System for controlling wireless communications from a moving vehicle

• US 20050119002A1
• Filed: 11/01/2004
• Published: 06/02/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Marmigere, Gerard, Bauchot, Frederic, Secondo, Pierre
• Granted Patent: US 7,187,953 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/441
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6075 adapted for handsfree use in a vehicle H04M1/6058 takes precedence; arrangements for holding telephones in a vehicle B60R11/0241
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/66 with means for preventing unauthorised or fraudulent calling verifying user identity or authority in secret or secure digital communications H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/32 by location or mobility data, e.g. speed data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/324 by mobility data, e.g. speed data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/19 Connection re-establishment

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a system for controlling, in a moving vehicle, wireless communications between a local and a remote party and more particularly to prevent any conversation in vehicles travelling above a predefined speed without cutting off wireless communication. If a wireless communication is detected and if the vehicle speed exceeds a first predefined speed limit, the wireless communication is suspended. When the vehicle speed decreases below a second predefined speed limit, the suspended wireless communication is re-established. The system comprises a wireless communication manager unit connected to both a conventional mobile communication system and a conventional free hand kit, the free hand kit being also connected to the mobile communication system.

Claims

1. A system in a moving vehicle for controlling wireless communications between a local and a remote party, comprising:

means for suspending a wireless communication to prevent conversation between the local and remote party, without cutting off the wireless communication, when a speed of the moving vehicle speed exceeds a first predefined speed limit.

2. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

means for re-establishing the suspended wireless communication when the vehicle speed decreases below a second predefined speed limit.

3. The system according to claim 2, further comprising:

a wireless communication manager unit connected to both a mobile communication system and a free hand kit, the free hand kit being also connected to the mobile communication system.

4. The system according to claim 3 wherein the wireless communication manager unit further comprises:

means for detecting the wireless communication; and

means for comparing the vehicle speed with the first predefined speed limit.

5. The system according to claim 4 wherein the means for detecting the wireless communication further comprises:

means for detecting a variation of energy in an output of the mobile communication system.

6. The system according claim 3, wherein the means for suspending the wireless communication further comprises:

means for switching off audio connections between the free hand kit and the wireless communication manager unit.

7. The system according to claim 3, wherein the means for re-establishing the suspended wireless communication further comprises:

means for switching on audio connections between the free hand kit and the wireless communication manager unit.

8. The system according to claim 3, further comprising:

means for informing the remote party and the local party that the wireless communication is suspended.

9. The system according to claim 3, further comprising:

means for informing the remote party that the wireless communication is suspended, using an audio message played through the mobile communication system; and

means for informing the local party that the wireless communication is suspended, using an audio message played through the free hand kit.

10. The system according to claim 9, further comprising:

means for stopping the audio message played to the local party through the free hand kit, when the suspended wireless communication is re-established; and

means for stopping the audio message played to the remote party by the mobile communication system, when the suspended wireless communication is re-established.

11. The system according to claim 9, further comprising:

means for starting an internal timer with a predefined amount of time, when the wireless communication is suspended;

means for stopping the audio message to the local party played through the free hand kit, if a time out event is detected; and

means for stopping the audio message to the remote party played by the mobile communication system, if a time out event is detected.

12. The system according to claim 11, further comprising:

means for disconnecting, for a predefined period of time, the free hand kit from the mobile communication system, if a time out event is detected.

13. The system according to claim 11, further comprising:

means for stopping the internal timer when the suspended wireless communication is re-established.

14. The system according to claim 3, wherein the wireless communication manager unit is connected to a speed control component for providing information on the current vehicle speed.

15. The system according to claim 3, wherein the mobile communication system is a conventional mobile communication system.

16. A method for controlling wireless communications in a moving vehicle between a local and a remote party, comprising:

suspending a wireless communication when a speed of the moving vehicle speed exceeds a first predefined speed limit to prevent conversation between the local and remote party, without cutting off the wireless communication.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising:

re-establishing the suspended wireless communication when the vehicle speed decreases below a second predefined speed limit.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising:

detecting the wireless communication; and

comparing the vehicle speed with the first predefined speed limit.

19. The method according to claim 18 wherein detecting the wireless communication further comprises:

detecting a variation of energy in an output of a mobile communication system.

20. The method according to claim 16, further comprising:

informing the remote party and the local party that the wireless communication is suspended.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein informing the remote party and the local party further comprises:

playing an audio message to inform the remote party that the wireless communication is suspended; and

playing an audio message to inform the local party that the wireless communication is suspended.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

stopping the audio message played to the local party when the suspended wireless communication is re-established; and

stopping the audio message played to the remote party when the suspended wireless communication is re-established.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

stopping the audio message played to the local party played if a time out event is detected; and

stopping the audio message played to the remote party if a time out event is detected.