Car radio with removable front panel

The invention relates to a car radio, which is a rectangular having car radio housing, on its front a removable Operating unit is fitted, which control panel to the car radio housing on at least one contact strip is connected, via which contact strip at attached keypad entered via the keypad keys Operating commands to a designated car radio housing microcomputer are transferable.

Car radios with removable control panel are already known. Such Car radios with removable control panel were for the purpose of Theft protection developed. If the car radio when exiting owner from the vehicle, the front panel, place with which he for his small dimensions generally easily into a jacket pocket can accommodate, then the remaining car car radio housing in Case of theft worthless because tampering with the unit without control panel not possible.

Furthermore, already car radio with cassette player and car radios with a known insertion slot for a compact disc (CD). The insertion of the Cassette or the insertion of the CD is in the known car radios in the front panel located on the front of the car radio housing inserted so that insertion of a cassette and inserting a CD is readily possible.

Starting from this prior art, the invention has the task provide a car radio with those specified in the preamble of claim 1 further developing features such that the operability of the car radio is improved.

This object is in a car radio with the preamble of claim 1 indicated by the characteristics in the characterizing part of claim dissolved 1 stated features. Advantageous developments and Further developments of the invention result from the dependent claims.

The advantages of the invention are in particular that a with Features of the invention provided the car radio of each seating position of the is the vehicle of use. In particular, each of the Vehicle rear seated passengers by means of a remote control usable removed keypad operating commands for controlling the Enter car radios. These operating instructions are of an at broadcast control unit provided infrared transmitter and a to Front of the car radio housing, which in the dashboard of the car is installed, received intended infrared receiver and the passed microcomputer of the car radio, which then for the corresponding Processing provides. This possibility is in many cases the driver of the Vehicle exempted from the operation of the car radio and to exhibit its full pay attention to the traffic situation. This in turn leads to a reduction in the number of traffic accidents on a inattentiveness of the driver is based.

By means of the features specified in claim 3 it is achieved that on the one hand on the front panel even the time available for the control buttons Space is increased because the control panel no openings or slots for Insertion of data carriers are necessary. Furthermore, the entire Front of the car radio housing available to port facilities or contact points for a variety of media or other provide electronic devices. This provides the possibility, in Vehicle communication system and a multimedia system creating, in which a plurality of different types of signal processing integrated devices and data carriers. Since these contact points at attached control panel are not visible, is at a suitable design the surface of the control panel is not visible, if it is the car radio is a high-order device or not. This is at first glance given no incentive for the device is stolen.

Describe the claims 4-10, which contact points advantageously to provide. All these contact points are present. It is each user whether he uses it or not.

The advantage of the features disclosed in claim 11 is that the User is visually signaled which volumes currently in the Car radio housing are used. He gets by a fast Overview of the actual state of the device. This is particularly of Advantageous if the number of existing contact points is large.

By means of the in de specified n claims 12-15 features a bidirectional signal transmission feasible. This allows inter alia use of the removed control unit as a voice recorder, as Connection for a Headphones and a telephone handset or a cordless telephone unit.

Further advantageous features of the invention result from the Description of an embodiment with reference to FIG. This shows the Front of a rectangular car radio housing with removed Keypad. The front of the car radio shown housing includes a plurality of pads on for disks and other electronic devices. These Contact points are only accessible with removed panel. The reference numeral 1 is a microphone plug contact is shown via which a with is a cable connected microphone plugged. This is the user given the opportunity to use the car radio as a voice recorder, wherein the recording on an inserted into the device Recording medium or a built-in the unit semiconductor memory takes place. The use of a microphone, which the near your mouth Speaker can be maintained, in particular has the advantage that the can be done recording with relatively good quality. Especially can driving noise and other, related by the traffic Noise the recording process is not so much interfere with that recorded Voice signals from the ambient noise with respect to the signal amplitude be exceeded. Depending on the length of the connected to the microphone cable may optionally each of the passengers of the vehicle and the microphone so use the car radio as a voice recorder.

Numeral 2 denotes a headphone port through which a Cable connected headphones can be connected to the car radio. This has the advantage that, for example, the passenger or the Passengers can listen to the rear seats even music, if the driver the vehicle not taking place via the vehicle's speakers Playback of audio signals wishes. This is particularly the case of longer Leisure travel advantageous if alternate on the vehicle ride-children or want to hear children cartridges simultaneously, to the content of vehicle leading father has no interest.

The reference numeral 3 an RS232C interface is shown. To this Interface, for example, a laptop can be connected by means of which a Evaluating in a RDS or DAB broadcast as Accompanying information may be done sent additional data. these Additional information may be traffic information, weather information, Travel news, local information, etc., act. Numeral 4 denotes an insertion slot in the plate-shaped Media such as a CD, a CD-ROM, a DVD (<u>D</u>igital <u>V</u>ideo<u>D</u>isk) and / or a mini-disc can be inserted. To a reproduction of this To Disk Operations recorded information, are in Car radio housing associated drives, scanners and Signal processing circuits provided, the basic structure is known.

