In-vehicle handsfree apparatus

• US 8,560,022 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2007
• Issued: 10/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Ozaki, Takahisa
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Junpeng
• Application Number:
  US11/906,978
• Publication Number:
  US 20080085745A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,203 Days
• Field of Search: 455/569.1, 455/569.2, 455/563, 455/564, 455/575.9, 379/88.03, 340/618
• US Class Current: 455/569.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/26 at least one of which is mobile
• 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 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces

Abstract

If a cellular phone with which a communication link is established is compliant with PBAP (Phone Book Access Profile), an in-vehicle navigation apparatus with a handsfree function stores and arranges, in a work memory device, phone book data transmitted automatically from the cellular phone. Thus, the newest phone book data can be made available. On the other hand, if the cellular phone is not compliant with PBAP, the in-vehicle navigation apparatus stores and arranges, in the work memory device, phone book data, which are presently stored in a storage memory device. Thus, if the presently stored phone book data, which are not newest, are desirable, they can be made available.

Claims

1. An in-vehicle handsfree apparatus comprising:

a communication unit configured to establish a communication link with either a cellular phone compliant with a communication protocol or a cellular phone noncompliant with the communication protocol, the communication protocol specifying automatic transmission of phone book data;

a first storing unit configured to store phone book data transmitted from a cellular phone;

a second storing unit configured to store phone book data transmitted from a cellular phone; and

a control unit configured to retrieve phone book data which are stored in the first storing unit in cases that a request for using phone book data occurs, wherein;

the control unit executes a determination as to whether a certain cellular phone, with which the communication unit establishes the communication link, is compliant with the communication protocol;

in cases that the control unit makes a first determination that the certain cellular phone is compliant, the control unit stores and arranges, in the first storing unit, phone book data, which are transmitted automatically from the certain cellular phone based on the communication protocol specifying automatic transmission of the phone book data; and

in cases that the control unit makes a second determination that the certain cellular phone is not compliant and determines that the second storing unit stores phone book data at a time when the second determination is made, the control unit stores and arranges, in the first storing unit, the phone book data, which are stored in the second storing unit at the time when the second determination is made.

2. The in-vehicle handsfree apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

in cases that the control unit makes the second determination that the certain cellular phone is not compliant and determines that the second storing unit stores phone book data at the time when the second determination is made,

the control unit stores and arranges in the first storing unit the phone book data, which are stored in the second storing unit, and asks a user whether to transmit phone book data; and

in cases that the user selects transmitting phone book data,

the control unit demands transmission of phone book data from the certain cellular phone, and stores and arranges the phone book data which are transmitted from the certain cellular phone in the first storing unit and the second storing unit.

3. The in-vehicle handsfree apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

in cases that the control unit makes the second determination that the certain cellular phone is not compliant and determines that the second storing unit does not store the phone book data at the time the second determination is made,

the control unit asks a user whether to transmit phone book data; and

in cases that the user selects transmitting phone book data,

the control unit

demands transmission of phone book data from the certain cellular phone, and

stores and arranges phone book data, which are transmitted from the certain cellular phone, in the first storing unit and the second storing unit.

4. The in-vehicle handsfree apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the control unit asks a user whether to transmit phone book data from the certain cellular phone, in cases that the control unit makes the second determination that the certain cellular phone is not compliant.

5. The in-vehicle handsfree apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the control unit asks a user whether to transmit phone book data from the certain cellular phone, in cases that the control unit makes the second determination that the certain cellular phone is not compliant and determines that the second storing unit does not store the phone book data at the time the second determination is made.

6. An in-vehicle handsfree apparatus comprising:

a communication unit configured to establish a communication link with either a first cellular phone compliant with a communication protocol or a second cellular phone noncompliant with the communication protocol, the communication protocol specifying automatic transmission of phone book data;

a first storing unit configured to store phone book data transmitted from the first cellular phone or the second cellular phone;

a second storing unit configured to store phone book data transmitted from the first cellular phone or the second cellular phone; and

a control unit configured to use the phone book data stored in the first storing unit when a request for using phone book data occurs,

the control unit determining whether a certain cellular phone, with which the communication unit establishes the communication link, is compliant with the communication protocol;

wherein

(i) when determining that the certain cellular phone is compliant, the control unit stores and arranges, in the first storing unit, phone book data, which are transmitted automatically from the certain cellular phone based on the communication protocol;

(ii) when determining that the certain cellular phone is not compliant and determining that the second storing unit presently stores phone book data,

the control unit stores and arranges, in the first storing unit, the phone book data, which are presently stored in the second storing unit and asks a user whether to transmit phone book data; and

(iii) when the user selects transmitting phone book data,

the control unit demands transmission of the phone book data from the certain cellular phone, and stores and arranges the phone book data transmitted from the certain cellular phone in the first storing unit and the second storing unit.

7. The in-vehicle handsfree apparatus according to claim 6, wherein:

the control unit asks a user whether to transmit phone book data from the certain cellular phone, when determining that the certain cellular phone is not compliant and determining that the second storing unit presently does not store phone book data.

