In-Vehicle Handsfree Telephone System

• US 20070265040A1
• Filed: 09/26/2005
• Published: 11/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Matsui, Toshio
• Granted Patent: US 7,742,792 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/575.900
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3833 Hand-held transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6091 including a wireless interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion

Abstract

In an in-vehicle handsfree telephone system, an in-vehicle handsfree device is capable of transferring a voice signal to a portable terminal in a passenger compartment of a vehicle. An operating state detection unit detects an operating state of the vehicle. The handsfree device is responsive to a user operation and selectively operable in one of a handsfree mode in which talking on the portable terminal through the handsfree device is allowed by the transfer of the voice signal and a portable terminal stand-alone mode in which talking on the portable terminal in isolation is allowed. The handsfree device is configured to have a switching restriction function in which the handsfree device restricts switching between the handsfree mode and the portable terminal stand-alone mode in accordance with a detected operating state of the vehicle.

Claims

1. An in-vehicle handsfree telephone system comprising:

an in-vehicle handsfree device which is capable of transferring a voice signal to a portable terminal in a passenger compartment of a vehicle;

an operating state detection unit which detects an operating state of the vehicle,

wherein the handsfree device is responsive to a user operation and selectively operable in one of a handsfree mode in which talking on the portable terminal through the handsfree device is allowed by the transfer of the voice signal and a portable terminal stand-alone mode in which talking on the portable terminal in isolation is allowed, and

wherein the handsfree device is configured to have a switching restriction function in which the handsfree device restricts switching between the handsfree mode and the portable terminal stand-alone mode in accordance with the operating state of the vehicle detected by the operating state detection unit.

2. The in-vehicle handsfree telephone system according to claim 1 wherein the switching restriction function of the handsfree device is provided to restrict switching from the handsfree mode to the portable terminal stand-alone mode.

3. The in-vehicle handsfree telephone system according to claim 1 wherein the switching restriction function of the handsfree device is validated when the detected operating state indicates that the vehicle is running.

4. The in-vehicle handsfree telephone system according to claim 1 wherein the switching restriction function of the handsfree device is canceled when the detected operating state of the vehicle indicates that the vehicle stops.

5. The in-vehicle handsfree telephone system according to claim 1 wherein the handsfree device comprises a display indication unit which displays a validated/canceled state of the switching restriction function which is visually recognized by the user.

6. The in-vehicle handsfree telephone system according to claim 5 wherein mode switching of the handsfree device is performed according to a user'"'"'s touch operation on a mode selecting switch displayed on the display indication unit, and the displaying of the mode selecting switch is cancelled when the handsfree device is in the handsfree mode and the switching restriction function is validated.

7. The in-vehicle handsfree telephone system according to claim 6 wherein the handsfree device comprises an output unit which outputs, when the switching restriction function is validated or canceled, an indication of validation/cancellation of the switching restriction function which is recognizable to the user.