In-vehicle apparatus having handsfree function and cellular phone having handsfree function

• US 20100233998A1
• Filed: 02/16/2010
• Published: 09/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Saito, Soichi
• Granted Patent: US 8,478,358 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/412.200
• 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 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails

Abstract

An in-vehicle apparatus having a handsfree function is disclosed, which includes an incoming mail reception determination section, a mode determination section and a control section. The incoming mail reception determination section determines whether a cellular phone receives an incoming mail. The mode determination section determines which one of a handset communication mode and a handsfree communication mode is selected in the cellular phone. The control section performs control regarding whether a mail reception notice should be issued to a user. The control section prohibits the mail reception notice from being issued to the user when the incoming mail reception determination section determines that the cellular phone receives the incoming mail and when the mode determination section determines that the cellular phone is in the handsfree communication mode.

Claims

1. An in-vehicle apparatus having a handsfree function, comprising:

a connection section that is connectable with a cellular phone by simultaneously using a handsfree communication protocol for handsfree communication and a mail forwarding protocol for mail forwarding, the cellular phone being operable in selectively one of a handset communication mode and a handsfree communication mode in a condition where the cellular phone is connected with the connection section by using the handsfree communication protocol,

wherein, in the handset communication mode, a voice path between the cellular phone and the in-vehicle apparatus having the handsfree function is closed, and a voice inputted via a voice input part of the cellular phone is transmitted toward a communication counterpart as being an outgoing voice, and a voice received from the communication counterpart is outputted from a voice output part of the cellular phone as being an incoming voice,

wherein, in the handsfree communication mode, the voice path between the cellular phone and the in-vehicle apparatus having the handsfree function is open, and a voice inputted via a voice input device of the in-vehicle apparatus having the handsfree function is transmitted toward the communication counterpart as being the outgoing voice, and the voice received from the communication counterpart is outputted from a voice output device of the in-vehicle apparatus having the handsfree function as being the incoming voice;

a mail reception determination section that is configured to determine whether an incoming mail is received by the cellular phone, which is connected with the connection section by using the mail forwarding protocol;

a mode determination section that is configured to determine which one of the handset communication mode and the handsfree communication mode is selected in the cellular phone, which is connected with the connection section by using the mail forwarding protocol; and

a control section that is configured to control a mail reception notice regarding a notice that the incoming mail is received, such that;

the control section issues the mail reception notice to a user

when the mail reception determination section determines that the incoming mail is received by the cellular phone, which is connected with the connection section by using the mail forwarding protocol, and

when the mode determination section determines that the handset communication mode is selected in the cellular phone, by which the incoming mail is received; and

the control section prohibits the mail reception notice from being issued to the user

when the mail reception determination section determines that the incoming mail is received by the cellular phone, which is connected with the connection section by using the mail forwarding protocol, and

when the mode determination section determines that the handsfree communication mode is selected in the cellular phone, by which the incoming mail is received.

2. The in-vehicle apparatus having the handsfree function according to claim 1, wherein

the control section issues the mail reception notice to the user, when the mode determination section determines that the cellular phone is switched from the handsfree communication mode to the handset communication mode after:

the mail reception determination section determined that the incoming mail was received by the cellular phone, which is connected with the connection section by using the mail forwarding protocol; and

the mode determination section determined that the handsfree communication mode was selected in the cellular phone, by which the incoming mail was received.

3. The in-vehicle apparatus having the handsfree function according to claim 1, wherein:

the cellular phone is operable further in a standby mode where the cellular phone waits to receive an incoming call;

the mode determination section determines which one of the handset communication mode, the handsfree communication mode and the standby mode is selected in the cellular phone, which is connected with the connection section by using the mail forwarding protocol; and

the control section issues the mail reception notice to the user, when the mode determination section determines that the cellular phone is switched from the handsfree communication mode to the standby mode after;

the mail reception determination section determined that the incoming mail was received by the cellular phone, which is connected with the connection section by using the mail forwarding protocol; and

the mode determination section determined that the handsfree communication mode was selected in the cellular phone, by which the incoming mail was received.

