POWER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

• US 20100023204A1
• Filed: 07/24/2009
• Published: 01/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Minotaur Systems LLC (Jeffrey M. Gross)
• Original Assignee: Intelligent Mechatronic Systems Inc. (Trak Global Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Filippov, Vladimir, Miners, William Ben, Basir, Otman A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,652,023 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/33
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3209 Monitoring remote activity, e.g. over telephone lines or network connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/271 controlled by voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6091 including a wireless interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72433 for voice messaging, e.g. dictaphones for answering incoming calls H04M1/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72484 wherein functions are triggered by incoming communication events
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/74 with voice recognition means voice activated dialling H04M1/271; voice recognition algorithms G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0251 using monitoring of local events, e.g. events related to user activity
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A vehicle communication system facilitates hands-free interaction with a mobile device in a vehicle or elsewhere. Users interact with the system by speaking to it. The system processes text and processes commands. The system supports Bluetooth wireless technology for hands-free use. The system handles telephone calls, email, and SMS text messages. The user can customize the device via a user profile stored on an Internet web server. The system also includes a plurality of power conservation features.

Claims

1. A vehicle communication system comprising:

a mobile communication device; and

a control unit in a vehicle, the control unit having an OFF state, an ON state, and a LOW POWER state, the control unit comprising;

a wireless communication module operable to communicate wirelessly with the mobile communication device; and

a power management module operable to command the control unit to enter the ON state in response to each of a vehicle ignition event, a vehicle running condition, an incoming wireless command signal, and environmental stimuli.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the power management module is also operable to command the control unit to enter the ON state in response to actuation of a power button associated with the control unit.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the power management module is operable to command the control unit to enter the LOW POWER state in response to a first predetermined period of inactivity, and is operable to command the control unit to enter the OFF state in response to a second predetermined period of inactivity.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the power management module is operable to command the control unit to enter the LOW POWER state from the ON state in response to absence of a command from a host processor after at least one predetermined timeout interval.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the power management module commands the control unit to enter the LOW POWER from the ON state, or to enter the OFF state from the LOW POWER state in response to a voltage of a vehicle battery dropping below a predetermined threshold, the threshold corresponding to a voltage required to start the vehicle.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the power management module commands the control unit to enter the LOW POWER state by turning OFF at least a host processor, a speech recognition module, and a text-to-speech module.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the incoming wireless command signal is a Bluetooth signal connection attempt.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the environmental stimuli include sound, change in ambient light intensity, global positioning system-based positional movement, and accelerometer-based positional movement.

9. The system of claim 1, the control unit further comprising:

a microphone module operable to identify sound in the vehicle as one of the environmental stimuli; and

a light sensor module operable to identify changes in ambient light as one of the environmental stimuli.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication module is a first wireless communication module, the control unit further comprising:

a second wireless communication module operable to communicate wirelessly with a vehicle.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the control unit further comprises:

a vehicle power analysis module connected to a vehicle power bus via a vehicle lighter input, the vehicle power analysis module being operable to identify a power spike as a vehicle ignition start condition, and being operable to identify a repeated pattern of signal noise as a vehicle running condition.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the control unit further comprises:

at least one power status light emitting diode, the power management module being operable to flash the at least one power status light emitting diode to indicate that the control unit is in the LOW POWER state.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the power management module relinquishes control of the at least one power status light emitting diode and a plurality of other status light emitting diodes to a host microprocessor in response to the control unit entering the ON state.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the host processor is operable to control the control unit if the power management module becomes nonresponsive or nonfunctional.

15. The system of claim 1, the control unit further comprising:

a plurality of status light emitting diodes, wherein a least one of a host microprocessor or the power management module are operable to gradually adjust an intensity of the plurality of status light emitting diodes over a predetermined time period in response to a change in ambient light intensity.

16. A method for controlling power consumption in a vehicle communication system including the steps of:

a) monitoring global positioning system-based positional movement of a control unit in a vehicle, the control unit having an OFF state, an ON state, and a LOW POWER state, and the control unit being operable to communicate wirelessly with a mobile communication device;

b) monitoring accelerometer-based positional movement of the control unit; and

c) entering the ON state from the LOW POWER state in response to detection of movement in said step (a), said step (b), or both.

20. The method of claim 16 further including the step of:

e) commanding the control unit to enter the OFF state in response to a predetermined period of inactivity.

17. A method for controlling power consumption in a vehicle communication system including the steps of:

a) monitoring vehicle power bus activity;

b) identifying a power spike on the vehicle power bus as a vehicle ignition start condition;

c) identifying a repeated pattern of signal noise on the vehicle power bus as a vehicle running condition; and

d) commanding a control unit to enter an ON state in response to said step (a), staid step (b), or both, the control unit being operable to communicate wirelessly with a mobile communication device.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said step (a) is performed via a vehicle lighter socket.

19. The method of claim 17, further including the step of:

e) receiving a wireless command signal via at least one wireless communication module; and

f) commanding the control unit to enter the ON state from a LOW POWER STATE in response to said step (e).