In-vehicle handsfree apparatus

• US 8,204,550 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2009
• Issued: 06/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Saito, Soichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Cho, James H
• Application Number:
  US12/384,308
• Publication Number:
  US 20090253467A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,174 Days
• Field of Search: 455/569.1, 455/569.2, 455/345, 455/41.2, 455/41.3
• US Class Current: 455/569.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6091 including a wireless interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface

Abstract

While an in-vehicle handsfree apparatus establishes a connection of a handsfree profile (HFP) with a first cellular phone, an audio visual profile (AVP) connection with a second cellular phone is requested. In such a case, the handsfree apparatus once cuts the HFP connection with the first cellular phone, and then connects the AVP with the second cellular phone. This can prevent the handsfree apparatus from connecting the HFP with the first and second cellular phones at the same time.

Claims

1. An in-vehicle handsfree apparatus comprising:

a handsfree protocol connecting section configured to connect a handsfree communication protocol with a cellular phone compliant with a handsfree communication protocol for executing a handsfree communication using the cellular phone;

a data transfer protocol connecting section configured to connect a data transfer protocol with a cellular phone compliant with a data transfer protocol for executing a data transfer from the cellular phone; and

a control section configured,

in case that a connection request of a data transfer protocol with a second cellular phone among a plurality of cellular phones occurs when a handsfree communication protocol is connected with a first cellular phone among the plurality of cellular phones different than the first cellular phone,

to disconnect the handsfree communication protocol which has been connected with the first cellular phone and then connect a data transfer protocol with the second cellular phone using the data transfer protocol connecting section;

the control section being further configured,

when the handsfree communication protocol is connected with the second cellular phone by the handsfree protocol connecting section in conjunction with connecting the data transfer protocol with the second cellular phone by the data transfer protocol connecting section,

to connect only the handsfree communication protocol with the first cellular phone using the handsfree protocol connecting section after having disconnected only the handsfree communication protocol, which has been connected with the second cellular phone and maintaining the connection of the data transfer protocol with the second cellular phone.

2. A method for performing a data transfer in an in-vehicle handsfree apparatus capable of connecting a handsfree communication protocol simultaneously with a first cellular phone and a second cellular phone different than the first cellular phone, the method comprising:

connecting a handsfree communication protocol with the first cellular phone for executing a handsfree communication;

receiving a connection request of a data transfer protocol from the second cellular phone, which occurs in response to a user operation to instruct the second cellular phone to perform a data transfer to the in-vehicle handsfree apparatus;

disconnecting the handsfree communication protocol with the first cellular phone; and

connecting the data transfer protocol with the second cellular phone;

wherein

when the handsfree communication protocol is connected with the second cellular phone in conjunction with connecting the data transfer protocol with the second cellular phone,

only the handsfree communication protocol is connected with the first cellular phone after having disconnected only the handsfree communication protocol, which has been connected with the second cellular phone and the connection of the data transfer protocol with the second cellular phone is maintained.