System for transmitting text message automatically while driving and method for the same

• US 9,578,478 B1
• Filed: 11/12/2015
• Issued: 02/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Inventors: Jo, Young Woon, Park, Seung Chang
• Primary Examiner(s): Sabouri, Mazda
• Application Number:
  US14/940,001
• Publication Number:
  US 20170064522A1
• Time in Patent Office: 467 Days
• 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: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• 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

Abstract

A method for transmitting a text message includes receiving, by a mobile communicator, the text message from an external terminal. Whether a vehicle is being driven is determined by a controller based on vehicle information including vehicle speed information. Whether a user of the external terminal is included in a first reply group is determined by the controller when the vehicle is being driven. Whether the user of the external terminal is included in a second reply group is determined by the controller when the user of the external terminal is included in the first reply group. A fixed response message is transmitted to the external terminal by the controller when the user of the external terminal is not included in the second reply group.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting a text message comprising:

receiving, by a mobile communicator, the text message from an external terminal;

determining, by a controller, whether a vehicle is being driven based on vehicle information including vehicle status information;

determining, by the controller, whether a user of the external terminal is included in a first reply group when the vehicle is being driven;

determining, by the controller, whether the user of the external terminal is included in a second reply group when the user of the external terminal is included in the first reply group;

transmitting, by the controller, a fixed response message to the external terminal when the user of the external terminal is not included in the second reply group;

determining whether response request information is extracted from the text message when the user of the external terminal is included in the second reply group;

generating a customized response message based on the response request information and the vehicle information when the response request information is extracted; and

transmitting the customized response message to the external terminal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle information further includes location information of the vehicle, destination information, and expected time of arrival information.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the fixed response message to the external terminal when the response request information is not extracted.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the response request information includes at least one of information for requesting a current location of a driver, information for requesting a destination, information for requesting an expected time of arrival, and information for requesting an immediate reply.

5. A system for transmitting a text message, comprising:

a mobile communicator configured to receive the text message from an external terminal;

a short range communicator configured to receive vehicle information including vehicle status information from a vehicle mounted device;

a memory configured to store a contact list in which a first reply group and a second reply group are set; and

a controller configured to determine whether a vehicle is being driven based on the vehicle information,

wherein when the vehicle is being driven, the controller determines whether a user of the external terminal is included in the first reply group,

wherein when the user of the external terminal is included in the first reply group, the controller determines whether the user of the external terminal is included in the second reply group,

wherein when the user of the external terminal is not included in the second reply group, the controller transmits a fixed response message to the external terminal,

wherein when the user of the external terminal is included in the second reply group, the controller determines whether response request information is extracted from the text message, and

wherein when the response request information is extracted, the controller generates a customized response message based on the response request information and the vehicle information and transmits the customized response message to the external terminal.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the vehicle information further includes location information of the vehicle, destination information, and expected time of arrival information.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein when the response request information is not extracted, the controller transmits the fixed response message to the external terminal.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the response request information includes at least one of information for requesting a current location of a driver, information for requesting a destination, information for requesting an expected time of arrival, and information for requesting an immediate reply.