Abstract:
An overhead entertainment system for a vehicle comprises a plurality of media sources outputting at least one of audio data and video data, and means for modulating the audio data and transferring the modulated audio data to a vehicle sound system, wherein the modulated audio data is capable of being transferred to the vehicle sound system via wired and wireless transmission. The overhead entertainment system also comprises means for wirelessly transmitting the video data to at least one display.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Technical Field  
         [0002]     The present disclosure relates to a multiple function overhead entertainment system for use in a vehicle, and more particularly to an overhead entertainment system capable of operating with a variety of media sources and different means for audio and video output.  
         [0003]     2. Discussion of the Related Art  
         [0004]     Overhead entertainment consoles mounted in vehicles provide video and audio entertainment to passengers therein. Some known designs of overhead consoles include a screen for displaying video and a media source, such as a video cassette player (VCP) or a digital video disc (DVD) player.  
         [0005]     Known overhead consoles are limited with respect to the number and type of media sources that can be operated with the overhead console. Further, known overhead consoles are limited with respect to the number and type of audio and video delivery mechanisms that can be used with the overhead console.  
         [0006]     Accordingly, a need exists for an overhead console that can operate with multiple media sources and is capable of outputting audio and video through a variety of output means.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     An overhead entertainment system for a vehicle, according to an embodiment of the present invention, comprises a media player, a first modulator capable of receiving audio signals for modulation from the media player, wherein the first modulator is connectable to a vehicle sound system via a physical connection for sending modulated audio signals to the vehicle sound system, and a second modulator capable of receiving the audio signals for modulation from the media player, wherein the second modulator includes a transmitter for wirelessly transmitting the modulated audio signals to a receiver coupled to the vehicle sound system.  
         [0008]     The media player may be one of an MPEG player, a card reader, a DVD player, a CD-ROM player, a video game player, a videocassette player, and a digital video recorder. The first modulator and the second modulator may be capable of receiving audio signals for modulation from a media source connected to the entertainment system via at least one port. The at least one port may be one of a universal serial bus port, an audio input port, a video input port and an audio/video input port.  
         [0009]     The entertainment system may be capable of receiving and playing at least one of a digital video disc, a compact disc, a video compact disc, a flash card, a secure digital card, a smart media card and a memory stick card.  
         [0010]     The entertainment system may further comprise a switch for switching a path of the audio signals from the media player to the first modulator or to the second modulator. The entertainment system may also comprise a switch for opening and closing a connection between the first modulator and the vehicle sound system. At installation of the entertainment system into a vehicle, a user may determine whether the audio signals from the media player are received by the first modulator or the second modulator and/or whether to connect the first modulator to the vehicle sound system via the physical connection. The physical connection may include at least one wire.  
         [0011]     The transmitter can wirelessly transmit the modulated audio signals to wireless headphones. Wireless transmission of the modulated audio signals, whether to the vehicle sound system or to wireless headphones may be performed on a frequency selected by a user.  
         [0012]     The overhead entertainment system may further comprise a transmitter for wirelessly transmitting video data from the media player to at least one display.  
         [0013]     Another overhead entertainment system for a vehicle, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, comprises a media player, and a modulator capable of receiving audio signals for modulation from the media player, wherein the modulator is connectable to a vehicle sound system via a physical connection for sending modulated audio signals to the vehicle sound system and connectable to a transmitter for wirelessly transmitting the modulated audio signals to a receiver coupled to the vehicle sound system.  
         [0014]     The overhead entertainment system may further comprise a switch for opening and closing a connection between the modulator and the transmitter and/or between the modulator and the vehicle sound system. A user may determine, at the time of installation of the entertainment system into a vehicle, whether to connect the modulator to the transmitter and/or whether to connect the modulator to the vehicle sound system via the physical connection. The overhead entertainment system may further comprise a transmitter for wirelessly transmitting video data from the media player to at least one display.  
         [0015]     Another overhead entertainment system for a vehicle, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, comprises a plurality of media sources outputting at least one of audio data and video data, and means for modulating the audio data and transferring the modulated audio data to a vehicle sound system, wherein the modulated audio data is capable of being transferred to the vehicle sound system via wired and wireless transmission.  
         [0016]     The plurality of media sources may include any combination of two or more of the following: an MPEG player, a card reader, a DVD player, a CD-ROM player, a video game player, a videocassette player, and a digital video recorder. At least one of the plurality of media sources may be connected to the entertainment system via at least one port, wherein the at least one port may be a universal serial bus port, an audio input port, a video input port or an audio/video input port.  
