Bluetooth Communication System for Drivers of Vehicules

• US 20080220718A1
• Filed: 09/12/2002
• Published: 09/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited, Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Kikuchi, Masao, Hino, Masashi, Watabe, Shinako, Ohishi, Yasuo, Yamamoto, Mitsuhiko, Sakamoto, Tsuneaki, Sakamoto, Mayumi
• Granted Patent: US 7,907,975 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/385 Transceivers carried on the body, e.g. in helmets
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/3866 carried on the head
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/271 controlled by voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6091 including a wireless interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface

Abstract

A system is provided that enables communications between a driver of a vehicle and a person outside the vehicle, between a rider of a motorcycle and a fellow rider of the same vehicle, or between a driver of a vehicle and another driver of another vehicle. A Bluetooth communication system comprises a Bluetooth communication device mountable to a helmet, and an indicator unit having an indicator disposed in a viewing range of a driver of such a vehicle as a car or a boat. It further comprises a transmitting module disposed in the Bluetooth communication device for transmitting an indication signal to the indicator in response to reception of a calling signal and a receiving module disposed in the indicator unit for driving the indicator in response to reception of the indication signal. The indicator indicates when a call arrives at a Bluetooth communication device mounted on a helmet.

Claims

1. A Bluetooth communication system, comprising:

a Bluetooth communication device mountable to a helmet;

an indicator unit having an indicator disposed in a viewing range of a driver of a vehicle;

a transmitting module which is disposed in the Bluetooth communication device for transmitting an indication signal to the indicator in response to reception of a calling signal; and

a receiving module which is disposed in the indicator unit for driving the indicator in response to reception of the indication signal.

2. The Bluetooth communication system according to claim 1 wherein the Bluetooth communication device comprises a Bluetooth module having a function of communicating with a mobile phone.

3. The Bluetooth communication system according to claim 1 wherein the Bluetooth communication device comprises an FM transmitting module for transmitting signals to the indicator unit and wherein the indicator unit comprises an FM receiving module for receiving said signals.

4. The Bluetooth communication system according to claim 2 wherein the Bluetooth communication device is connected to a microphone and a speaker, the device comprising a voice recognition unit for performing voice recognition upon voice input to the microphone and a control unit for transforming the recognized voice into control signals.

5. The Bluetooth communication system according to claim 4 wherein the microphone comprises a bone conductive microphone or a noise cancellation microphone.

6. The Bluetooth communication system according to claim 4 wherein the Bluetooth communication device comprises a noise level detection circuit and a circuit for adjusting an audio volume based on the noise level detected by the noise level detection circuit.

7. The Bluetooth communication system according to claim 4 wherein the Bluetooth communication device comprises a voice synthesis unit for transforming the signal from the Bluetooth module into voice.

8. The Bluetooth communication system according to claim 2 wherein the Bluetooth communication device comprises a manual switch for enabling a communication when the manual switch is operated.

9. The Bluetooth communication system according to claim 4 wherein the Bluetooth communication device comprises a manual switch for activating voice recognition unit when the manual switch is operated.

10. The Bluetooth communication system according to claim 4 wherein the control unit is configured so as to send a first-aid call transmission command to the mobile phone in response to a predetermined voice input from the driver.

11. The Bluetooth communication system according to claim 1 wherein the Bluetooth communication device comprises a Bluetooth module that can form a network with another Bluetooth device in accordance with the Bluetooth standard.

12. A communication system, comprising:

a communication device movable with a user;

an indicator unit having an indicator disposed in a viewing range of the user;

a transmitting module which is disposed in the communication device for transmitting an indication signal to the indicator in response to reception of a calling signal; and

a receiving module which is disposed in the indicator unit for driving the indicator in response to reception of the indication signal.