Communication system installed in a vehicle

• US 10,142,824 B2
• Filed: 07/19/2017
• Issued: 11/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Hagihara, Tomoya, Isobe, Arata, Takeyama, Fuyuto, Shimizu, Yosuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson, Blane
• Application Number:
  US15/654,141
• Publication Number:
  US 20180027367A1
• Time in Patent Office: 496 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6091 including a wireless interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A communication system 20 includes a short-range wireless communication device 45 installed in a vehicle 10. The short-range wireless communication device 45 is a device capable of performing short-range wireless communication with a portable communication terminal 46. The short-range wireless communication device 45 is provided in the vicinity of a surface 12c of an instrument panel 12. A first groove portion 35 and a second groove portion 36 are formed in the surface 12c of the instrument panel 12, in the vicinity of the short-range wireless communication device 45.

Claims

1. A communication system installed in a vehicle, the communication system comprising:

a short-range wireless communication device provided in a vicinity of a surface of an instrument panel of said vehicle and configured to perform short-range wireless communication with a portable communication terminal which is held by a user in front of the short-range wireless communication device, wherein

said instrument panel has a groove portion formed on the surface of said instrument panel, which is in a vicinity of said short-range wireless communication device.

2. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein said groove portion is formed in a position sandwiching said short-range wireless communication device.

3. The communication system according to claim 2, wherein said groove portion is formed such that said groove portion surrounds said short-range wireless communication device.

4. The communication system according to claim 2, wherein:

said groove portion comprises a first groove portion and a second groove portion; and

said first groove portion and said second groove portion are arranged substantially parallel to each other in the vicinity of said short-range wireless communication device.

5. The communication system according to claim 2, wherein

said groove portion comprises a first groove portion and a second groove portion,

said instrument panel comprises at least a first instrument panel member, a second instrument panel member in contact with said first instrument panel member, and a third instrument panel member in contact with said second instrument panel member,

said first groove portion is formed at a border between said first instrument panel member and said second instrument panel member, and

said second groove portion is formed at a border between said second instrument panel member and said third instrument panel member.

6. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein

said short-range wireless communication device is provided on a passenger'"'"'s seat side in a width direction of said vehicle.

7. The communication system according to claim 6, wherein

said short-range wireless communication device has a transceiver portion configured to transmit and receive short-range wireless communication signals, and a connector portion configured to connect with an onboard device of said vehicle;

and

said transceiver portion is located at a driver'"'"'s seat side of said short-range wireless communication device in the width direction of said vehicle, while said connector portion is located at a passenger'"'"'s seat side of said short-range wireless communication device in the width direction of said vehicle.

8. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein

said instrument panel has a first groove portion and a second groove portion which are formed on said surface of said instrument panel, and

said short-range wireless communication device is arranged between said first groove portion and said second groove portion and inside said instrument panel.

9. The communication system according to claim 8, wherein said first groove portion and said second groove portion are connected to each other such that said first groove portion and said second groove portion surround said short-range wireless communication device.