METHOD FOR CONTROLLING A MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS DEVICE WHILE LOCATED IN A MOBILE VEHICLE

• US 20120172012A1
• Filed: 01/04/2011
• Published: 07/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Sumcad, Anthony J., Granda, Shawn F., Cepuran, Lawrence D., Swanson, Steven
• Granted Patent: US 8,787,949 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6091 including a wireless interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/48 for in-vehicle communication

Abstract

A method for controlling a mobile communications device while located in a mobile vehicle involves pairing the mobile communications device with a telematics unit via short range wireless communication. The method further involves, receiving an incoming text message at the mobile device while the mobile device is paired with the telematics unit. Upon receiving the text message, a text messaging management strategy is implemented via the telematics unit and/or the mobile device, where the text messaging management strategy is executable via an application that is resident on the mobile device.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a mobile communications device while located in a mobile vehicle, the method comprising:

pairing the mobile communications device with a telematics unit operatively disposed in the mobile vehicle, the pairing being accomplished using short range wireless communication between the mobile communications device and the telematics unit;

receiving an incoming text message at the mobile communications device while the mobile communications device is paired with the telematics unit; and

upon receiving the incoming text message, implementing a text messaging management strategy via any of the telematics unit or the mobile communications device, wherein the text messaging management strategy is executable via an application that is resident on the mobile communications device.

2. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the implementing of the text messaging management strategy includes:

via the application resident on the mobile communications device, automatically making a copy of the incoming text message;

transmitting the copy of the incoming text message to a facility other than a mobile communications server; and

via a processor at the facility that is operatively coupled to a computer-readable medium encoded with a software program, converting the copy of the incoming text message into a human audible format for audio playback to an intended recipient of the incoming text message.

3. The method as defined in claim 2, further comprising:

automatically activating the application resident on the mobile communications device upon pairing of the mobile communications device with the telematics unit; and

upon activating the application, maintaining an active state of a text message operation mode of the mobile communications device.

4. The method as defined in claim 2, further comprising, initiating, via a communications module operatively associated with the facility, a voice call to the mobile communications device, the voice call including an inquiry as to whether or not the intended recipient of the incoming text message wants to listen to the text message.

5. The method as defined in claim 4, further comprising:

any of i) transmitting the human audible format of the copy of the incoming text message to the mobile communications device if the intended recipient elects to listen to the text message in response to the inquiry;

or ii) ending the voice call if the intended recipient declines to listen to the text message in response to the inquiry.

6. The method as defined in claim 5 wherein the copy of the text message is stored in a user profile at the call center, and wherein the method further comprises flagging the copy of the text message as having been read.

7. The method as defined in claim 4 wherein if the intended recipient does not answer the voice call, the method further comprises:

ending the voice call after a predetermined number of rings or a predetermined amount of time; and

reinitiating the voice call at a later time.

8. The method as defined in claim 2 wherein after the incoming text message is converted into the human audible format, the method further comprises:

disconnecting the mobile communications device from the telematics unit;

upon disconnecting, automatically notifying the facility that the mobile communications device has been disconnected; and

in response to the notification, via the processor at the facility, any of automatically deleting the copy of the text message.

9. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein upon pairing the mobile communications device with the telematics unit, the method further comprises:

recognizing, via the telematics unit, that the mobile communications device is associated with preset conditions;

recognizing, via the telematics unit, a first in-vehicle trigger associated with the preset conditions; and

in response to recognizing the first in-vehicle trigger, transmitting a signal from the telematics unit to a processor of the mobile communications device commanding the processor to initiate the application resident on the mobile communications device, the application including computer readable code for i) disabling at least one feature associated with the incoming text message, and ii) re-enabling the at least one feature associated with the incoming text message.

10. The method as defined in claim 9 wherein the implementing of the text messaging management strategy includes:

disabling, via the mobile communications device processor, the at least one feature associated with the incoming text message in response to the signal transmitted from the telematics unit to the mobile communications device processor; and

re-enabling, via the mobile communications device processor, the at least one feature associated with the incoming text message in response to a notification received by the mobile communications device from the telematics unit, the notification being created in reply to recognizing a second in-vehicle trigger.

