In-vehicle communication system

• US 8,892,593 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2011
• Issued: 11/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Furuta, Seiichi
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Tuan C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kan, Yuri
• Application Number:
  US13/084,598
• Publication Number:
  US 20110258221A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,316 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/532, 701/36, 701/468, 701/469, 701/533, 707/769, 455/66.1, 455/77, 455/465.1, 455/550.1, 455/562.1, 455/412.1, 455/414.3, 455/532, 370/352, 340/903
• US Class Current: 707/769
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/046 involving vehicles, e.g. floating traffic data [FTD] or vehicle traffic prediction
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/48 for in-vehicle communication

Abstract

An in-vehicle communication system is disclosed. In the in-vehicle communication system, when a portable device has received a data request specifying a specific data from an in-vehicle apparatus, the portable device determines whether the portable device can receive the specific data from a center apparatus. When the portable device determines that the portable device cannot receive the specific data from the center apparatus and that the specific data is stored in a data storage area of the portable device, the portable device transmits the specific data stored in the data storage area to the in-vehicle apparatus.

Claims

1. An in-vehicle communication system comprising:

an in-vehicle apparatus mounted to a vehicle; and

a portable device capable of being carried by a passenger, wherein;

the in-vehicle apparatus and the portable device are configured to be directly communicable with each other at least when the portable device is carried into the vehicle;

the portable device is further configured to be communicable with a center apparatus;

the portable device includes a data storage area for storing information received from the center apparatus;

when the portable device receives from the in-vehicle apparatus, through direct communication with the in-vehicle apparatus, a data request specifying a specific data, the portable device determines whether the portable device is capable of receiving, from the center apparatus, a data reply containing the specific data specified by the data request;

when the portable device determines that the portable device is capable of receiving the data reply containing the specific data from the center apparatus,

the portable device receives the data reply containing the specific data from the center apparatus through communication with the center apparatus, and transmits the data reply containing the specific data to the in-vehicle apparatus, by direct communication with the in-vehicle apparatus, such that the in-vehicle apparatus receives the specific data from the center apparatus via the portable device and outputs the specific data;

when the portable device determines (i) that the portable device is not capable of receiving, from the center apparatus, the data reply containing the specific data specified by the data request, and (ii) that the specific data specified by the data request was received from the center apparatus and recorded in the data storage area of the portable device before the portable device had been carried into the vehicle,

the portable device transmits the specific data stored in the data storage area to the in-vehicle apparatus through direct communication with the in-vehicle apparatus, and the in-vehicle apparatus outputs the specific data when the in-vehicle apparatus receives the specific data from the portable device.

2. The in-vehicle communication system according to claim 1, wherein:

when the portable device determines that the portable device is capable of receiving, from the center apparatus, the data reply containing the specific data specified by the data request,

the portable device transmits the data request to the center apparatus.

3. The in-vehicle communication system according to claim 1, wherein:

when the portable device in the vehicle determines, upon receipt of the data request from the in-vehicle apparatus, that (i) the portable device is not capable of receiving, from the center apparatus, the data reply containing the specific data specified by the data request and (ii) the specific data specified by the data request was received from the center apparatus and recorded in the data storage area of the portable device before the portable device had been carried into the vehicle,

the portable device further transmits, to the in-vehicle apparatus, a time information indicating a time when the specific data was recorded in the storage area of the portable device, and

the in-vehicle apparatus outputs, upon receipt of the time information from the portable device, the time indicated by the time information.

4. The in-vehicle communication system according to claim 1, wherein:

the specific data, which the portable device receives from the center apparatus and transmits to the in-vehicle apparatus, is content provided by a content service provider.

5. The in-vehicle communication system according to claim 3, wherein:

the specific data, which the portable device receives from the center apparatus and transmits to the in-vehicle apparatus, is content provided by a content service provider.

6. The in-vehicle communication system according to claim 4, wherein:

the content, which the portable device receives from the center apparatus and transmits to the in-vehicle apparatus, includes news information or weather information.

7. The in-vehicle communication system according to claim 5, wherein:

the content, which the portable device receives from the center apparatus and transmits to the in-vehicle apparatus, includes news information or weather information.

8. The in-vehicle communication system according to claim 1, wherein:

the in-vehicle apparatus and the portable device directly communicate with each other by Bluetooth communication.