         [0017]     The means for modulating and transferring may include a modulator for coupling to the vehicle sound system for wired transmission of the modulated audio data to the vehicle sound system and for coupling to a transmitter for wireless transmission of the modulated audio data to the vehicle sound system.  
         [0018]     The means for modulating and transferring may include a first modulator for coupling to the vehicle sound system for wired transmission of the modulated audio data to the vehicle sound system, and a second modulator including a transmitter for wireless transmission of the modulated audio data to the vehicle sound system.  
         [0019]     The overhead entertainment system may further comprise means for selecting whether the modulated audio data is transferred to the vehicle sound system via wired or wireless transmission and means for wirelessly transmitting the video data to at least one display.  
         [0020]     Another overhead entertainment system for a vehicle, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, comprises at least one display, at least one media source, and at least one transmitter for wirelessly transmitting video data from the at least one media source to the at least one display.  
         [0021]     The overhead entertainment system may further comprise at least one other display, and a physical connection from the overhead entertainment system to the at least one other displays for transmitting the video data from the at least one media source to the at least one other display. The at least one display may be positioned remote from the overhead entertainment system.  
         [0022]     The overhead entertainment system may further comprise at least one other media source, wherein the at least one transmitter simultaneously transmits video data from the at least one other media source and the video data from the at least one media source to the at least one display.  
         [0023]     The overhead entertainment system may further comprise at least one other media source, and at least one other display, wherein the at least one transmitter simultaneously transmits video data from the at least one other media source to the at least one other display and the video data from the at least one media source to the at least one display. The at least one transmitter may simultaneously transmit video data from both the at least one media source and the at least one other media source to both the at least one display and the at least one other display. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0024]     Preferred embodiments of the invention can be understood in more detail from the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:  
         [0025]      FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of an overhead entertainment unit, according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0026]      FIG. 2A  is a block diagram illustrating an overhead entertainment unit including a modulator and a transmitter, according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0027]      FIG. 2B  is a block diagram illustrating an overhead entertainment unit including two modulators, according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0028]      FIG. 3A  is a block diagram illustrating a wired connection between the overhead entertainment unit of  FIG. 2B  and a vehicle sound system, according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0029]      FIG. 3B  is a block diagram illustrating a wireless connection between the overhead entertainment unit of  FIG. 2B  and a vehicle sound system and wireless headphones, according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0030]      FIG. 3C  is a block diagram illustrating switching between the wired and wireless connections shown in  FIGS. 3A and 3B , according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0031]      FIG. 4A  is a block diagram illustrating an overhead entertainment unit including a video transmitter, according to an embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0032]      FIG. 4B  shows a perspective view of an overhead entertainment unit, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0033]     Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. This invention may, however, be embodied in different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.  
         [0034]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , an overhead entertainment unit  100  includes a display  120 , which is preferably a liquid crystal display (LCD). Alternatively, the display  120  can be a cathode ray tube (CRT), gas plasma or organic electro-luminescent display (OELD) device. The display  120  is preferably supported from the entertainment unit  100  by a hinged mechanism  125  and swings to different viewing angles or folds flat against a body portion  110  of the entertainment unit  100  when not in use.  
         [0035]     The entertainment unit  100  includes slots  130  and  140  of different sizes for receiving DVDs, compact discs (CDs), video CDs (VCDs), flash cards, secure digital (SD) cards, smart media (SM) cards and memory stick (MS) cards. Accordingly, the entertainment unit  100  includes media players, such as card readers and DVD and CD players, capable of reading various types of media storage mediums. The entertainment unit  100  can transfer audio data to an audio output, such as headphones or a vehicle sound system and transfer video data to a video output, such as the display  120 . As an alternative to using slots, media storage mediums can also be inserted into the docking station using a clamshell type design, whereby a door of the entertainment unit  100  is opened to allow insertion of a media storage medium therein. In addition, a drawer type design may also be implemented whereby a holder for a media storage medium slides out of the entertainment unit  100  (like a drawer) to permit insertion of a media storage device in the holder.  
         [0036]     The entertainment unit  100  also includes ports for connecting to external media devices, such as a universal serial bus (USB) port  150  and input/output ports  160 . The ports  150  and  160  are used to connect devices, such as an MPEG player, a card reader, a DVD player, a CD-ROM player, a video game player, a videocassette player, and a digital video recorder. For example, audio input ports include XLR and RCA jacks and video input ports include S-video connections, RCA connections, F-connections, and component video. The entertainment unit  100  includes a headphone port  170  for sending audio to headphones. A power port may be included among the input/output ports  160  for connecting to a vehicle power supply through an adapter, such as cigarette lighter adapter. The entertainment unit  100  preferably receives power through a vehicle&#39;s wiring harness.  
