Wireless communications system and method

• US 8,897,708 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2013
• Issued: 11/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Witkowski, Todd R., Dykema, Kurt A., Geerlings, Steven L., Zeinstra, Mark L.
• Primary Examiner(s): WEST, LEWIS G
• Application Number:
  US13/747,271
• Publication Number:
  US 20130130626A1
• Time in Patent Office: 672 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2, 455/41.3, 455/569.2, 455/344, 455/90.3, 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 455/557, 455/345
• US Class Current: 455/41.3
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10386 the interrogation device being of the portable or hand-handheld type, e.g. incorporated in ubiquitous hand-held devices such as PDA or mobile phone, or in the form of a portable dedicated RFID reader
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3822 specially adapted for use in vehicles H04B1/3827 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/26 at least one of which is mobile
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2609 Arrangements for range control, e.g. by using remote antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6041 Portable telephones adapted for handsfree use
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6091 including a wireless interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/44 for communication between vehicles and infrastructures, e.g. vehicle-to-cloud [V2C] or vehicle-to-home [V2H]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/48 for in-vehicle communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A system for communicating information facilitates wireless communication between electronic devices. The system includes a transceiver provided in a vehicle. The transceiver communicates with an electronic device located external to the transceiver using a Bluetooth communications standard.

Claims

1. A system for providing information from the Internet to an occupant of a vehicle, the system for use with a computing device configured to receive the information from the Internet via a first communications device, the computing device further including a first radio frequency transceiver, the vehicle including a vehicle display system mounted in the vehicle and configured to provide visual information to the occupant, and a vehicle audio system mounted in the vehicle and configured to provide audio information to the occupant, the system comprising:

a second radio frequency transceiver mounted in the vehicle and configured to communicate with the first radio frequency transceiver via a wireless communications link using a Bluetooth communication protocol, wherein the second radio frequency transceiver is configured to receive the information via the wireless communications link, wherein the computing device and the first radio frequency transceiver are located outside the vehicle; and

a memory device mounted in the vehicle and configured to receive the information from the second radio frequency transceiver;

wherein the vehicle audio system is configured to provide the audio information based on the information;

wherein the vehicle display system is configured to provide the visual information based on the information;

wherein the memory device is configured to store the information.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing device is located near, in, or on at least one of a gasoline pump, a kiosk, a road sign, a freeway overpass, a traffic light, and a point along a road or highway.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication link is automatically established when the first radio frequency transceiver is in proximity to the second radio frequency transceiver.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the information includes personalized information.

5. A system for communicating information retrieved from the Internet by a computing device to an occupant of a vehicle, the vehicle including a vehicle audio system and/or a vehicle display system, the system comprising:

a user interface mounted in the vehicle and linked for communication with the vehicle display system and/or the vehicle audio system; and

a first radio frequency transceiver mounted in the vehicle and in communication with the user interface circuit, wherein the first radio frequency transceiver is configured to receive the information from the computing device via a wireless communications link using a Bluetooth communication protocol, and

wherein the computing device is located outside the vehicle; and

memory mounted in the vehicle and associated with the vehicle display system and/or vehicle audio system, wherein the memory is configured to store the information after the information is received from the first radio frequency transceiver;

wherein the user interface is configured to allow the occupant of the vehicle to cause the display and/or play back of the information via the vehicle display system and/or the vehicle audio system.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the computing device is located near, in, or on at least one of a gasoline pump, a kiosk, a road sign, a freeway overpass, a traffic light, and a point along a road or highway.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the wireless communication link is automatically established when the first radio frequency transceiver is in proximity to the computing device.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the information includes personalized information.

9. A method for communicating information from the Internet to an occupant of a vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving the information from the Internet at a computing device located outside the vehicle;

establishing a high speed wireless communications link between a first radio frequency transceiver, located outside the vehicle, associated with the computing device and a second radio frequency transceiver mounted in the vehicle;

receiving the information at the second radio frequency transceiver from the first radio frequency transceiver using the high speed wireless communication link and a Bluetooth communication protocol;

storing the information received at the second radio frequency transceiver in a memory device mounted in the vehicle; and

playing back the information via a vehicle display system and/or vehicle audio system.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the computing device is located near, in, or on at least one of a gasoline pump, a kiosk, a road sign, a freeway overpass, a traffic light, and a point along a road or highway.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the wireless communication link is automatically established when the first radio frequency transceiver is in proximity to the second radio frequency transceiver.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the information includes personalized information.