Hands-free operation of mobile terminal using wireless communication link

• US 6,687,517 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2001
• Issued: 02/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Kinnunen, Jan
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Joseph D
• Application Number:
  US09/855,672
• Publication Number:
  US 20020173347A1
• Time in Patent Office: 993 Days
• Field of Search: 455/569.1, 455/569.2, 455/517, 455/519, 455/458, 455/41-- 4, 455/151.2, 455/99, 455/518, 455/575.2, 455/575.9, 455/151.1, 340/428, 340/686.1, 340/687, 340/686.6, 379/88-1-
• US Class Current: 455/569.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6091 including a wireless interface

Abstract

A hands-free unit of a system automatically transmits a first paging signal to page a mobile terminal of at least one user of a first category of users and upon receiving a response signal therefrom, connects the hands-free unit to that mobile terminal. If there'"'"'s no response signal with a first predetermined time period, a second paging signal is transmitted to page at least one of a second category of users and upon receiving a response signal connects the hands-free unit to that mobile terminal. If there'"'"'s no response signal with a second predetermined time period, the system awaits a signal from one user of third category of users and upon receiving a signal therefrom, connects the hands-free unit to that mobile terminal.

Claims

1. A method of connecting a hands-free unit to a mobile terminal of a user, the method comprising:

providing a hands-free unit to receive audible sounds from the user and to transmit audible sounds to the user;

providing a wireless communications unit to wirelessly connect the hands-free unit to the mobile terminal; and

providing an input to receive a start process signal;

wherein, upon said input receiving said start process signal, said wireless communications unit automatically transmitting a first paging signal to page a mobile terminal of at least one user of a first category of users and upon said wireless communications unit receiving a response signal transmitted by the mobile terminal of said at least one user of a first category of users in response to said first paging signal, wirelessly connecting said hands-free unit to the mobile terminal transmitting the response signal and alternatively, upon said wireless communications unit not receiving a response signal in response to said first paging signal within a first predetermined period of time, said wireless communications unit automatically transmitting a second paging signal to page a mobile terminal of at least one user of a second category of users and upon said wireless communications unit receiving a response signal transmitted by the mobile terminal of said at least one user of a second category of users in response to the second paging signal, wirelessly connecting said hands-free unit to the mobile terminal transmitting the response signal and alternatively, upon said wireless communications unit not receiving a response signal in response to the second paging signal within a second predetermined period of time, awaiting a signal transmitted by a mobile terminal of at least one user of a third category of users and upon receiving a signal transmitted by the mobile terminal of said at least one user of a third category of users, wirelessly connecting said hands-free unit to the mobile terminal of said at least one user of a third category of users.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising disposing the provided hands-free unit within a vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said start process signal comprises a signal indicating that a switch has been turned on.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said start process signal comprises a signal indicating that an ignition switch of the vehicle has been turned on.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said first category of users comprises a plurality of default users.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said first category of users comprises a single default user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said second category of users comprises a plurality of last users.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said second category of users comprises a single last user.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said third category of users comprises a plurality of other users.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising re-categorizing said at least one user of a third category of users as a user within said second category of users upon receiving a signal transmitted by the mobile terminal of said at least one user of said third category of users.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said wireless communications unit comprises a Bluetooth System communications unit.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising prior to awaiting a signal transmitted by a mobile terminal of said at least one user of the third category of users, said wireless communications unit automatically transmitting a third paging signal to page a mobile terminal of at least one user of a fourth category of users and upon said wireless communications unit receiving a response signal transmitted by the mobile terminal of said at least one user of a fourth category of users in response to the third paging signal, wirelessly connecting said hands-free unit to the mobile terminal transmitting the response signal and alternatively, upon said wireless communications unit not receiving a response signal in response to the third paging signal within a third predetermined period of time, the method proceeding to the step of awaiting a signal transmitted by a mobile terminal of said at least one user of the third category of users.

13. A hands-free mobile terminal system for connection to a mobile terminal of a user, the system comprising:

a hands-free unit to receive audible sounds from the user and to transmit audible sounds to the user;

a wireless communications unit to wirelessly connect the hands-free unit to the mobile terminal; and

a controller connected to said hands-free unit and said wireless communications unit to control said hands-free unit and said wireless communications unit, said controller having an input to receive a start process signal;

wherein, upon said controller receiving said start process signal, said controller causing said wireless communications unit to automatically transmit a first paging signal to page a mobile terminal of at least one user of a first category of users and upon said wireless communications unit receiving a response signal transmitted by the mobile terminal of said at least one user of a first category of users in response to said first paging signal, said controller causing said wireless communications unit to wirelessly connect said hands-free unit to the mobile terminal transmitting the response signal and alternatively, upon said wireless communications unit not receiving a response signal in response to said first paging signal within a first predetermined period of time, said controller causing said wireless communications unit wireless communications unit to automatically transmit a second paging signal to page a mobile terminal of at least one user of a second category of users and upon said wireless communications unit receiving a response signal transmitted by the mobile terminal of said at least one user of a second category of users in response to the second paging signal, said controller causing said wireless communications unit to wirelessly connect said hands-free unit to the mobile terminal transmitting the response signal and alternatively, upon said wireless communications unit not receiving a response signal in response to the second paging signal within a second predetermined period of time, said controller causing said wireless communications unit to await a signal transmitted by a mobile terminal of at least one user of a third category of users and upon said wireless communications unit receiving a signal transmitted by the mobile terminal of said at least one user of a third category of users, said controller causing said wireless communications unit to wirelessly connect said hands-free unit to the mobile terminal of said at least one user of a third category of users.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising disposing said hands-free unit within a vehicle.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said start process signal comprises a signal indicating that an ignition switch of the vehicle has been turned on.

16. This system of claim 13, wherein said start process signal comprises a signal indicating that a switch has been turned on.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein said first category of users comprises a plurality of default users.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein said first category of users comprises a single default user.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein said second category of users comprises a plurality of last users.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein said second category of users comprises a single last user.

21. The system of claim 13, further comprising said controller re-categorizing said at least one user of a third category of users as a user within said second category of users upon receiving a signal transmitted by the mobile terminal of said at least one user of said third category of users.

22. The system of claim 13, wherein said wireless communications unit comprises a Bluetooth System communications unit.

23. The system of claim 13, further comprising said controller causing said wireless communications unit, prior to awaiting a signal transmitted by a mobile terminal of said at least one user of the third category of users, to automatically transmit a third paging signal to page a mobile terminal of at least one user of a fourth category of users and upon said wireless communications unit receiving a response signal transmitted by the mobile terminal of said at least one user of a fourth category of users in response to the third paging signal, said controller causing said wireless communications unit to wirelessly connect said hands-free unit to the mobile terminal transmitting the response signal and alternatively, upon said wireless communications unit not receiving a response signal in response to the third paging signal within a third predetermined period of time, said controller proceeding to cause said wireless communications unit to await a signal transmitted by a mobile terminal of said at least one user of the third category of users.