Patent ID: 8747226

Claim:
Apparatus for use in a car, comprising: a car area network disposed in a car to enable communications between various devices in the car; an existing consumer electronics device corresponding to a DVD player, a CD player, or a car radio system, the existing consumer electronics device being coupled to the car area network and having an existing consumer electronics device function, wherein the consumer electronics device is reprogrammed so that the existing consumer electronics device is transformed into a virtual video game player using a video game emulator or transcompiler program to support an additional control function that includes controlling execution of video games, the consumer electronics device including: processing circuitry already existing in the consumer electronics device for the purpose of supporting the existing consumer electronics device function, a car area network interface for interfacing the processing circuitry with the car area network; a user interface coupled to the processing circuitry; a memory, coupled to the processing circuitry, for storing video game emulator or transcompiler program code executable by the processing circuitry for use by the processing circuitry in supporting play of one or more video games; a game server coupled to the car area network for assisting the reprogrammed consumer electronics device in supporting play of one or more video games; a video game display device coupled to the car area network for displaying video game information to a car occupant in accordance with a game being executed under the control of one or both of the reprogrammed consumer electronics device and the game server; a multifunction controller for transmitting control information to the reprogrammed consumer electronics device via the car area network to permit a car occupant to control the reprogrammed consumer electronics device to permit the occupant to play a video game displayed on the video game display; and one or more audio or visual devices coupled to the car area network and configured to be controlled by commands transmitted from the reprogrammed consumer electronics device or from the multifunction controller over the car area network.