Patent ID: 8184430

Claim:
A vehicle media system for use in conjunction with a portable media device having a user interface comprising a portable media device potentiometer, a plurality of portable media device buttons in a given formation, and a display that provides a plurality of screens to facilitate user interaction with the portable media device, the vehicle media system comprising: an input module mountable at a first location within a vehicle cabin for manipulation by a user pursuant to input of system commands, where the first location is on a console disposed between a driver's seat and a front passenger seat of the vehicle cabin; a display module mountable at a second location within the vehicle cabin, where the second location is different from the first location, and where the second location is on a dashboard of the vehicle cabin; a main module cooperating with the display module and the input module to facilitate user interaction with the portable media device, where the main module cooperates with the input module and the display module to provide a secondary user interface for the portable media device when the portable media device is coupled to the vehicle media system, and where the secondary user interface substantially imitates the user interface of the portable media device; where the main module further comprises audio circuitry receiving signals corresponding to stored audio content of the portable media device through a media device interface: where the input module comprises: a substantially circular housing that has a face portion and a rear portion; a mounting stem extending from the rear portion of the substantially circular housing; an input module potentiometer control disposed in the substantially circular housing; and a plurality of input module buttons disposed radially about a first axis of the substantially circular housing; and where the input module potentiometer control is disposed for rotational manipulation about a second axis of the substantially circular housing.