Abstract:
A digital memo recorder in a vehicle for recording/play-back of messages and tagging the messages for future reference. The digital recorder is microprocessor controlled to allow direct sequential access for playing back messages. An auditory and visual indication reminds a user of stored messages. Vehicle performance characteristics may be stored as message reminders for future reference. A communications medium couples the digital recording device to the various vehicle functions for courtesy retrieval. The communications medium may be both hard-wired and wireless.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to memo recorders, and more particularly to a memo recorder in a vehicle for recording/playback of messages, tagging the messages, and alerting the user as to the status of various vehicle functions. 
     When a driver of a vehicle is travelling to and from work or if talking on a cellular telephone, errands, appointments, telephone calls, or other actions which require future activity are brought to the attention of the driver. In the past, for recording such items for future reference, a vehicle operator may have carried a memo pad which can be attached to the dashboard and removed for writing notes for such items. In some instances, arm rest consoles may include built-in memo pads or writing surfaces for this purpose. U.S. Pat. No. 4,875,229 discloses a visor mounted telephone and an analog tape answering and recording machine. Such device has the usual complicated controls associated with an analog recorder and does not allow random access to a recorded message. 
     Recently, portable digital recording devices have become available for recording short messages, such as reminder memos to one&#39;s self, and can be conveniently carried in a pocket of the user. Although such devices provide a useful function, they could easily be left behind in pockets of clothing not worn or set aside and left in the office or home. Further, they do not allow for random access to any desired message. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,810,420 entitled “Memo Visor” and which is hereby incorporated by reference discloses a digital voice recorder located within a bezel positioned in a visor for convenient use by the vehicle operator. The bezel is elongated with a record switch and a playback switch in spaced relationship for easy operation. The digital voice recorder is microprocessor controlled to allow direct sequential access for playing back messages. 
     In spite of the teachings of the above-mentioned patents, there is still a significant need for a memo recorder which is able to record/play back messages and highlight or “tag” selected messages in memory to alert the user at a future time that a message or messages needs to be addressed. 
     It is therefore a principle object of the present invention to provide a memo recorder in a vehicle for recording/playback of messages, and tagging the messages for future reference. The tagged messages could be played back automatically and at a later time at the discretion of the user. 
     It is still another object of the present invention to provide an indication signal to alert the user of a waiting message. The alert indication will exist until the message is played by the user. 
     It is yet another object of the present invention to provide to the user the status of various vehicle functions such as oil pressure, seatbelt fastening, temperature alert as courtesy alarms to the user. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a memo recorder in a vehicle for recording/playback of messages, and “tagging” the messages for future reference. The tagged messages remind the user that a message is awaiting retrieval. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the invention includes a digital memo recorder. The digital memo recorder includes a delete switch for deletion of messages and other vehicle communications, and a “tag” switch for marking a message and vehicle communications for future reference. An indicator such as an LED, beeping tone, and/or a combination of both, is used to remind the user of a waiting message. 
     In an alternative preferred embodiment, the apparatus of the present invention comprises a digital memo recorder connected to a vehicle bus. An indicator such as an LED, beeping tone, and/or a combination of both, is used as an alarm. When a vehicle&#39;s ignition is turned on and alternatively, when the ignition is turned off, an audible explanation will automatically key. Accordingly, the status of various vehicle parameters such as battery charge, oil pressure, and seatbelt warning are available to the user through the indicator of the digital memo recorder. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The various advantages of the present invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art by reading the following specification and subjoined claims and by referencing the following drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a simplified perspective view of a digital memo recorder in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an electrical circuit diagram in block and schematic form of the circuit of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The following description of the preferred embodiment concerning a digital memo recorder is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the invention or its application or uses. Moreover, while the present invention is described in detail below with reference to use with an automotive vehicle visor, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the present invention is clearly not so limited to vehicle visors and may be used with other types of devices as well. 
     Referring to FIG. 1, a vehicle subsystem is shown generally designated by the number  10 . While the vehicle subsystem  10  may be a vehicle visor  12 , it will be appreciated that the vehicle subsystem  10  may be other suitable components such as a vehicle instrument panel, a vehicle console, an armnrest, a rearview mirror, or other suitable vehicle interior components. The visor  12  includes a digital recorder  14  integrated within the visor body  13  and located in the upper right hand corner of, for example, the driver&#39;s side visor. The digital recorder  14  includes a bezel  16  for receiving and supporting the user interface controls including a record push button switch  18 , which includes a microphone indicia  18   a  printed on the face thereof for illustrating to the user that the switch  18  can be used to record messages and storing the messages in a memory device  38 . Also incorporated within the digital recorder  14  is a center located microphone/speaker  20 , which can be a relatively small ceramic device which is commercially available. Further, the bezel  16  supports a play-back push-button switch  22  including a speaker indicia  22   a  thereon for indicating to the user the fact that the switch  22  is used for playing back existing messages. 
     The bezel  16  further supports a delete switch  24  having indicia such as a line  24   a  drawn therein indicating that the switch  24  is to be used for deleting prerecorded messages. Additionally, a tag switch  30  is located at a predetermined location on the digital recorder  14 . An indicia  30   a  indicates to the user that the switch  30  is to be used to mark or tag preselected messages to be highlighted for future reference. The digital recorder  14  further includes a multicolored indicator  28  which can be a multicolored LED indicating recording, play-back, memory status, and tag messages of the digital recording device  14  in accordance with the device&#39;s operation. 
