MOBILE TERMINAL AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING APPLICATION FOR VEHICLE

• US 20150329121A1
• Filed: 05/13/2015
• Published: 11/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: KANG, Hyuk, KIM, Sang Don, LIM, Kyung Soo
• Granted Patent: US 10,183,680 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/08 Interaction between the driver and the control system
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/00 Arrangements for program control, e.g. control units program control for peripheral devices G06F13/10
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00769 with data transmission performed by wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/62 Comprising means for indicating the status of the lock
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/63 Comprising locating means for detecting the position of the data carrier, i.e. within the vehicle or within a certain distance from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• 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: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/48 for in-vehicle communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A mobile terminal and a method for controlling an application for a vehicle are provided. The mobile terminal includes an acceleration sensor configured to detect a motion of the mobile terminal, a magnetic sensor configured to detect a magnetic field, a first control unit configured to determine whether the detected motion and the detected magnetic field correspond to a pre-defined condition of entering a vehicle, and output a signal according to the determination, and a second control unit configured to execute the vehicle application based on the signal received from the first control unit.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal supporting a vehicle application, the mobile terminal comprising:

an acceleration sensor configured to detect a motion of the mobile terminal;

a magnetic sensor configured to detect a magnetic field;

a first control unit configured to;

determine whether the detected motion and the detected magnetic field correspond to a pre-defined condition of entering a vehicle, and

output a signal according to the determination; and

a second control unit configured to execute the vehicle application based on the signal received from the first control unit.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the first control unit is further configured to determine that the detected motion and the detected magnetic field correspond to the predefined condition if a predefined motion pattern of entering the vehicle is detected and at least one of a predefined magnetic field value and a magnetic field change is detected.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the first control unit is further configured to determine whether the detected motion and the detected magnetic field correspond to the predefined condition by comparing the detected magnetic field with magnetic field information registered on the vehicle.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the first control unit is further configured to determine whether the detected motion and the detected magnetic field correspond to the predefined condition by comparing the detected magnetic field with magnetic field information provided by a manufacturer of the vehicle.

5. A mobile terminal supporting a vehicle application, the mobile terminal comprising:

an acceleration sensor configured to detect a motion of the mobile terminal;

a magnetic sensor configured to detect a magnetic field;

a first control unit configured to;

determine whether the detected motion and the detected magnetic field correspond to a predefined condition of entering a vehicle, and generate a signal according to the determination; and

a second control unit configured to perform at least one of execution of a first function and restriction of a second function predefined for the user based on the signal received from the first control unit.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 5, wherein the second control unit is further configured to determine an in-vehicle position of the mobile terminal based on the detected motion and the detected magnetic field.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 5, wherein the second control unit is further configured to determine an in-vehicle position of the mobile terminal based on motion information received from an external device paired with the mobile terminal.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 6, wherein the second control unit is further configured to provide a function for a driver or a function for a passenger based on whether the in-vehicle position corresponds to a position of a driver or a position of a passenger.

9. A mobile terminal supporting a vehicle application, the mobile terminal comprising:

a magnetic sensor configured to detect a motion of the mobile terminal;

an acceleration sensor configured to detect a magnetic field;

a first control unit configured to;

determine whether the detected motion and the detected magnetic field correspond to a predefined condition of alighting from a vehicle while the vehicle application is executed, and

generate a signal according to the determination; and

a second control unit configured to terminate execution of the vehicle application based on the signal received from the first control unit.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 9, wherein the first control unit is further configured to determine that the detected motion and the detected magnetic field correspond to the predefined condition of alighting from the vehicle if the detected magnetic field is changed from a predefined magnetic field and a predefined motion pattern of alighting from the vehicle is detected by the acceleration sensor.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 9, wherein the second control unit is further configured to collect and store at least one of location coordinates and altitude information of a time point when the predefined condition of alighting from the vehicle is satisfied.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 9, further comprising a microphone configured to detect a noise,

wherein the first control unit is further configured to determine that the predefined condition of alighting from the vehicle is satisfied if the motion pattern of alighting from the vehicle is detected, provided that the detected magnetic field is changed from a predefined magnetic field and the noise is detected by the microphone.

13. A method for controlling a vehicle application in a mobile terminal, the method comprising:

determining, by a first control unit, that a predefined condition of entering a vehicle is satisfied based on a motion pattern of entering the vehicle detected by an acceleration sensor and a magnetic field detected by a magnetic sensor;

outputting, by the first control unit, a signal according to the determination; and

executing, by a second control unit, the vehicle application based on the signal received from the first control unit.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the determining that the predefined condition of entering the vehicle is satisfied comprises determining that a predefined motion pattern of entering the vehicle is detected and at least one of a predefined magnetic field value and a magnetic field change is detected.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the determining that the predefined condition of entering the vehicle is satisfied comprises determining a predefined motion pattern of entering the vehicle and a magnetic field are detected and a noise is detected by a microphone.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the determining that the predefined condition of entering the vehicle is satisfied comprises determining a predefined motion pattern of entering the vehicle and a magnetic field are detected and a vibration is detected by an inertia sensor.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

registering magnetic field information on the vehicle of the user to the mobile terminal,

wherein the determining that the predefined condition of entering the vehicle is satisfied comprises comparing the detected magnetic field with the registered magnetic field information.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the determining that the predefined condition of entering the vehicle comprises comparing the detected magnetic field with magnetic field information provided by a manufacturer, which is stored on the mobile terminal.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising performing, by the second control unit, at least one of execution of a first function and restriction of a second function predefined for the user according to the signal output from the first control unit.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

determining an in-vehicle position of the mobile terminal based on information received from at least one sensor or external device, and

providing a function corresponding to the in-vehicle position of the mobile terminal.