Abstract:
A compact display unit including a mobile application server. The mobile application server is mounted in the vehicle for receipt and transmission of communications. The mobile application server is operatively connected to the compact display unit. The compact display unit presents to a vehicle operator a plurality of pre-selected permissive communications for intercommunication between the vehicle and a remote base station located outside of the vehicle. A touch screen connects to the monitor and presents the programmed permissible communication options to the vehicle operator. The permissible communications options are capable of being masked by the remote base station, and cannot be unmasked by the vehicle operator.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/519,319, entitled “Compact Display Unit” and filed on Sep. 11, 2006, which is expressly incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Field 
         [0003]    The apparatus and method disclosed and claimed in this document pertains generally to display units. More particularly, the new and useful compact display unit disclosed and claimed in this document pertains to an apparatus and method useful in a mobile satellite communications system that includes a mobile computing platform. The compact display unit is particularly, but not exclusively, useful for providing a button-activated, touch screen operated display unit, that excludes a keyboard but allows a vehicle driver or operator to select from a range of programmably permissive communications that may be transmitted between the vehicle and a mobile server, such as used by a vehicle dispatcher, and other remote servers within a mobile satellite communications system. The compact display unit is particularly, but not exclusively, useful for inter-communication between at least one base station such as a vehicle dispatcher and a means of transport. 
         [0004]    2. Background 
         [0005]    A system for at least two-way communications between one or more base stations such as a vehicle dispatcher, and a means of transport remote from the base station, is increasingly in demand. The demand is for a mobile satellite communications system that allows vehicle owners to track the location of vehicles, prevents misappropriation of a vehicle, enables communication between a vehicle and a vehicle dispatcher, enables optional communication among vehicle operators, allows selective communication with third parties, and monitors various problems confronted by vehicle operators in connection with a vehicle. 
         [0006]    The term “means of transport” as used in this document includes not only such nonexclusive vehicles as ground-based motorized vehicles including trucks, cars, and trains, but also ships, boats, airborne means of transport, and the like (collectively in this document, “vehicle” or “vehicles”). 
         [0007]    The term “remote” as used in this document means either that one object is removed in space from another systemically interrelated but distant object or objects, or that one object has the capability of acting on, controlling, sending data to, or acquiring data from, such other systemically interrelated but distant object or objects, without coming in physical contact with one another. 
         [0008]    Efforts to achieve communications between and among remote vehicles and vehicle dispatchers, for example, and to locate, track, identify, and communicate with such vehicles, has been enhanced by combining the U.S. Global Positioning System with a variety of hardware and software system components. 
         [0009]    Demand in the industry now has grown to also require a new, useful and improved mobile satellite communications system with enhanced capabilities for inter-communication between at least one base station and one or more vehicles, such as the Qualcomm® Mobile Computing Platform (in this document, for example, “Qualcomm® mobile satellite communications system”). The compact display unit disclosed and claimed in this document provides new and useful features for such a mobile satellite communications system by providing an apparatus and system that permits a vehicle occupant to communicate from either a stationary or moving vehicle using a button-activated and touch screen operated display unit with enhanced safety features. The enhanced safety features include the exclusion of a conventional full keyboard associated with the compact display unit. 
         [0010]    The absence of a conventional fully keyed keyboard enhances safety because a vehicle operator cannot enter data using a conventional keyboard during operation or transit of a vehicle. However, the compact display unit includes activation buttons that permit an operator to initiate a range of programmably permissive communications provided on a touch screen display from the vehicle to one or more remote servers without removing eye contact with the road and outside conditions, and to transmit a message to one or more remote servers across a Qualcomm® mobile satellite communications system. These capabilities and features currently are not available to the industry. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0011]    The compact display unit is operatively connectable to a mobile application server for transmission and receipt of a range of pre-selected permissive communications between the vehicle and a remote server by a vehicle operator during operation of the vehicle as well as while the vehicle is stationary. A touch screen presents permissible communication options to a vehicle operator. The permissible communications options are capable of being masked by a remote base station. However, masked ones of said permissible communications options cannot be unmasked by the vehicle operator. 
