Portable electronic device and method of operation

• US 8,260,247 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2010
• Issued: 09/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Lazaridis, Mihal, Winkler, Michael Thomas, Pattenden, Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): MIZRAHI, DIANE D
• Application Number:
  US12/840,370
• Publication Number:
  US 20120021777A1
• Time in Patent Office: 776 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.4
• US Class Current: 455/400
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/48 for in-vehicle communication

Abstract

A method and portable electronic device for hands-free operation in a motor vehicle are described. In accordance with one embodiment, there is provided a method comprising: detecting when a portable electronic device is within a threshold distance of a motor vehicle; and inhibiting the portable electronic device from transmitting communications when the portable electronic device is within the threshold distance of a motor vehicle.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting when a portable electronic device is within a threshold distance of a motor vehicle;

inhibiting the portable electronic device from transmitting communications when the portable electronic device is within the threshold distance of a motor vehicle;

inhibiting hands-on operation of the portable electronic device after engaging hands-free operation;

re-establishing hands-on operation of the portable electronic device when input to re-establish hands-on operation is received.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the input comprises bypass information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the input comprises a first code when the portable electronic device is in hands-free operation, wherein the input is a second code when the portable electronic device is not in hands-free operation.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

when in hands-free operation and the input is entered is less time than a first time threshold, re-establishing hands-on operation;

when not in hands-free operation and the input is entered in less time than a second time threshold, re-establishing hands-on operation;

wherein the first time threshold is shorter than the second time threshold.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising, before re-establishing hands-on operation when the portable electronic device is in hands-free operation, wherein hands-on operation is re-established when confirmation input is detected.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

when a hands-free device is detected, disconnecting any active connection via a short-range wireless communication path, connecting the portable electronic device to the hands-free device via the short-range wireless communication path, engaging hands-free operation between the portable electronic device and the hands-free device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the detecting comprises:

receiving an identifier of the hands-free device;

comparing the identifier to one or more identifiers of hands-free devices;

detecting the hands-free device when the received identifier includes one of the one or more identifiers of hands-free devices.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the received identifier is a device name.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the received identifier is a Media Access Control address.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the detecting comprises:

receiving an incoming connection request from a wireless device via the short-range wireless communication path;

detecting the hands-free device when an input is received during the incoming connection request.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the input comprises information received from a near field communication (NFC) device.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein the detecting comprises:

receiving an incoming connection request from a wireless device via the short-range wireless communication path;

detecting the hands-free device when location information includes a location associated with a motor vehicle.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the location information comprises a location of a nearest base station of a long-range wireless communication network associated with the portable electronic device.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the location information comprises a location of the portable electronic device.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising pairing the portable electronic device with the hands-free device, the pairing including:

receiving identifying information from the hands-free device on the portable electronic device;

receiving data specifying whether the hands-free device is associated with a motor vehicle;

storing the identifying information and the data in the portable electronic device.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

inhibiting the portable electronic device from transmitting communications when at least one calendar criterion is met;

when a hands-free device is detected, performing at least one of;

disconnecting any active connection via the short-range wireless communication path, connecting to the hands-free device via the short-range wireless communication path, and engaging hands-free operation between the portable electronic device and the hands-free device.

17. A method comprising:

detecting a hands-free device associated with a motor vehicle;

when the hands-free device is detected, disconnecting, by a portable electronic device, any active short-range wireless connection between the portable electronic device and another electronic device via a short-range wireless communication path;

connecting the portable electronic device to the hands-free device via the short-range wireless communication path.

18. A method comprising:

detecting when a motor vehicle is within a threshold distance of a portable electronic device;

inhibiting the portable electronic device from transmitting communications when the motor vehicle is within the threshold distance of the portable electronic device.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the detecting comprises detecting when the portable electronic device is outside the motor vehicle.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the detecting comprises detecting when the portable electronic device crosses the threshold distance.