Device for coupling a mobile communications unit with a motor vehicle

• US 10,165,099 B2
• Filed: 08/09/2016
• Issued: 12/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: Kohnke, Axel, Frauenfelder, Rainer
• Primary Examiner(s): Bilodeau, David
• Application Number:
  US15/232,242
• Publication Number:
  US 20170048368A1
• Time in Patent Office: 868 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0241 for telephones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0007 Mid-console
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0014 Arm-rests
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0294 Apparatus with multi-functionalities, e.g. radio and telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6091 including a wireless interface
• 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 device for coupling a mobile communications unit with a motor vehicle may be placed between a driver seat and a passenger seat of the motor vehicle and includes a surface on which the mobile communications unit may be placed. An antenna is adapted to emit and/or receive a radio signal for the near field communication with the mobile communications unit.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a device adapted to couple a mobile communications unit with a motor vehicle including a front and rear row of seats, the device being adapted to be placed between a driver seat and a passenger seat of the motor vehicle, the device including;

an antenna adapted to emit and/or receive a radio signal for near field communication with the mobile communications unit;

a center armrest adapted to support an arm of a person seated in the driver seat or the passenger seat accessible to passengers sitting in the front and rear row of seats, the antenna being embedded in a padding material of the center armrest in sufficient proximity to an upper surface of the armrest, such that near field communication with the mobile communication unit that is held or positioned adjacent to the upper surface of center armrest is enabled; and

a surface adapted to accommodate a second mobile device;

wherein the antenna is provided on a carrier, arranged in the center armrest;

wherein the rigidity of the carrier is greater than the rigidity of a padding material of the center armrest;

wherein the surface is provided beneath the center armrest; and

wherein, the antenna is situated within the center armrest such that both the mobile device held or positioned adjacent to the upper surface of center armrest and the second mobile device held or positioned adjacent to the surface are in sufficient proximity for near field communication with the antenna.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the radio signal has a frequency of under 100 MHz.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the antenna is arranged at a vertically upper or vertically lower position of the center armrest when a support area of the center armrest for the art of the person is in a horizontal position.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the antenna is provided on a carrier having greater rigidity than the antenna, the carrier being disposed between the antenna and an exterior material of the center armrest that has a lowest vertical clearance from the antenna when the support area is in the horizontal position.

5. The system according to claim 3, wherein the antenna is provided on a carrier having greater rigidity than the antenna, the carrier being disposed on an external surface of the center armrest.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the device includes a separate control unit coupled with the antenna and adapted to transmit a signal to the mobile communications unit via the antenna or to receive a signal from the mobile communications unit.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the control unit is adapted to control a charge device, the charge device being adapted to supply energy to charge an energy store of the mobile communications device in a wireless manner, and/or to control a coupling device adapted to couple an external antenna of the motor vehicle with an antenna of the mobile communications unit.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the control unit is provided on a center console tunnel of the motor vehicle.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the center armrest is provided on the center console tunnel in a manner that allows the center armrest to move.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the charge device is located vertically below a position of the antenna on the center console tunnel.

11. The system according to claim 6, wherein the control unit is adapted to transmit a control signal via the antenna or a second antenna coupled with the control unit and adapted to emit a second radio signal for a second communications technology, the control signal inducing the mobile communications unit to start a predefined application.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the second communications technology complies with the IEEE 802.15.1 standard or a standard of the IEEE 802.11 standard family of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

13. A motor vehicle, comprising the system recited in claim 1.

14. The motor vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the radio signal has a frequency of under 100 MHz.

15. The motor vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the antenna is arranged at a vertically upper or vertically lower position of the center armrest when a support area of the center armrest for the arm of the person is in a horizontal position.

16. The motor vehicle according to claim 15, wherein the antenna is provided on a carrier having greater rigidity than the antenna, the carrier being disposed between the antenna and an exterior material of the center armrest that has a lowest vertical clearance from the antenna when the support area is in the horizontal position.

17. The motor vehicle according to claim 15, wherein the antenna is provided on a carrier having greater rigidity than the antenna, the carrier being disposed on an external surface of the center armrest.

18. The motor vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the device includes a separate control unit coupled with the antenna and adapted to transmit a signal to the mobile communications unit via the antenna or to receive a signal from the mobile communications unit.

19. The motor vehicle according to claim 18, wherein the control unit is adapted to control a charge device, the charge device being adapted to supply energy to charge an energy store of the mobile communications device in a wireless manner, and/or to control a coupling device adapted to couple an external antenna of the motor vehicle with an antenna of the mobile communications unit.

20. The motor vehicle according to claim 19, wherein the control unit is provided on a center console tunnel of the motor vehicle.

21. The motor vehicle according to claim 20, wherein the center armrest is provided on the center console tunnel in a manner that allows the center armrest to move.

22. The motor vehicle according to claim 21, wherein the charge device is located vertically below a position of the antenna on the center console tunnel.

23. The motor vehicle according to claim 18, wherein the control unit is adapted to transmit a control signal via the antenna or a second antenna coupled with the control unit and adapted to emit a second radio signal for a second communications technology, the control signal inducing the mobile communications unit to start a predefined application.

24. The motor vehicle according to claim 23, wherein the second communications technology complies with the IEEE 802.15.1 standard or a standard of the IEEE 802.11 standard family of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).