DE29803251U1 - Computers suitable for vehicle installation, but portable, in particular as GPS-supported navigation aids for trips in off-road vehicles or on yachts - Google Patents

Description

Wolfgang Marxer Dipl.-lng.(FH), Egerlandring 26, 87600 Kaufbeuren I ·' . II * * * . AWeteeithefi ^88 03 251

Description Computer suitable for vehicle installation but portable

especially as a GPS-supported navigation aid for journeys in

Off-road vehicles or on yachts

The invention specified in the protection claim is based on the problem of creating a navigation system that is tailored to driving in off-road vehicles, is suitable in its construction, is correspondingly flexible and at the same time comfortable.

There are complete car navigation systems available on the market, but they all have the problem for this specific use that their map database only covers the paved roads in Europe and cannot be changed by the user. In addition, the visual information is only provided on very schematic maps that do not provide any information about the topography. They are designed exclusively as a navigation aid for trips in densely populated areas and large cities and are therefore not suitable for trips to undeveloped areas (expeditions).
Available moving map programs that run on a PC are suitable as navigation aids for off-road vehicles or yachts. The maps can be freely created and the position, waypoints, routes and all other navigation aids are shown on the map on the screen. The scope, type and quality of the map material can be determined by the user. It is of course obvious to run this software on a notebook PC and carry it with you. However, only the very highest price class industrial notebook PCs are suitable for the tough use in off-road vehicles when driving on unpaved roads. The inexpensive standard notebook PCs cannot cope with the demands of vibration, dust, moisture and heat.

In addition, the following additional problems generally arise when using a notebook (including the high-priced industrial notebook PCs mentioned above):

No notebook PC is even close to the operating temperature range required for this application. With every notebook PC, the user is faced with the problem of positioning and securing it in the vehicle in a suitable manner. Hardly any dashboard is deep enough to place a notebook PC on. This means that in most cases the notebook is very unstable on a surface that is not flat and is too small. In a normal off-road vehicle cockpit, the notebook PC protrudes far into the

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Wolfgang Marxer Dipl.-lng. (FH), Egerlandring 26, 87600 Kaufbeuren · ·*·· ·***· Akfena»iohene98O3 251.1

Free space for the driver or passenger. In addition, no notebook PC offers mounting options as standard and the joints of the opened display are always subjected to a lot of stress due to constant vibrations, regardless of its quality. To make matters worse, it is difficult to operate. Since all the controls (keyboard and trackball or touchpad) are attached directly to the notebook, the driver or passenger has to lean forward to operate them, which is very difficult and requires an uncomfortable position, especially when driving off-road. In competitions (rallies) this can even be classified as dangerous because the operator no longer has a firm grip on the seat at this point.

These problems are solved by a computer specially developed for this purpose with the features listed in the protection claim.

The invention ensures that the advantageous properties of moving map programs for specific applications can be fully utilized without having to accept the previously described disadvantages of notebook PCs:

- The design is geared towards use in dusty, humid and warm ambient conditions (protection class) and therefore meets the operating conditions in moving off-road vehicles.

- If required, active cooling (e.g. Peltier element or similar) can be installed

to enable use at even higher ambient temperatures. However, the optimal air circulation within the device described in the design below means that a much higher permissible operating temperature is achieved even without active cooling than is usual even for high-priced industrial notebooks today. The air flow generated by the device fan is already sufficient.

- It can be powered by the vehicle's on-board power supply or via the mains.

The power supply is generally via a direct current in the range of 9V to 28V. This is then further processed internally. The voltage range also covers use in trucks. A standard plug-in power supply is used to supply the power from the mains. This offers the advantage over an internal power supply that the system can easily be adapted to power grids of different standards in other countries by selecting the plug-in power supply.

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Wolfgang Marxer Dipl.-lng.(FH), Egerlandring 26,87600 Kaufbeuren I .* . II *'*.A|(tefeQj(ihen29803251.1

- Its shape is designed in such a way that it can easily be placed on very small surfaces

and can be fixed or securely attached to standing surfaces. This means that it can easily be attached in front of or on the dashboard or on yachts to a vertical surface without protruding far into the cockpit and thereby restricting or endangering the driver or passenger.