         [0037]     The slots  130  and  140  and the ports  150 ,  160  and  170  may be positioned in any appropriate location on the entertainment unit  100  and are not restricted to the locations shown in  FIG. 1 . Similarly, the number of slots and ports may be more or less than that shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0038]     The entertainment unit  100  includes a control panel  180  with a variety of control buttons for controlling, for example, power, mode (e.g., DVD, AUX), screen characteristics, and functions of a media source, such as stop, pause, previous, play and next. The control buttons enable a user to control display characteristics and which programs from which sources are displayed. Additional control buttons can include volume control and channel selection. A channel selection button is used to select a frequency, such as 88.1 MHz, for broadcast of audio if audio is being broadcast wirelessly to headphones or to the vehicle&#39;s sound system.  
         [0039]     The entertainment unit  100  also includes an infra-red (IR) sensor  190  for receiving signals for control of the entertainment unit  100  from a remote control device.  
         [0040]     Referring to  FIGS. 2A-2B , the entertainment unit  100  either includes a frequency modulator  210  connectable to a transmitter  215  or two frequency modulators  220  and  230 . The modulators  210 ,  220  and  230  modulate audio signals received from a media source in or connected to the entertainment unit  100  for transmission on a selected frequency to a vehicle sound system, such as a radio, or to wireless headphones. Once a modulated signal is received by the radio or wireless headphones, which are tuned to the chosen frequency, the audio signals are then demodulated and are respectively output to speakers in the vehicle or wireless headphones.  
         [0041]     Upon installation of the entertainment unit  100  shown in  FIG. 2A  into a vehicle, a user may opt to connect the modulator  210  directly to a vehicle sound system via a wired connection as shown by arrow  211 . The wired connection permits the modulated audio signal to travel via a wire or wires to the vehicle sound system. Alternatively, as shown by arrow  213 , the user may opt to connect the modulator  210  to the transmitter  215  instead of wiring the modulator  210  to the vehicle sound system. The transmitter  215  wirelessly transmits a modulated signal to a vehicle antenna and, in turn to the vehicle sound system connected to the vehicle antenna. The transmitter  215  is also capable of transmitting a modulated signal to a receiver in wireless headphones.  
         [0042]     The connection to the transmitter  215  may be determined at installation or may be controlled by a selector switch on the control panel  180 . If controlled by a selector switch, a user may use the transmitter  215  with wireless headphones regardless of whether the modulator  210  is wired to the vehicle sound system. For example, if the vehicle sound system is turned off and the connection to the transmitter  215  is switched on, the transmitter  215  may be used to transmit modulated audio signals to a receiver in wireless headphones or some other audio output device not connected to the vehicle. Also, in an alternative embodiment, the direct connection between the modulator  210  and the vehicle system may be opened and closed by a selector switch positioned on the control panel  180 . Therefore, the inclusion of switches for connecting and disconnecting the modulator  210  to and from the vehicle sound system and the transmitter  215  gives a user the option to choose between wireless and wired transmission after installation of the overhead entertainment unit  100 .  
         [0043]     The wireless transmission frequency can be selected using a channel selection button on the control panel  180 . The frequency can be in the FM band, ranging from about 88 MHz to about 108 MHz or in a digital audio broadcast (DAB) band, including frequencies in and beyond the FM band, ranging from about 88 MHz to about 225 MHz. Frequency may be tunable to a number of frequencies in the ranges in increments of 0.1 MHz.  
         [0044]     Upon installation of the entertainment unit  100  shown in  FIG. 2B  into a vehicle, a user may opt to connect the modulator  220  directly to a vehicle sound system via a wired connection as shown by arrow  221  and, as shown by arrow  227 , to create a connection to the modulator  220  for receipt of audio signals to be modulated from a media source in or connected to the entertainment unit  100 . Accordingly, modulated audio signals travel from the modulator  220  via a wire or wires to the vehicle sound system.  
         [0045]     Alternatively, as shown by arrow  237 , the user may opt to create a connection to the modulator  230  for receipt of the audio signals to be modulated. Therefore, instead of sending modulated signals via a wired connection to the vehicle sound system, a transmitter  235  included in the modulator  230  wirelessly transmits modulated signals to a vehicle antenna and, in turn to the vehicle sound system connected to the antenna. Like the transmitter  215 , the transmitter  235  is also capable of transmitting a modulated signal to a receiver in wireless headphones. In another configuration, in order to achieve wireless transmission of the modulated signals, the connections shown by arrows  227  and  237  are in place, while the connection shown by arrow  221  is eliminated. The presence of the connection shown by arrow  221  can be determined at installation of the entertainment system or controlled by a switch positioned on the control panel  180 .  
