MODE CHANGING OF A MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS DEVICE AND VEHICLE SETTINGS WHEN THE MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS DEVICE IS IN PROXIMITY TO A VEHICLE

• US 20080085689A1
• Filed: 10/06/2006
• Published: 04/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LYFT Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zellner, Samuel
• Granted Patent: US 7,937,075 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/187.1
• 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: 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 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• 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 driver of a vehicle is identified and a command is sent to a mobile communications device that is associated with the identified driver and that is in proximity of the vehicle to force the mobile communications device to change modes such as to enter a hands-free or other suitable mode. The driver may be identified through one or more techniques including biometric sensing, key detection, switch controls, and so forth. Additionally, the driver and/or feature settings preferred by the current driver may be identified by receiving data from the mobile communications device. The data may identify the driver ID with preferred feature settings, the mobile communications device which has an association to a driver ID with preferred feature settings, or the data may specify the preferred feature settings.

Claims

1. A system for mode changing of a mobile communication devices in a vehicle, comprising:

a driver identification module that obtains an identification of a driver of the vehicle;

a communication system that communicates with the mobile communication device when the mobile communication device comes into close proximity with the communication system, wherein the communication system obtains an identification of the mobile communication device;

storage that maintains an association of an identification of potential drivers to an identification of mobile telephones; and

a processor that receives the identification of the driver and the identification of the mobile communication device, determines from storage whether the identification of the mobile communication device is associated with the identification of the driver, and when the identification of the mobile communication device is associated with the identification of the driver, then sends a mode change command via the communication system to the mobile communication device to force the mobile communication device to change a mode.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor determines whether the identification of the mobile communication devices is associated with the identification of the driver based on a set of associations between identifications of potential drivers to mobile communications devices.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the driver identification module includes a vehicle key recognition device that obtains the identification of the driver from a vehicle key used by the driver.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the driver identification module includes a biometric recognition device that obtains the identification of the driver from a biometric analysis.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the driver identification module includes a selector switch that allows the driver to select the appropriate selector switch position to provide the identification of the driver.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the short range communications system utilizes wireless radio frequency communications to obtain the identification of the mobile communications device and to exchange call information with the mobile communication device to provide hands-free operation.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the command forces the mobile communication device to enter at least one of a hands-free mode, a text-to-speech mode, a voice input mode, a video redirection mode, a control redirection mode, and a camera redirection mode.

8. A computer readable medium having instructions for providing mode changes of a mobile communication device in a vehicle, the instructions performing acts comprising:

receiving an identification of a driver of the vehicle;

receiving an identification of the mobile communications device in close proximity to the vehicle;

determining whether the identification of the driver is associated with the identification of the mobile communication device; and

when the received identification of the mobile communication device is associated with the received identification of the driver, then sending a command to the mobile communication device to force the mobile communication device to change a mode.

9. The computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the processor determines whether the identification of the mobile communication devices is associated with the identification of the driver based on a set of associations between identifications of potential drivers to mobile communications devices.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein receiving the driver identification comprises obtaining the identification of the driver from a vehicle key used by the driver.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein receiving the driver identification comprises obtaining the identification of the driver from a biometric analysis.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein receiving the driver identification comprises receiving a selection of an appropriate selector switch position.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein receiving the identification of the mobile communication device and sending the command utilizes wireless radio frequency communications.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the command forces the mobile communication device to change to a hands-free mode.

15. A method of forcing a mobile communications device to change modes, comprising:

detecting an identity of a driver of a vehicle;

detecting an identity of a mobile communication device in close proximity to the vehicle;

determining whether the identity of the driver is associated with the identity of the mobile communication device; and

when the identity of the driver is associated with the identity of the mobile communication device, then sending a command to the mobile communication device to force the mobile communication device to change a mode.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein determining whether the identity of the driver is associated with the identity of the mobile communications device comprises determining whether the identity of the mobile communication devices is associated with the identity of the driver based on a set of associations between identifications of potential drivers to mobile communications devices.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein detecting the identity of the driver comprises obtaining an identification of the driver from a vehicle key used by the driver.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein detecting the identity of the driver comprises obtaining an identification of the driver from a biometric analysis.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein detecting the identity of the driver comprises receiving a selection of an appropriate selector switch position.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the command forces the mobile communication device to enter a hands-free mode.

21. A system for setting features in a vehicle, comprising:

a communication system that communicates with a mobile communication device when the mobile communication device comes into close proximity with the communication system, wherein the communication system obtains data from the mobile communication device; and

a processor that receives from the communication system the data sent from the mobile communication device, and applies feature settings in the vehicle in accordance with the data obtained from the mobile communication device.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the feature settings of the vehicle comprise at least one of seat position, steering wheel position, and cruise control activation.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the communication system obtains an identification of the mobile communication device via a cradle connection of the mobile communication device.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the communication system obtains an identification of the mobile communication device via a short range radio frequency communication.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein the data comprises an identification of the mobile communication device, wherein the system further comprises storage maintaining an association of identifications of mobile communications devices to feature settings, and wherein the processor accesses the storage to find the feature settings associated with the received identification of the mobile communication device and then applies those feature settings that are found.

26. The system of claim 21, wherein the data comprises at least one feature setting for the vehicle and wherein the processor applies the received at least one feature setting.

27. The system of claim 21, wherein the processor applies the feature settings by generating signals to the vehicle systems that provide the features.

33. The computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein the data comprises at least one feature setting for the vehicle and wherein the acts further comprise applying the received at least one feature setting.

28. A computer readable medium containing instructions that perform acts comprising:

communicating with a mobile communication device when the mobile communication device comes into close proximity of a vehicle to obtain data from the mobile communication device; and

applying feature settings in the vehicle in accordance with the data obtained from the mobile communication device.

29. The computer readable medium of claim 28, wherein the feature settings of the vehicle comprise at least one of seat position, steering wheel position, and cruise control activation.

30. The computer readable medium of claim 28, wherein communicating with the mobile communication device occurs via a cradle connection of the mobile communication device.

31. The computer readable medium of claim 28, wherein communicating with the mobile communication device occurs via a short range radio frequency communication.

32. The computer readable medium of claim 28, wherein the data comprises an identification of the mobile communication device, and wherein the acts further comprise:

maintaining an association of identifications of mobile communications devices to feature settings; and

accessing the storage to find the feature settings associated with the received identification of the mobile communication device; and

applying those feature settings that are found.

34. The computer readable medium of claim 28, wherein applying the feature settings comprises generating signals to the vehicle systems that provide the features.

35. A method of setting features in a vehicle, comprising:

communicating with a mobile communication device when the mobile communication device comes into close proximity of a vehicle to obtain data from the mobile communication device; and

applying feature settings in the vehicle in accordance with the data obtained from the mobile communication device.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the feature settings of the vehicle comprise at least one of seat position, steering wheel position, and cruise control activation.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein communicating with the mobile communication device occurs via a cradle connection of the mobile communication device.

38. The method of claim 35, wherein communicating with the mobile communication device occurs via a short range radio frequency communication.

39. The method of claim 35, wherein the data comprises an identification of the mobile communication device, wherein the method further comprises:

maintaining an association of identifications of mobile communications devices to feature settings; and

accessing the storage to find the feature settings associated with the received identification of the mobile communication device; and

applying those feature settings that are found.

40. The method of claim 35, wherein the data comprises at least one feature setting for the vehicle and wherein the method comprises applying the received at least one feature setting.

41. The method of claim 35, wherein applying the feature settings comprises generating signals to the vehicle systems that provide the features.