The reference numeral 5 is an insertion opening for a compact cassette is shown, having, as a magnetic tape media.

Furthermore, the car radio housing shown in the Figure 6a, 6b, 6c and 6d designated slots on which to introduce a multimedia card (MMC) are provided. For such multimedia cards, there are a variety of Applications. Such a card can, for example, be used to unlocking and activation of make device operation. If this card is not inserted into the device, then the microcomputer operating the device is not free.

Furthermore, by means of such a card enabling certain Broadcast channels carried, subject to charges. By purchasing the card For example, at newsagents, the user acquires the right and the Possibility in the said channels for a dependent of the ticket price Time to receive signals. These signals may possibly be transferred also encoded using the Decryption decryption necessary data on the card are saved and after the insertion of the card from the microcomputer the device to be read.

Furthermore, data can be stored on such a media card, the music program or maps correspond. This data after inserting the respective card via the vehicle's speakers, the the vehicle in front headphone jacks or in-car Displays are shown.

The reference numeral 7 is a slot for a mobile phone or cell phone designated. When the mobile phone is inserted into the said slot, then whose batteries are charged via the electrical system of the motor vehicle. Furthermore is achieved by the provision of such a slot, that the mobile phone in an easily accessible for the driver position in the car housed secured so that it jerky while driving at Changes in vehicle speed or when cornering not reciprocally slide around or fall to the floor of the vehicle. The mobile phone can are so functionally integrated via the slot that there a usual speakerphone can be bought and used in the usual way, the use of mobile phones then the DCP or the front panel takes place.

The reference numerals 8a and 8b denote contact strips, over which a then signal transmission is carried out if a non-signed detachable The control unit is mounted on the front of the car radio housing. By means of Control keys of this keypad are operator commands be entered, via the called (n) contact strip (s) to the microcomputer of the car radio transmitted be, which then performs the corresponding device control. The face plate is on the car radio housing by means of a Snap mechanism mounted. have to detach the control panel Push buttons 9a and 9b provided to a mechanical triggering serve. For example, are these keys operatively connected to an on Car radio housing provided spring, behind a nose of the control unit locks. This spring is determined by the operation of the pushbuttons pressed down, so that the handset is released from the car radio housing. In further is provided with even more retention mechanisms, such as magnetically enhanced Haltemaechanismen can be applied.

The reference numeral 10 is an infrared transmitting and receiving unit is designated, which provided for transmitting and receiving infrared data telegrams is. The received infrared data telegrams originate from the removed control unit of when removed from any Passengers of the vehicle can be used as a remote control. Also the control unit is provided with an infrared transmitting and receiving unit, so that between the car radio housing and the detached operator unit can be carried out a bidirectional signal transmission. From the control unit the car radio housing there is a transfer of command, of received the foreseen on the car radio housing infrared receiver unit and are supplied from there to the microcomputer of the car radio. at the transmitted to the control unit from the car radio housing infrared signals It may be audio or data signals. The of the Operating unit received audio signals are, for example, signals from Radio reception part of the car radio has been received, or signals from one of the inserted in the car radio housing disk were reproduced. These audio signals are either a in the control panel built-in speaker or reproduced on a Headphone jack on the control unit provided. Are the Headphone jack of the control unit connected headphones, then a the passengers of the vehicle on his seat, for example, music hear without the other occupants of the vehicle to be disturbed. In the control unit, a miniaturized microphone is also integrated. Thus , the operating unit as an individual phone and communication device, and be used as a voice recorder. Its use is therefore for Rear passengers possible.

In a further embodiment of the invention the Infrared transmitter by an ultrasonic transmitter or a radio frequency transmitter to replace.

For the panel transmitted from the car radio housing signals may also be data signals an as accompanying information transmitted broadcast after the RDS or the DAB system will. These data signals, for example, the name of the currently the current program, the name of the radio station, the name of Singer of a currently transmitted song or weather information can specify are displayed on a display of the control unit. There the control panel of each of the passengers of the vehicle at its seat can be held in hands in the vehicle, can any of these passengers on his seat in the vehicle read the display.

In one use of the car radio as a voice recorder is bidirectional Signal transmission between the car radio housing and the operating unit on the one hand to control commands with respect to the cassette deck or the Semiconductor memory and speech signals from the operating unit to to transfer the car radio housing so that these voice signals in the in Car radio housing memory provided can be recorded, and on the other hand to already recorded, reproduced from memory to transmit audio signals from the car radio housing to the control unit to the User to enable interception of the already recorded signals.

Furthermore, the front panel, place can also be used as a telephone handset will. Is said operating unit provided with a numeric keypad, then can by means of this keypad a desired phone number be entered. Thereafter, a transfer of the input takes place Phone number corresponding signals via the infrared connection to Car radio housing. Is to this car radio housing a telephone module connected or a telephone module is integrated into the car radio housing, then over a telephone antenna, a phone connection is established will. In this way, between the car radio housing and the Panel provided infrared connection for bidirectional serve transmit telephone signals, wherein the control panel as Telephone handset is used.