Handsfree apparatus and handsfree system

• US 8,019,392 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2008
• Issued: 09/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Abeta, Takehiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Hu; Jinsong
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hong; Dung
• Application Number:
  US12/283,905
• Publication Number:
  US 20090082070A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,092 Days
• Field of Search: 455/575.9, 455/569.1, 455/569.2, 455 411- 413
• US Class Current: 455/569.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2757 by data transmission, e.g. downloading
• 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 1/6091 including a wireless interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface

Abstract

A handsfree system includes a handsfree apparatus and a phone. The handsfree apparatus has a database including a primary control program and a model-specific program. The primary control program enables the handsfree phone call when coupled with the phone. The model-specific program is operated to resolve a model-dependent constraint by being incorporated in the primary control program. The model-dependent constraint arises when coupled with the phone. The model-specific program is associated with phone model information and program specification information to specify the model-specific program independent of the phone model information. Phone model information and program specification information are acquired from a phone coupled with the handsfree apparatus. Model-specific program corresponding to the acquired program specification information is retrieved from the database when the acquired phone model information is not included in the database. The retrieved model-specific program is executed by incorporating in the primary control program.

Claims

1. A handsfree apparatus coupled with a phone and allowing a handsfree phone call via the phone, the handsfree apparatus comprising:

a storage medium including a primary control program and a model-specific program,

the primary control program being stored in a predetermined storage area for enabling the handsfree phone call when coupled with the phone,

the model-specific program being stored separately from the primary control program and operated to resolve a model-dependent constraint by being incorporated in the primary control program, the model-dependent constraint arising when coupled with the phone,

the storage medium further including a database storing (i) phone model information specifying a model of the phone and (ii) program specification information specifying the model-specific program independent of the phone model information,

the database associating each of the phone model information, and the program specification information with the model-specific program;

means for acquiring a device name as information when coupled with a phone, wherein when the device name was previously registered with the phone, the registered device name is enabled to contain a keyword as well as phone model information;

means for retrieving a model-specific program,

(i) when the database previously includes the phone model information contained in the acquired phone information,

the retrieving means retrieving from the storage medium the model-specific program, which is associated with the phone model information contained in the acquired phone information, and

(ii) when the database does not previously include the phone model information contained in the acquired phone information,

the retrieving means

regards the keyword, which is other than the phone model information and contained in the acquired phone information, as the program specification information and then

retrieves the model-specific program associated with the program specification information as which the keyword contained in the acquired phone information is regarded; and

means for executing the retrieved model-specific program by incorporating in the primary control program.

2. The handsfree apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

means for registering, in the database, when the phone model information contained in the acquired phone information is not included in the database, the keyword so as to serve as the program specification information, in association with the model-specific program.

3. The handsfree apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the phone is provided with means for inputting for a user to register the device name that is enabled to contain the keyword as well as the phone model information.

4. The handsfree apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

means for outputting a message which requires an input of the keyword when the model information contained in the acquired phone information is not included in the database.

5. The handsfree apparatus according to claim 1,

being coupled with the phone by a Bluetooth communication protocol.

6. A handsfree system including a handsfree apparatus and a phone coupled with the handsfree apparatus and allowing a handsfree phone call,

the phone comprising:

means for inputting for a user to register phone information that is enabled to contain program specification information as well as phone model information, the program specification information specifying model-specific program to resolve a model-dependent constraint of the phone,

the handsfree apparatus comprising;

a storage medium having a primary control program, a model-specific program, and a database,

the primary control program enabling the handsfree phone call when coupled with the phone,

the model-specific program being operated to resolve a model-dependent constraint by being incorporated in the primary control program, the model-dependent constraint arising in the handsfree apparatus when coupled with the phone,

the database storing (i) phone model information to specify a model of the phone and (ii) program specification information to specify the model-specific program independent of the phone model information, each of which being associated with the model-specific program,

means for acquiring the phone information when coupled with a phone, wherein when the phone information was previously registered with the phone, the registered phone information contains the phone model information and the program specification information;

means for retrieving a model-specific program from the storage medium,

(i) the model-specific program associated with the phone model information being contained in the acquired phone information when the database previously includes the model-specific program associated with the phone model information contained in the acquired phone information, and

(ii) the model-specific program associated with the program specification information being contained in the acquired phone information when the database does not previously include the model-specific program associated with the phone model information contained in the acquired phone information; and

means for executing the retrieved model-specific program by incorporating in the primary control program.

7. A method for resolving model-related constraint in a handsfree system including a handsfree apparatus and a phone coupled with the handsfree apparatus for a handsfree phone call,

the handsfree apparatus having a primary control program, a model-specific program, and a database,

the primary control program enabling the handsfree phone call,

the model-specific program being operated to resolve a model-dependent constraint by being incorporated in the primary control program, the model-dependent constraint arising in the handsfree apparatus when coupled with the phone,

the database storing (i) phone model information to specify a model of the phone and (ii) program specification information to specify the model-specific program independent of the phone model information, each of which being associated with the model-specific program,

the method comprising:

registering phone information with the phone, the registered phone information being enabled to contain program specification information as well as phone model information;

acquiring the phone information containing the phone model information and the program specification information from the phone coupled with the handsfree apparatus;

retrieving from the handsfree apparatus

(i) the model-specific program associated with the phone model information contained in the acquired phone information when the database previously includes the phone model information contained in the acquired phone information, and

(ii) the model-specific program associated with the program specification information contained in the acquired phone information when the database does not previously include the phone model information contained in the acquired phone information; and

executing the retrieved model-specific program by incorporating in the primary control program.