- Despite the stable mounting, which is essential for driving on bad roads

is, the computer can be removed from its installation location in just a few simple steps thanks to its design. This is done for external use, such as route planning or other work, either before the journey begins or at the storage location during the journey. On the other hand, the computer can be removed quickly and thus protected against theft if the vehicle is to be left during the journey.

- All its controls (keyboard, touchpad) are water and dust resistant and

from the central unit. They can be comfortably held in the hand of the passenger while leaning back or operated while lying on their lap. They have no moving parts and are also protected against spilled drinks.

- All external controls (keyboard, touchpad) can be disconnected from the central unit at the same time using a single self-locking central connector. For the purpose of removing the computer as described above, all electrical connections to these parts can be disconnected with a single movement.

- All external controls (keyboard, touchpad) are sized so that

they can be stored in a standard glove compartment. After removing the central plug as described above, they can be protected from unauthorized viewing without further disconnection. Subsequent reinstallation is quick, easy and without the possibility of error thanks to the central plug system described above.

- Any standard handheld GPS receiver can be connected. Most commercially available handheld GPS receivers have a data output according to the NMEA standard. This interface is fed to the computer via the central connector described above. There is space internally for installing a fixed GPS receiver. In this case, the external receiver can be omitted completely.

- As a fully compatible PC, the computer can also be used as a standard PC replacement for

can be operated on the move. The computer has all interfaces that comply with today's standards (serial, parallel, PCMCIA). Therefore, all available external standard PC components and compatible software can be used.

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Wolfgang Marxer Dipl.-lng.(FH), Egerlandring 26,87600 Kaufbeuren I .'.J I

An example is described below:

A single-board industrial PC, which is otherwise used in machine control, is used as the central unit. It is accordingly compact, robust and fully PC-compatible. A TFT display, which also comes from machine control technology, is used as the screen. The maps are displayed in an excellent manner.

A desk housing with an attachment has proven to be an advantageous housing shape. This is, however, used upright (Fig. 2, 3, 4). This enables the space-saving installation of the CPU and TFT screen (Fig. 2,1) in the upper part. The desk shape results in the screen being installed at a slight angle, which is advantageous for the viewing angle. The floppy disk drive (Fig. 3,6) is located in the much deeper, lower part, with the hard disk drive mounted directly below it in a shock-protected manner, and a powerful fan (behind Fig. 3, 9) for cooling.

The rear panel of the housing is reinforced by a sturdy aluminum plate, which also serves as a mounting plate and supporting element for all units.
The special shape of the console housing allows the drives to be installed in a horizontal position. In this position they are least sensitive to vibrations. A 2.5" hard disk drive is also used, which is less sensitive to shocks than the larger drives due to its design. In addition, this is mounted in a special foam bearing (Fig. 5). The bearing consists of two aluminum U-profiles (Fig. 5,18) that are screwed to the bottom of the floppy disk drive. A pre-stressed foam molded part (Fig. 5,20) is glued into the hollow space of each. The angle profiles (Fig. 5,19) attached to the hard disk drive, which are also glued to the foam, grip into their grooves. This special structure provides shock absorption in all axes. In the vertical direction, the drive can swing up to 5mm to compensate for shocks. The floppy drive/hard disk drive unit is screwed to the front (Fig. 2,5) and the back (Fig. 3,12) of the device. Shock absorption The floppy disk drive has not proven to be necessary since it is not operated during the journey.

At the bottom, a powerful fan sucks in the cooling air through a replaceable filter element (Fig. 3,9) mounted on the back. The air heated in the interior can escape again at the top through a similar filter element (Fig. 3,10). Inside, a CPU fan mounted on the processor ensures effective cooling of this component in particular, and also ensures good air circulation through its intake air flow.