11. The method as defined in claim 10 wherein:

the first in-vehicle trigger is chosen from an ignition on state of the mobile vehicle, pairing the mobile communications device with a short range wireless device, and a shift of a transmission system of the mobile vehicle into a drive mode; and

the second in-vehicle trigger is chosen from an ignition off state of the mobile vehicle, pairing the mobile communications device with a short range wireless device, and a shift of the transmission system of the mobile vehicle into a park mode.

12. The method as defined in claim 10 wherein the at least one feature that is disabled includes a notification function of the mobile communications device indicating that the text message has been received, and wherein the notification function includes any of a ring mode or a vibration mode of the mobile communications device.

13. The method as defined in claim 10 wherein prior to re-enabling the at least one feature, the method further comprises, via an audio system disposed in the mobile vehicle and operatively associated with the telematics unit, notifying a user of the mobile vehicle that the incoming text message has been received.

14. The method as defined in claim 13 wherein the preset conditions enable restricted messaging, and wherein the method further comprises:

converting the text message into a human audible format via a text-to-speech conversion program run by a processor operatively associated with the telematics unit; and

reciting the human audible format of the text message via an audio system disposed in the mobile vehicle.

15. The method as defined in claim 14, further comprising:

receiving an audible reply to the recited human audible format of the text message via a microphone operatively associated with the telematics unit;

converting the audible reply into a text format via a speech-to-text conversion program run by the processor operatively associated with the telematics unit; and

transmitting the text format of the reply as an other text message to a device that sent the incoming text message.

16. The method as defined in claim 10 wherein prior to the transmitting of the signal from the telematics unit to the processor of the mobile communications device commanding the processor to initiate the application, the method further comprises:

setting the preset conditions using a remotely accessible page, the setting including;

identifying the mobile communications device via an identifying number;

and

selecting the at least one feature to be disabled in response to the first in-vehicle trigger;

via the remotely accessible page, applying the selection of the at least one feature to the application; and

downloading the application to the mobile communications device.

17. The method as defined in claim 16, further comprising downloading the preset conditions to the telematics unit.

18. The method as defined in claim 10 wherein the disabling of the at least one feature includes blocking the incoming text message, and wherein the re-enabling of the at least one feature includes allowing the incoming text message to be received by the mobile communications device.

19. The method as defined in claim 18 wherein while the at least one feature is disabled, the mobile communications device is configured to queue incoming text messages, and wherein the re-enabling further includes allowing the queued incoming text messages to be received by the mobile communications device.

20. A method for controlling a mobile communications device while located in a mobile vehicle, the method comprising:

pairing the mobile communications device with a telematics unit operatively disposed in the mobile vehicle, the pairing being accomplished using short range wireless communication between the mobile communications device and the telematics unit;

receiving an incoming text message at the mobile communications device while the mobile communications device is paired with the telematics unit;

via the mobile communications device running an application resident on the mobile communications device while the mobile communications device is paired with the telematics unit, automatically making a copy of the incoming text message;

transmitting the copy of the text message to a facility other than a mobile communications server;

via a communications module operatively associated with the facility, initiating a voice call to the mobile communications device, the voice call including an inquiry as to whether or not an intended recipient of the incoming text message wants to listen to the text message; and

in response to the inquiry, either i) converting the copy of the text message received from the telematics unit into a human audible format via a facility processor that is operatively coupled to a computer-readable medium encoded with text-to-speech program code and transmitting the human audible format of the copy of the text message to the mobile communications device for playback via the paired telematics unit if the intended recipient elects to listen to the text message, or ii) ending the voice call if the intended recipient does not elect to listen to the text message.

