Activation system and method for establishing a cellular voice communication through a radio system

• US 7,418,276 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2002
• Issued: 08/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Van Bosch, James A.
• Primary Examiner(s): MEHRPOUR, NAGHMEH
• Application Number:
  US10/180,620
• Publication Number:
  US 20040204159A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,253 Days
• Field of Search: 4555691- 2, 455/575.9, 455/93, 455/522, 455/420, 455/456.1, 455/433, 455/414, 455/417, 455406-408, 455/426, 455/455, 455/569.2, 340/825.41, 340/870, 340/693.2, 340/468, 340/5.1, 340/435, 340/539.18, 340/573.1, 340/425
• US Class Current: 455/569.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/082 to be used in vehicles H04B1/086 takes precedence; holding or mounting accessories B60R11/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6083 by interfacing with the vehicle audio system
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6091 including a wireless interface

Abstract

An activation system (20, 120, 220) for establishing a voice communication through a radio system (22, 122, 222) in a vehicle. The radio system (22, 122, 222) has an audio controller and a device interface. The activation system (20, 120, 220) has a switch (28, 128, 228), a wireless communication device (26, 226), and a communication cord (36, 136, 236). The switch (28, 128, 228) is capable of initiating an activation signal when a user desires to accept an incoming voice communication. The wireless communication device (26, 226) has a controller (62, 262), a cellular transceiver (66, 266), a radio interface (38, 238), and a means for detecting the activation signal form the switch (28, 128, 228). The cellular transceiver (66, 266) is capable of receiving downlink audio of the voice communication. A communication cord (36, 136, 236) interconnects the radio system (22, 122, 222) to the wireless communication device (26, 226). The switch (28, 128, 228) is remote from the wireless communication device (26, 226). The controller (62, 262) in the wireless communication device (26, 226), in response to detecting the activation signal from the switch (28, 128, 228), sends the downlink audio of the voice communication received by the cellular transceiver (66, 266) to the radio interface (38, 238) for sending to the radio system (22, 122, 222) over the communication cord. There are also methods of operating the activation system (20, 120, 220).

Claims

1. An activation system for establishing a voice communication through a radio system in a vehicle, the radio system having an audio controller and a device interface, the activation system comprising:

a switch to send a first activation signal and a second activation signal when a user desires to accept an incoming voice communication, the first activation signal received by the audio controller of the radio system;

a wireless communication device having a controller, a cellular transceiver, a radio interface, and a means for detecting the second activation signal from the switch, the cellular transceiver for receiving downlink audio of the voice communication; and

a communication cord interconnecting the device interface of the radio system to the radio interface of the wireless communication device;

wherein the switch is remote from the wireless communication device and the radio system, the controller in the wireless communication device, in response to detecting the second activation signal from the switch, sends the downlinik audio of the voice communication received by the cellular transceiver to the radio interface for sending to the radio system over the communication cord.

2. An activation system in claim 1 wherein the audio controller in the radio system, in response to receiving the first activation signal from the switch, is capable of sending the downlinik audio of the voice communication from the device interface to at least one speaker in the radio system.

3. An activation system in claim 2 wherein the radio system further includes a microphone that receives uplink audio of the voice communication, the audio controller, in response to receiving the first activation signal from the switch, is further capable of sending the uplink audio of the voice communication to the device interface for sending to the wireless communication device over the communication cord.

4. An activation system in claim 3 wherein the cellular transceiver of the wireless communication device further is capable of transmitting uplink audio of the voice communication, the controller in the wireless communication device, in response to detecting the second activation signal from the radio system, further configures the wireless communication device to receive the uplink audio of the voice communication from the radio interface for transmittal by the cellular transceiver.

5. An activation system in claim 1 wherein the device interface of the radio system and the radio interface of the wireless communication device are 2.5 mm jack interfaces.

6. An activation system in claim 1 wherein the means for detecting the second activation signal in the wireless communication device includes sensing a temporary grounding of a line in the communication cord.

7. An activation system for establishing a voice communication through a radio system in a vehicle, the activation system comprising:

a remote activation device having a switch and a transmitter, the transmitter responsive to the switch and capable of transmitting a first activation signal and a second activation signal, the remote activation device remote from the radio system and capable of transmitting the first activation signal to the radio system; and

a wireless communication device having a controller, a radio transceiver, a cellular transceiver, and a radio interface, the controller capable of detecting the second activation signal from the remote activation device through the radio transceiver, the cellular transceiver for receiving downlink audio of the voice communication;

wherein the controller in the wireless communication device, in response to detecting the second activation signal from the remote activation device, sends the downlink audio of the voice communication received by the cellular transceiver to the radio interface for transmittal to the radio system in the vehicle.

