Systems, devices, and methods for providing alert tones

• US 7,812,740 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2007
• Issued: 10/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Mergen, John-Francis
• Primary Examiner(s): BLOUNT, ERIC
• Application Number:
  US11/862,757
• Publication Number:
  US 20090085770A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,111 Days
• Field of Search: 340/903, 340/904, 340/435, 340/436, 340/463, 340/474, 340/471, 340/925, 340/944
• US Class Current: 340/904
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 5/008 for signaling silent vehicles, e.g. for warning that a hybrid or electric vehicle is approaching
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/005 including pedestrian guidance indicator
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/162 event-triggered

Abstract

Systems, devices, and methods for alerting pedestrians as to the presence of a vehicle are provided. The system for providing alert tones may include a personal communication device, such as a mobile terminal, a vehicle communication system, and an output device. A driver of a vehicle equipped with a vehicle communication system may select an alert tone to download to his vehicle directly using the vehicle communication system or indirectly via a communications link between the personal communication device and the vehicle communication system. Upon approaching a pedestrian, the driver may actuate the vehicle communication system to sound the alert tone through the output device by interacting with an input device, such as a button or a switch. Actuation may also be caused by a voice command or automatically, through the detection of an object within a certain distance of the vehicle via one or more sensors.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a request for an alert tone from a vehicle communication system, wherein receiving a request for an alert tone comprises communicating with a personal communication device that is configured to establish a communication link with the vehicle communication system;

providing a sample of the alert tone to the vehicle communication system, whereby the vehicle communication system permits a preview of the sample prior to provision of the requested alert tone; and

providing the requested alert tone to enable the vehicle communication system to sound the alert tone upon actuation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the requested alert tone comprises communicating with the personal communication device that is configured to establish a communications link with the vehicle communication system.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a sample of the alert tone to the personal communication device that is configured to permit a preview of the sample prior to provision of the requested alert tone.

4. A method comprising:

sending a request for an alert tone to a source of alert tones, wherein sending a request for an alert tone comprises communicating with the source via a personal communication device that is configured to establish a communication link with a vehicle communication system;

receiving at the vehicle communication system carried by a vehicle the requested alert tone; and

sounding the alert tone via the vehicle communication system.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein receiving the requested alert tone comprises communicating with the source via the personal communication device that is configured to establish a communications link with the vehicle communication system.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising receiving a sample of the alert tone, wherein the sample can be previewed prior to receiving the requested alert tone from the source.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein sounding the alert tone comprises receiving an input from a user in the form of a voice command.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein sounding the alert tone comprises receiving an input from a user in the form of a user'"'"'s interaction with an input device.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein sounding the alert tone comprises automatically sounding the alert tone based on a presence of an object within a predetermined distance.

10. The method of claim 4 further comprising storing the received alert tone in a memory of the vehicle communication system.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a memory configured to store a plurality of alert tones; and

a processor configured to receive a request for an alert tone from a vehicle communication system, wherein the processor is configured to communication with a personal communication device that is configured to establish a communication link with the communication system, to obtain the requested alert tone from the memory, to provide the requested alert tone to enable the vehicle communication system to sound the alert tone upon actuation, and to provide a sample of the alert tone to the vehicle communication system, whereby the vehicle communication system permits a preview of the sample prior to provision of the requested alert tone.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to provide a sample of the alert tone to a personal communication device that is configured to permit a preview of the sample prior to provision of the requested alert tone.

13. An apparatus comprising:

a processor carried by a vehicle and configured to send a request for an alert tone to a source and to receive the requested alert tone from the source, wherein the processor is configured to establish a communications link with a personal communication device to send the request for the alert tone via the personal communication device; and

an output device responsive to the processor and configured to sound the alert tone.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor is configured to establish a communications link with a personal communication device to receive the requested alert tone via the personal communication device.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor is configured to receive a sample of the alert tone, wherein the sample can be previewed prior to receiving the requested alert tone from the source.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor is configured to actuate the output device to sound the alert tone in response to an input from a user in the form of a voice command.

17. The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising an input device configured to communicate with the processor, wherein the processor is configured to actuate the output device to sound the alert tone based on a user'"'"'s interaction with the input device.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor is configured to actuate the output device to sound the alert tone automatically based on a presence of an object within a predetermined distance.

19. The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising a memory configured to store a plurality of received alert tones.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 further comprising a display, wherein the processor is configured to provide a representation upon the display of each stored alert tone from which a user is permitted to designate the alert tone to be sounded.