In-vehicle call apparatus

• US 7,876,200 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2008
• Issued: 01/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Sakai, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Goins; Davetta W
• Application Number:
  US12/286,519
• Publication Number:
  US 20090115584A1
• Time in Patent Office: 847 Days
• Field of Search: 340/425.5, 340/426.1, 340/426.18, 340/441, 340/445, 340/456, 340/636.1, 455/88
• US Class Current: 340/425.5
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/205 Mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/102 a signal being sent to a remote location, e.g. a radio signal being transmitted to a police station, a security company or the owner
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/403 Power supply in the vehicle

Abstract

In an in-vehicle theft call apparatus, when a relevant vehicle is in a non-stopped state, an electric power supply from an in-vehicle battery is maintained to both a Cellular wireless section and a PCS wireless section. Thus, a wide range wireless communication area can be secured. In contrast, when the vehicle is in a stopped state, an electric power supply from the in-vehicle battery is maintained to only one of the Cellular wireless section and the PCS wireless section while being interrupted to the other. Thus, a communication signal can be transmitted appropriately in an event of call state; further, power consumption can be improved.

Claims

1. An in-vehicle call apparatus for a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

a plurality of wireless sections individually having mutually different wireless communication areas, the wireless sections being operated by electric power supplied from an in-vehicle battery;

a call state determination portion for determining whether a call state has occurred;

a control section that controls a electric power supply from the in-vehicle battery to each of the wireless sections, and maintains the electric power supply to at least one of the wireless sections to transmit a call signal when the call state is determined to have occurred; and

a stopped state determination portion for determining whether the vehicle is in a stopped state or in a non-stopped state,

wherein;

when the vehicle is determined to be in the non-stopped state, the control section maintains the electric power supply from the in-vehicle battery to at least two wireless sections among the plurality of wireless sections; and

when the vehicle is determined to be in the stopped state while the electric power supply is maintained to the at least two wireless sections, the control section maintains the electric power supply to at least one of the at least two wireless sections while interrupting the electric power supply to at least one of the at least two wireless sections.

2. The in-vehicle call apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

when the vehicle is determined to be in the non-stopped state after interrupting the electric power supply to the at least one of the at least two wireless sections, the control section re-starts the electric power supply to the at least one of the at least two wireless sections to which the electric power supply has been interrupted.

3. The in-vehicle call apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

if the plurality of wireless sections are unable to transmit a communication signal when the vehicle is determined to be in the stopped state, the control section interrupts the electric power supply from the in-vehicle battery to the plurality of wireless sections.

4. The in-vehicle call apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

when the vehicle is determined to be in the non-stopped state after the control section interrupts the electric power supply from the in-vehicle battery to the plurality of wireless sections, the control section re-starts the electric power supply to the plurality of wireless sections to which the electric power supply has been interrupted.