# US 7,612,687 B2 · On-board unit > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,612,687 B2 - Document ID: US7612687B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/715,428 - Filed: 2007-03-08 - Published: 2007-10-18 - Granted: 2009-11-03 - Earliest claimed: 2006-03-27 - Assignees: Denso Corporation - Inventors: Satoshi Nakamura - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7612687B2 ## CPC - B60H 1/00792: {Arrangement of detectors (B60H1/00742, B60H1/0075, B60H1/00785 take precedence)} - B60H 1/00828: {Ventilators, e.g. speed control (B60H1/00864 takes precedence)} - G11B 33/1446: {Reducing contamination, e.g. by dust, debris} - B60H: ARRANGEMENTS OF HEATING, COOLING, VENTILATING OR OTHER AIR-TREATING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PASSENGER OR GOODS SPACES OF VEHICLES - G11B: INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER (recording measured values in a way that does not require playback through a transducer G01D9/00; recording or playback apparatus using mechanically marked tape, e.g. punched paper tape, or using unit records, e.g. punched or magnetically marked cards G06K; transferring data from one type of record carrier to another G06K1/18; circuits for coupling output of reproducer to radio receiver H04B1/20; gramophone pick-ups or like acoustic electromechanical transducers or circuits therefor H04R) ## Abstract An on-board unit includes a dust sensor for detecting an amount of dust in an air in a vehicle. When the amount of dust is equal to or greater than a predetermined value and a front panel of the unit is open, the front panel is moved to close a media slot and insertion/ejection operation of a medium is prohibited as a preventive measure for dust intrusion. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An onboard apparatus for reading information stored on a memory medium that is inserted into the apparatus from an opening for medium insertion, the apparatus for use in a vehicle comprising: a position detector for acquiring a current position of the vehicle; a map reader for reading map data; an area locator for determining whether the vehicle is in a dusty area based on the current position of the vehicle derived from the position detector and the map data derived from the map reader; and a dust protector for protecting the apparatus from intrusion of dust through the opening in a preventive manner, wherein the dust protector performs a preventive operation for protecting the apparatus from intrusion of dust when the current position of the vehicle is located in the dusty area. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The onboard apparatus as in claim 1, wherein an audio playback part for performing an insertion operation of the memory medium upon receiving a request for media insertion through the opening and an ejection operation of the memory medium upon receiving a request for media ejection through the opening is provided in the apparatus, the dust protector includes a request determiner that determines whether the request for media insertion or the request for media ejection exists, and the dust protector includes a prohibition unit that prohibits the insertion operation of the memory medium through the opening or the ejection operation of the memory medium through the opening when the request determiner determines that the request for media insertion or the request for media ejection exists. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The onboard apparatus as in claim 1, wherein a tilt mechanism for tilting a panel away from a front of the opening and tilting the panel back to the front of the opening upon receiving user operation is provided in the apparatus, the dust protector includes a panel detector for detecting whether the panel is positioned in front of the opening, and the dust protector includes a panel controller for controlling the tilt mechanism to tilt the panel back to the front of the opening when the panel detector detects that the panel is positioned forward from the opening. ### Claim 4 An onboard apparatus for reading information stored on a memory medium that is inserted into the apparatus from an opening for medium insertion, the apparatus for use in a vehicle comprising: a position detector for acquiring a current position of the vehicle; a dust sensor for detecting an amount of dust in an air in the vehicle; and a position recorder for recording a dusty position that identifies a position where the dust in an amount that is equal to or greater than a predetermined value is detected by the dust sensor; a position locator for determining whether the vehicle is going to pass the dusty position based on the current position derived from the position detector and information derived from the position recorder; and a dust protector for protecting the apparatus from intrusion of dust through the opening in a preventive manner, wherein the dust protector performs a preventive operation for protecting the apparatus from intrusion of dust when the position locator determines that the vehicle is going to pass the dusty position recorded by the position recorder. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The onboard apparatus as in claim 4, wherein an audio playback part for performing an insertion operation of the memory medium upon receiving a request for media insertion through the opening and an ejection operation of the memory medium upon receiving a request for media ejection through the opening is provided in the apparatus, the dust protector includes a request determiner that determines whether the request for media insertion or the request for media ejection exists, and the dust protector includes a prohibition unit that prohibits the insertion operation of the memory medium through the opening or the ejection operation of the memory medium through the opening when the request determiner determines that the request for media insertion or the request for media ejection exists. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The onboard apparatus as in claim 4, wherein a tilt mechanism for tilting a panel away from a front of the opening and tilting the panel back to the front of the opening upon receiving user operation is provided in the apparatus, the dust protector includes a panel detector for detecting whether the panel is positioned in front of the opening, and the dust protector includes a panel controller for controlling the tilt mechanism to tilt the panel back to the front of the opening when the panel detector detects that the panel is positioned forward from the opening.