Abstract:
A vehicle computer system comprising a power management system for ensuring that continuous power is supplied to the computer system even when the car is turned off. The computer system comprises a client computer, a server, a plurality of peripheral devices, a power cable for connecting the vehicle battery to the client computer and the peripherals, a backup battery connected to the vehicle battery by a switch such that the switch is turned on when the power from the vehicle battery is low, and a power inverter for converting an direct current voltage from the vehicle battery or the backup battery into an alternating current for powering the client computer and the peripherals.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to a vehicle computer system and more specifically a power management system for conserving the power supplied to the computer system.  
           [0002]    Power management is critical in vehicle computer systems since vehicles have limited power derived from the vehicle&#39;s battery. Moreover, as vehicle computer systems use larger microprocessors and a greater number of peripheral devices, the power requirements increase. Most current vehicle computer systems include reduced instruction set computing (RISC) microprocessors since they are smaller and consume less power then complex instruction set computing (CISC) microprocessors such as the Intel Pentium (i.e, x86, IV) microprocessors.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    It is the object of the invention to provide a vehicle computer system that includes a power management system.  
           [0004]    It is a further object of the invention to provide AC power to the vehicle computer system via a DC to AC inverter.  
           [0005]    It is a still further object of the invention to provide continuous power to the vehicle computer system even when the vehicle battery is low on power or turned off by continuously feeding the vehicle battery with power from a backup battery via a switch.  
           [0006]    It is yet another object of the invention to sense and detect objects and intruders surrounding the vehicle.  
           [0007]    These and other objects of the invention can be achieved by a vehicle computer system comprising a power management system that supplies continuous power to the computer system even when the car is turned off. In accordance with the invention, the computer system comprises a client computer, a server, a plurality of peripheral devices, all connected by communication links, a power cable for connecting the vehicle battery to the client computer and the peripherals, a backup battery connected to the vehicle battery by a switch such that the switch is turned on when the power from the vehicle battery is low, and a power inverter for converting an direct current voltage from the vehicle battery or the backup battery into an alternating current for powering the client computer and the peripherals. The computer system further comprises a plurality of sensors and cameras attached to various locations around the periphery of a vehicle for detecting and recording objects near the car. The sensors transmit signals to an IrDa port within the client computer for client computer to turn the cameras on and the cameras transmit images of the objects to the client computer.  
         BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 1 is a schematic depiction of a vehicle including the vehicle computer system in accordance with the present invention;  
           [0009]    [0009]FIG. 2 a  is a schematic depiction of a top view of a client computer used in the vehicle computer system of FIG. 1;  
           [0010]    [0010]FIG. 2 b  is a schematic depiction of a removable hard drive of the client computer of FIG. 2 a;    
           [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2 c  is a schematic depiction of a bottom view of the client computer of FIG. 2 a;    
           [0012]    [0012]FIG. 2 d  is a schematic depiction of a first side view of the client computer of FIG. 2 a ; and  
           [0013]    [0013]FIG. 2 e  is a schematic depiction of a second opposing side view of the client computer of FIG. 2 a.   
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0014]    [0014]FIG. 1 shows a vehicle computer system  1  according to the preferred embodiment of this invention. Vehicle computer system  1  comprises a client computer  100  including a processor  5 , a fan  15  for controlling the temperature of the processor  5 , and a removable internal hard drive  25 , as shown in FIG. 2 a . Those skilled in the art will appreciate that processor  5  may comprise a single processor or multiple processors that are connected together to carry out processes in tandem. The removable hard drive  25  includes two shock absorbent brackets  35 , as shown in FIG. 2 b , for removably attaching the hard drive  25  of client computer  100  to any location inside of the vehicle  2 . The client computer  100  also includes an easy access memory  45 , as shown in FIG. 2 c , and input and output interfaces including an audio input  95  (such as a microphone not shown), an audio output  75 , a video input  85 , and a video output  105 , as shown in FIG. 2 d , a power input  135  and I/O IrDA (Infrared Developer&#39;s Association) port  125 , as shown in FIG. 2 e , all conventionally interconnected by a bus (not shown).  
