Hands-free apparatus for vehicle and method of controlling the same

• US 9,392,091 B2
• Filed: 10/20/2015
• Issued: 07/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Inventors: Choi, Hyun Woo
• Primary Examiner(s): REGO, DOMINIC E
• Application Number:
  US14/918,120
• Publication Number:
  US 20160112556A1
• Time in Patent Office: 266 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: H04W 76/30 Connection release
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A method of controlling a hands-free system for a vehicle includes connecting with a cellular phone through local area communication. A call conversation state is entered when a hands-free function activates. A call termination command is received from a driver. A call termination message is transmitted to the connected cellular phone. When a success message is not received from the connected cellular phone in response to the call termination message, the call termination message is retransmitted by a preset number of times until the success message is received.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a hands-free system for a vehicle, the method comprising:

connecting with a cellular phone through local area communication;

entering a call conversation state when a hands-free function activates;

receiving a call termination command from a driver;

transmitting a call termination message to the connected cellular phone; and

retransmitting, when a success message is not received from the connected cellular phone in response to the call termination message, the call termination message by a preset number of times until the success message is received.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising compulsively transiting the call conversation state to a call termination state when the success message is not received from the connected cellular phone after the call termination message is retransmitted by the preset number of times.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising outputting a media sound or a navigation guidance voice after the step of compulsive transiting.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of retransmitting is performed upon receiving an error message from the connected cellular phone in response to an immediately transmitted call termination message.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of retransmitting is performed when a response to an immediately transmitted call termination message is not received for a predetermined time period or more from the connected cellular phone.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the success message indicates that the connected cellular phone terminates a call normally with a base station.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising shutting off an output of media sound or an output of navigation guidance voice during the call conversation state.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the call conversation state is maintained until the success message is received.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the hands-free system comprises an audio/video/navigation (AVN) system.

10. A hands-free system for a vehicle, comprising:

a local area communicator configured to exchange a signal with a cellular phone through local area communication;

a user input configured to receive a call termination command from a driver during a call conversation state after a hands-free function is activated; and

a controller configured to control the local area communicator to transmit a call termination message to the cellular phone connected with the local area communication upon receiving the call termination command, and to control the local area communicator to retransmit, when a success message is not received from the connected cellular phone in response to the call termination message, the call termination message by a preset number of times until the success message is received.

11. The hands-free system according to claim 10, wherein the controller compulsively transits the call conversation state to a call termination state when the success message is not received from the connected cellular phone after the call termination message is retransmitted by the preset number of times.

12. The hands-free system according to claim 11, wherein the controller starts outputting a media sound or navigation guidance voice after the controller compulsive transits the call conversation state.

13. The hands-free system according to claim 10, wherein the controller retransmits the call termination message upon receiving an error message from the connected cellular phone in response to an immediately transmitted call termination message.

14. The hands-free system according to claim 10, wherein the controller retransmits the call termination message when a response to an immediately transmitted call termination message is not received for a predetermined time period or more from the connected cellular phone.

15. The hands-free system according to claim 10, wherein the success message indicates that the connected cellular phone terminates call termination normally with a base station.

16. The hands-free system according to claim 10, further comprising a speaker for outputting a media sound or navigation guidance voice,

wherein the controller shuts off the media sound or navigation guidance voice output through the speaker during the call conversation state.

17. The hands-free system according to claim 10, wherein the preset number of times is 10 times.

18. The hands-free system according to claim 10, wherein the controller maintains the call conversation state until the success message is received before the call termination message is retransmitted by the preset number of times.

19. The hands-free system according to claim 10, wherein the controller includes an AVN system.

20. An audio/video/navigation (AVN) system for a vehicle for providing a hands-free function, the AVN system comprising:

a Bluetooth module paired with a cellular phone and configured to exchange a signal with the cellular phone;

a controller configured to execute the hands-free function with respect to a call performed through the paired cellular phone; and

a user input configured to receive a call termination command from a driver during a call conversation state when the hands-free function is executed,

wherein the controller controls the Bluetooth module to transmit a call termination message to the cellular phone upon receiving the call termination command, and to control a local area communicator to retransmit, when a success message is not received from the cellular phone in response to the call termination message, the call termination message by a preset number of times until the success message is received.