CONFIGURING OF VEHICLE COMMUNICATIONS MODULES

• US 20120094657A1
• Filed: 10/19/2010
• Published: 04/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Fecher, Dana B., Gullapalli, Subhash B.
• Granted Patent: US 8,787,987 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/425
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6091 including a wireless interface

Abstract

A system and method for configuring a vehicle user interface that provides hands-free use of a mobile communications device by a vehicle operator. First, the mobile communications device located at a vehicle is linked with a vehicle user interface in the vehicle so that the driver or other occupant can carry out hands-free telephone calls through the mobile device. Then, an evaluation phone call is placed using the mobile device so that volume levels, noise, etc. can be checked. Based on an analysis of that evaluation call, at least one audio parameter of the vehicle user interface is configured and is thereafter used to improve the audio communication between the user and the vehicle user interface.

Claims

1. A method of configuring a vehicle user interface that provides hands-free use of a mobile communications device by a vehicle operator, comprising the steps of:

(a) linking a mobile communications device located at a vehicle with a vehicle user interface in the vehicle;

(b) placing an evaluation phone call using the mobile communications device; and

(c) configuring at least one audio parameter of the vehicle user interface based on the evaluation call.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile device is a mobile phone.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein step (a) comprises pairing the mobile phone to the vehicle user interface using a Bluetooth connection.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises, prior to step (b), the steps of:

obtaining at least one identifier from the mobile communications device, determining if the vehicle user interface already has a configured audio parameter associated with the identifier, and if not, then carrying out steps (b) and (c) and associating the configured audio parameter with the identifier.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the method further comprises, prior to step (b) the step of obtaining permission from the vehicle operator to place an evaluation call.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) further comprises placing a call from the mobile communications device to a call center associated with the vehicle telematics service.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) further comprises establishing an evaluation call between the mobile communications device and a telematics unit located in the vehicle, wherein the evaluation call is established via a cellular communication system.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein step (b) further comprises the steps of:

sending audio data over the established evaluation call, receiving it back at the vehicle user interface, and analyzing the sent and received audio data, and wherein step (c) further comprises setting the one or more audio parameters based on the evaluation.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the vehicle user interface is integrated into the telematics unit.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the vehicle user interface and telematics unit comprise separate modules that communicate with each other via a vehicle bus.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein step (b) further comprises sending audio data from the mobile communications device to the telematics unit over the cellular communications system, sending audio data from the telematics unit to the mobile communications device over the cellular communications system, and analyzing the sent and received data.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein step (a) comprises pairing the mobile communications device to the vehicle user interface using a Bluetooth connection, and wherein audio data sent to the telematics unit by the mobile communications device over the cellular communications system is obtained by the mobile communications device from the vehicle via the Bluetooth connection, and wherein audio data received by the mobile communications device from the telematics unit over the cellular communications system is sent to the vehicle via the Bluetooth connection.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the audio data is a speech file.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the analysis step further comprises evaluating a plurality of audio parameter levels including noise, echo, and equalization.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the cellular communications system is either a GSM or CDMA network.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the analysis step involves using an ITU-T P.56 tool.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) further comprises associating the one or more audio parameters with the mobile communications device and storing the one or more audio parameters in the vehicle user interface.

18. A method of configuring a vehicle user interface that provides hands-free use of a mobile communications device by a vehicle operator, comprising the steps of:

(a) pairing a mobile communications device located at a vehicle with a vehicle user interface via a Bluetooth connection;

(b) obtaining at least a mobile communications device identifier via the Bluetooth connection;

(c) determining that the vehicle user interface has not been configured for the mobile communications device associated with the identifier;

(d) placing an evaluation phone call between the mobile communications device and a telematics unit located in the vehicle, wherein the evaluation call is established using a cellular communications system;

(e) sending first audio data from the mobile communications device over the cellular communications system and receiving the first audio data at the telematics unit;

(f) sending second audio data from the telematics unit over the cellular communications system and receiving the second audio data at the mobile communications device;

(g) analyzing the sent and received first and second audio data;

(h) based on the audio data analysis, evaluating a plurality of audio parameter levels, and determining audio parameter settings based on the evaluation; and

(i) configuring the vehicle user interface with the audio parameter settings.

19. A method of configuring a vehicle user interface that provides hands-free use of a mobile communications device by a vehicle operator, comprising the steps of:

(a) establishing a wireless link between a mobile communications device located at a vehicle and a vehicle user interface in the vehicle;

(b) obtaining at the vehicle user interface an identifier from the mobile communications device;

(c) determining that the vehicle user interface has one or more stored audio settings for the mobile communications device associated with the identifier; and

(d) configuring the vehicle user interface with the one or more stored audio settings such that audio sent between a vehicle occupant and the mobile communications device via the vehicle user interface is processed using the one or more stored audio settings.