The invention relates to vehicular audio and video devices. More particularly, the invention relates to an entertainment module with an audio/video input device(s) integrated with a satellite audio and video device.
It is known in the art that vehicles currently employ various entertainment systems for the enjoyment of the vehicle operator and passengers. For example, some vehicles may employ satellite digital audio radio services, which has been commonly referred to in the art as “SDARS.” SDARS typically offers a digital broadcast of audio from satellites in either a geo-stationary orbit or a highly elliptical orbit that receive up-linked programming, which, in turn, is re-broadcasted directly to vehicle receivers that subscribe to the service. In another example, vehicles are also being manufactured with rear seat entertainment systems that employ a screen for viewing broadcast television or movies from a digital video disc (DVD).
A vehicle employing such dissimilar audio and video systems require individual control circuitry, software, power supplies, memory, vehicle interface connectors, casings, and dedicated vehicle harnessing for each system. Accordingly, complexity in the wiring, costs of material, and costs of installation are incurred when dissimilar systems are employed in the vehicle. Accordingly, a need therefore exists to reduce system cost and complexity of dissimilar audio and video systems employed in a vehicle.
The inventors of the present invention have recognized these and other problems associated with dissimilar audio and video systems employed in a vehicle. The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
The above-described disadvantages are overcome and a number of advantages are realized by an inventive vehicular entertainment module, which is shown generally at 10, 100, 200 in
Referring initially to
As illustrated, the vehicular entertainment module 10 also includes an audio/video input device 30, such as a DVD player or video game console, for providing audio output by way of audio reproducing devices (e.g. speakers/headphones, S, H), and video output to the video screen 28 upon inserting the media, such as a DVD or video game programming, which is shown generally at D, into the vehicular entertainment module 10. The vehicular entertainment module 10 may also include a hard drive/memory 32 that provides saved audio and video information, which is shown generally at 34, to the audio and video data decoder 24. The saved audio and video information 34 may be, for example, downloaded audio or video from the satellite audio and video, A, V, or, alternatively, the saved audio and video information 34 may be, for example, pre-programmed onto the hard drive/memory 32. The audio and video data decoder 24 may include a single processor that decodes audio and video originating from the audio/video input device 30, the satellite audio signals, A, and the satellite video signals, V.
The vehicular entertainment module 10 also includes shared support electronics 36 for operating the receiver 22, the audio and video data decoder 24, the audio/video input device 30, and the hard drive/memory 32. The support electronics 36 may include a microcontroller, software blocks, memory, a vehicle communication interface, power supplies, a vehicle connector interface, a cooling device, and the like. A user interface 38 may also communicate with the support electronics 36 for operating the vehicular entertainment module 10. The user interface 38 may include, for example, buttons, lights, and a display screen; if desired, the video screen 28 may be employed as the display screen for the user interface 38.
Referring to
Referring to
The satellite audio and video signals, A, V, received by the vehicular entertainment module 10, 100, 200 may be broadcast in any desirable band, such as, for example, the 2320-2345 MHz frequency band, which is the SDARS band. Accordingly, the satellite audio signals, A, may include any desirable programming, such as music, talk radio, and the like. User interface information associated with the satellite audio signals, A, such as station numbers, artist name, and the like is typically transmitted with the satellite audio signal, A, for representation on a user interface screen. The satellite video signals, V, may include any desirable video information, such as television programming, movies, video games, navigation information (e.g., maps), graphical representations (e.g., stock information), and the like. The satellite video signals, V, may be received by the receiver 22 and decoded by the audio and video data decoder 24 for output over the video screen 28, or, alternatively, the satellite video signals, V, may be downloaded into the hard drive/memory 32 for decoding and output at a desired time.
While the invention has been specifically described in connection with certain specific embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that this is by way of illustration and not of limitation, and the scope of the appended claims should be construed as broadly as the prior art will permit.