US 6330497

Patent Overview: US 6330497 B1

Title: Multimedia technique for operating devices in a vehicle

Patent number: US 6330497 B1
Application number: US09/717,538
Inventors: Michael L. Obradovich; Michael L. Kent; John G. Dinkel
Assignee (original and current, per listing): American Calcar Inc.
Priority date: 1997-01-28
Filing date: 2000-11-21
Publication/grant date: 2001-12-11
Legal status (as listed): Expired – Fee Related; anticipated expiration 2017-01-28

Purpose and plain-language scope (from the supplied text):
The patent is directed to a multimedia technique for operating devices in a vehicle. The listed prior-art keywords are "function," "option," "interface," "user," and "function includes," indicating a user interface in which a user selects options corresponding to device functions. Classifications place it in vehicle instrumentation/dashboard arrangements (B60K35/00 and subclasses covering input arrangements, visual output, display screens, and combined analogue/digital instrument outputs), as well as heating/cooling/ventilating control systems whose inputs include vehicle driving conditions such as speed or GPS-based position (B60H1/00642, B60H1/00764, B60H1/00771, B60H1/00985), and suspension control combined with other vehicle control systems (B60G17/0195).

Source URL: https://patents.google.com/patent/US6330497/en

What the excerpt does not establish:

• It does not include the claims, specification, abstract, or drawings; therefore the precise claimed scope and any independent/dependent claim structure are not established here.
• It does not reproduce the description of how functions, options, or interfaces are implemented; the "purpose" above is inferred only from the title and keyword/classification listings.
• It does not establish inventorship beyond the named inventors, the accuracy of assignee listings, or the correctness of legal status (the page itself notes these are assumptions, not legal conclusions).
• It does not establish any factual basis regarding validity, enforceability, or prior art; those are outside the supplied text and outside the requested scope.