Patent ID: 7478492
Filing Date: 2009-01-20
Classification: B60K,B60R,G09F

Abstract:
1. A display integrated with and mounted to an exterior portion of a first motor vehicle, comprising: a flat panel display mounted flush to an exterior portion of a vehicle body and within a cutout portion of the exterior portion of the vehicle body, the flat panel display having at least 1024 by 768 pixels to display graphics and including an LCD, plasma, or active matrix display; a protective rim surrounding a perimeter of the flat panel display and extending outward from the flat panel display, the protective rim including a rubber or polymer material; a protective layer disposed on a viewing surface of the flat panel display, the protective layer including Plexiglass; a control circuit coupled for controlling the flat panel display, the control circuit including, a wireless communication link coupled to the two-way communication port for sending and receiving the signals, the wireless communication link being configured to receive signals generated by a public service notification system, the signals including public service bulletins and emergency alerts; a first sensor mounted to the first motor vehicle for detecting proximity of a second motor vehicle with respect to the first motor vehicle, the first sensor sending a first warning signal to the control circuit and causing an image corresponding to the first warning signal to be retrieved from the memory and displayed on the flat panel display when a distance between the first and second motor vehicles is less than a predetermined threshold, the image on the flat panel display being accentuated to warn the second motor vehicle, the accentuation including animation of the image; a second sensor mounted to the first motor vehicle for sensing a power failure of an engine of the first motor vehicle, the second sensor sending a second warning signal to the control circuit and causing an image corresponding to the second warning signal to be retrieved from the memory and displayed on the flat panel display to notify the second motor vehicle of the power failure of the engine of the first motor vehicle, the image on the flat panel display being accentuated to warn the second motor vehicle, the accentuation including animation of the image; and an operator control panel mounted to the dashboard, steering column, or center console of the first motor vehicle and coupled to the control circuit for controlling operation of the flat panel display and including a user interface for causing the control circuit to retrieve image or video data from a CD player or a PC connected to the two-way communication port, specifying the display duration of an image stored in the memory, searching within a plurality of images stored in the memory, and enabling and disabling the wireless communication link and first and second sensors.