Wireless communications system and method

• US 20020197955A1
• Filed: 04/23/2002
• Published: 12/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Incorporated (Visteon Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Witkowski, Todd R., Geerlings, Steven L., Buege, Robert F., Zeinstra, Mark L., Dykema, Kurt A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,349,722 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10386 the interrogation device being of the portable or hand-handheld type, e.g. incorporated in ubiquitous hand-held devices such as PDA or mobile phone, or in the form of a portable dedicated RFID reader
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3822 specially adapted for use in vehicles H04B1/3827 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/26 at least one of which is mobile
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2609 Arrangements for range control, e.g. by using remote antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6041 Portable telephones adapted for handsfree use
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6091 including a wireless interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/44 for communication between vehicles and infrastructures, e.g. vehicle-to-cloud [V2C] or vehicle-to-home [V2H]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/48 for in-vehicle communication
• 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 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A system for communicating information facilitates wireless communication between electronic devices. The system includes a transceiver provided in a vehicle. The transceiver communicates with an electronic device located external to the transceiver using a Bluetooth communications standard.

Claims

1. A system for communicating information comprising:

a transceiver provided in a vehicle, the transceiver communicating with a first electronic device located external to the transceiver using a Bluetooth communication standard to transmit information between the transceiver and the first electronic device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the transceiver is integrated within a second electronic device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the transceiver is provided in at least one of a vehicle instrument panel, an overhead console, a floor mounted console, a visor, and a rear view mirror.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first electronic device is located outside the vehicle.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the transceiver communicates with a plurality of electronic devices using a Bluetooth communication standard.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the transceiver communicates with the first electronic device and a second electronic device located external to the transceiver to communicate information between the first and second electronic devices.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first electronic device comprises a vehicle subsystem.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the vehicle subsystem comprises at least one of an audio system, a microphone, a video display system, and an on-board navigation system.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the first electronic device is selected from one of a personal digital assistant, a pager, a cellular phone, an audio system, a display, a cordless headset, a digital camera, and a computer.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the information comprises at least one of personal calendar information, an electronic mail message, telephone directory information, music information, vehicle diagnostic information, traffic information, appointment information, news information, weather information, map information, and vehicle navigation information.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the information comprises voice signals.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the transceiver automatically connects with the first electronic device as the transceiver and first electronic device approach each other.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the transceiver comprises a CMOS integrated chip.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the first electronic device comprises a transceiver.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the first electronic device is mounted in at least one of a vehicle dashboard, an overhead console, a floor mounted console, a visor, and a rear view mirror.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the second electronic device is coupled to at least a portion of the vehicle.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the second electronic device is selected from an audio system, a microphone, a video display system, and an on-board navigation system.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the second electronic device is located outside the vehicle.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the second electronic device is selected from a personal digital assistant, a pager, a cellular phone, a display, a cordless headset, a digital camera, and a computer.

21. The system of claim 14, wherein the first electronic device communicates with both the second electronic device and a third electronic device using a Bluetooth communications protocol.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the first electronic device acts to communicate information between the second and third devices.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the second electronic device is located within the vehicle and the third electronic device is located outside the vehicle.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein both the second device and the third device are provided within the vehicle.

25. The system of claim 14, wherein the information comprises at least one of traffic information, weather information, map information, and vehicle navigation information.

26. The system of claim 14, wherein the information comprises at least one of personal calendar information, an electronic mail message, and telephone directory information.

27. The system of claim 14, wherein the information comprises vehicle diagnostic information.

28. The system of claim 14, wherein the information comprises voice signals.

29. The system of claim 14, wherein the first electronic device automatically connects with the second electronic device as the first and second electronic devices are separated by a distance of less than approximately 100 meters.

14. A system for enabling wireless information transfer, the system comprising:

a first electronic device mounted in a vehicle; and

a second electronic device located external to the first electronic device;

wherein the first and second electronic devices are configured to communicate information between the first and second electronic devices using a Bluetooth communications protocol.

30. A system for transferring information, the system comprising:

a transceiver coupled to an automobile; and

means for transferring information between the transceiver and an electronic device external to the transceiver using a Bluetooth communications protocol.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the transceiver is mounted in at least one of a vehicle instrument panel, an overhead console, a floor mounted console, a visor, and a rear view mirror.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein the information is wirelessly transferred between the transceiver and the electronic device.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the electronic device comprises at least one of an audio system, a microphone, a video display system, and an on-board navigation system.