8. An in-vehicle handsfree apparatus comprising:

a communication unit configured to establish a communication link with a cellular phone compliant or noncompliant with a communication protocol, which specifies automatic transmission of phone book data;

a determination unit configured to execute a determination as to whether a cellular phone, with which the communication link is established, is compliant with the communication protocol specifying automatic transmission of phone book data, the determination being executed without any intervention of a user after the communication link is established; and

a control unit configured to,

in cases that the determination unit makes a first determination that the cellular phone is compliant, display and make available phone book data, which are transmitted automatically from the cellular phone, and

in cases that the determination unit makes a second determination that the cellular phone is not compliant, display and make available phone book data, which are previously stored in the in-vehicle handsfree apparatus, at a time when the second determination that the cellular phone is not compliant is made.

9. The in-vehicle handsfree apparatus according to claim 8,

the control unit being further configured to ask a user whether to transmit phone book data from the cellular phone, in cases that the determination unit makes the second determination that the cellular phone is not compliant.

10. The in-vehicle handsfree apparatus according to claim 8,

the control unit being further configured to ask a user whether to transmit phone book data from the cellular phone, in cases that the determination unit makes the second determination that the cellular phone is not compliant, and determines that phone book data are not previously stored in the in-vehicle handsfree apparatus at a time when the second determination that the cellular phone is not compliant is made.

11. A method for using phone book data of a cellular phone in a handsfree apparatus, the method comprising:

establishing a communication link with a cellular phone compliant or noncompliant with a communication protocol, which specifies automatic transmission of phone book data;

executing a determination as to whether the cellular phone, with which the communication link is established, is compliant with the communication protocol specifying automatic transmission of phone book data, the determination being executed without any intervention of a user after the communication link is established;

displaying and making available phone book data, which are transmitted automatically from the cellular phone, in cases that a first determination that the cellular phone is compliant is made; and

displaying and making available phone book data, which are previously stored in the handsfree apparatus at a time when a second determination that the cellular phone is not compliant is made.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

asking a user whether to transmit phone book data from the cellular phone when the second determination that the cellular phone is not compliant is made.

13. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

asking a user whether to transmit phone book data from the cellular phone, in cases that the second determination that the cellular phone is not compliant is made and it is determined that phone book data are not previously stored in the in-vehicle handsfree apparatus at the time when the second determination that the cellular phone is not compliant is made.

14. An in-vehicle handsfree apparatus comprising:

a communication unit configured to establish a communication link with either a cellular phone compliant with a communication protocol or a cellular phone noncompliant with the communication protocol, the communication protocol specifying automatic transmission of phone book data;

a control unit configured to enable making a phone call using phone book data in cases that a request for using phone book data occurs,

wherein;

(i) in cases that a first determination is made, without any intervention of a user after the communication link is established, such that a cellular phone with which the communication link is established is compliant with the communication protocol specifying automatic transmission of phone book data,

the control unit enables making a phone call using phone book data which are automatically transmitted from the cellular phone based on the communication protocol specifying automatic transmission of phone book data, according to the request for using phone book data; and

(ii) in cases that a second determination is made, without any intervention of the user after the communication link is established, such that a cellular phone with which the communication link is established is not compliant with the communication protocol specifying automatic transmission of phone book data,

the control unit enables making a phone call using phone data which are stored in a storing unit in the in-vehicle handsfree apparatus at a time when the second determination is made such that the cellular phone with which the communication link is established is not compliant with the communication protocol specifying automatic transmission of phone book data, according to the request for using phone book data.

15. The in-vehicle handsfree apparatus according to claim 14, wherein:

in cases that the second determination is made, without any intervention of the user after the communication link is established, such that the cellular phone with which the communication link is established is not compliant with the communication protocol specifying automatic transmission of phone book data,

the control unit asks a user whether to transmit phone book data from the cellular phone.

16. The in-vehicle handsfree apparatus according to claim 14, wherein:

in cases that the second determination is made, without any intervention of the user after the communication link is established, such that the cellular phone with which the communication link is established is not compliant with the communication protocol and it is determined that phone data are not stored in the storing unit in the in-vehicle handsfree apparatus at the time when the second determination is made such that the cellular phone with which the communication link is established is not compliant with the communication protocol,

the control unit asks a user whether to transmit phone book data from the cellular phone with which the communication link is established.

17. A method for using phone book data of a cellular phone in a handsfree apparatus, the method comprising:

establishing a communication link with a cellular phone;

executing, when the communication link is established with the cellular phone, a determination as to whether the cellular phone is compliant with a communication protocol, which specifies automatic transmission of phone book data, the determination being executed without any intervention of a user after the communication link is established;

enabling making a phone call using phone book data, which are automatically transmitted from the cellular phone at a time when a first determination is made such that the cellular phone with which the communication link is established is compliant with the communication protocol specifying automatic transmission of phone book data according to a request for using phone book data; and

enabling making a phone call using phone data, which are stored in a storing unit in the handsfree apparatus at a time when a second determination is made such that the cellular phone with which the communication link is established is not compliant with the communication protocol specifying automatic transmission of phone book data, according to a request for using phone book data.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising:

asking a user whether to transmit phone book data from the cellular phone with which the communication link is established, in cases that the second determination is made such that the cellular phone with which the communication link is established is not compliant with the communication protocol specifying automatic transmission of phone book data.

19. The method according to claim 17, further comprising:

asking a user whether to transmit phone book data from the cellular phone with which the communication link is established, in cases that the second determination is made such that the cellular phone with which the communication link is established is not compliant with the communication protocol specifying automatic transmission of phone book data and it is determined that phone book data are not stored in the in-vehicle handsfree apparatus at the time when the second determination that the cellular phone is not compliant is made.