TELEMATICS SYSTEM USING HUMAN BODY COMMUNICATION, PORTABLE DEVICE HAVING TELEMATICS FUNCTION USING HUMAN BODY COMMUNICATION, AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING TELEMATICS SERVICE USING HUMAN BODY COMMUNICATION

• US 20110153118A1
• Filed: 11/19/2010
• Published: 06/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Inventors: Kim, Sung Eun, Hwang, Jung Hwan, Kim, Kyung Soo, Kang, Tae Wook, Kim, Jung Bum, Hyoung, Chang Hee, Park, Kyung Hwan, Choi, Byoung Gun, Kang, Sung Weon, Kang, Tae Young, LIM, In Gi, Hyun, Seok Bong, Park, Hyung Il
• Granted Patent: US 8,755,949 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 7/00 Methods or arrangements for processing data by operating upon the order or content of the data handled logic circuits H03K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/00 Checking or monitoring of signalling or alarm systems; Prevention or correction of operating errors, e.g. preventing unauthorised operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/00 Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers subscriber services or facilities provided at exchanges H04M3/00; prepayment telephone coin boxes H04M17/00; current supply arrangements H04M19/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver

Abstract

Disclosed are a telematics system using human body communication, a portable device having a telematics function using human body communication, and a method for providing a telematics service using human body communication. The telematics system using human body communication includes: a vehicle receiving an authentication key from at least one portable device through human body communication using a human body as a medium, and controlling the opening and closing of a door of the vehicle based on whether or not the received authentication key is valid; and a first portable device transmitting a first authentication key through a user'"'"'s body in contact with the vehicle.

Claims

1. A telematics system using human body communication, the system comprising:

a vehicle receiving an authentication key from at least one portable device through human body communication using a human body as a medium, and controlling the opening and closing of a door of the vehicle based on whether or not the received authentication key is valid; and

a first portable device transmitting a first authentication key through a user'"'"'s body in contact with the vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a second portable device transmitting a second authentication key to the vehicle through the user'"'"'s body in contact with the vehicle,

wherein the vehicle checks the validity of the first and second authentication keys, and when both the first and second authentication keys are valid, the door of the vehicle is opened.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein when the user'"'"'s body is in contact with a start manipulation unit for starting the vehicle, at least one of the first and second authentication keys is received through the user'"'"'s body, and when the received at least one of the authentication keys is valid, the vehicle is started.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle stores at least one of information regarding an impact applied to the vehicle and information regarding a break-in attempt to the vehicle in a parked state, and when the authentication key is valid, the vehicle transmits at least one of the stored vehicle impact information and the break-in attempt information to the first portable device through the user'"'"'s body, when an accident happens while the vehicle is running (or driving), the vehicle transmits accident information to the first portable device through the user'"'"'s body, and when the engine of the vehicle is stopped, the vehicle transmits vehicle travel information to the first portable device through the user'"'"'s body.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle compares the first authentication key with a plurality of stored authentication keys to recognize a user corresponding to the first authentication key, and executes a function corresponding to the recognized user based on configuration information corresponding to the recognized user.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle receives data from the first portable device through the user'"'"'s body and synchronizes the data with content of stored data.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle and the first portable device provides a hands-free function by transmitting and receiving a voice signal and a call control signal through the user'"'"'s body.

8. A portable device having a telematics function using human body communication, the device comprising:

a controller reading and providing a stored authentication key when a user'"'"'s body comes into contact with a vehicle;

a human body communication unit converting the provided authentication key into a signal available for human body communication;

an electrode transmitting a signal provided from the human body communication unit to the vehicle through the user'"'"'s body; and

a storage unit storing the authentication key.

9. The device of claim 8, further comprising:

a display unit displaying information transmitted through the user'"'"'s body from the vehicle under the control of the controller; and

a mobile communication unit transmitting a message including the information transmitted through the user'"'"'s body from the vehicle to a pre-set destination.

10. The device of claim 8, wherein when a call or a message is received through the mobile communication unit, the controller transmits call or message reception information to the vehicle through the user'"'"'s body.

11. The device of claim 8, wherein the storage unit stores user'"'"'s personal information including a phone number and a speed dial number, and when the user'"'"'s body comes into contact with the vehicle, the storage unit transmits the stored user'"'"'s personal information to the vehicle through the user'"'"'s body.

12. A method for providing a telematics service of a system in which a vehicle and at least one portable device communicate by using human body communication, the method comprising:

transmitting, by a first portable device, a first authentication key to the vehicle through a user'"'"'s body; and

determining, by the vehicle, the validity of the first authentication key, and opening a door of the vehicle when the first authentication key is valid.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

transmitting, by a second portable device, a second authentication key to the vehicle through the user'"'"'s body; and

determining, by the vehicle, the validity of the second authentication key and opening the door of the vehicle when both the first and second authentication keys are valid.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

transmitting, by the vehicle, information regarding an impact applied to the vehicle in a parked state and information regarding a break-in attempt to the vehicle to at least one of the first and second portable devices, after the operation of opening the door of the vehicle; and

displaying, by any one of the first and second portable devices which has received the vehicle impact information or the break-in attempt information, the received information.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

recognizing, by the vehicle, the user based on at least one of the first and second authentication keys, after the operation of opening the door of the vehicle;

acquiring configuration information of the vehicle corresponding to the recognized user; and

executing a function of the vehicle based on the acquired configuration information of the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

when the user comes into contact with a start manipulation unit for starting the vehicle, providing, by the first and second portable devices, the first and second authentication keys, respectively, after the operation of opening the door of the vehicle; and

when both the first and second authentication keys are valid, executing starting by the vehicle.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

transmitting, by at least one of the first and second portable devices, stored data to the vehicle through the user'"'"'s body, after the operation of starting is executed; and

synchronizing, by the vehicle, the data transmitted from at least one of the first and second portable devices with stored data.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising

when the vehicle detects an accident while driving, transmitting, by the vehicle, the accident information to at least one of the first and second portable devices through the user'"'"'s body, after the operation of starting is executed;

and

transmitting, by any one of the first and second portable devices which has received the accident information, the accident information to a pre-set destination.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

when the engine of the vehicle stops, transmitting, by the vehicle, vehicle travel information to at least one of the first and second portable devices through the user'"'"'s body, after the operation of starting is executed; and

displaying, by any one of the first and second portable devices which has received the vehicle travel information, the vehicle travel information.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

transmitting, by any one of the first and second portable devices, call reception information to the vehicle through the user'"'"'s body, after the operation of starting is executed; and

when the user uses a handsfree installed in the vehicle, transmitting and receiving a call voice between the vehicle and the portable device which has received the call.