Devices, methods, and programs for identifying radio communication devices

• US 8,165,524 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2009
• Issued: 04/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Kazuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hai L
• Application Number:
  US12/385,504
• Publication Number:
  US 20090270034A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,111 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2, 455/67.11, 455/456.1, 455/456.3, 455/456.6, 455/461
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4541 Directories for service discovery
• 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: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

Devices, methods, and programs for identifying radio communication devices in a subject vehicle perform a first search and second search for radio communication devices in a vicinity of an in-vehicle device and store addresses of the radio communication devices identified by the first search and the second search. The devices, methods, and programs compare the addresses of the radio communication devices searched by the second search with the addresses of the radio communication devices searched by the first search, and determine that a particular radio communication device is inside the subject vehicle if that particular radio communication device'"'"'s address is identified by both the first search and the second search.

Claims

1. An in-vehicle device configured for installation in a subject vehicle, comprising:

a communication unit that performs a first search and second search to identify radio communication devices in a vicinity of the in-vehicle device;

a storage unit that stores addresses of the radio communication devices identified by the first search and the second search; and

controller that;

determines whether the subject vehicle is driving;

compares the addresses of the radio communication devices identified by the second search with the addresses of the radio communication devices identified by the first search; and

determines that a particular radio communication device is inside the subject vehicle if that particular radio communication device'"'"'s address is identified by both the first search and the second search;

wherein the controller causes the communication unit to perform the first search and the second search when it is determined that the subject vehicle is driving.

2. The in-vehicle device according to claim 1, wherein the controller:

is configured to regulate the use of radio communication devices while the subject vehicle is driving; and

only regulates the use of the particular radio communication devices determined to be inside the subject vehicle.

3. A navigation device comprising the in-vehicle device of claim 1.

4. A method for identifying radio communication devices in a subject vehicle, comprising:

determining whether the subject vehicle is driving;

when it is determined that the subject vehicle is driving, performing a first search and second search to identify radio communication devices in a vicinity of an in-vehicle device;

storing addresses of the radio communication devices identified by the first search and the second search;

comparing the addresses of the radio communication devices identified by the second search with the addresses of the radio communication devices identified by the first search; and

determining that a particular radio communication device is inside the subject vehicle if that particular radio communication device'"'"'s address is identified by both the first search and the second search.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising:

regulating the use of only the particular radio communication devices determined to be inside the subject vehicle.

6. A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer-executable program usable to identify radio communication devices in a subject vehicle, the program comprising:

instructions for determining whether the subject vehicle is driving;

instructions for, when it is determined that the subject vehicle is driving, performing a first search and second search to identify radio communication devices in a vicinity of the in-vehicle device;

instructions for storing addresses of the radio communication devices identified by the first search and the second search;

instructions for comparing the addresses of the radio communication devices identified by the second search with the addresses of the radio communication devices identified by the first search; and

instructions for determining that a particular radio communication devices is inside the subject vehicle if that particular radio communication device'"'"'s address is identified by both the first search and the second search.