Granted Patent B2

US 12,722,484 · App. 19/039,979 · Granted Sep 1, 2026

Inventor: Lorne Dickinson (Traverse City, MI)

B60K35/231H04N9/3147B60K2360/166B60K2360/816

Abstract

Claims (56)

1 . A projection system comprising:

a vehicle having a dashboard and a windshield;

a housing being positionable on an exterior surface of the dashboard;

a panel being pivotably coupled to the housing wherein the panel is pivotable toward and away from the housing, the panel having an upper surface being positionable to face the windshield when the panel is pivoted away from the housing;

a transceiver being positioned within the housing, the transceiver being configured to wirelessly communicate with a global positioning system wherein the transceiver is configured to identify a geographic location of the housing and wherein the transceiver is configured to receive a plurality of data points for the geographic location;

a processor being electrically coupled to the transceiver;

a plurality of projectors being electrically coupled to the processor, the plurality of projectors being positioned on the upper surface of the panel wherein each projector of the plurality of projectors is configured to project a respective data point of the plurality of data points for the geographic location onto the windshield while the housing is positioned on the dashboard and while the panel is pivoted away from the housing and wherein the plurality of data points for the geographic location are configured to be visible to a user while the user is driving the vehicle;

a cutout extending into the housing;

a fin being coupled to the panel, the fin extending from the panel, the fin having a shape being complementary to a shape of the cutout wherein the fin is positioned within the cutout;

a channel extending through the back side of the peripheral wall of the housing and the fin; and

a rod being positioned within the channel, the rod being pivotably coupled to the housing within the channel, the rod being statically coupled to the fin wherein the rod pivots the fin and the panel when the rod is pivoted within the channel.

2 . The projection system of claim 1 , further comprising a power source being positioned within the housing, the power source being electrically coupled to the processor.

3 . The projection system of claim 1 , the plurality of data points for the geographic location further comprising a local speed limit, a local wind speed, a local wind gust speed, a local wind direction, and a local temperature.

4 . The projection system of claim 3 , the plurality of projectors further comprising:

a speed projector being configured to project the local speed limit onto the windshield;

a wind data projector being configured to project the local wind speed and the local wind gust speed onto the windshield;

a wind direction projector being configured to project the local wind direction onto the windshield; and

a temperature projector being configured to project the local temperature onto the windshield.

5 . The projection system of claim 1 , further comprising a power switch being electrically coupled to the processor, the power switch being actuatable to signal the processor to actuate the plurality of projectors.

6 . The projection system of claim 5 , wherein the power switch is positioned on a lateral side of the housing.

7 . The projection system of claim 1 , the rod further comprising a pair of opposing ends, the rod having a length exceeding a length of the channel wherein each opposing end of the pair of opposing ends of the rod is exposed adjacent to a respective lateral side of the housing.

8 . The projection system of claim 7 , further comprising a pair of end caps being coupled to the rod, each end cap of the pair of end caps being positioned on a respective opposing end of the pair of opposing ends, each end cap of the pair of end caps comprising a high friction material wherein the pair of end caps are configured to inhibit the rod from being pivoted within the channel until pressure is applied to one of the rod and the panel.

9 . The projection system of claim 1 , further comprising a coupler releasably coupling the housing to the dashboard of the vehicle.

10 . The projection system of claim 9 , the coupler further comprising:

a first mating member being coupled to the housing, the first mating member being magnetic; and

a second mating member being couplable to the dashboard, the second mating member being magnetic wherein the second mating member is magnetically attracted to the first mating member to releasably secure the housing on the dashboard.

11 . The projection system of claim 10 , wherein the first mating member is planar.

12 . The projection system of claim 11 , the second mating member further comprising:

a second mating member upper surface being planar wherein the second mating member upper surface is positionable flush against the first mating member; and

a second mating member lower surface being adhesive wherein the second mating member lower surface adhesively engages the dashboard to secure the second mating member on the dashboard.

13 . The projection system of claim 10 , the first mating member further comprising a first mating member outer surface facing outwardly from the housing, the first mating member outer surface being concavely arcuate.

14 . The projection system of claim 13 , the second mating member further comprising:

a second mating member plate having a second mating member lower surface, said second mating member lower surface being adhesive wherein the second mating member lower surface adhesively engages the dashboard to secure the second mating member on the dashboard; and

a second mating member dome being coupled to the second mating member plate, the second mating member dome being convexly arcuate wherein the second mating member dome has a curvature being complementary a curvature of the first mating member outer surface and wherein the first mating member outer surface is pivotable on the second mating member dome while the first mating member is coupled to the second mating member whereby the coupler facilitates the housing in being pivoted on the dashboard.