         [0046]     As shown in  FIG. 3A , audio signals to be modulated are input to the modulator  220  and a wired connection  221  between the modulator  220  and the vehicle sound system  300  transmits the modulated audio signals to the vehicle sound system  300 . As shown in  FIG. 3B , audio signals to be modulated are input to the modulator  230  and a transmitter  235  wirelessly transmits the modulated audio signals to an antenna  301  of the vehicle sound system  300  or to a receiver  401  in wireless headphones  400 . As shown in  FIG. 3B , there is no connection between the modulator  220  and the vehicle sound system  300 .  
         [0047]     Referring to  FIG. 3C , the modulator  220  is wired to the vehicle sound system  300  like the embodiment shown in  FIG. 3A . However, in the embodiment shown in  FIG. 3C , a user can control whether the audio signals to be modulated are sent to modulator  220  or modulator  230 . As shown in  FIG. 3C , a switch, which can be positioned on control panel  180 , is set to position A to enable input of the audio signals to modulator  220  and position B to enable input of the audio signals to modulator  230 . Accordingly, at any time, a user can select between wired and wireless transmission of modulated audio signals to the vehicle sound system  300 . Further, by switching to position B, a user can enable wireless transmission of modulated audio signals to wireless headphones  400 .  
         [0048]     Referring to  FIGS. 4A-4B , video signals from a media source connected to or included in the entertainment unit  100 , such as an MPEG player, a card reader, a DVD player, a VCD player, a video game player, a videocassette player, and a digital video recorder, are provided to a display  120  via a wired connection path  513  and to displays  121  and  122  via a wireless transmission path  515 . As shown in  FIG. 4A , the video signals are input to a video transmitter unit  510 , including processing components for formatting the video signals for wireless transmission (e.g., wireless radio frequency (RF) transmission) to a receiver  520  located in each display  121  and  122 . Formatting may include compression of the video data using, for example, MPEG, MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 procedures. The compressed video data is formatted for RF wireless transmission on an appropriate frequency. The displays  121  and  122  include components, such as demodulators and decoders to reformat the transmitted video data for display. Such reformatting may include decompression of compressed video data. As shown in  FIG. 4B , the displays  121  and  122  may be located on the back of a vehicle seat headrest  550 . The displays  121  and  122  may be positioned anywhere in the vehicle, such as in the hands of a passenger, on a center console or on the vehicle ceiling. Displays positioned remotely from the entertainment  100  preferably receive video data via wireless transmission. Alternatively, like the display  120 , the displays  121  and  122  can be connected to the entertainment unit  100  via a wired connection. Further, any number of displays may be used and the display  120  may be omitted from entertainment unit  100 , with video signals still being transmitted to displays positioned remote from the entertainment unit  100 .  
         [0049]     It is to be understood that in addition to being transmitted via both wired and wireless paths  513  and  515 , the path of the video signals may be predetermined at installation so that only the wired or wireless path is used. Further, with a switch located on the control panel  180 , a user may select either a wired or wireless connection for transmission of video data.  
         [0050]     It is to be understood that more than one media source may be played at one time so that multiple passengers in a vehicle may simultaneously view separate programs on different displays and/or listen to different programs through different audio mechanisms (e.g., through separate headphone sets). Similarly, as shown in  FIG. 4B , multiple slots  130 ,  131  and multiple media players for receiving and playing the same type of media storage medium (e.g., two DVDs) may also be provided such that different programs from the more than one of the same type of media storage medium may be simultaneously played.  
         [0051]     The entertainment unit  100  is preferably capable of outputting different programs from multiple media sources, such that displays  120 ,  121  and  122 , wireless headphones  400 , and/or vehicle sound systems  300  tuned to an appropriate channel or configured to select a specific program (e.g., through a selection made by an on-screen menu), can receive desired programs through either wired or wireless paths. The entertainment unit  100  may include multiple wired connections and/or multiple wireless transmitters for transmitting audio and video signals corresponding to different programs. For example, audio and video data may be wirelessly transmitted from multiple transmitters via RF or infrared (IR) transmission, where different frequencies from each respective transmitter correspond to different programs. Also, video and audio data from multiple media sources may be wirelessly transmitted from a transmitter in a broadcast stream, and a user may select a program for viewing on a display through, for example, a menu displayed on a screen of the display. In another embodiment, by utilizing a selector button located on the control panel  180 , a user may select a desired media source from which video and/or audio data is to be transmitted and received.  
         [0052]     Although the illustrative embodiments have been described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to those precise embodiments, and that various other changes and modifications may be affected therein by one of ordinary skill in the related art without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. All such changes and modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.