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Wolfgang Marxer Dipl.-lng.(FH), Egerlandring 26,87600 Kaufbeuren &idigr; · · · j j Filename|98 03251

Air flow behind the TFT display. The system's power supply is provided by a highly efficient switching regulator that generates practically no additional heat in the housing.

On the left side of the housing is the central plug (Fig. 4,13), via which all control units are connected. This is sealed from the inside and is therefore protected from water and dust when plugged in. Above this is the reset button (Fig. 4,14) as a waterproof membrane button. Accidental pressing of the reset button is very unlikely on the side of the device, in contrast to the front.

On the right side of the housing there is a cover secured with captive screws and sealed with rubber (Fig. 2.2). After removing this, the user has access to the internal floppy disk drive (Fig. 3.6), the parallel interface (Fig. 3.7) and a 5V power output for external components (Fig. 3.8). These parts are not needed during operation and are therefore protected by the cover.

On the front there is the on/off switch and the brightness switch for the display in a sealed switch combination (Fig. 2,3) and an indicator lamp (Fig. 2,4), which indicates by its state that the maximum interior temperature has been reached.

The self-locking central plug (Fig. 6,1) can be easily removed with one hand from the base on the left side of the device (Fig. 4,13) while simultaneously pressing the locking mechanism. The central plug is filled with sealing silicone. Short cable stubs lead from this plug to color-coded connectors (Fig. 6,2) that correspond to those of a standard PC. These are firmly screwed to the connectors of the control units so that they form a unit during the journey. This gives the user the additional option of connecting a completely normal home PC keyboard or mouse, for example, when preparing for a trip at home. In addition, a control element that may have failed can be replaced while on the move, at least with standard parts that are available worldwide. The different colors ensure clear identification if the original elements have been separated from the central plug.

Installation in the vehicle can be carried out individually by the user, since on the one hand the application is very universal and on the other hand the requirements of each user

Wolfgang Marxer Dipl.-lng.(FH), Egerlandring 26,87600 Kaufbeuren · .* · j j ***. Shares 298 03 251.1

can be different. For example, one person wants to have all the controls and the display optimally placed within reach of the driver when driving alone, while another wants to install the entire system in front of the passenger. The three stud bolts (Fig. 3,11) on the back of the central unit serve as stable anchoring points.
The electrical installation is limited to the supply voltage from the on-board battery, because all control units are already wired via the central plug mentioned above. A small buffer battery is connected to the supply line, which ensures the short-term supply (a few minutes) of the navigation system in the event of a drop in the on-board voltage (starting the engine, using the cable winch, disconnecting the on-board battery). This battery with integrated charging circuit can be easily accommodated under the dashboard. The supply is supplied via a reverse polarity-protected two-pin connector. A short cable with the corresponding mating connector is attached to the device (Fig. 4,16). This means that the permanently installed supply connection can end in the glove compartment, for example, and is therefore invisible when the device is removed.

The externally connected GPS receiver is powered by the navigation computer, so that its batteries are not strained during continuous use. This supply path, like the 5V supply output (Fig. 3,8), is protected independently of the device's main fuse (fuses Fig. 4,15).

The map material is created by scanning. This is in principle possible directly with the navigation computer if a suitable scanner is used, but is preferably done on a home PC. There the maps are then compiled into libraries and then transferred to the navigation computer. Due to the large amounts of data, this is not done via floppy disks, but via parallel or serial connection cables. It is even more advantageous to use a portable removable disk drive (e.g. ZIP drive), as the data on the removable medium can be organized according to regions or other criteria. In addition, this drive can be taken along on trips and thus also serves as a backup medium. The previously mentioned "5V output for external components" is used to supply the aforementioned ZIP drive. This ensures that it can operate even without a mains supply.

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Wolfgang Marxer Dipl.-lng.(FH), Egerlandring 26,87600 Kaufbeuren ! . * , i I"' .Afetef£g$hgrt 2§8 03 251.1

As a fully-fledged PC, the navigation computer can of course also be used for all other purposes while on the move. These include, for example:

- Create a travel report

- Reading from digital cameras and editing or archiving the images

- When connecting a modem or satellite transceiver: Internet access, faxing, email

Due to its simple design, this navigation computer can be offered at a price comparable to that of a normal standard notebook and is therefore, despite the advantages described, significantly cheaper than the industrial notebook PCs mentioned at the beginning.

