WO1997025222A1

WO1997025222A1 - An automobile radio apparatus having a detachable face panel with integrated personal portable radio receiver and/or personal security device

Info

Publication number: WO1997025222A1
Application number: PCT/GB1996/003124
Authority: WO
Inventors: Fun Lin Hoo
Original assignee: Orient Power Auto Electronics Limited
Priority date: 1996-01-04
Filing date: 1996-12-18
Publication date: 1997-07-17
Also published as: AU1199797A

Abstract

An automobile radio (10) is provided with a detachable face panel (11) such that the automobile radio controls may be removed from the portion (16) of the radio which remains installed in the auto dashboard. The face panel (11) includes a personal portable radio receiver and/or a personal security device such that the face panel when detached from the in-dash automobile radio may be used to receive and listen to broadcast radio signals and/or may be used to emit an audible alarm to scare off an attacker or otherwise summon assistance.

Description

AN AUTOMOBILE RADIO APPARATUS HAVING A DETACHABLE FACE PANEL WITH INTEGRATED PERSONAL PORTABLE RADIO RECEIVER AND/OR PERSONAL SECURITY πR Tr

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates in general to in-dash automotive radio receiver and cassette players and, more particularly, to an in-dash automobile radio receiver having a detachable face panel with an integrated personal portable radio receiver and/or a personal security device.

In-dash automobile radios which now include features such as cassette players and compact disk players have become an increasing popular and costly automobile accessory and accordingly have increasingly become the target of thieves who forcibly remove the automobile radio, often causing significant damage to the automobile dashboard. In an attempt to deter thieves, some automobile radio units are now available with a detachable front panel or "face" whereby the front panel containing the control buttons, knobs, displays and dials can be detached from the remainder of the automobile radio which itself remains permanently installed in the automobile dashboard. The detached automobile radio face panel when removed renders the portion of automobile remaining in the automobile dashboard essentially useless thereby diminishing its value and deterring its theft.

While the detachable radio face panel may be an attractive and desirable option for an automobile owner, the burden of having to remove the radio face panel from the automobile each and every time the driver leaves the automobile may in time grow tiresome for some owners . To maximize the benefit of the faceless automobile radio, once detached, the owner when parking the automobile is best

SUBSTITUTESHEET(RULE2φ advised not to leave the face panel in the automobile for the thief to find. However, except possibly when parking the automobile at home or at work the owner is often left with no option but to carry the radio face panel on their person.

Accordingly, some users may in time forego removing the radio face panel altogether or alternatively may remove the radio face panel only on certain occasions when arriving at home or work.

Given the lifestyle lead by many people today and the risks to one's person presented by criminals many people may be found to use and take with them when leaving home personal portable radios to provide entertainment and information as well as personal security devices in the form of audible alarm horns or sirens to provide a measure of personal safety, particularly when entering or exits one's automobile in dark or secluded locations.

In an attempt to enhance and extend the utility of the detached automobile radio face panel, the present invention incorporates into the radio face two features which provide entertainment and personal security value to the user.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for enabling the detachable automobile radio face panel to serve a useful and desirable function when detached from the automobile radio to, in part, induce the user to detach the face panel from the main unit to, in turn, deter thieves.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an automobile radio apparatus having a detachable face panel having integrated therein a personal portable radio receiver permitting the user to receive radio broadcasts using the detachable automobile radio face panel.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an automobile radio apparatus having a detachable face panel having integrated therein a personal security which when activated draws bystander attention to the user and serves to scare away a would-be attacker.

These and other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent in light of the present specification, claims and drawings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises an automobile radio apparatus having a detachable face panel with integrated personal portable radio and/or personal security device. A detachable automobile radio face panel is provided which contains the controls for operating an automobile radio unit installed in the automobile dashboard or console. Incorporated into the detachable face panel is a personal portable radio receiver for receiving broadcast radio signals and making said radio signal audible to a user. Further incorporated into the detachable face panel is a personal security device which may be activated by the user to summon assistance and deter an attacker.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the detachable radio face panel contains both a personal portable radio receiver and a personal security device. In alternative embodiments of the invention the detachable radio face panel contains one or the other of a personal portable radio receiver and a personal security device.

In one embodiment of the invention the personal security device comprises means for emitting an audible alarm and in another comprises a transmitter for activating an automobile alarm system. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 of the drawings is a front perspective view of the detachable automobile radio face panel and in-dash automobile radio main unit;

Fig. 2 of the drawings it a rear elevational view of the detachable automobile radio face panel;

Fig. 3 of the drawings is bottom plan view of the detachable automobile radio face panel; and

Fig. 4 of the drawings is side elevational view of the detachable automobile radio face panel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail, multiple embodiments, with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiment illustrated.

Fig. 1 illustrates the present automobile radio apparatus having a detachable face panel with integrated personal portable radio receiver and personal alarm device 10 and specifically illustrating radio face panel 11 in a detached relationship to automobile radio main unit 16. In practice, automobile radio main unit 16 is permanently installed in the dashboard of the automobile. In an operating mode, radio face panel 11 is attached to automobile radio main unit 16 which contains the radio tuner, cassette drive/player mechanism and optionally the power amplifiers to drive the audio speakers. Accordingly when face panel 11 is in place the in-dash radio, and integrated accessories such as audio cassette player or compact disk player are operable by, the user in a normal manner. Radio face panel 11 is shown containing convention controls such as power switch 15, radio tuner up and down buttons 14, radio present buttons 13 and cassette door 12, cassette eject button 17 and display 18.

