Method and apparatus for determining user presence in vehicular communications systems
First Claim
1. A vehicular telecommunications system, comprising:
- a telephone controller comprised in a vehicle and adapted to process a plurality of telephone signals;
a telephone comprised in said vehicle and operably coupled to said telephone controller, wherein said telephone is adapted for use by a user in said vehicle, wherein said telephone is adapted to receive telephone calls for said user associated with said telephone from sources external to the vehicle in which said telephone is installed; and
a user detector comprised in said vehicle and operably coupled to said telephone controller, wherein said user detector is configured to provide a signal to said telephone controller indicative of whether said user associated with said telephone is present in a predetermined location of said vehicle proximate to said telephone, wherein said telephone controller directs a received telephone call for said user to said telephone responsive to said signal indicating that said user is present in said predetermined location of said vehicle proximate to said telephone.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicular telecommunications system having user detection features. A telephone controller 504 is comprised in a vehicle and adapted to process a plurality of telephone signals. A telephone 37 is configured to receive telephone calls for the user from sources external to the vehicle in which the telephone is installed. A user detector 52 is operably coupled to the telephone controller 504 and configured to provide a signal to the telephone controller 504 indicative of whether the user associated with the telephone is determined to be present in a predetermined location of the vehicle, such that the telephone controller directs a received telephone call for the user to the telephone responsive to the signal. Exemplary user detectors include passive infrared detectors 52c and switching mechanisms 52a, 52b associated with a coupled seatbelt 523 or the user'"'"'s presence in or near a seat 501.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. A vehicular telecommunications system, comprising:
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a telephone controller comprised in a vehicle and adapted to process a plurality of telephone signals; a telephone comprised in said vehicle and operably coupled to said telephone controller, wherein said telephone is adapted for use by a user in said vehicle, wherein said telephone is adapted to receive telephone calls for said user associated with said telephone from sources external to the vehicle in which said telephone is installed; and a user detector comprised in said vehicle and operably coupled to said telephone controller, wherein said user detector is configured to provide a signal to said telephone controller indicative of whether said user associated with said telephone is present in a predetermined location of said vehicle proximate to said telephone, wherein said telephone controller directs a received telephone call for said user to said telephone responsive to said signal indicating that said user is present in said predetermined location of said vehicle proximate to said telephone. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A vehicular telecommunications system, comprising:
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a battery comprised in a vehicle; a telephone comprised in said vehicle and operably coupled to said battery and adapted for use by a user, wherein said telephone is adapted to receive telephone calls from sources external to the vehicle in which said telephone is installed, said telephone comprising a power control unit; and a seatbelt comprised in said vehicle and positioned proximate to said telephone, wherein said seatbelt is configured to be engaged in a secured fashion around said user, said seatbelt comprising a user detector operably coupled to said power control unit, said user detector coupled to provide a signal to said power control unit indicative of whether said user has engaged said seatbelt such that power is supplied from said battery to said telephone responsive to said signal indicating that said seatbelt has been engaged. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A vehicular telecommunications system, comprising:
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a battery comprised in a vehicle; a telephone comprised in said vehicle and operably coupled to said battery, wherein said telephone is adapted for use by a user and is adapted to receive telephone calls from sources external to the vehicle in which said telephone is installed, said telephone comprising a power control unit; and a seat comprised in said vehicle and positioned proximate to the telephone and adapted to receive said user, wherein the seat comprises a user detector operably coupled to said power control unit, said user detector coupled to provide a signal to said power control unit indicative of whether said user is seated in said seat such that power is supplied from said battery to said telephone responsive to said signal. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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23. A vehicular telecommunications system, comprising:
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a battery comprised in a vehicle; a telephone comprised in said vehicle and operably coupled to said battery, said telephone being adapted for use by a user and adapted to receive telephone calls from sources external to the vehicle in which said telephone is installed, said telephone comprising a power control unit; a seat comprised in said vehicle, said seat being positioned proximate to said telephone and adapted to receive said user; and a passive infrared detector operably coupled to provide a signal to said power control unit indicative of whether said user is seated in said seat such that power is supplied from said battery to said telephone responsive to said signal.
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24. A telecommunications system, comprising:
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a telephone controller adapted to process a plurality of telephone signals; a telephone operably coupled to said telephone controller, and adapted for use by a user, wherein said telephone is adapted to receive telephone calls for said user associated with said telephone; a seat operably coupled to said telephone and said telephone controller and adapted to receive said user; and a user detector operably coupled to said telephone controller and configured to provide a signal to said telephone controller indicative of whether said user associated with said telephone is determined to be present in a predetermined proximity to said seat, such that said telephone controller directs a received telephone call for said user to said telephone responsive to said signal. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method of operating a vehicular telecommunications system, comprising:
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a telephone controller operably coupled to a telephone receiving a telephone call from a source external to a vehicle in which said telephone is installed; a user detector operably coupled to said telephone controller determining whether a user associated with said telephone is located within a predetermined proximity to said telephone; said user detector providing a signal to said telephone controller indicative of whether said user is located within said predetermined proximity to said telephone; and said telephone controller directing said telephone call to said telephone responsive to said signal. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A vehicular telecommunications system, comprising:
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a battery comprised in a vehicle; a telephone comprised in said vehicle and operably coupled to said battery and adapted for use by a user, wherein said telephone is adapted to receive telephone calls from sources external to the vehicle in which said telephone is installed, said telephone comprising a power control unit; and a door comprised in said vehicle and positioned proximate to said telephone, wherein said door comprises a user detector operably coupled to said power control unit, said user detector coupled to provide a signal to said power control unit indicative of whether said user has engaged said door such that power is supplied from said battery to said telephone responsive to said signal indicating that said user has engaged said door. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36)
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Specification