34. The system of claim 30, wherein the electronic device is a personal digital assistant.

35. The system of claim 30, wherein the electronic device is a pager.

36. The system of claim 30, wherein the electronic device is a cellular phone.

37. The system of claim 30, wherein the electronic device is a computer.

38. The system of claim 30, wherein the transceiver communicates with a plurality of electronic devices using a Bluetooth communications protocol.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein at least one of the plurality of electronic devices is located outside the vehicle.

40. The system of claim 38, wherein the plurality of electronic devices are provided within the vehicle.

41. The system of claim 30, wherein the information comprises at least one of traffic information, weather information, map information, and vehicle navigation information.

42. The system of claim 30, wherein the information comprises at least one of personal calendar information, an electronic mail message, and telephone directory information.

43. The system of claim 30, wherein the information comprises vehicle diagnostic information.

44. The system of claim 30, wherein the information comprises voice signals.

45. The system of claim 30, wherein the transceiver and the electronic device automatically establish a communications link when the transceiver and the electronic device are moved within a predetermined distance of each other.

46. The system of claim 45, wherein the predetermined distance is less than approximately 100 meters.

47. The system of claim 45, wherein the predetermined distance is less than approximately 10 meters.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein the step of communicating information occurs automatically when the transceiver and the electronic device are moved within a predetermined distance from each other.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein the predetermined distance is less than approximately 100 meters.

51. The method of claim 48, wherein the step of communicating information comprises receiving information from a first electronic device at the transceiver and transmitting the information from the transceiver to a second electronic device.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein at least one of the first and second electronic devices is located outside the vehicle.

53. The method of claim 48, wherein the transceiver is mounted in at least one of a vehicle dashboard, an overhead console, a floor mounted console, a visor, and a mirror.

54. The method of claim 48, wherein the electronic device comprises at least one of an audio system, a microphone, a video system, and a navigation system.

55. The method of claim 48, wherein the electronic device is at least one of a personal digital assistant, a pager, a cellular phone, and a computer.

56. The method of claim 48, wherein the information comprises at least one of traffic information, weather information, map information, and vehicle navigation information.

57. The method of claim 48, wherein the information comprises at least one of personal calendar information, an electronic mail message, and telephone directory information.

58. The method of claim 48, wherein the information comprises voice signals.

60. The method of claim 59, wherein at least one of the first and second electronic devices are coupled to at least one of a vehicle instrument panel, an overhead console, a floor mounted console, a visor, and a mirror.

61. The method of claim 59, wherein at least one of the first and second electronic devices are located outside the vehicle.

62. The method of claim 59, wherein at least one of the first and second transceivers comprise a CMOS integrated chip.

63. The method of claim 59, wherein at least one of the first and second electronic devices comprises an audio system, a microphone, a video system, and a navigation system.

64. The method of claim 59, wherein at least one of the first and second electronic devices comprises a personal digital assistant.

65. The method of claim 59, wherein at least one of the first and second electronic devices comprises a pager.

66. The method of claim 59, wherein at least one of the first and second electronic devices comprises a cellular phone.

67. The method of claim 59, wherein at least one of the first and second electronic devices comprises a computer.

68. The method of claim 58, wherein the information comprises at least one of personal calendar information, an electronic mail message, and telephone directory information.

69. The method of claim 58, wherein the information comprises at least one of traffic information, weather information, map information, and vehicle navigation information.

70. The method of claim 58, wherein the information comprises at least one of menu information, banking information, medical prescription information, vehicle toll information, and fuel purchase information.

48. A method for communicating information comprising:

communicating information between a transceiver provided in a vehicle and an electronic device located external to the transceiver using a Bluetooth communications standard.

59. A method for wirelessly transferring information comprising:

receiving electronic information at a first electronic device, the first electronic device including a first transceiver; and

transmitting the electronic information from the first electronic device to a second electronic device, the second device including a second transceiver;

wherein at least one of the first and second electronic devices are within an automobile, and wherein the information is transmitted from the first electronic device to the second electronic device using a Bluetooth communications protocol.