is a flat panel display (FPD).

10. The touchpad controller according to claim 1, wherein said touchpad module is operated under a mode selected from a group consisting of a keypad mode, a writing-pad mode and a mouse mode.

11. The touch pad controller according to claim 1, wherein said remote control module is operated under an input mode selected from a group consisting of a keypad mode, a writing-pad mode and a mouse mode.

12. The touchpad controller according to claim 1, wherein said central controlling module further comprises at least a second automobile display module, a second remote control module and a second touchpad module.

13. The touchpad controller according to claim 12, wherein said second automobile display module is connected with said central controlling module through a wireless transmission protocol selected from a group consisting of IrDA (Infrared Data Association) protocol and blue tooth protocol.

14. The touchpad controller according to claim 12, wherein said second automobile display module is set at a back of a front seat in a car.

15. The touchpad controller according to claim 1, wherein said wireless unit receives signals transmitted from said wireless output unit of said remote control module.

16. The touchpad controller according to cIaim 15, wherein said wireless output unit transmits signals through a wireless connection selected from a group consisting of an IrDA connection, a blue tooth connection, a wireless personal area networking (Zigbee) and a radio connection.

17. The touchpad controller according to claim 1, wherein said wireless unit receives signals selected from a group consisting of AM/FM radio signals and Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) signals.

18. The touchpad controller according to claim 1, wherein said wireless unit receives signals selected from a group consisting of Global Positioning System (GPS) signals, Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB) signals and Digital Audio Broadcast (DMB) signals.

19. The touchpad controller according to claim 1, wherein said wireless unit transmits and receives signals selected from a group consisting of wireless networking signals and mobile communication signals.

20. The touchpad controller according to claim 1, wherein said first automobile display module displays information including at least data selected from a travel mileage, a time, a vehicle condition, a traffic condition, a fuel consumption, an estimated time of arrival, an in-car temperature and an in-car humidity.