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Wolfgang Marxer Dipl.-lng.(FH), Egerlandring 26,87600 Kaufbeuren I »* . II *"» AkleaaacheiT29803251.1

List of reference symbols for the figures Fig. 1 to Fig.

Fig. 1 Schematic overall structure

Reference Explanation

1 central unit with integrated drives and screen

2 Keyboard

3 Touch pad

4 Self-locking central plug

5 Data line to the external GPS receiver (if not permanently installed)

Fig. 2 Practical example - housing from the front right with closed cover for floppy drive and parallel interface

Reference Explanation

1 TFT screen

2 Rubber-sealed cover for floppy drive and parallel interface

3 Sealed switch combination for on/off and brightness

4 Optical display of the interior temperature

5 Front mounting points for the internal unit floppy drive and hard drive

Fig. 3 Practical example - housing from the rear right with open cover for floppy drive and parallel interface

Reference Explanation

6 Floppy disk drive

7 Parallel interface

8 5V supply output for external components

9 Intake filter for cooling air

10 Filter for cooling air outlet

11 stud bolts for individual fastening in the vehicle

12 Rear mounting points for the internal floppy drive and hard drive unit

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Wolfgang Marxer Dipl.-lng.(FH), Egeriandring 26,87600 Kaufbeuren ! ** · &Idigr; · '**. Akfeeacjnen 298 03 251.1

Fig. 4 Practical example - housing from the front left with the central plug removed

Reference Explanation

13 Socket for self-locking central plug

14 Reset button

15 fuses for central unit, GPS receiver and 5V supply output

16 supply cables

Fig. 5 Shock-absorbing hard drive suspension

Reference Explanation

17 2.5" hard disk drive

18 aluminium U-profiles (2 pieces mirrored)

19 angle profiles (2 pieces mirrored)

20 foam mouldings (2 pieces, glued into U-profiles)

Fig. 6 Practical example - design of the central plug device

Reference Explanation

1 Self-locking central plug

2 color-coded connectors (screwable)

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Claims (1)

Wolfgang Marxer Dipl.-lng.(FH), Egerlandring 26,87600 Kaufbeuren J .* . J I * * * «AWeraewlien 29803251.1 · · I A computer suitable for installation in a vehicle but portable, particularly as a GPS-supported navigation aid for driving in an off-road vehicle or on Yachts characterized in that: - its design is designed for use in dusty, humid and tropical environmental conditions (protection class), - its hard disk drive is installed in such a way that it is protected against shocks and vibrations is (Fig 5), - all drives and connections that must not be accessible while driving, covered in a water- and dust-tight manner, and all others are protected against water and dust when plugged in, - if required, an active cooling system (e.g. Peltier element or similar) can be installed - it can be powered by the on-board power supply of a vehicle or via the mains, - its shape is designed in such a way that it can easily be placed on very small surfaces and can be attached or stably attached to standing surfaces, - the computer's design means that it can be moved from its installation location to the can be removed for external use, - its operating elements (e.g. keyboard (Fig 1.2) and touchpad (Fig 1.3)) water and are dust-protected and separated from the central unit, . = - all external controls (e.g. keyboard (Fig. 1.2) and touchpad (Fig. 1.3), GPS data line (Fig. 1.5)) can be simultaneously disconnected from the central unit (Fig. 1.1) via a single self-locking central plug (Fig. 1.4) or they are connected wirelessly to the central unit, - all external controls (keyboard (Fig. 1.2), touchpad (Fig. 1.3)) are sized so are chosen so that they can be stored in a standard car glove compartment, - any standard GPS handheld receiver can be connected or a GPS Receiver is permanently installed, - the computer can also be used as a standard PC replacement, - the computer has all interfaces that meet today's standards and therefore, despite its specialization, all external standard components available for PCs can be used. -1 -