         [0015]    The client computer  100  includes other components such as Serial Port  115  (FIG. 2 e ), USB Port  55  and Fire Wire Port  65  (FIG. 2 d ) for providing universal communication between the vehicle computer system  1 , peripheral devices  70  and vehicle components (not shown). The vehicle computer system  1  further comprises a communications link  110 , which allows the client computer  100  to communicate with server  90 , other processing units (not shown), data storage devices (not shown), or peripheral devices  70 . Besides the aforementioned USB Port  55 , Fire Wire Port  65 , or Serial Port  115 , communications link  110  may comprise USB Hub  40 , Fire Wire Hub  50 , RF link, or Audio Hub or any of the common buses or interfaces with configuration space, which are well known in the art, such as ISA, EISA, MCA, PCI, SCSI, PCMCIA, CardBus, etc (not shown).  
         [0016]    As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle computer system  1  also provides additional peripheral devices including at least four cameras  120  and at least eight infrared sensors  130  removably attached to the front, rear, and two sides of the vehicle  2 . In operation, the infrared sensors  130  detect body heat near the area surrounding the vehicle  2  and transmit a signal to the client computer  100  to turn on the camera(s)  120 . The camera(s)  120  will then record images of the intruder and transmit the images to the client computer  100 , wherein the images will be stored on the hard drive  25  and sent as an e-mail message to the display screen  145  to be displayed.  
         [0017]    Read-only memory devices within client computer  100  such as ROM memory, a CD-ROM drive, flash memory and battery-packed RAM (not shown) are provided for retrieving stored information stored on non-writable storage media, (e.g., CD-ROM disks) (not shown). For example, the CD ROM drive reads application-related CDs, as well as musical, video, game, or other types of entertainment CDs. The client computer  100  also receives information from various read and write peripheral devices  70  such as a floppy diskette drive, a hard disk drive, A DVD (digital video disk), CD-RW, DVD-RW (not shown) for storing alterable information from a writable storage media (e.g, floppy disks). The client computer  100  and peripheral devices  70  may receive information through a communications medium, such as server, another computer or telephone network, including wireless communications.  
         [0018]    The client computer  100  runs an open platform operating system which supports multiple applications contained on the hard drive  25  and/or the CD-ROM drive of peripheral devices  70 . Using the open platform operating system and an open computer system architecture, various software applications and hardware peripheral devices  70  produced by independent vendors may be subsequently installed by the vehicle  2  user after purchase of the vehicle  2  so that the software applications do not need to be specially configured for uniquely designed embedded systems. A preferred operating system is any Windows.RTM. brand operating system sold by Microsoft Corporation, such as Windows 95, 98, ME, 2000 pro, XP, CE.  
         [0019]    In addition to having the infrared sensors  130 , the client computer  100  of vehicle computer system  1  includes the IrDA transceiver port  125  to transmit and receive data and programs using infrared signals. The infrared sensors  130  includes one or more different kinds of hardware or apparatuses that sense the position of the vehicle  2  in its environment and features and conditions in the environment around the vehicle  2 . Included among the infrared sensors  130  are apparatuses that detect stationary or moving objects physically in the vicinity around the vehicle. The infrared sensors  130  senses and detects other vehicles, pedestrians, buildings, lampposts, bridge abutments, lane barriers, fences, traffic signals, traffic signs, and so on. Upon detecting such obstacles, the infrared sensors  130  sends a signal to the processor  5  of client computer  100 , which then sends data to server  90  that sends a signal to the brakes to automatically brake the vehicle  2  and thus prevent an accident. Various kinds of sensor devices may be used and the present embodiment is not restricted to any particular type of sensor or combination of sensors. Besides infrared sensors  130 , examples of additional sensors devices that may be used to perform the desired functions include a radar system, a video camera CCD, a laser device, as well as other devices.  
         [0020]    The client computer  100  also has a navigation application that includes program code for a global positioning system (GPS) receiver  155  and program code for mapping functionality (e.g., “Automap” from Microsoft Corporation). The GPS data receiver  155 , included in client computer  100 , receives signals from, for example, a satellite-based navigation system. Data from a GPS interface is transmitted to client computer  100 , which performs calibration, signal processing, dead-reckoning, vehicle positioning, and route guidance functions. Updateable map information and the program code for the mapping functionality may be stored in hard drive  25 .  