         [0012]    It will become apparent to one skilled in the art that the claimed subject matter as a whole, including the structure of the apparatus, and the cooperation of the elements of the apparatus, combine to result in a number of unexpected advantages and utilities. The structure and co-operation of structure of the compact display unit will become apparent to those skilled in the art when read in conjunction with the following description, drawing figures, and appended claims. 
         [0013]    The foregoing has outlined broadly the more important features of the invention to better understand the detailed description that follows, and to better understand the contributions to the art. The compact display unit is not limited in application to the details of construction, and to the arrangements of the components, provided in the following description or drawing figures, but is capable of other embodiments, and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. 
         [0014]    The phraseology and terminology employed in this disclosure are for purpose of description, and therefore should not be regarded as limiting. As those skilled in the art will appreciate, the conception on which this disclosure is based readily may be used as a basis for designing other structures, methods, and systems. The claims, therefore, include equivalent constructions. 
         [0015]    Further, the abstract associated with this disclosure is intended neither to define the compact display unit, which is measured by the claims, nor intended to limit the scope of the claims. 
         [0016]    The novel features of the compact display unit are best understood from the accompanying drawing, considered in connection with the accompanying description of the drawing, in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts, and in which: 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0017]      FIG. 1  of the drawing is a perspective view of the compact display unit; 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram illustrating the compact display unit operatively connected to other communications components; 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram illustrating the Qualcomm® mobile satellite communications system; and 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  is a side perspective view showing a vehicle and selected components of a mobile computing platform. 
       
    
    
       [0021]    Regarding the drawing figures, to the extent that subscripts to the numerical designations include the lower case letter “n,” as in “a-n,” the letter “n” is intended to express a number of repetitions of the element designated by that numerical reference and subscripts. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0022]    As shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , a compact display unit  10  is provided that in its broadest context includes a housing  12 . An array of buttons  14  is positioned on housing  12 . Array of buttons  14  is adapted to activate display unit  10 . A monitor  16  is mounted in housing  12 . The monitor  16  is adapted to visually present a range of programmable permissive communications  18   a - f  to a vehicle operator. A mobile server  20  is included. Mobile server  20  is mounted in the vehicle  22  and is operatively connected to the monitor  16 . Mobile server  20  is capable of transmitting messages to, and receiving messages from, a remote server  24  in a Qualcomm® mobile satellite communications system  26 , which includes a mobile computing platform  38 , selected components of which are illustrated in  FIG. 4 . 
         [0023]    More specifically, as shown in  FIG. 1 , a compact display unit  10  may be mounted on a vehicle  22  shown by cross-reference between  FIGS. 3-4 . Optionally, compact display unit  10  may be removably mounted in vehicle  22  adjacent to and within comfortable viewing range of a vehicle operator on a gimbals device. Alternatively, the compact display unit  10  is sufficiently compact and lightweight to be removably mounted in vehicle  22  using double-sided Velcro® arrangements. The compact display unit  10  is operable by a vehicle operator while a vehicle  22  is either stationary or moving. 
         [0024]    Array of buttons  14  is positioned on housing  12  of the compact display unit  10  within comfortable reach of the vehicle operator. Array of buttons  14  is used by the vehicle operator to activate compact display unit  10  to initiate communications over the compact display unit  10 . Array of buttons  14  includes icons on the individual buttons  14   a - n . The icons instruct the vehicle operator what activation step each button performs. For example, a “home” icon on individual button  14   a  is used by the vehicle operator to open a communications channel to a menu of communication options a user may select. 
         [0025]    The monitor  16  mounted in housing  12  of compact display unit  10  includes a touch screen  28  that presents to the vehicle operator a range of programmable permissive communications  18   a - f  as shown in  FIG. 1  in diagrammatic and graphic form. By touching programmable permissive communications  18   a , for example, the vehicle operator can report to a vehicle dispatcher that a mechanical problem exists in connection with vehicle  22 . The range of programmable permissive communications  18   a - f  is purposefully brief and limited for safety reasons: compact display unit  10  is provided for use by a vehicle operator during operation, movement, or transit of a vehicle  22  (collectively, “operation”). A vehicle operator, for example, may have navigation questions or problems to discuss with a vehicle dispatcher. Accordingly, compact display unit  10  requires only minimal finger movements by a vehicle operator to initiate and conduct communications about such emergency situations using compact display unit  10 . For the same reason, a conventional keyboard is not connectable to compact display unit  10  to avoid operator distraction during vehicle operation. 
