Enhanced in-vehicle wireless communication system handset operation

• US 7,286,857 B1
• Filed: 09/25/2001
• Issued: 10/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: At Road Incorporated
• Inventors: Walker, Michael R., Taylor, Sean D.
• Primary Examiner(s): GELIN, JEAN ALLAND
• Application Number:
  US09/965,232
• Time in Patent Office: 2,219 Days
• Field of Search: 455 411- 412, 455/556.1, 455/557, 455/566, 455/569.1, 455/569.2, 455/575.9, 455/99, 455/100, 455/573, 455/563, 455/420, 340/426.19, 340/426.2, 340/825.49, 701 1- 2, 701 32- 33, 701/51, 701/213, 701/52
• US Class Current: 455/569.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/271 controlled by voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6075 adapted for handsfree use in a vehicle H04M1/6058 takes precedence; arrangements for holding telephones in a vehicle B60R11/0241
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

In-vehicle operation of a wireless communication system handset is enhanced by using a handset controller having large keys and a large display. The controller is mounted in the vehicle so that the keys and the display are accessible by a user while seated in the vehicle driver'"'"'s seat. The keys and display are backlighted to improve visibility. The controller warns the user in the motor vehicle that the handset is disconnected from the controller. The controller accepts verbal commands to operate the handset and outputs messages received by the handset and other information associated with handset operation as synthesized speech.

Claims

1. An in-vehicle wireless communication system handset controller comprising:

a central processing unit;

an interface to an in-vehicle location information processing unit, the location information processing unit determining a geographical position of the in-vehicle wireless communication system and being connected to a wireless communication system handset, wherein, through the wireless communication system handset, the location information unit accesses a wide area computer network to communicate the geographical position and wherein the location information processing unit and the central processing unit are configured to control the wireless communication handset;

an input unit comprising data input keys larger than keys on a keypad of the handset; and

an output unit comprising a display larger than a display of the handset, wherein displayed message text characters on the output unit display are larger than displayed message text characters on the handset display, and wherein, while the handset is operationally coupled to the handset controller and while the central processing unit has control of the handset, the central processing unit executes instructions which (a) allow the keys of the input unit to be used to provide input data to the handset, and (b) output data for display on the output unit display.

2. The handset controller of claim 1, wherein the location information processing unit comprises a global positioning system chipset.

3. The handset controller of claim 1, wherein short message service messages are input via the input unit and output through the output unit.

4. The handset controller of claim 1, wherein an audible warning is issued when the handset is not operationally coupled to the handset controller.

5. The handset controller of claim 1, wherein a warning is output if the handset is not operationally coupled to the handset controller and an engine of the vehicle is started.

6. The handset controller of claim 1, wherein a warning is output if the handset is not operationally coupled to the handset controller and the vehicle begins to move.

7. The handset controller of claim 1, wherein the data input keys are backlighted.

8. The handset controller of claim 1, wherein the number of data input keys is larger than the number of keys on the handset keypad.

9. The handset controller of claim 1, wherein the display is backlighted.

10. The handset controller of claim 1, wherein the display comprises a heads-up display positioned such that a driver of the vehicle sees a displayed image while looking through a windshield of the vehicle.

11. The handset controller of claim 1, wherein the controller is rigidly positioned in the interior of a motor vehicle to allow a driver of the vehicle, while seated in a driver'"'"'s seat, to view messages on the display and to operate the data input keys.

12. The handset controller of claim 1 further comprising a voice command input unit coupled to allow the user to cause the handset to dial a telephone number and to manage messages received by the handset.

13. The handset controller of claim 1 further comprising a voice synthesizer unit coupled to audibly output a message received by the handset.

14. The handset controller of claim 1, wherein the controller is coupled to the handset via a wireless communication link.

15. The handset controller of claim 1, wherein the handset is a cellular telephone handset.

16. The handset controller of claim 1 further comprising a power supply coupled to charge a battery in the handset.

17. A method for controlling a wireless communication system handset, comprising the acts of:

providing an in-vehicle location processing unit that determines a geographical position and couples to a wireless communication handset, wherein the location processing unit, through the wireless communication handset, accesses a wide area network to communicate the geographical position; and

providing, in the location processing unit, an interface through which an in-vehicle controller may operationally couple to the wireless communication handset;

wherein, while the handset is operationally coupled to the in-vehicle controller, the in-vehicle controller carries out a a method comprising;

(a) enabling keys on an input unit of the in-vehicle controller to receive input data for the handset, the keys on the controller being larger than keys on the handset; and

(b) displaying messages received by the handset on a display in an output unit of the handset controller, such that displayed message text characters are larger than message text characters displayed by the handset; and

(c) outputting a warning if the handset is not operationally coupled to the controller.

18. The method of claim 17, the method carried out by the in-vehicle controller further comprising outputting the warning if an engine of the vehicle is started.

19. The method of claim 17, the method carried out by the in-vehicle controller further comprising outputting the warning if the vehicle begins to move.

20. The method of claim 17, the method carried out by the in-vehicle controller further comprising backlighting keys on the controller.

21. The method of claim 17, the method carried out by the in-vehicle controller further comprising backlighting a display outputting the larger message text characters.

22. The method of claim 17, the method carried out by the in-vehicle controller further comprising using a heads-up display to display the received messages.

23. The method of claim 17, the method carried out by the in-vehicle controller further comprising the acts of enabling a voice interface on the in-vehicle controller to control the operations of the handset.

24. The method of claim 17 further comprising using a power supply in the controller to charge a battery in the handset.

25. The method of claim 17 further comprising the acts of:

using the location processing unit to determine a geographic position of the vehicle; and

sending the determined position over the wire area network to a computer.

