Position detection for activation of device and methods thereof

• US 8,478,482 B2
• Filed: 03/10/2010
• Issued: 07/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan North America Incorporated (Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Tan, Adrian K.
• Primary Examiner(s): MARC-COLEMAN, MARTHE Y
• Application Number:
  US12/720,738
• Publication Number:
  US 20110224870A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,210 Days
• Field of Search: 701/36, 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.3, 455/569.1, 455/569.2, 455/553.1, 455/41.2, 455/99, 455/426.1, 455/404.2, 455/418, 455/95
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6091 including a wireless interface

Abstract

Embodiments of position detection devices for vehicles and methods of position detection are provided. One embodiment of a detection device comprises a wireless device inside a vehicle, a mobile communication device paired to the wireless device, such that the wireless device automatically activates when it senses the mobile communication device within an operable range of the wireless device, a position sensing system configured to generate an output indicative of the mobile communication device'"'"'s presence within the vehicle and a controller responsive to the output and configured to deactivate the wireless device when the output indicates that the mobile communication device'"'"'s presence is not within the vehicle but is still within the operable range.

Claims

1. A detection device for a vehicle comprising:

a wireless device inside a vehicle having a communication range;

a mobile communication device paired to the wireless device, such that the wireless device automatically activates upon sensing the mobile communication device within the communication range of the wireless device;

a position sensing system configured to detect the position of the mobile communication device with respect to the vehicle and to generate an output indicative of the mobile communication device'"'"'s presence within the vehicle; and

a controller responsive to the output and configured to deactivate the wireless device when the mobile communication device is within the communication range of the wireless device and the output indicates that the mobile communication device'"'"'s presence is not within the vehicle.

2. The detection device of claim 1, wherein the position sensing system comprises a mobile transmitter associated with the mobile communication device and a receiver located within the vehicle.

3. The detection device of claim 2, wherein the mobile transmitter is within the mobile communication device.

4. The detection device of claim 2, wherein the position sensing system comprises more than one mobile transmitter,

wherein the wireless device is paired with more than one mobile communication device, one mobile communication device associated with one of the more than one mobile transmitter,

wherein the receiver is configured to generate an output indicative of each mobile communication device'"'"'s presence within the vehicle, and

wherein the controller is further configured to deactivate the wireless device for each of the mobile communication devices having an associated output indicative that the mobile communication device'"'"'s presence is not within the vehicle.

5. The detection device of claim 2, further comprising:

a second mobile communication device paired to the wireless device, such that the wireless device automatically activates upon sensing the second mobile communication device within the communication range of the wireless device,

wherein the position sensing system is configured to generate a second output indicative of the second mobile communication device'"'"'s presence within the passenger compartment of the vehicle, and

wherein when the first output is received by the controller indicative of the presence of the first mobile communication device'"'"'s presence outside of the vehicle and the second output is received by the controller indicative of the second mobile communication device'"'"'s presence within the vehicle, the controller automatically deactivates the wireless device for the first mobile communication device and automatically activates the wireless device for the second mobile communication device.

6. The detection device of claim 2, wherein the mobile transmitter is associated with the mobile communication device by the position sensing system to estimate the location of the mobile communication device based on the detected position of the mobile transmitter.

7. The detection device of claim 6, further comprising:

a second mobile communication device paired to the wireless device, such that the wireless device automatically activates upon sensing the second mobile communication device within the communication range of the wireless device; and

a second mobile transmitter that is associated with the second mobile communication device by the position sensing system,

wherein the position sensing system is configured to generate a second output indicative of the second mobile communication device'"'"'s presence within the passenger compartment of the vehicle, and

wherein when the first output is received by the controller indicative of the presence of the first mobile communication device'"'"'s presence outside of the vehicle and the second output is received by the controller indicative of the second mobile communication device'"'"'s presence within the vehicle, the controller automatically deactivates the wireless device for the first mobile communication device and automatically activates the wireless device for the second mobile communication device.

8. The detection device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to provide a warning upon deactivation of the wireless device.

9. The detection device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to reactivate the wireless device if the controller receives output from the position sensing system that indicates the mobile communication device'"'"'s presence is within the vehicle.