     To record a message, the record switch  18  is momentarily pressed and the microphone speaker  20  chirps and the indicator  28  illuminates red. The operator then speaks the messages, the length of which is only limited by the memory selected for the recorder  14 . After recording a message, the record switch  18  is again momentarily pressed to stop the recording. The microphone/speaker  20  chirps and the indicator  28  turns off. When it is desired to tag a message, the user depresses the tag switch  30  which cause the memory of the digital recorder  14  to store a parameter in a memory device  38 . When a vehicle&#39;s ignition is turned on and alternatively, when the ignition is turned off, the messages tagged are automatically played back. Alternatively, the tag switch  30  may be depressed to retrieve a tagged message from memory  38 . Depressing the tag switch  30  will play back a respective tagged message which may be deleted by depressing the delete switch  24  after play back or during play back. If more than one tagged message exists in memory  38 , depression of the tag switch  30  will skip to the next in succession for play-back or deletion. 
     To play a previously recorded message, the operator momentarily presses the play switch  22 , the microphone/speaker  20  chirps and the green portion  28  of the indicator  28  blinks. The first recorded message plays and the indicator  28  turns off. If more than one message has been recorded, the operator again momentarily presses the play switch  22  and repeats the process to play back all of the messages. If no messages remain, pressing the play switch  22  again returns the play-back to the first message. If the play switch  22  is pressed during message play-back, the system skips the next message and begins play-back. An amber indicator  28  may be used to show that no messages are recorded when attempting to play back any messages or that the memory is full when attempting to record a message. 
     Tagged messages are automatically played when the ignition of a vehicle is turned on, and when the ignition is turned off. The tagged message(s) will continue to be played until acknowledged. Acknowledgement of the tagged messages may be actuation of the tag switch  30 , play switch  22 , or delete switch  24 . A commercially available voice simulation may be used. 
     Referring to FIG. 2, another embodiment of the vehicle subsystem of the present invention is described which is generally designated by the numeral  10 . In this embodiment, the same reference numerals which are used to identify components which are similar to elements described in connection with the first embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG.  1 . The digital recorder  14  includes a microprocessor  32  programmed to facilitate use of the operation of the recorder  14 . Coupled to the input of the microprocessor  32  is the record switch  18 , the delete switch  24 , the play-back switch  22 , and the tag switch  30 . The switches  18 ,  22 ,  24 , and  30  function in a manner similar to that associated with the corresponding switch of the first preferred embodiment. The microprocessor  32  is coupled to a voice recording chip  34  such as an ISD 1000 AP and for such purpose an address and control line  36  intercouples the microprocessor  32  with the ISD circuit (not shown). 
     The microprocessor  32  is also coupled to a non-volatile memory  38  which stores messages received temporarily stored by the ISD circuit (not shown) and is controlled by the microprocessor  32  to provide random access to such prerecorded, stored messages. The ISD circuit (not shown) is coupled to the combined microphone/speaker  20  for receiving voice information to be recorded and for playing back such recorded messages. 
     The microprocessor  32  is coupled to a four color indicator  28  including a red indicator  28   a  indicating that the device is in a recording mode, a green indicator  28   c  indicating that the device is in a playback mode, an amber indicator  28   d  providing notification to the user that no messages are recorded when attempting to play back any messages or that the memory is full when attempting to record a message, and, a white indicator  28   b  indicating that a tag message has been marked for future retrieval. 
     A communications medium  40  couples the digital recorder  14  to a vehicle bus  42 . The vehicle bus  42  contains a plurality of connections from vehicle sensors  44  such as seatbelt fastening sensor, windshield washer fluid level sensor, door ajar sensor, and fuel level sensor. Accordingly, information from the various vehicle sensors  44  may be relayed to the digital recorder  14  via the communications medium  40  to provide courtesy indications to the user. For example, when a seatbelt is not fastened, the indicator  28  may have a combination of flashing lights, a beeping tone, or a combination of both to indicate to the user that a seatbelt needs to be fastened. Additionally, auditory messages indicating the sensed vehicle performance characteristics that have been tagged, may be played when the tag switch  30  is actuated, the vehicle driver&#39;s door is opened, the ignition key is placed in the vehicle ignition, and/or the vehicle ignition is activated. The message will continue to play until acknowledged by actuation of the tag switch  30 , play switch  22 , or delete switch  24 . A commercially available voice simulation may be used. 
     The microprocessor circuit is powered utilizing conventional power supply circuitry (not shown) and is coupled to the battery supply line (not shown) of the vehicle with a non-volatile memory  38  serving to retain the messages in memory even if the battery supply line (not shown) is disconnected, either inadvertently or, as in some vehicle models, after a predetermined period of time. Information from the vehicle sensor  44  may be supplied to the user of the vehicle either before the ignition switch (not shown) of the vehicle is activated or after starting the vehicle. 
     The communications medium  40  may be electrical wiring or a wireless communication. A commercially available wireless communications medium is the Bluetooth technology currently in use by Nokia and Motorola. The technology is based on a short-range radio link, built into a microchip facilitating protected ad hoc connections for stationary and mobile communication environments. Bluetooth technology allows for the replacement of cables that connect one device to another with one universal short range radio link. 
     Those skilled in the art can now appreciate from the foregoing description that the broad teachings of the present invention can be implemented in a variety of forms. Therefore, while this invention has been described in connection with particular examples thereof, the true scope of the invention should not be so limited since other modifications will become apparent to the skilled practitioner upon a study of the drawings, specification, and following claims.