Snowmobile control system

Abstract

A snowmobile including a first warmer configured to generate heat in response to electrical current driven therethrough, and a second warmer configured to generate heat in response to electrical current driven therethrough. A control module is configured to accept a first temperature input from an operator of the snowmobile indicating a desired first temperature of the first warmer, and direct sufficient electrical current to the first warmer to generate heat equal to the first temperature input. The control module is further configured to accept a second temperature input from the operator of the snowmobile indicating a desired second temperature of the second warmer, and direct sufficient electrical current to the second warmer to generate heat equal to the second temperature input.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A snowmobile comprising:
 a first warmer configured to generate heat in response to electrical current driven therethrough;   a second warmer configured to generate heat in response to electrical current driven therethrough; and   a control module configured to:
 accept a first temperature input from an operator of the snowmobile indicating a desired first temperature of the first warmer, and direct sufficient electrical current to the first warmer to generate heat equal to the first temperature input; and 
 accept a second temperature input from the operator of the snowmobile indicating a desired second temperature of the second warmer, and direct sufficient electrical current to the second warmer to generate heat equal to the second temperature input. 
   
     
     
         2 . The snowmobile of  claim 1 , further comprising a display configured to receive the first temperature input and the second temperature input as touch inputs. 
     
     
         3 . The snowmobile of  claim 1 , wherein the first temperature input and the second temperature input are different temperatures. 
     
     
         4 . The snowmobile of  claim 1 , wherein the first warmer includes a left hand warmer and a right hand warmer, and the first temperature input includes a left hand warmer temperature input and a right hand warmer temperature input that is different from the left hand warmer temperature input. 
     
     
         5 . The snowmobile of  claim 1 , further comprising a first driver configured to drive the electrical current to the first warmer by pulse-width modulation, and a second driver configured to drive electrical current to the second warmer by pulse-width modulation. 
     
     
         6 . The snowmobile of  claim 1 , wherein the first warmer includes a right hand warmer and a left hand warmer, and the second warmer includes a thumb warmer, the snowmobile further comprising:
 a first driver for driving the electrical current to the right hand warmer by pulse-width modulation;   a second driver for driving the electrical current to the left hand warmer by pulse-width modulation; and   a third driver for driving the electrical current to the thumb warmer by pulse-width modulation.   
     
     
         7 . The snowmobile of  claim 1 , wherein the first temperature input and the second temperature input each include a specific temperature for a low setting, a medium setting, and a high setting. 
     
     
         8 . The snowmobile of  claim 1 , wherein the electrical current is generated by an engine of the snowmobile. 
     
     
         9 . The snowmobile of  claim 1 , wherein temperature of each of the first warmer and the second warmer is determined by a resistance feedback circuit. 
     
     
         10 . The snowmobile of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first warmer and the second warmer includes at least one of the following: a brake handle warmer; a storage compartment warmer; a goggles warmer; a garment warmer; a windshield warmer; a helmet shield warmer; and a seat warmer. 
     
     
         11 . The snowmobile of  claim 1 , wherein the control module is included in a left-hand control assembly mounted to handle bars of the snowmobile; and wherein the left-hand control assembly is connected to a display of the snowmobile to receive the first temperature input and the second temperature input entered into the display as touch inputs. 
     
     
         12 . The snowmobile of  claim 11 , wherein the left-hand control assembly includes a button for activating at least one of the first warmer and the second warmer at a low setting, a medium setting, and a high setting; and
 wherein associated with the button is a light indicating whether the low setting, the medium setting, or the high setting has been activated.   
     
     
         13 . A snowmobile comprising:
 an engine;   a display assembly including a display;   a GPS receiver;   a control module configured to run an operating system of the display assembly, receive GPS signals from the GPS receiver, and identify a current location of the snowmobile based on the received GPS signals; and   a power supply for the display assembly, the GPS receiver, and the control module;   wherein the display assembly, the GPS receiver, and the control module are powered by the engine when the engine is on; and   wherein subsequent to shutdown of the engine the power supply powers the display assembly, the GPS receiver, and the control module for a period of time to keep the operating system running and keep the GPS receiver locked onto GPS signals without illuminating the display.   
     
     
         14 . The snowmobile of  claim 13 , wherein the power supply is a capacitor. 
     
     
         15 . The snowmobile of  claim 13 , wherein the power supply is a capacitor having a capacity of at least 2 F. 
     
     
         16 . The snowmobile of  claim 13 , wherein the power supply is included with the display assembly. 
     
     
         17 . The snowmobile of  claim 13 , wherein the power supply is a capacitor having a capacity of at least 110 F and the period of time is about 20 minutes. 
     
     
         18 . A snowmobile comprising:
 a control assembly mounted at handlebars of the snowmobile;   a control module included with the control assembly, the control module configured to control headlights, accent lights, hand warmers, and a thumb warmer;   a plurality of buttons included with the control assembly, the plurality of buttons including a handlebar warmer control button, a high beam control button, a multimedia control button, and a menu control button;   a first light emitting element configured to illuminate to indicate whether the hand warmers and the thumb warmer are set at low, medium, or high heat intensity; and   a second light emitting element configured to illuminate to indicate whether the high beams are active.   
     
     
         19 . The snowmobile of  claim 18 , wherein the plurality of buttons are covered by a waterproof cover. 
     
     
         20 . The snowmobile of  claim 18 , wherein the plurality of buttons further includes an engine start button for electronic engine start. 
     
     
         21 . The snowmobile of  claim 18 , wherein the plurality of buttons further includes an electronic shock absorber adjustment button. 
     
     
         22 . A display assembly for a snowmobile, the display assembly comprising:
 a display surface bordered by a top bezel, a left bezel, a right bezel, and a bottom bezel having a height that is lower than each one of the top bezel, the left bezel, and the right bezel to facilitate removal of snow and other contaminants from the display surface; and   a bottom portion of the display surface at the bottom bezel and a main portion of the display surface above the bottom portion;   wherein the display surface is configured to accept touch inputs, the bottom portion is less sensitive to touch inputs than the main portion.   
     
     
         23 . The display assembly of  claim 22 , wherein the display assembly is configured to be set in a lock mode in which the display assembly does not accept touch inputs to the display surface. 
     
     
         24 . The display assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the display assembly is set in the lock mode in response to actuation of physical buttons adjacent to the display surface or in response to detection of multiple simultaneous inputs indicative of screen contamination. 
     
     
         25 . The display assembly of  claim 22 , wherein the bottom portion is about a lower fifth of the display surface. 
     
     
         26 . The display assembly of  claim 22 , further comprising:
 a left corner bezel extending from the left bezel to the bottom bezel at an angle of greater than 90°; and   a right corner bezel extending from the right bezel to the bottom bezel at an angle of greater than 90°.   
     
     
         27 . A snowmobile comprising:
 a headlight;   an accent light;   a display assembly; and   a power source configured to power both the display assembly and the accent light when an engine of the snowmobile is off.   
     
     
         28 . The snowmobile of  claim 27 , wherein the power source is included in the display assembly. 
     
     
         29 . The snowmobile of  claim 27 , wherein the power source is a capacitor. 
     
     
         30 . The snowmobile of  claim 27 , wherein the power source is a battery. 
     
     
         31 . The snowmobile of  claim 27 , wherein a display screen of the display assembly and the accent lights are synced together such that the accent lights are always illuminated when the display screen is illuminated.