Distributed radio telephone for use in a vehicle

• US 6,542,758 B1
• Filed: 07/22/1999
• Issued: 04/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Original Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Chennakeshu, Sandeeep, Townsend, David, Rydbeck, Nils, Irvin, David R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gesesse, Tilahun
• Application Number:
  US09/359,551
• Time in Patent Office: 1,349 Days
• Field of Search: 455/557, 455/556, 455/90, 455/575, 455/568, 455/566, 455/564, 455/565, 455/571, 455/569, 455/426
• US Class Current: 455/569.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0241 for telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3822 specially adapted for use in vehicles H04B1/3827 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6091 including a wireless interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface

Abstract

A vehicle mounted communication system comprises a hand held mobile phone and a hands-free unit. The hand-held unit includes a wide area transceiver for station outside of the vehicle and a short-range radio transceiver the hands-free unit includes a microphone and speaker and is mounted in a fixed location in the vehicle. A short range radio link operatively connects the hand-held unit and the hands-free unit to enable voice and data signals to be exchanged between the hand-held unit and the hands-free unit. The hands-free unit may include a programmable memory unit to store a user table containing user identification data and configuration data. The hands-free unit control logic configures the hands-free unit based on the user identification received from the hand-held unit, thus allowing multiple users to have their preferences recognized by an individual hands-free unit. The programmable memory unit and control logic may be incorporated into the vehicle'"'"'s internal network for control of things like electric seats, stereo controls and the like.

Claims

1. A mobile communication system for a vehicle, said system comprising:

a) a base unit including, long-range radio transceiver for communicating with a station outside of said vehicle;

b) a hands-free unit adapted to be mounted within said vehicle;

c) a short range radio link between said base unit and said hands-free unit to enable communication of voice and/or data signals between said base unit and said hands-free unit;

d) a programmable memory in said hands-free unit for storing a user table containing user identification data for authorized users and user configuration data associated with said user identification data for configuring said hands-free unit based upon the user identification received from said base unit; and

e) programmable logic in said hands-free unit responsive to receipt of an authorized user identification to establish said short-range radio link with said base unit and to configure said hands-free unit based on said user identification.

2. The mobile communication system of claim 1 wherein said short range radio link includes a first short-range radio transceiver in said base unit and a second short-range radio transceiver in said hands-free unit, wherein said first and second short-range transceivers operate in an unregulated frequency band.

3. The mobile communication system of claim 2 wherein said short-range radio transceivers operate in the 2.45 GHz frequency band.

4. The mobile communication system of claim 1 wherein said hands-free unit includes a programmable memory unit for storing a user table containing user identification data for authorized users, and programmable logic responsive to receipt of an authorized user identification to establish said short-range radio link.

5. The mobile communication system of claim 4 wherein said user table contains configuration data associated with said user identification data for configuring said hands-free unit based upon the user identification received from said hand-held unit.

6. The mobile communication system of claim 1 wherein said configuration data includes user preference data.

7. The mobile communication system of claim 1 further comprising a control unit including a keypad and a display mounted in a fixed location in said vehicle for controlling operation of said base unit.

8. A method for communicating voice and data signals between a hand-held radio telephone and a vehicle-mounted hands-free unit comprising:

a) storing user identification data and user configuration data for authorized users in a programmable memory in a hands-free unit;

b) receiving a user identification at a hands-free unit from a base unit;

c) establishing communication with said base unit if the user identification received from the base unit identifies an authorized user;

d) configuring said hands-free unit based on said stored configuration data for said authorized user; and

d) receiving voice and data signals over said short-range radio interface at said hands-free unit.

9. A mobile communication system for a vehicle, said system comprising:

a) a base unit including, long-range radio transceiver for communicating with a station outside of said vehicle;

b) a control unit disposed in a fixed location in said vehicle remotely from said base unit, said control unit including an input device for receiving user input to control said transceiver;

c) a short range radio link between said base unit and said control unit to enable communication of control and data signals between said hand-held unit and said control unit;

d) a programmable memory in said control unit for storing a user table containing user identification data for authorized users and configuration data associated with said user identification data for configuring said control unit based upon the user identification received from said base unit; and

e) programmable logic in said control unit responsive to receipt of an authorized user identification to establish said short-range radio link with said base unit and to configure said control unit based on said user identification.

10. The mobile communication system of claim 9 wherein said short range radio link includes a first short-range radio transceiver in said hand-held unit and a second short-range radio transceiver in said hands-free unit, wherein said first and second short-range transceivers operate in an unregulated frequency band.

11. The mobile communication system of claim 9 wherein said short-range radio transceivers operate in the 2.45 GHz frequency band.

12. The mobile communication system of claim 9 wherein said configuration data comprises user preference data.

13. The mobile communication system of claim 9 further comprising a wireless hands-free unit including a microphone and speaker communicating with said base unit.

14. The mobile communication system of claim 9 wherein said control unit further includes display.

15. The mobile communication system of claim 9 wherein said control unit removably mounts to the steering wheel of a vehicle.

16. The mobile communication system of claim 15 wherein said control unit removably mounts to rim of the steering wheel.

17. A method for communicating voice and data signals between a base transceiver and a control unit, said method comprising:

a) storing user identification data and user configuration data for authorized users in programmable memory in said control unit;

b) receiving a user identification at said control unit from said base unit;

c) establishing communication between said base unit and said control unit if the user identification received at the control unit from the base unit identifies an authorized user;

d) configuring said control unit based on said stored configuration data for said authorized user; and

d) exchanging data signals over said short-range radio interface between said base unit and said control unit.