4. The in-vehicle apparatus having the handsfree function according claim 1, wherein:

when the cellular phone, by which the incoming mail is received, is in the handset communication mode, volume of a mail reception notice sound outputted from the voice output device of the in-vehicle apparatus having the handsfree function is a first volume;

when the cellular phone, by which the incoming mail is received, is in the standby mode, the volume of the mail reception notice sound outputted from the voice output device of the in-vehicle apparatus having the handsfree function is a second volume; and

the control section sets the first volume so that the first volume is smaller than the second volume.

5. A cellular phone that is connectable with an in-vehicle apparatus having a handsfree function by simultaneously using a handsfree communication protocol for handsfree communication and a mail forwarding protocol for mail forwarding,

the cellular phone being operable in, when having a connection with the in-vehicle apparatus having the handsfree function by using the handsfree communication protocol, selectively one of

a handset communication mode where a voice path between the cellular phone and the in-vehicle apparatus having the handsfree function is closed, and a voice inputted via a voice input part of the cellular phone is transmitted toward a communication counterpart as being an outgoing voice, and a voice received from the communication counterpart is outputted from a voice output part of the cellular phone as being an incoming voice and

a handsfree communication mode where the voice path between the cellular phone and the in-vehicle apparatus having the handsfree function is open, and a voice inputted via a voice input device of the in-vehicle apparatus having the handsfree function is transmitted toward the communication counterpart as being the outgoing voice, and the voice received from the communication counterpart is outputted from a voice output device of the in-vehicle apparatus having the handsfree function as being the incoming voice,

the cellular phone being configured to issue a notification, which notifies that the cellular phone receives an incoming mail, to the in-vehicle apparatus having the handsfree function when the incoming mail is received by the cellular phone in a condition where:

the cellular phone is connected with the in-vehicle apparatus having the handsfree function by simultaneously using the handsfree protocol and the mail forwarding protocol; and

the handset communication mode is set in the cellular phone,

the cellular phone being configured to prohibit the notification, which notifies that the cellular phone receives the incoming mail, from being issued to the in-vehicle apparatus having the handsfree function when the incoming mail is received by the cellular phone in a condition where the handsfree communication mode is set in the cellular phone.

6. A method of controlling a cellular phone, comprising:

causing the cellular phone to have a connection with an in-vehicle apparatus having a handsfree function by simultaneously using a handsfree communication protocol for handsfree communication, and a mail forwarding protocol for mail forwarding;

causing the cellular phone, when the cellular phone has the connection with the in-vehicle apparatus having the handsfree function by using the handsfree communication protocol, to be operable in selectively one of;

a handset communication mode where a voice path between the cellular phone and the in-vehicle apparatus having the handsfree function is closed, and a voice inputted via a voice input part of the cellular phone is transmitted toward a communication counterpart as being an outgoing voice, and a voice received from the communication counterpart is outputted from a voice output part of the cellular phone as being an incoming voice; and

a handsfree communication mode where the voice path between the cellular phone and the in-vehicle apparatus having the handsfree function is open, and a voice inputted via a voice input device of the in-vehicle apparatus having the handsfree function is transmitted toward the communication counterpart as being the outgoing voice, and the voice received from the communication counterpart is outputted from a voice output device of the in-vehicle apparatus having the handsfree function as being the incoming voice;

causing the cellular phone to issue a notification, which notifies that the cellular phone receives an incoming mail, to the in-vehicle apparatus having the handsfree function, when the cellular phone receives the incoming mail in a condition where;

the cellular phone is connected with the in-vehicle apparatus having the handsfree function by simultaneously using the handsfree protocol and the mail forwarding protocol; and

the cellular phone is in the handset communication mode; and

prohibiting the cellular phone from issuing the notification, which notifies that the cellular phone receives the incoming mail, to the in-vehicle apparatus having the handsfree function, when the cellular phone receives the incoming mail in a condition where;

the cellular phone is connected with the in-vehicle apparatus having the handsfree function by simultaneously using the handsfree protocol and the mail forwarding protocol; and

the cellular phone is in the handsfree communication mode.