System and Method for Hands Free Connect Application for the Automobile Environment

• US 20110117845A1
• Filed: 11/12/2010
• Published: 05/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Kirsch, David Michael, Ohki, Eric Shigeru
• Granted Patent: US 8,811,900 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6091 including a wireless interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals

Abstract

A module executed on a mobile communications device (MCD) to automatically pair the MCD with a vehicle. The module determines whether the MCD'"'"'s short range communication technology, e.g., Bluetooth® technology is enabled. If not, the module turns on the MCD'"'"'s short range communication technology. The module also determines whether the MCD is in a discovery mode, which is the mode of the MCD that enables the MCD to pair. If not, the module turns on the MCD'"'"'s discovery mode. The module then automatically pairs the MCD and the vehicle. In an embodiment the automatic pairing includes setting the vehicle'"'"'s hands free telephone module to a discovery mode, if the short range communications from the MCD and HFT are being seen by each other than a personal identification number (PIN) is obtained. In an embodiment the PIN is not entered by a user of the MCD or vehicle, but is automatically determined. The MCD and HFT are then securely paired using conventional pairing techniques.

Claims

1. A method for pairing a mobile communication device to a vehicle comprising the steps of:

executing a first application of the mobile communication device wherein said first application execution includes the steps of

determining whether a short-range communication capability of the mobile communication device is inactive;

activating said short-range communication capability of the mobile device without user intervention in response to a determination that said short-range communication capability of the mobile device is inactive;

determining whether the mobile communication device is in a discovery mode; and

initiating said discovery mode in the mobile communication device without user intervention in response to a determination that the mobile communication device is not in discovery mode; and

pairing said mobile communication device and said vehicle using a first short-range communication protocol.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said first short-range communication protocol is a Bluetooth protocol.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said pairing step includes the steps of:

receiving a first code by the mobile communication device that matches the first code in the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said step of receiving a first code does not require manual user entry of said first code into the mobile communication device or the vehicle.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said mobile communication device receives said first code by at least one of scanning and interpreting a barcode on the vehicle, scanning and interpreting a number on the vehicle, receiving a near-field communication signal from the vehicle, or receiving an RFID tag signal from the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said step of receiving said first code comprises the steps of:

identifying at least one of a make, model, or identifier of the vehicle; and

identifying a corresponding first code for said identified make, model or identifier of the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said step of identifying a corresponding first code comprises searching, using the first application, a database that correlates codes to the vehicle make, model or identifier.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said pairing step initiates after the occurrence of a triggering event which can be a single event or a plurality of events.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said pairing step comprises said mobile communication device transmitting a discovery signal that is received by the vehicle.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said pairing step comprises said vehicle transmitting a discovery signal that is received by the mobile communication device.

11. A computer program product having a non-transitory computer readable medium having computer executable code for pairing a mobile communication device to a vehicle comprising:

executing a first application wherein said first application execution includes the steps of

determining whether a short-range communication capability of the mobile communication device is inactive;

activating said short-range communication capability of the mobile device without user intervention in response to a determination that said short-range communication capability of the mobile device is inactive;

determining whether the mobile communication device is in a discovery mode; and

initiating said discovery mode in the mobile communication device without user intervention in response to a determination that the mobile communication device is not in discovery mode; and

pairing said mobile communication device and said vehicle using a first short-range communication protocol.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein said first short-range communication protocol is a Bluetooth protocol.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein said pairing step includes the steps of:

receiving a first code by the mobile communication device that matches the first code in the vehicle.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein said step of receiving a first code does not require manual user entry of said first code into the mobile communication device or the vehicle.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein said mobile communication device receives said first code by at least one of scanning and interpreting a barcode on the vehicle, scanning and interpreting a number on the vehicle, receiving a near-field communication signal from the vehicle, or receiving an RFID tag signal from the vehicle.

16. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein said step of receiving said first code comprises the steps of:

identifying at least one of a make, model, or identifier of the vehicle; and

identifying a corresponding first code for said identified make, model or identifier of the vehicle.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein said step of identifying a corresponding first code comprises searching, using the first application, a database that correlates codes to the vehicle make, model or identifier.

18. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein said pairing step initiates after the occurrence of a triggering event which can be a single event or a plurality of events.

19. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein said pairing step comprises said mobile communication device transmitting a discovery signal that is received by the vehicle.

20. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein said pairing step comprises said vehicle transmitting a discovery signal that is received by the mobile communication device.

21. A mobile communication device having a non-transitory computer readable medium having computer executable code for pairing the mobile communication device to a vehicle comprising:

executing a first application wherein said first application execution includes the steps of

determining whether a short-range communication capability of the mobile communication device is inactive;

activating said short-range communication capability of the mobile device without user intervention in response to a determination that said short-range communication capability of the mobile device is inactive;

determining whether the mobile communication device is in a discovery mode; and

initiating said discovery mode in the mobile communication device without user intervention in response to a determination that the mobile communication device is not in discovery mode; and

pairing said mobile communication device and said vehicle using a first short-range communication protocol.