System, method and apparatus for communication with occupants of a vehicle

• US 10,264,610 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2016
• Issued: 04/16/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eddie B. Lofton
• Original Assignee: Eddie B. Lofton
• Inventors: Lofton, Eddie B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Tuan A
• Application Number:
  US15/380,602
• Publication Number:
  US 20180035476A1
• Time in Patent Office: 852 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/46 for vehicle-to-vehicle communication [V2V]
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/005 Moving wireless networks

Abstract

A method of communicating between a person within a target vehicle and a law enforcement person includes establishing a connection between a law-enforcement transceiver and a target vehicle transceiver using a protocol and encoding an audio signal into an encoded audio signal by the law-enforcement transceiver using the protocol, The encoded audio signal is transmitted from the law-enforcement transceiver and received by the target vehicle transceiver where the encoded audio signal is accepted by the target vehicle transceiver through a feature in the protocol, the feature in the protocol allowing limited access to an audio transducer of the target vehicle, the encoded audio signal is decoded back into the audio signal by the target vehicle transducer and the audio signal is reproduced on the audio transducer within the target vehicle.

Claims

1. A communication apparatus comprising:

a first transceiver within a target vehicle, the first transceiver comprising a first audio transducer and a first microphone, the first transceiver configured for communication with a second transceiver over a protocol; and

the second transceiver associated with law enforcement having at least a second microphone and a second audio transducer, the second transceiver communicating with the first transceiver of the target vehicle using the protocol, the second transceiver connecting to the first transceiver making a request for establishing a point-to-point connection between the first transceiver and the second transceiver;

upon the first transceiver accepting the request for establishing the point-to-point connection between the first transceiver and the second transceiver, audio from the first microphone is encoded over the protocol and transmitted from the first transceiver to the second transceiver whereas the second transceiver receives the encoded audio, decodes the audio, and reproduces the audio on the second audio transducer.

2. The communications apparatus of claim 1, wherein the protocol is Bluetooth (802.15).

3. The communications apparatus of claim 2, whereas a power output of the second transceiver exceeds a maximum power output allowance of a specification for Bluetooth (802.15) for penetration into the target vehicle.

4. The communications apparatus of claim 1, wherein the protocol is Wi-Fi (802.11).

5. The communications apparatus of claim 1, whereas upon the first transceiver accepting the request for establishing the point-to-point connection access to the first microphone is provided such that audio from the first microphone is encoded over the protocol and transmitted from the first transceiver to the second transceiver whereas the second transceiver receives the protocol, decodes the audio from the first microphone, and reproduces the audio from the first microphone on a second audio transducer, the second audio transducer operatively coupled to the second transceiver.

6. The communications apparatus of claim 1, whereas the request for establishing the point-to-point connection is provided through an authorization encryption code known by the second transceiver and accepted by the first transceiver.

7. The communications apparatus of claim 1, whereas the approval of the request for establishing the point-to-point connection is made by voice command.

8. The communications apparatus of claim 7, whereas the voice command includes saying the word, “

yes.”

9. The communications apparatus of claim 1, whereas the approval of the request for establishing the point-to-point connection is made by operation of a control, the control interfaced with the first transceiver within the target vehicle.

10. A method of communicating between a person within a target vehicle and a law enforcement person, the method comprising:

establishing a connection between a law-enforcement transceiver and a target vehicle transceiver using a protocol by first making a request for establishing a point-to-point connection between the law-enforcement transceiver and the target vehicle transceiver;

after accepting of the request by the target vehicle transceiver, encoding an audio signal into an encoded audio signal by the law-enforcement transceiver using the protocol;

transmitting the encoded audio signal from the law-enforcement transceiver;

receiving the encoded audio signal by the target vehicle transceiver; and

accepting the encoded audio signal by the target vehicle transceiver through a feature in the protocol, the feature in the protocol allowing limited access to an audio transducer of the target vehicle, the target vehicle transceiver decoding the encoded audio signal back into the audio signal, the target vehicle transceiver reproducing the audio signal on the audio transducer within the target vehicle.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of accepting of the request by the target vehicle transceiver includes a step of speaking a pre-determined saying.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the saying is “

yes.”

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of accepting of the request by the target vehicle transceiver includes a step of receiving a signal from a control, the control associated with the target vehicle transceiver.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

encoding a second audio signal into a second encoded audio signal by the target vehicle transceiver using the protocol;

transmitting the second encoded audio signal from the target vehicle transceiver;

receiving the second encoded audio signal by the law-enforcement transceiver; and

accepting the second encoded audio signal by the law-enforcement transceiver through a feature in the protocol, the feature in the protocol allowing limited access to a second audio transducer, the second audio transducer interfaced to the law-enforcement transceiver.

15. A communication apparatus comprising:

a first transceiver within a target vehicle, the first transceiver electrically and operatively interfaced to a first audio transducer and to a first microphone, the first transceiver is configured for communication with a second transceiver over a protocol; and

the second transceiver associated with law enforcement, the second transceiver electrically and operatively interfaced to a second audio transducer and to a second microphone;

the second transceiver initiates a request to connect to the first transceiver and only after the first transceiver accepts the request to connect, the second transceiver communicates with the first transceiver of the target vehicle using the protocol, the second transceiver connects to the first transceiver to provide limited access, the limited access provides for exchange of encoded audio signals;

whereas a first audio signal from the first audio transducer is encoded into a first encoded audio signal using the protocol and the first encoded audio signal is transmitted from the first transceiver to the second transceiver and the first encoded audio signal is decoded by the second transceiver back into the first audio signal and emitted on the second audio transducer; and

whereas a second audio signal from the second audio transducer is encoded into a second encoded audio signal using the protocol and the second encoded audio signal is transmitted from the second transceiver to the first transceiver and the second encoded audio signal is decoded by the first transceiver back into the second audio signal and emitted on the first audio transducer.

16. The communications apparatus of claim 15, whereas the second transceiver connects to the first transceiver to provide limited access using an authorization encryption code known by the second transceiver and accepted by the first transceiver.

17. The communications apparatus of claim 15, whereas the second transceiver connects to the first transceiver to provide the limited access after the first transceiver accepts the request by receiving a signal from a control, the control interfaced with the first transceiver within the target vehicle.

18. The communications apparatus of claim 15, whereas the second transceiver connects to the first transceiver to provide the limited access after the first transceiver accepts the request by receiving a voice approval from the first microphone by the first transceiver within the target vehicle.

19. The communications apparatus of claim 15, wherein the protocol is Bluetooth (802.15).

20. The communications apparatus of claim 19, whereas a power output of the second transceiver exceeds a maximum power output allowance of a specification for Bluetooth (802.15) for penetration into the target vehicle.