         [0021]    The vehicle computer system  1  also comprises graphics controller software that receives data processed by the client computer  100  and transmits the data to an output communicator comprising a display screen  145  with associated audio electronics and audio speakers (not shown). The driver may input data, such as a desired destination, through a user interface such as a keyboard (not shown).  
         [0022]    Additionally, the computer has voice recognition software to permit the user to verbally enter commands in a hands-free, eyes-free environment. Any known voice and text recognition system including Dragon System&#39;s Naturally Speaking software and AT&amp;T&#39;s Watson Speech Recognition software may be used to convert speech to text and text to speech. Using audio input  95  included in client computer  100  the above software will convert the speech to text for purposes of creating documents, e-mails, and other text documents including GPS related documents. Such software can be used to format text by voice and even control certain aspects of the computer system. Moreover, such software also has a text recognition system that can be used for example to translate a received e-mail from text to voice and transmit the e-mail message including sender name to the user as an audio message. The e-mail recipient can then verbally dictate an e-mail message, which the software will translate into text to be transmitted as a reply to the original e-mail.  
         [0023]    The client computer  100  is coupled to a vehicle battery  30 , a backup battery  10 , antenna(s) (not shown) and the various external peripheral devices  70 . The client computer  100  is coupled to the many peripheral devices  70  by communication link  110 . Example peripheral devices  70  include without limitation a television tuner, video display, stereo, digital camera, disk drive, tape drive, CD-ROM drive, a PCMCIA drive, a DVD player, an OBD (On Board Diagnostic) system, a security system, a navigation system, a monitor, a printer, speakers, infrared sensors, a wireless link to the Internet and user I/O devices such as a joystick, keyboard, mouse, disk drive, printer, modem, scanner, serial port, parallel port, etc.  
         [0024]    In this way, client computer  100  can operate a variety of vehicle and traditional computer functions. For example, the client computer  100  provides internet access through an RF link, such as a cellular phone, or wireless modem (not shown). A television picture may be displayed on the display screen  145 . The display screen  145  may also display the image from any of the front or rear mounted digital cameras  120 , which may be used for collision avoidance, and blind spot images from additional cameras located on each side of the vehicle. Likewise, the car stereo system (not shown) may be operated through the client computer  100  to achieve additional functions, such as automated selection of desired programming. The same functions may be provided by the client computer  100  to the peripheral devices  70 , such as CD changer and DVD player, also coupled to the client computer  100  via a communication link  110 , such as USB Hub  40  and Fire Wire Hub  50 , respectively.  
         [0025]    The vehicle computer system  1  including the client computer  100 , server  90 , and peripheral devices  70  are powered by a power system which comprises the vehicle battery  30  and/or any conventional AC-power supply and/or backup battery  10 . The vehicle battery  30  and/or backup battery  10  provide power to the client computer  100 , server  90  and peripheral devices  70  via power cables  20 . The power system ensures that the vehicle computer system  2  has power in the event that the primary vehicle battery  30  is disconnected, becomes discharged, or during engine starting. To alleviate potential problems, the power system comprises a backup battery  10 , which functions as a secondary power source to the vehicle computer system  1 . The backup battery  10  may be solar charged. The backup battery  10  provides sufficient power to support the vehicle computer system  1 . The power system also includes a switch  42  which enables the primary vehicle battery  30  to be connected to the backup battery  10  as needed to ensure a continuous power to the vehicle computer system  1 . The backup battery  10  supplies power to the vehicle battery  30  when such battery is low on power. In particular, when the vehicle battery  30  is low on power or the vehicle is off, the power inverter  80  broadcasts an audio signal to the user indicating that the user should then turn switch  42  on to connect the backup battery  10  to the vehicle battery  30 . The user can then turn switch  42  off either when the car is restarted or the vehicle battery  30  has sufficient power to run the vehicle computer system  1 . In operation, the power from the vehicle battery  30  is fed through power cable  20  to a power inverter  80 , which converts the DC power to the appropriate levels of AC power for use in the client computer  100  and/or peripheral devices  70 . The power inverter  80  supplies AC power to the client computer  100  and/or peripheral devices  70  via power cables  20 .  
         [0026]    Although the invention has been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological steps, it is to be understood that the invention defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or steps described. Rather, the specific features and steps are disclosed as preferred forms of implementing the claimed invention.