Apparatus and System for Interacting with a Vehicle and a Device in a Vehicle

• US 20140357248A1
• Filed: 06/03/2013
• Published: 12/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Tonshal, Basavaraj, Rankin, James Stewart II, Chen, Yifan, Strumolo, Gary Steven, Richardson, Brigitte Frances Mora, Amman, Scott Andrew, Puskorius, Gintaras Vincent
• Application Number:
  US13/908,226
• Publication Number:
  US 20140357248A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6091 including a wireless interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724631 by limiting the access to the user interface, e.g. locking a touch-screen or a keypad
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/74 with voice recognition means

Abstract

A vehicle interface module configured to communicate with a nomadic device and a vehicle. The vehicle interface module comprising a wireless transceiver configured to communicate with a nomadic device and a vehicle transceiver configured to communicate with a vehicle data bus. The vehicle interface module also includes a processor configured to receive a signal from the vehicle data bus using the vehicle transceiver, wherein the signal was initiated by a user input to a vehicle computer system. Furthermore, the processor is also configured to determine that the signal prompts activation of a voice recognition session on the nomadic device, and provide input to the nomadic device using the wireless transceiver, wherein the input initiates a voice recognition session of the nomadic device.

Claims

1. A vehicle interface module configured to communicate with a nomadic device and a vehicle, comprising:

a wireless transceiver configured to communicate with a nomadic device;

a vehicle transceiver configured to communicate with a vehicle data bus; and

a processor configured to;

1.) receive a signal from the vehicle data bus using the vehicle transceiver, wherein the signal was initiated by a user input to a vehicle computer system;

2.) determine that the signal prompts activation of a voice recognition session on the nomadic device; and

3.) provide input to the nomadic device using the wireless transceiver, wherein the input initiates a voice recognition session of the nomadic device.

2. The vehicle interface module of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to send via the wireless transceiver a request to the nomadic device to enable or disable an input or output of the nomadic device.

3. The vehicle interface module of claim 2, wherein the request includes disabling a keyboard of the nomadic device.

4. The vehicle interface module of claim 2, wherein the request includes disabling a screen of the nomadic device.

5. The vehicle interface module of claim 1, wherein the vehicle interface module is further configured to install into an on-board diagnostic port of a vehicle.

6. The vehicle interface module of claim 1, wherein the wireless transceiver utilizes a Bluetooth connection with a human interface device profile to communicate with the nomadic device.

7. The vehicle interface module of claim 1, wherein the vehicle interface module provides input to the nomadic device using a human interface device profile.

8. The vehicle interface module of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to determine initiation of applications on different nomadic devices based on the signal received from the vehicle data bus.

9. The vehicle interface module of claim 1, wherein the vehicle interface module is portable.

10. The vehicle interface module of claim 1, wherein the nomadic device is a tablet, mobile phone, or music player.

11. A vehicle computing system, comprising:

a wireless transceiver configured to pair with and establish a wireless connection to a nomadic device;

a port capable of sending vehicles messages to a vehicle interface module, the vehicle interface module configured to communicate with the nomadic device and receive data from a data bus of the vehicle; and

a processor configured to;

send a signal from a vehicle input to the vehicle interface module, wherein the vehicle interface module determines that the signal triggers initiation of a voice recognition system of the nomadic device and activates the voice recognition system of the nomadic device based on the signal from the vehicle input;

receive a voice request from a user via a vehicle microphone;

send the voice request to the nomadic device utilizing the wireless transceiver;

receive a response to the voice request from the nomadic device, wherein the response is processed by the nomadic device or a server in communication with the nomadic device;

output the response to the voice request utilizing a vehicle speaker.

12. The vehicle computing system of claim 11, wherein the wireless transceiver for communication with a nomadic device is a Bluetooth transceiver.

13. The vehicle computing system of claim 11, wherein the vehicle interface module activates the voice recognition system using a different signal than the signal from the vehicle input.

14. The vehicle computing system of claim 11, wherein the vehicle interface module communicates with the nomadic device utilizing the human interface device (HID) profile of the Bluetooth protocol.

15. The vehicle computing system of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to send a request to vehicle interface module to disable a keyboard of the nomadic device upon activation of the voice recognition system.

16. The vehicle computing system of claim 11, wherein the port is an on-board diagnostic port, USB port, or Serial Port.

17. The vehicle computing system of claim 11, wherein the vehicle interface module activates the voice recognition system of the nomadic device via a Bluetooth connection.

18. A portable vehicle interface module, comprising:

a wireless transceiver for communicating with a nomadic device (ND);

a vehicle transceiver for receiving information from a vehicle in communication with the ND;

a processor configured to;

receive a signal from the vehicle transceiver, wherein the signal is initiated from a user input of the vehicle;

convert the signal to a message that activates a voice recognition system on the ND; and

send the message to the ND.

19. The portable vehicle interface module of claim 18, wherein the message is further configured to mimic operation of an input on the nomadic device.

20. The portable vehicle interface module of claim 18, wherein the processor is further configured to send via the wireless transceiver a request to the nomadic device to enable or disable an input or output of the nomadic device.