Fig. 2 of the drawings is a rear elevational view of radio face panel 11. In the illustrated embodiment of the present invention radio face panel 11 is electrically connected to automobile radio main unit 16 via connector 30 which engages with a corresponding connector (not shown) positioned on the exposed front surface automobile radio main unit 16. Accordingly, when radio face panel 11 is in a detached position the automobile radio main unit 16 is effectively inoperable given the absence of the controls and display contained on face panel 11 buttons and accordingly is of no or diminished value to a would-be thief.

In an one embodiment of the invention integrated into radio face panel 11 is a complete personal portable radio receiver containing a digital tuner and power supply. In an alternative embodiment of the invention a personal security device is integrated into radio face panel 11. In the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. 2, both a personal portable radio receiver as well as personal security device are both integrated into face panel 11. The personal portable radio receiver is powered by batteries which are accessible to the user via battery door 22. A headphone set to permit the user to hear the radio program received is connected to radio face panel ll via headphone connector 20. When a headphone set is connected power to the personal portable radio receiver is automatically turned on without other intervention by the user. When connected the headphone cord will serve as the antenna for the personal portable radio. When the headphone set is removed from connector 20 the radio receiver power is automatically turned off. The user may select a radio station to be received by pressing seek button 23. Each press of seek button 23 causes the radio tuner Within face panel ll to advance to the next radio station frequency which can be clearly received. In view of the absence of a visual display to indicate to the user the frequency of the radio stations selected a reset button 24 is provided. When depressed, reset button 24 causes the personal portable radio receiver to be reset to the beginning of the radio frequency band such that the user knows approximately where the radio is tuned to at that time.

Volume knob 21 is provided and is positioned in a recess along the bottom edge of radio face panel 11 in such a manner that none of the personal portable radio to receiver controls interfere with the reattachment of radio face panel 11 to automobile radio main unit 16. The personal portable radio receiver of the present invention may be of any design known to those skilled in the art and the specific circuit design does not form part of the present invention.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated the personal portable radio is a single band radio and includes a minimum of controls. It is however deemed within the scope of the present invention that the personal portable radio integrated into radio face panel 11 may include additional features and additional controls.

Further illustrated are the controls to activate the personal security device integrated into radio face panel 11. In the illustrated preferred embodiment of the present invention the personal security device can be activated by holding for one second any one of the control buttons on the front side of the detached face panel 11, except for the cassette control buttons. An audible alarm generated by conventional circuitry contained within face panel 11 will then be heard for one minute through a sound source positioned approximate grill 35 Within radio face panel 11. Users can stop the alarm under the condition that the power button 15 and station memory button 19 are pressed simultaneously or are pressed individually one after the other within one second.

The detachable automobile radio face panel With integrated personal portable radio receiver and personal security device may exist in other embodiments and are accordingly deemed to be within the scope of the present invention. For example, it is contemplated that the personal portable radio receiver and/or the personal security device can be configured to be operated using dual purpose controls positioned on the front of the radio face panel ll which controls are normally used to operate the automobile radio main unit 16. Specifically, it is contemplated that face panel 11 can include circuitry to detect whether it is detached from automobile radio main unit 16 such that pressing tuner buttons 13 and 14 when so detached Will cause the integrated personal portable radio receiver to change radio frequencies. It is thus contemplated that a control button on radio face panel 1 1 which is unused when panel 11 is detached, such as cassette eject button 17, can be used to activate the personal alarm device.

Fig. 3 of the drawings illustrates the placement of rotary volume control 21 on the lower edge of front panel means 11. Fig. 4 of the drawings illustrates the placement of headphone jack 20 on the left edge of front panel means 11.

The foregoing description and drawings merely explain and illustrate the invention and the invention is not limited thereto, except insofar as the appended claims are so limited, as those skilled in the art who have the _disclosure before them will be able to make modifications an_d variations therein without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. In automobile radio apparatus having a detachable face panel with integrated personal portable radio receiver and personal security device, said apparatus comprising: detachable automobile radio face panel means, said automobile radio face panel means containing controls for operating an automobile radio unit associated with said automobile radio face panel;

- personal portable radio receiver means contained within said detachable automobile radio face panel means for receiving broadcast radio signals and making said radio signal audible to a user, and personal security device means contained within said detachable automobile radio face panel means.

2. The apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein said personal security device comprises means for emitting an audible alarm.

3. An automobile radio apparatus having a detachable face panel apparatus with integrated portable radio, said apparatus comprising: detachable automobile radio face panel means, said automobile radio face panel means further containing controls for operating the automobile radio unit; and personal portable radio means contained within said detachable automobile radio face panel for receiving broadcast radio signals and making said radio signal audible to a user.

4. An automobile radio apparatus having a detachable face

SUBSTITUTESHEET(RULE2 panel apparatus with integrated portable radio and personal alarm apparatus, said apparatus comprising: detachable automobile radio face panel means, said automobile radio face panel means further containing controls for operating the automobile radio unit and personal security device means contained within said detachable automobile radio face panel means.

5. The apparatus according to Claim 4, wherein said personal security device comprises means for emitting an audible alarm.