Bluetooth communication system for drivers of vehicles

• US 7,907,975 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2002
• Issued: 03/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited, Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited, Honda Access Corp. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Kikuchi, Masao, Watabe, Shinako, Ohishi, Yasuo, Yamamoto, Mitsuhiko, Sakamoto, Tsuneaki, Hino, Masashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Lu; Zhiyu
• Application Number:
  US10/489,421
• Publication Number:
  US 20080220718A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,106 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2, 455/569.2, 455/567, 455/228
• US Class Current: 455/569.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/385 Transceivers carried on the body, e.g. in helmets
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/3866 carried on the head
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/271 controlled by voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6091 including a wireless interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface

Abstract

A system is provided that enables communications between a driver of a vehicle and a person outside the vehicle, between a rider of a motorcycle and a fellow rider of the same vehicle, or between a driver of a vehicle and another driver of another vehicle. A Bluetooth communication system comprises a Bluetooth communication device mountable to a helmet, and an indicator unit having an indicator disposed in a viewing range of a driver of such a vehicle as a car or a boat. It further comprises a transmitting module disposed in the Bluetooth communication device for transmitting an indication signal to the indicator in response to reception of a calling signal and a receiving module disposed in the indicator unit for driving the indicator in response to reception of the indication signal. The indicator indicates when a call arrives at a Bluetooth communication device mounted on a helmet.

Claims

1. A Bluetooth communication system, comprising:

a Bluetooth communication device mountable to a helmet;

an indicator unit having a visual indicator, within a meter panel or a console part of a vehicle, disposed in a viewing range of a driver of the vehicle;

an FM transmitting module which is disposed in the Bluetooth communication device for transmitting an indication signal to the indicator in response to reception of an incoming call signal in a mobile phone; and

an FM receiving module which is disposed in the indicator unit for driving the visual indicator in response to reception of the indication signal,

wherein the Bluetooth communication device comprises a Bluetooth transceiving module communicating with the mobile phone.

2. The Bluetooth communication system according to claim 1 wherein the Bluetooth communication device is connected to a microphone and a speaker, the device comprising a voice recognition unit for performing voice recognition upon voice input to the microphone and a control unit for transforming the recognized voice into control signals.

3. The Bluetooth communication system according to claim 2 wherein the microphone comprises a bone conductive microphone or a noise cancellation microphone.

4. The Bluetooth communication system according to claim 2 wherein the Bluetooth communication device comprises a noise level detection circuit and a circuit for adjusting an audio volume based on the noise level detected by the noise level detection circuit.

5. The Bluetooth communication system according to claim 2 wherein the Bluetooth communication device comprises a voice synthesis unit for transforming the signal from the Bluetooth module into voice.

6. The Bluetooth communication system according to claim 1 wherein the Bluetooth communication device comprises a manual switch for enabling a communication when the manual switch is operated.

7. The Bluetooth communication system according to claim 2 wherein the Bluetooth communication device comprises a manual switch for activating voice recognition unit when the manual switch is operated.

8. The Bluetooth communication system according to claim 2 wherein the control unit is configured so as to send a first-aid call transmission command to the mobile phone in response to a predetermined voice input from the driver.

9. The Bluetooth communication system according to claim 1 wherein the Bluetooth communication device comprises a Bluetooth module that can form a network with another Bluetooth device in accordance with the Bluetooth standard.

10. A communication system, comprising:

a communication device movable with a user;

an indicator unit having a visual indicator, within a meter panel or a console part of a vehicle, disposed in a viewing range of the user;

an FM transmitting module which is disposed in the communication device for transmitting an indication signal to the indicator in response to reception of an incoming call signal in a mobile phone; and

an FM receiving module which is disposed in the indicator unit for driving the visual indicator in response to reception of the indication signal,

wherein the communication device comprises a Bluetooth transceiving module communicating with the mobile phone.