Motor vehicle with an electronic receptacle unit comprising a plurality of separate receptacle spaces configured to receive a plurality of function modules of a portable communications device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9975498-B2
Application number	US-201615541608-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 11, 2016
Priority date	Jan 13, 2015
Publication date	May 22, 2018
Grant date	May 22, 2018

Abstract

The invention relates to a motor vehicle with on-board electronics and an in-vehicle electronic receptacle unit for a portable communications device that is electrically connected to the on-board electronics, wherein the receptacle unit has at least one separate receptacle space that is designed to individually receive a function module in a state separated from the communications device, whereby the function module is reversibly separable from the communications device and can be reattached, and being designed for electrically coupling the separate function module to the on-board electronics to perform the intended function of the function module.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A motor vehicle comprising:
on-board electronics; and
an in-vehicle electronic receptacle unit, for a portable communications device, that is electrically connected to the on-board electronics, wherein:
the portable communications device comprises a plurality of function modules,
the in-vehicle electronic receptacle unit comprises a plurality of separate receptacle spaces, each of the plurality of separate receptacle spaces configured to receive one of the plurality of function modules in a state separate from the portable communications device,
the plurality of function modules are reversibly separable from the portable communications device and are configured to be reattached,
the in-vehicle electronic receptacle unit is configured to electrically couple at least one of the plurality of function modules to the on-board electronics to perform an intended function of the at least one of the plurality of function modules, and
the plurality of function modules are each separate substantive units that are configured to be attached to or removed from the portable communications device and, in another combination, are configured to be reversibly reassembled in a non-destructive manner into an alternative arrangement of the portable communications device.

2. The motor vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of separate receptacle spaces of the in-vehicle electronic receptacle unit are arranged at different, spaced locations in an interior of the motor vehicle.

3. The motor vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the plurality of function modules is configured to be operated with a human-machine interface of the motor vehicle such that the motor vehicle is upgraded by the in-vehicle electronic receptacle unit having the plurality of separate receptacle spaces with regard to the intended function provided by the at least one of the plurality of function modules.

4. The motor vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the portable communications device further comprises a mobile terminal device and has a modular design.

5. The motor vehicle of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of separate receptacle spaces comprises at least one magnet configured to reversibly attach one of the plurality of function modules to the respective one of the plurality of separate receptacle spaces.

6. The motor vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the in-vehicle electronic receptacle unit comprises a cover configured to cover the in-vehicle electronic receptacle unit towards an interior of the motor vehicle in a visually protected manner.

7. The motor vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the in-vehicle electronic receptacle unit is designed as an endoskeleton and comprises an evaluation unit configured to be used by the plurality of function modules.

8. A method for providing information in a motor vehicle with on-board electronics, the motor vehicle comprising an in-vehicle electronic receptacle unit, for a portable communications device, that is electrically connected to the on-board electronics, the method comprising:
receiving, at a separate receptacle space of the in-vehicle electronic receptacle unit, a function module of the portable communications device, wherein the function module is separated from the portable communications device in a non-destructive manner and is arranged at the separate receptacle space of the in-vehicle electronic receptacle unit; and
electrically coupling the function module to the on-board electronics when the function module is received in the separate receptacle space to perform an intended function of the function module,
wherein the in-vehicle electronic receptacle unit comprises a plurality of separate receptacle spaces and is configured to receive a plurality of separated function modules of the portable communications device in the plurality of separate receptacle spaces, and
wherein the plurality of separated function modules are each separate substantive units that are configured be attached to or removed from the portable communications device and, in another combination, are configured to be reversibly reassembled in a non-destructive manner into an alternative arrangement of the portable communications device.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of separate receptacle spaces of the in-vehicle electronic receptacle unit are arranged at different, spaced locations in an interior of the motor vehicle.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the portable communications device comprises a mobile terminal device and has a modular design.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein each of the plurality of separate receptacle spaces comprises at least one magnet configured to reversibly attach one of the plurality of separated function modules to the respective one of the plurality of separate receptacle spaces.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the in-vehicle electronic receptacle unit comprises a cover configured to cover the in-vehicle electronic receptacle unit towards an interior of the motor vehicle in a visually protected manner.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the in-vehicle electronic receptacle unit is designed as an endoskeleton and comprises an evaluation unit configured to be used by the plurality of function modules.

Assignees

• Audi Ag

Inventors

• Lottes Daniel

Classifications

• B60R11/0241 Primary

  for telephones · CPC title

• H04M1/0256

  wherein the modules are operable in the detached state, e.g. one module for the user interface and one module for the transceiver · CPC title

• H01R2201/26

  for vehicles · CPC title

• B60R11/02 Primary

  for radio sets, television sets, telephones, or the like; Arrangement of controls thereof · CPC title

• H01R11/30

  End pieces held in contact by a magnet · CPC title