Patent ID: 7308341

Claim:
A communication system for a vehicle comprising: an interior assembly comprising at least one of (a) an interior rearview mirror assembly, (b) an accessory module at or near or attached to or associated with an interior rearview mirror assembly, (c) a windshield electronics module at or near or attached to or associated with a windshield of the vehicle, (d) an overhead accessory console of the vehicle at or near or attached to or associated with a roof of a vehicle, and (e) an extension of a console of the vehicle; an in-vehicle communication control located in the vehicle and remote from said interior assembly; a wired connective link electrically connecting said interior assembly and said in-vehicle communication control; a human-machine interface located at said interior assembly, said human-machine interface being connected to said in-vehicle communication control via said connective link to communicate at least one human-machine interface signal between said human-machine interface and said in-vehicle communication control; and a global positioning system control in the vehicle, said global positioning system control communicating at least one GPS-derived signal to one of said interior assembly and said in-vehicle communication control via said connective link, said at least one human-machine interface signal and said at least one GPS-derived signal sharing said connective link such that said connective link comprises a shared common connective link between said in-vehicle communication control and said interior assembly.