Mode changing of a mobile communications device and vehicle settings when the mobile communications device is in proximity to a vehicle

• US 7,937,075 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2006
• Issued: 05/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LYFT Incorporated
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zellner, Samuel
• Primary Examiner(s): Ly, Nghi H
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAM, TIMOTHY X
• Application Number:
  US11/539,560
• Publication Number:
  US 20080085689A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,670 Days
• Field of Search: 455/418, 455/187.1
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6075 adapted for handsfree use in a vehicle H04M1/6058 takes precedence; arrangements for holding telephones in a vehicle B60R11/0241
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A driver of a vehicle is identified and a command is sent to a mobile communications device that is associated with the identified driver and that is in proximity of the vehicle to force the mobile communications device to change modes such as to enter a hands-free or other suitable mode. The driver may be identified through one or more techniques including biometric sensing, key detection, switch controls, and so forth. Additionally, the driver and/or feature settings preferred by the current driver may be identified by receiving data from the mobile communications device. The data may identify the driver ID with preferred feature settings, the mobile communications device which has an association to a driver ID with preferred feature settings, or the data may specify the preferred feature settings.

Claims

1. A system for mode changing of a mobile communication device in a vehicle, the system comprising:

a driver identification module located within the vehicle that obtains an identification of a driver of the vehicle through the driver coming in physical contact with the driver identification module;

a communication system that communicates with the mobile communication device when the mobile communication device comes into close proximity with the vehicle, wherein the communication system obtains an identification of the mobile communication device;

storage that maintains an association of driver identifiers to mobile telephone identifiers, wherein each driver identifier is associated with at least one mobile telephone identifier; and

a processor that receives the identification of the driver and the identification of the mobile communication device when the mobile communication device comes into close proximity with the communication system, wherein said receipt of the identification of the mobile communication device when the mobile communication device comes into close proximity with the communication system triggers the processor to;

determine the at least one mobile telephone associated with the identification of the driver, compare the received identification of the mobile communication device with the at least one mobile telephone associated with the received identification of the driver, and when the received identification of the mobile communication device matches one of the at least one mobile telephone associated with the received identification of the driver then send a mode change command via the communication system to the mobile communication device to cause the mobile communication device to change a mode.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor determines whether the identification of the mobile communication device is associated with the identification of the driver based on a set of associations between identifications of potential drivers to mobile communication devices.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the driver identification module includes a vehicle key recognition device that obtains the identification of the driver from a vehicle key that is inserted into the ignition switch of the vehicle.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the driver identification module includes a selector switch that allows the driver to select the appropriate selector switch position to provide the identification of the driver.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the short range communications system utilizes wireless radio frequency communications to obtain the identification of the mobile communication device and to exchange call information with the mobile communication device to provide hands-free operation.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the command causes the mobile communication device to enter at least one of a hands-free mode, a text-to-speech mode, a voice input mode, a video redirection mode, a control redirection mode, and a camera redirection mode.

7. A tangible computer readable storage medium having instructions for providing mode changes of a mobile communication device in a vehicle, the instructions performing acts comprising:

receiving an identification of a driver of the vehicle through the driver coming in physical contact with a driver identification module located within the vehicle;

receiving an identification of the mobile communication device in close proximity to the vehicle, wherein said receiving the identity of the mobile communication device in close proximity to the vehicle triggers the performance of the following steps;

determining at least one mobile telephone associated with the received identification of the driver of the vehicle;

comparing the received identification of the mobile communication device with the at least one mobile telephone associated with the received identification of the driver; and

when the received identification of the mobile communication device matches one of the at least one mobile telephone associated with the received identification of the driver, then sending a command to the mobile communication device to cause the mobile communication device to change a mode.

8. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the processor determines whether the identification of the mobile communication devices is associated with the identification of the driver based on a set of associations between identifications of potential drivers to mobile communication devices.

9. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein receiving the driver identification comprises obtaining the identification of the driver from a vehicle key that is inserted into the ignition switch of the vehicle.

10. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein receiving the driver identification comprises receiving a selection of an appropriate selector switch position.

11. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein receiving the identification of the mobile communication device and sending the command utilizes wireless radio frequency communications.

12. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the command causes the mobile communication device to change to a hands-free mode.

13. A method comprising:

detecting an identity of a driver of a vehicle through the driver coming in physical contact with a driver identification module located within the vehicle;

detecting an identity of a mobile communication device in close proximity to the vehicle, wherein said detecting the identity of the mobile communication device in close proximity to the vehicle triggers the performance of the following steps;

determining at least one mobile telephone associated with the identity of the driver of the vehicle;

comparing the identity of the mobile communication device with the at least one mobile telephone associated with the identity of the driver; and

when the identity of the mobile communication device matches one of the at least one mobile telephone associated with the identity of the driver, then sending a command to the mobile communication device to cause the mobile communication device to change a mode.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein determining whether the identity of the driver is associated with the identity of the mobile communication device comprises determining whether the identity of the mobile communication devices is associated with the identity of the driver based on a set of associations between identifications of potential drivers to mobile communication devices.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein detecting the identity of the driver comprises obtaining an identification of the driver from a vehicle key that is inserted into the ignition switch of the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein detecting the identity of the driver comprises receiving a selection of an appropriate selector switch position.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the command causes the mobile communication device to enter a hands-free mode.