10. A detection device for a vehicle comprising:

a wireless device inside a vehicle;

a mobile communication device paired to the wireless device, such that the wireless device automatically activates when it senses the mobile communication device within an operable range of the wireless device;

a position sensing system comprising more than one mobile transmitter and a receiver located within the vehicle configured to generate an output indicative of the mobile communication device'"'"'s presence within the vehicle; and

a controller responsive to the output and configured to deactivate the wireless device when the output indicates that the mobile communication device'"'"'s presence is not within the vehicle,

wherein the wireless device is paired with more than one mobile communication device, one mobile communication device associated with one of the more than one mobile transmitter,

wherein the receiver is configured to generate an output indicative of each mobile communication device'"'"'s presence within the vehicle,

wherein the controller is further configured to deactivate the wireless device for each of the mobile communication devices having an associated output indicative that the mobile communication device'"'"'s presence is not within the vehicle, and

wherein one of the more than one mobile communication devices is associated with a driver and the other of the more than one mobile communication devices is associated with passengers, and wherein when an output is received by the controller indicative of the presence of the driver'"'"'s mobile communication device'"'"'s presence outside of the vehicle, the controller deactivates the wireless device for the driver'"'"'s mobile communication device and activates the wireless device for the at least one of the passenger'"'"'s mobile communication device.

11. A method of detecting a device within a vehicle comprising:

detecting a first position of a mobile communication device with respect to a communication range of a wireless device of the vehicle;

detecting a second position of the mobile communication device with respect to the vehicle with a position sensing system;

using a controller, automatically pairing the wireless device with the mobile communication device when the first position detected indicates the mobile communication device is within the communication range of the wireless device, and the second position detected indicates the mobile communication device is located within the vehicle; and

automatically unpairing the wireless device when the first position detected indicates the mobile communication device is within the communication range of the wireless device, and the second position detected indicates the mobile communication device is located outside of the vehicle.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the position sensing system comprises a mobile transmitter associated with the mobile communication device and a receiver located within the vehicle, the receiver detecting a location of the mobile transmitter.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the position sensing system comprises more than one mobile transmitter,

wherein pairing of the wireless device occurs with more than one mobile communication device, one mobile communication device associated with one of the more than one mobile transmitter,

wherein detecting the first position and detecting the second position includes detecting the first position and detecting the second position of each mobile communication device, and

wherein unpairing the wireless device includes unpairing the wireless device for each of the mobile communication devices when those mobile communication device'"'"'s second position is not within the vehicle.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein one of the mobile communication devices is associated with a driver and the others are associated with passengers, and wherein when an output is received by the controller indicative of the driver'"'"'s mobile communication device'"'"'s second position being outside of the vehicle, unpairing of the wireless device includes unpairing of the wireless device for the driver and pairing of the wireless device for at least one of the passengers.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the mobile transmitter is within the mobile communication device.

16. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

providing a warning upon unpairing of the wireless device.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

associating the mobile transmitter with the mobile communication device by the position sensing system to estimate the location of the mobile communication device based on the detected position of the mobile transmitter.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

detecting a first position of a second mobile communication device with respect to the communication range of the wireless device of the vehicle;

detecting a second position of the second mobile communication device with respect to the vehicle with the position sensing system;

automatically unpairing the wireless from the first mobile communication device when the first position of the first mobile communication device is detected to be within the communication range of the wireless device and the second position of the first mobile communication device is detected to be outside of the vehicle; and

automatically pairing the wireless device with the second mobile communication device upon sensing the first position of the second mobile communication device being within the communication range of the wireless device and the second position of the second mobile communication device being within the vehicle.

19. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

automatically pairing again the wireless device upon receiving an output from the position sensing system that indicates the mobile communication device'"'"'s second position is within the vehicle.

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

detecting a first position of a second mobile communication device with respect to the communication range of the wireless device of the vehicle;

detecting a second position of the second mobile communication device with respect to the vehicle with the position sensing system;

automatically unpairing the wireless device from the first mobile communication device when the first position of the first mobile communication device is detected to be within the communication range of the wireless device and the second position of the first mobile communication device is detected to be outside of the vehicle; and

automatically pairing the wireless device with the second mobile communication device upon sensing the first position of the second mobile communication device being within the communication range of the wireless device and the second position of the second mobile communication device being within the vehicle.