Wireless communications system and method
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system for enabling use of a portable device having wireless phone capabilities, the system being disposed in a vehicle, the system comprising:
- audio equipment attached to the vehicle, the audio equipment for receiving voice from an occupant and providing sound to the occupant; and
a radio frequency transceiver coupled to be in communication with the audio equipment and physically coupled to the vehicle, the radio frequency transceiver being configured to communicate wirelessly and directly with the portable device located externally to the radio frequency transceiver in accordance with a Bluetooth standard communications protocol;
wherein the audio equipment provides a first electronic signal representative of the voice to the radio frequency transceiver and the radio frequency transceiver provides a first radio frequency signal at least partially representative of the first electronic signal to the portable device, and wherein the radio frequency transceiver receives from the portable device a second radio frequency signal at least partially representative of a second electronic signal and the audio equipment receives the second electronic signal, the second electronic signal being representative of the sound; and
wherein the system is configured to place a call via the portable device based on numbers spoken into the audio equipment or a command spoken into the audio equipment and transmitted via the radio frequency transceiver to the portable device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for communicating information facilitates wireless communication between electronic devices. The system includes a transceiver provided in a vehicle. The transceiver communicates with an electronic device located external to the transceiver using a Bluetooth communications standard.
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Citations
97 Claims
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1. A system for enabling use of a portable device having wireless phone capabilities, the system being disposed in a vehicle, the system comprising:
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audio equipment attached to the vehicle, the audio equipment for receiving voice from an occupant and providing sound to the occupant; and a radio frequency transceiver coupled to be in communication with the audio equipment and physically coupled to the vehicle, the radio frequency transceiver being configured to communicate wirelessly and directly with the portable device located externally to the radio frequency transceiver in accordance with a Bluetooth standard communications protocol; wherein the audio equipment provides a first electronic signal representative of the voice to the radio frequency transceiver and the radio frequency transceiver provides a first radio frequency signal at least partially representative of the first electronic signal to the portable device, and wherein the radio frequency transceiver receives from the portable device a second radio frequency signal at least partially representative of a second electronic signal and the audio equipment receives the second electronic signal, the second electronic signal being representative of the sound; and wherein the system is configured to place a call via the portable device based on numbers spoken into the audio equipment or a command spoken into the audio equipment and transmitted via the radio frequency transceiver to the portable device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 65, 66)
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26. A method for enabling use of a portable device having phone capabilities in a vehicle, the method comprising:
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receiving first electric signals representing voice from a vehicle occupant at a vehicle-installed radio frequency transceiver, wherein the first electric signals include a number to be called or a command for calling the number to be called; sending first radio frequency signals representing the first electric signals over a wireless communication link operated in accordance with a Bluetooth communications standard directly from the vehicle-installed radio frequency transceiver to the portable device; placing a call at the portable device using the number to be called; receiving second radio frequency signals over the wireless communication link at the vehicle-installed radio frequency transceiver from the portable device; sending second electric signals representing sound associated with the second radio frequency signals to a vehicle-installed audio system coupled to the vehicle-installed radio frequency transceiver; and providing the sound to the vehicle occupant. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A wireless communication system in a vehicle, comprising:
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a microphone disposed in a vehicle interior to receive voice from a vehicle occupant; a Bluetooth-compatible transceiver coupled to the vehicle and in communication with the microphone to provide first data representative of the voice according to a Bluetooth communication standard and to transmit the first data wirelessly and directly to a Bluetooth-compatible portable device having cellular phone capabilities, the portable device physically separated from the Bluetooth-compatible transceiver and within the vehicle; and a speaker disposed in the vehicle to provide sound to the vehicle occupant, wherein the Bluetooth-compatible transceiver is configured to receive from the portable device second data representative of the sound, and wherein the portable device is configured to place a call based on numbers or commands received by the microphone. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. A wireless communication system in an automobile having an automobile interior, the wireless communications system comprising:
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a microphone coupled to the automobile interior; a speaker coupled to the automobile interior; and a first Bluetooth-compatible transceiver coupled to the automobile interior and configured to communicate wirelessly and directly with a second Bluetooth-compatible transceiver in a portable device having hand-held cellular phone capabilities, the portable device being external to the first Bluetooth-compatible transceiver and within the automobile; wherein the microphone, the speaker, and the first Bluetooth-compatible transceiver enable use of the portable device via the microphone and speaker in the automobile interior and wherein the microphone and the first Bluetooth-compatible transceiver enable a vehicle occupant to place a call based on numbers or commands spoken into the microphone and communicated via the first Bluetooth-compatible transceiver to the portable device, and wherein the speaker enables sound associated with the call and communicated from the second Bluetooth-compatible transceiver to the first Bluetooth-compatible transceiver to be heard by the vehicle occupant. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58)
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59. A system for enabling use of a portable device having phone capabilities in a vehicle, the system comprising:
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means installed in the vehicle for receiving first electric signals representing voice from a vehicle occupant, wherein the first electric signals include a number to be called; means installed in the vehicle and coupled to the means for receiving first electric signals for sending first radio frequency signals representing the first electric signals over a wireless communication link operated in accordance with a Bluetooth communications standard directly to the portable device to place a call at the portable device using the number to be called; and wherein the means installed in the vehicle for sending receives second radio frequency signals over the wireless communication link from the portable device and sends second electric signals representing sound associated with the second radio frequency signals to a vehicle-installed audio system, the vehicle-installed audio system being configured to provide the sound to the vehicle occupant. - View Dependent Claims (60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 67, 68, 69, 70)
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71. A system in a vehicle for use with a portable device to make a phone call, the portable device having phone capability and a first radio frequency transceiver, the portable device capable of being in communication with the system using the first radio frequency transceiver via a Bluetooth radio frequency wireless link, the vehicle including a microphone and audio equipment, wherein the microphone is for receiving a number or a command spoken by a vehicle occupant for the phone call, wherein the audio equipment provides sound to the vehicle occupant, wherein the phone call is placed in response to the number or command using the portable device, the system comprising:
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a first interface for electrically coupling to the microphone; a second interface for being in communication with the audio equipment; and a second radio frequency transceiver physically coupled to the vehicle and electrically coupled to the first interface and the second interface, wherein the second radio frequency transceiver is configured to receive a first electronic signal representing the number or the command from the first interface and to provide a second electronic signal to the second interface, and wherein the second radio frequency transceiver is configured to provide a first radio frequency signal representing the number or the command via the Bluetooth radio frequency wireless link, wherein the second electronic signal is related to the sound, wherein the second radio frequency transceiver is configured to receive a second radio frequency signal representative of the second electronic signal via the Bluetooth radio frequency wireless link. - View Dependent Claims (72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88)
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89. A vehicle communication system in a vehicle, the vehicle having a vehicle audio system, the vehicle communication system for use with a portable device capable of using a phone number or command to make a phone call, the portable device being physically separate from the vehicle communication system, the vehicle communication system comprising:
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a microphone for being physically coupled to the vehicle and for receiving the phone number or the command; and a first radio frequency transceiver for being physically coupled to the vehicle, and in communication with the microphone, the first radio frequency transceiver being coupled to an interface for coupling to the vehicle audio system, wherein the first radio frequency transceiver is configured to provide a first signal representing the phone number or the command according to a Bluetooth standard to the portable device, whereby the portable device uses the first signal for the phone call and the system is configured for a two-way conversation for the phone call via the portable device using the microphone and the interface. - View Dependent Claims (90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97)
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Specification