Rearview assemblies incorporating hands-free telephone components

• US 8,787,590 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2007
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Watson, Alan R., Bryson, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Paul, Disler
• Application Number:
  US11/849,527
• Publication Number:
  US 20070291383A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,513 Days
• Field of Search: 381/86, 381/92, 381/122, 381/71.1, 381/71.6, 381/72, 381/74, 381/370, 455/569.2, 455/462, 455/41.2, 455/463, 379/454
• US Class Current: 381/86
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1284 with communication systems other than radio-receivers, e.g. keyless entry systems, navigation systems; with anti-collision systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/182 for mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6091 including a wireless interface

Abstract

The rearview assembly of the present invention may include any one or more of the following: a housing for attaching to the vehicle, the housing may define an interior space that is acoustically separated into at least two chambers; a first speaker that may be located in a first one of the at least two chambers of the interior space of the housing; a first microphone subassembly located on the top surface of the housing; a second microphone subassembly located on the bottom surface of the housing; a display positioned in the housing; an audio/data transceiver for transmitting and receiving audio and data signals to/from a portable device; and a control circuit for determining whether a portable device having a predetermined identification code is within the range of the audio/data transceiver, and for exchanging data with the portable device through the audio/data transceiver.

Claims

1. A vehicle rearview assembly for providing an image of a scene to the rear of the driver of the vehicle, said rearview assembly comprising:

a mounting structure for mounting to the vehicle;

an audio/data transceiver for transmitting and receiving audio and data signals to/from a portable telephone;

at least one hands-free microphone associated with said mounting structure for providing an audio signal to said audio/data transceiver;

a control circuit coupled to said audio/data transceiver, said control circuit determines whether a portable telephone having a predetermined identification code is within the range of said audio/data transceiver and exchanges data with the portable telephone through said audio/data transceiver causing the portable telephone to automatically disable its microphone, wherein said control circuit selectively enables said hands-free microphone associated with said mounting structure when the portable telephone is within range of said audio/data transceiver for enabling speech to be picked up by said hands-free microphone and transmitted to the portable telephone through said audio/data transceiver; and

wherein said controller is operative in a pairing mode and an operational mode, during the pairing mode, said controller searches for, discovers and acquires a unique identification code of a device with which said audio/data transceiver is to be paired, during the operational mode, said controller determines whether a device having the unique identification code is within the range of said audio/data transceiver and exchanges data with the device through said audio/data transceiver, also during the operational mode, said controller prevents the exchange of certain data with detected devices that are not paired with said audio/data transceiver.

2. The vehicle rearview assembly of claim 1, wherein said control circuit exchanges data with the portable telephone through the audio/data transceiver to enable audio signals from a called/calling party that are received through the portable telephone to be transmitted through said audio/data transceiver and played back over a speaker of the vehicle.

3. The vehicle rearview assembly of claim 2, wherein said control circuit exchanges data with the portable telephone through the audio and data transceiver causing the portable telephone to disable its speaker.

4. The vehicle rearview assembly of claim 1, wherein, during a telephone call through the portable telephone, said control circuit selectively enables said hands-free microphone when the portable telephone is within range of said audio/data transceiver.

5. The vehicle rearview assembly of claim 4 and further including a call transfer switch coupled to said control circuit, wherein said control circuit enables said hands-free microphone in response to an activation of said call transfer switch.

6. The vehicle rearview assembly of claim 4, wherein, during a telephone call through the portable telephone, said control circuit enables said hands-free microphone and disables the microphone of the portable telephone as soon as said control circuit detects that the vehicle is moving.

7. The vehicle rearview assembly of claim 4, wherein, during a telephone call through the portable telephone, said control circuit enables said hands-free microphone as soon as said control circuit detects that a person using the portable telephone is within the vehicle.

8. The vehicle rearview assembly of claim 1, wherein said control circuit is configured to exchange data with more than one portable telephone through said audio/data transceiver.

9. The vehicle rearview assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one microphone includes:

a first microphone located on a top surface of a mirror housing; and

a second microphone located on a bottom surface of said mirror housing.