15 . A projection system comprising:

a vehicle having a dashboard, a windshield, and an interior space, the windshield being positioned adjacent to the dashboard, the windshield having a windshield interior surface being positioned within the interior space wherein the windshield interior surface is configured to be visible to a user while the user is driving the vehicle;

a housing having a bottom wall, a top wall, and a peripheral wall being coupled to and extending between the bottom wall and the top wall, the bottom wall being planar wherein the bottom wall is removably positionable on an exterior surface the dashboard, the top wall being planar, the peripheral wall having a front side, a back side, and a pair of lateral sides;

a panel being pivotably coupled to the housing wherein the panel is pivotable toward and away from the top wall of the housing, the panel having a lower surface and an upper surface, the lower surface facing the top wall of the housing, the lower surface being planar wherein the lower surface is positionable flush against the top wall of the housing when the panel is fully pivoted toward the top wall of the housing, the upper surface being positionable to face the windshield interior surface of the windshield when the panel is pivoted away from the top wall of the housing, the panel having a lower edge being positioned proximate to a junction between the panel and the housing wherein the panel is pivotable about the lower edge;

a transceiver being positioned within the housing, the transceiver being configured to wirelessly communicate with a global positioning system wherein the transceiver is configured to identify a geographic location of the housing and wherein the transceiver is configured to receive a plurality of data points for the geographic location, the plurality of data points including a local speed limit, a local wind speed, a local wind gust speed, a local wind direction, and a local temperature;

a processor being positioned within the housing, the processor being electrically coupled to the transceiver;

a power source being positioned within the housing, the power source being electrically coupled to the processor;

a plurality of projectors being electrically coupled to the processor, the plurality of projectors being inset into the upper surface of the panel, the plurality of projectors being exposed within the upper surface of the panel wherein each projector of the plurality of projectors is configured to project a respective data point of the plurality of data points for the geographic location onto the windshield interior surface of the windshield while the bottom wall of the housing is positioned on the dashboard and while the panel is pivoted away from the top wall of the housing, the plurality of projectors including:

a speed projector being centered on the upper surface of the panel, the speed projector being configured to project the local speed limit onto the windshield interior surface wherein the local speed limit is configured to be visible to the user while the user is driving the vehicle;

a wind data projector being positioned proximate to the lower edge of the panel, the wind data projector being configured to project the local wind speed and the local wind gust speed onto the windshield interior surface wherein each of the local wind speed and the local wind gust speed is configured to be visible to the user while the user is driving the vehicle;

a wind direction projector being positioned adjacent to the wind data projector, the wind direction projector being configured to project the local wind direction onto the windshield interior surface wherein the local wind direction is configured to be visible to the user while the user is driving the vehicle; and

a temperature projector being spaced from the wind direction projector, the temperature projector being positioned proximate to the lower edge of the panel, the temperature projector being configured to project the local temperature onto the windshield interior surface wherein the local temperature is configured to be visible to the user while the user is driving the vehicle;

a power switch being electrically coupled to the processor, the power switch being actuatable to signal the processor to actuate the plurality of projectors, the power switch being positioned on a first lateral side of the pair of lateral sides of the peripheral wall of the housing;

a power cord being electrically coupled to the power source wherein the power cord is configured to be removably positionable within an external power outlet to transfer power to the power source, the power cord extending outwardly from a second lateral side of the pair of lateral sides of the peripheral wall of the housing;

a cutout extending into the housing, the cutout being positioned on the back side of the peripheral wall of the housing;

a fin being coupled to the panel, the fin extending from the lower edge of the panel, the fin having a shape being complementary to a shape of the cutout wherein the fin is positioned within the cutout;

a channel extending through the back side of the peripheral wall of the housing and the fin;

a rod being positioned within the channel, the rod being pivotably coupled to the housing within the channel, the rod being statically coupled to the fin wherein the rod pivots the fin and the panel when the rod is pivoted within the channel, the rod having a pair of opposing ends, the rod having a length exceeding a length of the channel wherein each opposing end of the pair of opposing ends of the rod is exposed adjacent to a respective lateral side of the pair of lateral sides of the housing;

a pair of end caps being coupled to the rod, each end cap of the pair of end caps being positioned on a respective opposing end of the pair of opposing ends, each end cap of the pair of end caps comprising a high friction material wherein the pair of end caps are configured to inhibit the rod from being pivoted within the channel until pressure is applied to one of the rod and the panel; and

a coupler releasably coupling the housing to the dashboard of the vehicle, the coupler including:

a first mating member being coupled to the bottom wall of the housing, the first mating member being centered on the bottom wall of the housing, the first mating member being magnetic; and

a second mating member being couplable to the dashboard, the second mating member being magnetic wherein the second mating member is magnetically attracted to the first mating member to releasably secure the housing on the dashboard.

Continuity (1)

References Cited (15)