26. The method of claim 17, the method carried out by the in-vehicle controller further comprising the acts of:

receiving a plurality of messages through the handset, wherein each unique received message is formatted by a corresponding unique sender in one of a plurality of communication protocols;

identifying the communication protocol and format of each received message; and

outputting each unique received message as formatted by each corresponding unique sender.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein one of the received messages is a cargo pickup or delivery instruction to a driver of the vehicle.

28. An in-vehicle wireless communication system handset controller comprising:

a central processing unit;

an interface to an in-vehicle location information processing unit, the location information processing unit determining a geographical position of the in-vehicle wireless communication system and being connected to a wireless communication system handset, wherein the location information processing unit, through the wireless communication system handset, accesses a wide area computer network to communicate the geographical position and wherein the location information processing unit and the central processing unit are configured to control the wireless communication handset;

a memory comprising instructions executable by the central processing unit for interacting with the location information processing unit to operationally couple and to gain control of the wireless communication handset;

an input unit comprising data input keys larger than keys on a keypad of the handset; and

an output unit comprising a display larger than a display of the handset, wherein the display is configured to output a number of displayed message text characters larger than a number of displayed message text characters output on the handset display, and wherein, while the handset is operationally coupled to the handset controller and while the central processing unit has control of the handset, the central processing unit executes instructions which (a) allow the keys of the input unit to be used to provide input data to the handset, and (b) output messages for the handset on the output unit display.

29. The handset controller of claim 28, wherein the location information processing unit comprises a global positioning system chipset coupled to the central processing unit.

30. The handset controller of claim 28, wherein at least a portion of the messages are short message service messages.

31. The handset controller of claim 28, wherein an audible warning is issued if the handset is not operationally coupled to the handset controller.

32. The handset controller of claim 28, wherein a warning is output if the handset is not operationally coupled to the handset controller and an engine of the vehicle is started.

33. The handset controller of claim 28, wherein a warning is output if the handset is not operationally coupled to the handset controller and the vehicle begins to move.

34. The handset controller of claim 28, wherein the data input keys are backlighted.

35. The handset controller of claim 28, wherein the number of data input keys is larger than the number of keys on the handset keypad.

36. The handset controller of claim 28, wherein the display is backlighted.

37. The handset controller of claim 28, wherein the display comprises a heads-up display positioned such that a driver of the vehicle sees a displayed image while looking through a windshield of the vehicle.

38. The handset controller of claim 28, wherein the controller is rigidly positioned in the interior of a motor vehicle to allow a driver of the vehicle, while seated in a driver'"'"'s seat, to view messages on the display and to operate the data input keys.

39. The handset controller of claim 28 further comprising a voice command input unit coupled to allow the user to cause the handset to dial a telephone number and to manage messages received by the handset.

40. The handset controller of claim 28 further comprising a voice synthesizer unit coupled to audibly output a message received by the handset.

41. The handset controller of claim 28, wherein the controller is coupled to the handset via a wireless communication link.

42. The handset controller of claim 28, wherein the handset is a cellular telephone handset.

43. The handset controller of claim 28 further comprising a power supply coupled to charge a battery in the handset.

44. A method for controlling a wireless communication system handset, comprising the acts of:

providing an in-vehicle location processing unit that determines a geographical position and couples to a wireless communication handset, wherein the location processing unit, through the wireless communication system handset, accesses a wide area network to communicate the geographical position;

providing, in the location processing unit, an interface through which an in-vehicle controller may operationally couple to the handset; and

executing computer instructions stored in a memory device of the in-vehicle controller to operationally couple the in-vehicle controller to the handset and to gain control of the handset;

wherein, while the handset is operationally coupled to an in-vehicle controller, the in-vehicle controller carries out a method comprising;

(a) enabling keys on an input unit of an in-vehicle controller to receive input data for the handset, the keys on the controller being larger than keys on the handset;

(b) displaying messages received by the handset on a display in an output unit of the handset controller, such that a number of displayed message text characters is larger than a number of displayed message text characters output on the handset display; and

(c) outputting a warning if the handset is not operationally coupled to the controller.

45. The method of claim 44, the method carried out by the in-vehicle controller further comprising outputting the warning if an engine of the vehicle is started.

46. The method of claim 44, the method carried out by the in-vehicle controller further comprising outputting the warning if the vehicle begins to move.

47. The method of claim 44, the method carried out by the in-vehicle controller further comprising backlighting keys on the controller.

48. The method of claim 44, the method carried out by the in-vehicle controller further comprising backlighting a display outputting the larger message text characters.

49. The method of claim 44, the method carried out by the in-vehicle controller further comprising using a heads-up display to display the received messages.

50. The method of claim 44, the method carried out by the in-vehicle controller further comprising the acts of:

enabling a voice interface on the handset controller to control the operations of the handset.

51. The method of claim 44 further comprising using a power supply in the controller to charge a battery in the handset.

52. The method of claim 44 further comprising the acts of:

using the location information processing unit to determine a geographic position of the vehicle; and

sending the determined position over the wide area network to a computer.

53. The method of claim 44, the method carried out by the in-vehicle controller further comprising the acts of:

receiving a plurality of messages through the handset, wherein each unique received message is formatted by a corresponding unique sender in one of a plurality of communication protocols;

identifying the communication protocol and format of each received message; and

outputting each unique received message as formatted by each corresponding unique sender.

54. The method of claim 44, wherein one of the received messages is a cargo pickup or delivery instruction to a driver of the vehicle.