Telephone transmission system on a road-vehicle

• US 4,455,454 A
• Filed: 11/10/1982
• Issued: 06/19/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/1981
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Umebayashi, Kazuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Pitts, Harold I.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dwyer, James L.
• Application Number:
  US06/440,660
• Time in Patent Office: 587 Days
• Field of Search: 307/10 R, 179/2 E, 179/2 EA, 179/2 EB, 179/146 R, 381/86, 200/DIG. 39, 455/89, 455/90
• US Class Current: 455/556.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/027 between relatively movable parts of the vehicle, e.g. between steering wheel and column devices for measuring, signalling or controlling tyre pressure or temperature specially adapted for mounting on vehicles B60C23/00
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/04 Hand wheels
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/23 Construction or mounting of dials or of equivalent devices; Means for facilitating the use thereof by improving visibility H04M1/22

Abstract

Branch telephone connection control signal communication between a dialling control board mounted on a steering wheel but held in a stationary state irrespective of a rotation of the steering wheel and an electric controller disposed at a position remote from a steering mechanism, the electric controller is connected to a mobile telephony device on a road-vehicle. The dialling control board is supported by a steering drive shaft through a toothed wheel mechanism, so that it remains stationary regardless of a rotation of the shaft. The control board and the electric controller are electrically coupled to each other through a combination of slip rings and brushes. The dialling control board and the electric controller each include an FSK modulation circuit, an FSK demodulation circuit and a microprocessor for controlling transmission or reception of the electric signals. Key inputs on the dialling control board are encoded by the dialling control board and then transmitted to the electrical controller. The electric controller decodes the received code and then renders operation instructions to the mobile telephony device. A microphone for driver'"'"'s speaking is equipped on a front panel and connected to the mobile telephony device. In another embodiment, the microphone is equipped on the dialling control board and connected to the mobile telephony device through an electric-magnetic coupling of a pair of electric coils.

Claims

1. A telephone transmission system on a roadvehicle comprising:

a dialling control board supporting mechanism mounted on a steering wheel adapted to support a dialling control board in a stationary state relative to the road vehicle irrespective of a rotation of said steering wheel;

a plurality of input key switches including ten key switches and a hook switch, a moudlation circuit and a transmitting control electronic device which are incorporated in said dialling control board;

an electric controller disposed on the road-vehicle at a position mechanically remote from said steering wheel, including a demodulation circuit and a receiving control electronic device and connected to a mobile telephony device on the road-vehicle; and

an electric coupling means adapted to electrically couple said control board and said electric controller.

2. A telephone transmission system according to claim 1, wherein said electric coupling means comprises a first slip ring fixedly mounted to said dialling control board, a second slip ring opposite to said first slip ring, and brushes brought into a contact with both said slip rings and rotated together with said steering wheel.

3. A telephone transmission system according to claim 2, wherein the modulation circuit of said dialling control board is coupled to said first slip ring and the demodulation circuit of said electric controller is coupled to said second slip ring.

4. A telephone transmission system according to claim 3, wherein said dialling control board includes a first constant voltage power supply circuit, said electric controller includes a second constant voltage power supply circuit, said first constant voltage power supply circuit is connected to said first slip ring, and said second slip ring is connected to a road-vehicle power supply and said second constant voltage power supply circuit.

5. A telephone transmission system according to claim 4, wherein said control board includes a second demodulation circuit coupled to said first slip ring and said electric controller includes a second modulation circuit coupled to said second slip ring.

6. A telephonetransmission system according to claim 5, wherein said first and second modulation circuits are Frequency Shift Keying modulation circuits and said first and second demodulation circuits are Frequency Shift Keying demodulation circuits;

said transmitting control electronic device forms, in response to the closing of said key switches, control data for telephone connection controlled by said mobile telephony device, then renders the control data to said first modulation circuit, then returns to a key switch input standby state when reception informing data arrives from said second demodulation circuit after sending the control data, and then renders again the control data to said first modulation circuit when the reception informing date fails to arrive; and

said receiving control electronic device renders the reception informing data to said second modulation circuit when receiving the control data from said first demodulation circuit and then renders communication instruction to the mobile telephony device.

7. A telephone transmission system according to claim 1, wherein a microphone is equipped on an inner panel at the front of a driver seat, said microphone is electrically connected to the mobile telephony device.

8. A telephone transmission system according to claim 1, wherein a microphone is equipped on the dialling control board, said microphone is electrically connected to the mobile telephony device.

9. A telephone transmission system according to claim 8, wherein the microphone is electro magnetically connected to the mobile telephony device.

10. A telephone transmission system according to claim 1, wherein said electric coupling means includes a power coupling device and an electric coil device, said power coupling device comprising a first slip ring rigidly fixed to said control board, a second slip ring opposite to said first slip ring, and brushes brought into contact with both said slip rings and rotated together with said steering wheel, and said electric coil device comprising a first electric coil rigidly fixed to the dialling control board and a second electric coil opposite to said first electric coil.

11. A telephone transmission system according to claim 10, wherein a microphone is equipped on the dialling control board, said microphone is electrically connected to the mobile telephony device through the electric coil device.

12. A telephone transmission system according to claim 10, wherein the microphone is connected to the first electric coil through an amplifier, and the second electric coil is connected to the mobile telephony device through an amplifier and a filter.

13. A telephone transmission system according to claim 11, wherein the modulation circuit of said dialling control board is coupled to said first slip ring and the demodulation circuit of said electric controller is coupled to said second slip ring.

14. A telephone transmission system according to claim 13, wherein said dialling control board includes a first constant voltage power supply circuit, said electric controller includes a second constant voltage power supply circuit, said first constant voltage power supply circuit is connected to said first slip ring, and said second slip ring is connected to a load-vehicle power supply and said second constant voltage power supply circuit.

15. A telephone transmission system according to claim 14, wherein said control board includes a second demodulation circuit coupled to said first slip ring and said electric controller includes a second modulation circuit coupled to said second slip ring.

16. A telephone transmission system according to claim 15, wherein said first and second modulation circuits are Frequency Shift Keying modulation circuits and said first and second demodulation circuits are Frequency Shift Keying demodulation circuits;

said transmitting control electronic device forms, in response to the closing of said key switches, control data for telephone connection controlled by said mobile telephony device, then renders the control data to said first modulation circuit, then returns to a key switch input standby state until reception informing data arrives from said second demodulation circuit after sending the control data, and then renders again the control data to said first modulation circuit when the reception informing data fails to arrive; and

said receiving control electronic device renders the reception informing data to said second modulation circuit when receiving the control data from said first demodulation circuit and then renders communication instructions to the mobile telephony device.