The Mobile Entertainment Data Cartridge Player System consists of a portable hard drive module that can be loaded with music, movies, games and other entertainment data that is available via the Internet and the users home computer. The portable hard drive module or cartridge is then placed into the player assembly in the integrated overhead console in the vehicle. The Mobile Entertainment Data system is integrated in the vehicle to provide hours of entertainment over the vehicle speakers and the Disk Player and Video Display

The Mobile Entertainment Data System has the ability to output two channels simultaneously. One of the channels can be video with its associated audio. The other channel must be audio only.

The Mobile Entertainment Data System communicates with the radio head unit and the Disk Player and Video Display through class 2 messages. Commands from the radio head unit can originate from the radio faceplate or any other alternate such as the steering wheel controls. Commands from Disk Player and Video Display can originate from the DVD player faceplate or any alternate such as the DVD remote control.

The audio signals from the Mobile Entertainment Data System shall be sent to the radio head unit and/or the Disk Player and Video Display for distribution to the audio output devices.

The video signal from the Mobile Entertainment Data System shall be sent to the Disk Player and Video Display in order to be displayed on the DVD screen.

The Mobile Entertainment Data System also incorporates an RF game controller to control video games.

Included with the Mobile Entertainment Data System is an in-home cradle, power supply and software to assist in downloading entertainment information from the Internet.

The Mobile Entertainment Data System plays back audio content through the vehicle speakers, wireless headphones or wired headphones. The Mobile Entertainment Data System plays back video content through the Disk Player and Video Display.

Mobile Entertainment Data System supports the following audio file types:

Mobile Entertainment Data System supports the following video file types:

Mobile Entertainment Data System supports video game emulation. A list of authorized games shall be made known to the user.

Mobile Entertainment Data System software can upgraded to support new audio and video file formats as these appear in the future, so long as they are compatible with the existing hardware.

The Mobile Entertainment Data System may attempt to playback a file that appears to be one of the supported formats listed above, but encounter errors in the file; these errors include file corruption, disk / file system corruption, or incorrect file encoding. The system will attempt to skip or mask these runtime errors, or inform the user of the possible error. Since the multimedia files may come from uncontrolled sources, the playback performance cannot be guaranteed.

Removable Cartridge

The removable cartridge stores audio and video content that can be played back by the overhead console assembly. The removable cartridge has a capacity of 40 GB. This should allow for storage of approximately 40 typical movies in Mpeg format, or 10,000 songs, in typical MP3 format or any combination of the two. In addition, the removable cartridge contains the in-vehicle operating software. When loaded into the overhead console assembly, the cartridge shall download the operating software to the in-vehicle playback electronics. This allows for an automatic update to the in-vehicle operating software. Updated operating software shall be loaded onto the removable cartridge, from a suitable in-home computer, through the in-home cradle, with minimal customer intervention.

In-Home Cradle and USB data cable

The in-home cradle facilitates the transfer of digital files between a suitable in-home computer and the removable cartridge. Data transfer from the in-home computer to the removable cartridge will be accomplished via USB cable and will require a minimum in-home computer configuration that can run Windows 98 software or higher and support the USB data protocol.

In-Home Power Supply

The in-home power supply interfaces between the in-home cradle and a regular power outlet to supply power to the cradle.

In-Home Software

The in-home software allows for loading audio content, video content and updated operating software onto the removable cartridge, with minimal customer intervention.

In-Vehicle Software

The in-vehicle software is downloaded from the removable cartridge to the overhead console assembly whenever the cartridge is inserted. The in-vehicle software shall perform all functions required to play back audio and video content on the cartridge, and shall perform all control functions to interface with the other vehicle infotainment components.

The in-vehicle software may communicate information about the audio content being played back to the radio and Disk Player and Video Display with the purpose of displaying that information on the radio or rear seat entertainment System displays.

Control of the Mobile Entertainment Data System audio content can be achieved by the driver using the voice browsing interface. The voice browsing interface uses a text-to-speech routine to translate the information about the audio files into speech delivered to the vehicle occupants through the speakers. The voice browsing interface allows the occupants to browse audio content by artist, album or genre. In addition, the voice browsing interface is able to inform the occupants of the title of the audio track being played. Commands from the driver are sent to the Mobile Entertainment Data System from the radio faceplate buttons or from the equivalent steering wheel buttons. Preset buttons shall be used to select the category of browsing. Up/Down and Seek buttons shall be used to browse within a given browsing category.

Control of the Mobile Entertainment Data System audio, video and video game content can be achieved by the rear seat passengers through a graphical user interface displayed on the Disk Player and Video Display

Because of delayed response, the Disk Player and Video Display remote control can not be used to play the video game portion of the GMT201 Mobile Digital Media.