21. A method for controlling a mobile communications device while located in a mobile vehicle, the method comprising:

pairing the mobile communications device with a telematics unit operatively disposed in the mobile vehicle, the pairing being accomplished using short range wireless communication between the mobile communications device and the telematics unit;

recognizing, via the telematics unit, that the mobile communications device is associated with preset conditions;

recognizing, via the telematics unit, a first in-vehicle trigger associated with the preset conditions;

in response to recognizing the first in-vehicle trigger, transmitting a signal from the telematics unit to a processor of the mobile communications device commanding the processing to initiate an application stored in the mobile communications device, the application including computer readable code for i) disabling at least one feature associated with an incoming text message, and ii) re-enabling the at least one feature associated with the incoming text message;

disabling, via the mobile communications device processor, the least one feature associated with the incoming text message in response to the signal; and

re-enabling, via the mobile communications device processor, the at least one feature associated with the incoming test message in response to a notification received by the mobile communications device from the telematics unit, the notification being created in reply to recognizing a second in-vehicle trigger.

22. A mobile communications device control system, comprising:

a telematics unit operatively disposed in a mobile vehicle;

a mobile communications device paired with the telematics unit when located in the mobile vehicle, the mobile communications device configured to receive and send text messages; and

a text message management strategy application resident on the mobile communications device, the text message management strategy application including computer program code that is executed by any of the telematics unit or the mobile communications device when the mobile communications device is paired with the telematics unit.

23. The system as defined in claim 22 wherein the text message management strategy application resident on the mobile communications device is initiated by the telematics unit, and wherein the application includes:

computer readable code for disabling at least one feature of the mobile communications device in response to a notification from the telematics unit upon recognizing i) an initiation of an ignition on state of the mobile vehicle, or ii) a shifting of a transmission system of the mobile vehicle into a drive mode; and

computer readable code for re-enabling the at least one feature of the mobile communications device in response to an other notification from the telematics unit upon recognizing i) an initiation of an ignition off state of the mobile vehicle, or ii) a shifting of the transmission system of the mobile vehicle into a park mode.

24. The system as defined in claim 23, further comprising:

a text-to-speech conversion program run by a processor operatively associated with the telematics unit, the text-to-speech conversion program being configured to convert the text message into a human audible format ;

an audio system disposed in the mobile vehicle and operatively associated with the telematics unit, the audio system configured to recite the human audible format of the text message;

a microphone operatively associated with the telematics unit, the microphone configured to receive a voice communication in reply to the human audible format of the text message recited via the audio system; and

a speech-to-text conversion program run by the processor operatively associated with the telematics unit, the speech-to-text conversion program being configured to convert contents of the reply into a text format;

wherein the telematics unit is further configured to transmit the reply, in the text format, to the mobile communications device, and wherein the mobile communications device is configured to transmit the reply to a sending device of the text message.

25. The system as defined in claim 23, further comprising:

a remotely accessible page for selecting the at least one feature to be disabled and to apply the selection to the application; and

means for downloading the application to the mobile communications device.

26. The system as defined in claim 22 wherein the text message management strategy application resident on the mobile communications device includes:

computer readable code for automatically making a copy of the incoming text message; and

computer readable code for transmitting the copy of the incoming text message to a facility other than a mobile communications server;

and wherein the system further comprises a processor operatively associated with the facility, the facility processor being operatively coupled to a computer-readable medium encoded with a software program for converting the copy of the incoming text message into a human audible format for audio playback to an intended recipient of the incoming text message.

27. The system as defined in claim 26 wherein the mobile communications device includes a text message operation mode, and wherein the text message operation mode continues to be enabled when the mobile communications device is paired with the telematics unit.

28. The system as defined in claim 26, further comprising a communications module operatively associated with the facility, the communications module configured to:

i) initiate a voice call to the mobile communications device upon receiving the copy of the incoming text message, and wherein the voice call includes an inquiry as to whether or not the intended recipient of the incoming text message wants to listen to the text message, and

ii) transmit the human audible format of the text message to the mobile communications device if the intended recipient elects to listen to the text message or end the voice call if the intended recipient does not elect to listen to the text message.