8. The activation system in claim 7, wherein the controller can detect the presence of the radio system when a connector is connected to the radio interface.

9. The activation system in claim 7, wherein the remote activation device is incorporated into a portable electronic device for the vehicle.

10. The activation system in claim 7, wherein the radio system has a device interface and an audio controller, the device interface capable of receiving the downlink audio of the voice communication, the audio controller capable of detecting the first activation signal and routing the downlink audio of the voice communication from the device interface to at least one speaker in the vehicle in response to detecting the first activation signal.

11. The activation system in claim 7, wherein the cellular transceiver is further capable of transmitting uplink audio of the voice communication, the controller in the wireless communication device, in response to detecting the second activation signal from the remote activation device, routes the uplink audio of the voice communication from an external microphone to the cellular transceiver for transmission.

12. A remote activation device for establishing a voice communication for a wireless communication device through a radio system, the remote activation device remote from the wireless communication device and the radio system, the wireless communication device having a controller, a radio transceiver, a cellular transceiver, and a radio interface, the remote activation device comprising:

a transmitter for transmitting a first signal to the controller in the wireless communication device through the radio transceiver and for transmitting a second signal to the radio system through the radio transceiver; and

a switch for activating the transmitter;

wherein the first signal is capable of causing the wireless communication device to accept an incoming voice communication and route the voice communication to the radio interface for transmittal to the radio system in the vehicle

wherein the second signal is capable of causing the radio system to switch an audio input to receive downlink audio of the voice communication from the wireless communication device.

13. The remote activation device in claim 12, wherein the remote activation device is incorporated into a portable electronic device for the vehicle.

14. The remote activation device in claim 12, wherein the radio system has a device interface and an audio controller, the device interface capable of receiving downlink audio of the voice communication, the audio controller capable of detecting the second signal and routing the downlink audio of the voice communication from the device interface to at least one speaker in the vehicle in response to detecting the second signal.

15. A remote activation device for establishing a voice communication for a wireless communication device through a radio system, the remote activation device remote from the wireless communication device and the radio system, the wireless communication device having a radio interface that is interconnected to a device interface in the radio system, the remote activation device comprising:

a switch; and

a transmitter responsive to the switch for transmitting a first signal and a second signal;

wherein the first signal indicates to the wireless communication device to accept an incoming voice communication, and the second signal indicates to the radio system to switch an audio input to receive downlink audio of the voice communication sent over the radio interface and device interface by the wireless communication device.

16. The remote activation device in claim 15, wherein the wireless communication device has a controller, a cellular transceiver, and a radio transceiver, the controller capable of detecting the first signal from the remote activation device through the radio transceiver.

17. The remote activation device in claim 16, wherein the controller in the wireless communication device, in response to detecting the first signal from the remote activation device, sends downlink audio of the voice communication received by the cellular transceiver over a communication cord for transmittal to the radio system, the communication cord connected between the radio interface and the device interface.

18. The remote activation device in claim 15, wherein the radio system has an audio controller and a radio transceiver, the audio controller capable of detecting the second signal from the remote activation device through the radio transceiver.

19. The remote activation device in claim 18, wherein the audio controller in the radio system, in response to detecting the second signal from the remote activation device, switches the audio input to receive the downlink audio from the voice communication sent over a communication cord by the wireless communication device, the communication cord connected between the radio interface and the device interface.

20. A method to activate downlink audio of a voice communication through a radio system in a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

notifying the user of a pending incoming voice communication to a wireless communication device;

transmitting a first signal from a remote activation device to the wireless communication device if the pending incoming voice communication is accepted;

transmitting a second signal from the remote activation device to the radio system if the pending incoming voice communication is accepted;

detecting the first signal in the wireless communication device from the remote activation device;

detecting the second signal in the radio system from the remote activation device;

sending the downlink audio of the voice communication from the wireless communication device to the radio system through a communication cord after detecting the first signal from the remote activation device; and

switching an audio input to receive the downlink audio of the voice communication from the wireless communication device in response to detecting the second signal.