Exporting controls to an external device connected to a portable phone system

• US 20020032042A1
• Filed: 09/14/2001
• Published: 03/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cellport Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Cellport Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Serafin, Daniel Jr., Durian, Michael B., Poplawsky, Ralph C.
• Application Number:
  US09/952,958
• Publication Number:
  US 20020032042A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/564
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0241 for telephones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0071 using latches, clips, clamps, straps or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0075 using a containment or docking space
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0078 Quick-disconnect two-parts mounting means
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3877 Arrangements for enabling portable transceivers to be used in a fixed position, e.g. cradles or boosters
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/271 controlled by voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6091 including a wireless interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72406 by software upgrading or downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72433 for voice messaging, e.g. dictaphones for answering incoming calls H04M1/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/74 with voice recognition means voice activated dialling H04M1/271; voice recognition algorithms G10L15/00

Abstract

Wireless communications relative to a vehicle using a wireless communications device, a pocket for holding the wireless communication device and a docking station in communication with the pocket are provided. The pocket can include a processor for translating communications between the wireless communications device and the docking station. The docking station has processing capability and can communicate with different pockets and thereby different wireless communications devices. An external subsystem running an application can be interconnected to the wireless communications device via the adaptor and the docking station. In particular, the docking station provides a standardized interface that can be used to conduct communications between the external device and the docking station. In addition, the docking station provides a voice recognition function to allow a user to control the operation of an external device and/or a wireless communications device using voice commands.

Claims

1. A method for providing control commands to an external device, comprising:

activating in a docking station a voice recognition menu;

receiving at said docking station a first audible signal;

converting said first audible signal to at least a first digital signal;

providing said at least a first digital signal to said external device;

receiving at said docking station, a second digital signal;

in response to receiving said second digital signal, selecting at least a first wireless communications device control command and formatting said at least a first wireless communications device control command according to a command protocol to create a third signal;

providing said third signal to a wireless communications device;

receiving at said docking station digital data from at least one of said external device and said wireless communications device; and

passing said digital data to at least one of said wireless communications device and said external device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising activating an external device control command voice recognition menu.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising activating a wireless communications device control command voice recognition menu.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of activating a voice recognition menu is performed in response to receiving a predetermined voice command.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said first audible signal comprises an external device control command.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said digital data is received from said external device and is a serial data stream, and wherein said step of passing said digital data to said wireless communications device comprises encoding at least a portion of said serial data stream as a parallel data stream.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least a first wireless communications device control command is selected from a set of wireless communications device control commands, and wherein said first set of wireless communication device control commands is determined by said wireless communications device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least a first wireless communications device control command is selected from a first set of wireless communications device control commands, wherein said docking station includes an adaptor, and wherein said adaptor is incapable of selecting and formatting a wireless communications device control command selected from at least a second set of wireless communications device control commands.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said data comprises textual data, and wherein said textual data is converted to speech by said docking station for output by a speaker.

10. A method for transmitting information over a wireless communications channel in response to audible commands, comprising:

providing a docking station comprising an adaptor for interconnecting said docking station to a wireless communications device and at least a first communications interface for interconnecting said docking station to an external device;

receiving from a user a first audible command at said docking station;

converting said first audible command to a first electronic signal;

passing said first electronic signal to at least one of said adaptor and said external device;

receiving at said docking station at least a first communications channel control command;

in said docking station, translating said at least a first communications channel control command into at least a first application programming interface command;

passing said at least a first application programming interface command to said adaptor;

in said adaptor, translating said at least a first application programming interface command into at least a first corresponding wireless communications device control command selected from a group of wireless communications device control commands; and

providing said at least a first wireless communications device control command to said wireless communications device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said at least a first communications channel control command is received as a voice command.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein said at least a first communications channel control command is received from said external device.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein said first electronic signal is passed to said external device, and wherein said step of converting said first audible command to a first electronic signal comprises:

digitizing said audible command;

comparing said digitized audible command to a set of stored audible commands and matching said digitized audible command to a one of said stored audible commands;

producing a first digital signal, wherein said first digital signal is a signal selected from a set of external device control signals that corresponds to said one of said stored audible commands.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein said first electronic signal is passed to said wireless communications device, and wherein said step of converting said first audible command to a first electronic signal comprises:

digitizing said audible command;

comparing said digitized audible command to a set of stored audible commands and matching said digitized audible command to a one of said stored audible commands;

producing a first digital signal, wherein said first digital signal is at least a second application programming interface command selected from a set of application programming interface commands that corresponds to said one of said stored audible commands.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

in said adaptor, translating said selected at least a second application programming interface command into at least a second corresponding wireless communications device control command selected from a group of wireless communication device control commands; and

passing said selected at least a second wireless communications device command to said wireless communications device.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising receiving textual data from at least one of said wireless communications device and said external device, wherein said textual data is output as speech.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising producing an audible acknowledgment of a command received as an audible signal.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said external device comprises a device for collecting data regarding the operational parameters of a vehicle for transmission to a base station.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein a second voice command received from a user is converted to at least one of an external device control command and a wireless communications device control command.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising a plurality of voice command menus, wherein a first of said voice command menus allows a voice command to be directed to said external device, and wherein a second of said voice command menus allows a voice command to be directed to said wireless communications device.

22. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said docking station is interconnected to said external device using a communications interface.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein said communications interface comprises a daughter board.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein said communications interface comprises an RS232 interface.

25. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said adaptor is of a first type when said wireless communications device requires a command protocol of a first type, and wherein said adaptor is of a second type when said wireless communications device requires a command protocol of a second type.

18. An apparatus for providing a wireless communications channel and voice command capabilities to an external device, comprising:

an adaptor for interconnecting to a wireless communications device capable of transmitting data over a wireless communications channel, wherein aspects of the operation of said wireless communications device may be controlled using wireless communications device control commands selected from at least a first set of wireless communications device control commands; and

a docking station interconnected to said external device and to said adaptor, wherein a first voice command received from a user is converted to a first external device control command and is provided to said external device, wherein a second external device control command selected from at least a first set of external device control commands received from said external device is passed from said docking station to said adaptor, and wherein said second external device control command is translated into at least a first wireless communications device control command selected from said at least a first set of wireless communications device control commands.