         [0026]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , mobile server  20  is mounted in vehicle  22  and is operatively connected to the monitor  16  of compact display unit  10 . Mobile server  20  is included to transmit messages sent by a vehicle operator by using touch screen  28  to send messages to a remote server  24 , as well as to receive messages from one or more remote servers  24  across a Qualcomm® mobile satellite communications system  26  as shown in  FIG. 3 . Mobile server  20  may be mounted in any convenient location on vehicle  22 . Optionally, for example, mobile server  20  frequently is mounted in a toolbox area underneath a bunk in a sleeper of an interstate truck. 
         [0027]    As also shown by cross-reference between  FIGS. 2 and 4 , mobile server  20  is operatively connected to compact display unit  10 . In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 , a communications path between compact display unit  10  and mobile server  20  is included. The communications path includes at least one serial port  30 , as shown diagrammatically in  FIG. 2 , mounted in mobile server  20 . Conduit connectivity between compact display unit  10  and mobile server  20  also is included. In addition, the communications path includes a virtual network computing link  32 , shown diagrammatically in  FIG. 2 , operatively connected via the serial port to compact display unit  10 . Preferably, but optionally, the virtual network computing link  32  is used in conjunction with compact display unit  10  and mobile server  20  for a number of currently useful reasons, but other improved links may become available for use. Virtual network computing link (“VNC”)  32  uses the Remote Frame Buffer protocol for remotely controlling another computer or server, which permits network communications. VNC is platform independent, so any operating system may be used. VNC software also makes it possible to view and fully-interact with one or more mobile computers or devices across a system such as Qualcomm® mobile satellite communications system  26 . VNC also is open source code and, although not inherently secure, the compact display unit  10  and mobile server  20  may be equipped with one or more encryption options for enhanced security by users. Likewise, compact display unit  10  and mobile server  20  may be equipped with one or more software programs for detecting removal or attempted removal of the compact display unit  10  and mobile server  20  from vehicle  22 , as well as unauthorized misappropriation of vehicle  22  itself 
         [0028]    As indicated, monitor  16  includes touch screen  28  that provides a vehicle operator a range of programmable permissive communications  18   a - f  in diagrammatic and graphic form. Each of the programmable permissive communications  18   a - f  in diagrammatic and graphic form may be masked, or deleted, from among the programmable permissive communications  18   a - f  that may be viewed by a vehicle operator. The vehicle operator is unable to alter such masking. Such masking usually is based on policies of the vehicle owner. For example, the owner of a vehicle may not want to allow vehicle operators to communicate with any station or remote sever  24  other than a vehicle dispatcher, so other options may be masked. 
         [0029]    In operation, compact display unit  10  illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 4  is mounted adjacent to, in vision of, and within reach of an operator of a vehicle  22 . Because compact display unit  10  lacks a full keyboard, compact display unit  10  is usually a secondary means of communication to a remote server  24  across a Qualcomm® mobile satellite communications system  26  as shown in  FIG. 3 . The Qualcomm® mobile satellite communications system  26  also includes a media display unit  34  as shown in  FIG. 2 . Media display unit  34  is the primary display unit because it includes a full keyboard (not shown) intended to be operated either by a second occupant of vehicle  22  during operation of vehicle  22 , or by a vehicle operator while vehicle  22  is stationary. As also shown in  FIG. 2 , mobile server  20  is operatively connected to a satellite data modem  36  mounted on vehicle  22  that includes an antenna capable of receiving and transmitting messages to other servers within the Qualcomm® mobile satellite communications system  26 . 
         [0030]    The compact display unit  10  shown in drawing  FIGS. 1 through 3  is at least one embodiment not intended to be exclusive, but merely illustrative of the disclosed but non-exclusive embodiments. Claim elements and steps in this document have been numbered and/or lettered solely as an aid in readability and understanding. The numbering is not intended to, and should not be considered as intending to, indicate the ordering of elements and steps in the claims.