10. A rearview assembly for a vehicle comprising:

a housing for attachment to the vehicle;

a display positioned in said housing;

an audio/data transceiver associated with said housing for receiving wireless audio and data signals from a first communications device proximate the vehicle;

a controller positioned in said housing and coupled to said display and said audio/data transceiver, said controller controls said display for indicating the presence of a wireless connection by displaying the signal strength of a second communications device in communication with the first communications device located proximate the audio/data transceiver;

wherein the first communications device and second communications device communicate via a second wireless connection in a wireless telephone network; and

wherein said controller is operative in a pairing mode and an operational mode, during the pairing mode, said controller searches for, discovers and acquires a unique identification code of a device with which said audio/data transceiver is to be paired, during the operational mode, said controller determines whether a device having the unique identification code is within the range of said audio/data transceiver and exchanges data with the device through said audio/data transceiver, also during the operational mode, said controller prevents the exchange of certain data with detected devices that are not paired with said audio/data transceiver.

11. The rearview assembly of claim 10, wherein said display is configured to display the identity of the device to which a wireless connection is made.

12. The rearview assembly of claim 10 and further comprising a hands-free microphone associated with said mounting structure for providing an audio signal to said audio/data transceiver.

13. The rearview assembly of claim 10, wherein said display is configured to display the identity of a device with which said audio/data transceiver is paired.

14. The vehicle rearview assembly of claim 10, further comprising:

a first microphone located on a top surface of a mirror housing; and

a second microphone located on a bottom surface of said mirror housing.

15. A vehicle rearview assembly for providing an image of a scene to the rear of the driver of the vehicle, said rearview assembly comprising:

a mounting structure for mounting to the vehicle;

a display;

an audio/data transceiver associated with said mounting structure for transmitting and receiving wireless audio and data signals to/from a portable device having a similar audio/data transceiver;

a control circuit coupled to said audio/data transceiver, said control circuit being operative in a pairing mode and an operational mode, during the pairing mode, said control circuit searches for, discovers and acquires a unique identification code of a portable device with which said audio/data transceiver is to be paired, during the operational mode, said control circuit determines whether a portable device having the unique identification code is within the range of said audio/data transceiver and exchanges data with the portable device through said audio/data transceiver, also during the operational mode, said control circuit prevents the exchange of certain data with detected portable devices that are not paired with said audio/data transceiver; and

wherein operation in the pairing mode is indicated by displaying the signal strength of a wireless telephone network connection in communication with the portable device on said display.

16. A vehicle rearview assembly for providing an image of a scene to the rear of the driver of the vehicle, said rearview assembly comprising:

a mounting structure for mounting to the vehicle;

an audio/data transceiver for transmitting and receiving audio and data signals to/from a portable telephone;

a hands-free microphone associated with the mounting structure for providing an audio signal to said audio/data transceiver; and

a control circuit coupled to the audio/data transceiver, said control circuit determines whether portable telephones having predetermined identification codes are within the range of the audio/data transceiver, said control circuit being configured to establish a priority amongst the portable telephones for use of said hands-free microphone, said control circuit exchanges data with the portable telephones through said audio/data transceiver causing the portable telephone with the highest priority to automatically disable its microphone, wherein said control circuit enables speech to be picked up by said hands-free microphone and transmitted to the portable telephone with the highest priority through said audio/data transceiver.

17. The rearview assembly of claim 16, wherein said display is configured to display the identities of all of the portable telephones having predetermined identification codes that are within the range of the audio/data transceiver.

18. The rearview assembly of claim 16, wherein said control circuit is operative in a pairing mode and an operational mode, during the pairing mode, said control circuit searches for, discovers and acquires a unique identification code of a portable telephone with which said audio/data transceiver is to be paired, during the operational mode, said control circuit determines whether a portable telephone having the unique identification code is within the range of said audio/data transceiver and exchanges data with the portable telephone through said audio/data transceiver, also during the operational mode, said control circuit prevents the exchange of certain data with detected portable devices that are not paired with said audio/data transceiver.