Device used in a vehicle which is controlled by vehicular operation to avoid dangerous vehicular operation

• US 7,711,355 B1
• Filed: 07/21/2000
• Issued: 05/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones UK Limited (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Krüger, Andreas, Kespohl, Klaus, Leppinen, Mika, Roque-Cerna, Maximiliano, Hansen, Hans, Keinonen, Turkka, Theimer, Wolfgang, Kirjavainen, Anne, Koppinen, Anne
• Primary Examiner(s): Eng; George
• Assistant Examiner(s): Miller; Brandon J
• Application Number:
  US09/621,085
• Time in Patent Office: 3,574 Days
• Field of Search: 455/417, 455/11.1, 455/456, 455/414, 455/414.1, 455/67.1, 455/67.11, 455/417.1, 455418-420, 455/404.1, 455/238.1, 455/3.06, 455/458, 455/569.2, 455/456.1, 455/567, 381/108, 701/93, 340/441
• US Class Current: 455/417
• 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 1/6083 by interfacing with the vehicle audio system
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/66 with means for preventing unauthorised or fraudulent calling verifying user identity or authority in secret or secure digital communications H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device

Abstract

In the current state of the art there are a number of operable devices 11, 12, 13 known that have an operating panel 14 through which a user of the device 11, 12, 13 can produce and/or change-existing operating states, Because of the fact that manual operation is often very complex and can also result in the distraction of the user in situations that require the full the attention of a user to be directed elsewhere, the invention increases the ease of operation and simultaneously reduces the amount of attention required to be paid to the devices 11, 12, 13. The invention uses a decision unit 15 that blocks or releases certain operating states of the operable device 11, 12, 13 based on the data received. The invention can be implemented, for example, so that a mobile telephone 11 installed in a vehicle 10 does not “transfer” any telephone calls or suppresses the making of telephone calls from within the vehicle 10 when the vehicle 10 is moving faster than a certain speed.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

at least two operable devices with operating states that are producible or changeable, for usage in a vehicle, with an operating panel configured to allow a user to cause at least one of producing existing operating states or changing existing operating states of a respective one of the operable devices;

at least one sensor in the vehicle; and

a decision unit, coupled to the operating panel of the respective operable device, which receives data from said at least one sensor for determining vehicle-specific conditions, at least including the vehicle speed, over a time period of vehicle operation by evaluating the received sensor data and which converts the vehicle-specific conditions into a driving profile indicating an actual driving situation of the vehicle and blocks or releases the existing operating states of the respective operable device according to whether the actual driving situation is detected to be dangerous or non-dangerous, said detection being made on a basis of the driving profile;

wherein different speed limitations apply to different ones of said at least two operable devices or different operating states of one of said at least two operable devices in said detection if the actual driving situation is dangerous or non-dangerous.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the operable device is operable to perform at least one of receiving or transmitting data.

3. A system according to claim 1, comprising:

equipment which collects information on at least one of conditions or states under which or by which the operable device is currently being operated, and transmits the information as data to the decision unit.

4. A system according to claim 2, comprising:

equipment which collects information on at least one of conditions or states under which or by which the operable device is currently being operated, and transmits the information as data to the decision unit.

5. A system according to claim 1, comprising:

a receiving unit; and

wherein

data is received by the receiving unit and is transmitted to the decision unit to be used alone or together with other data to control the blocking of the operating states or releasing of the operating states of the operable device.

6. A system according to claim 2, comprising:

a receiving unit; and

wherein

data is received by the receiving unit and is transmitted to the decision unit to be used alone or together with other data to control the blocking of the operating states or releasing of the operating states of the operable device.

7. A system according to claim 3, comprising:

a receiving unit; and

wherein

data is received by the receiving unit and is transmitted to the decision unit to be used alone or together with other data to control the blocking of the operating states or releasing of the operating states of the operable device.

8. A system according to claim 4, comprising:

a receiving unit; and

wherein

data is received by the receiving unit and is transmitted to the decision unit to be used alone or together with other data to control the blocking of the operating states or releasing of the operating states of the operable device.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein a driver of the vehicle is notified about incoming calls even if the actual driving situation is dangerous with respect to the driver accepting the call.

10. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a navigation system, wherein the decision unit is configured such that announcements of the navigation system are to be outputted at least twice at speeds over a critical limit.

11. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a navigation system, wherein corresponding location data of the vehicle is transferred to a car phone in order to activate call forwarding depending on a current location of the vehicle.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein said vehicle-specific conditions further comprise at least one of speed fluctuation, brake activation, steering wheel turning, and inclination angle of the vehicle.

13. A system, comprising:

at least two operable devices with operating states that are producible or changeable, said devices configured for use in a vehicle, with an operating panel configured to allow a user to cause at least one of producing existing operating states or changing existing operating states of a respective one of the operable devices;

at least one sensor in the vehicle; and

a decision unit, coupled to the operating panel of the respective operable device, which receives driving speed data from said at least one sensor for detection of vehicle-specific conditions by measuring fluctuation of the driving speed of the vehicle over a time period and blocks or releases the existing operating states of the respective operable device based on the measured fluctuation;

wherein different speed limitations apply to different ones of said at least two operable devices or different operating states of one of said at least two operable devices in said detection if the actual driving situation is dangerous or non-dangerous.

14. A system according to claim 13, wherein the operable device is operable to perform at least one of receiving or transmitting data.

15. A system according to claim 13, comprising:

equipment which collects information on at least one of conditions or states under which or by which the operable device is currently being operated, and transmits the information as data to the decision unit.

16. A system according to claim 14, comprising:

equipment which collects information on at least one of conditions or states under which or by which the operable device is currently being operated, and transmits the information as data to the decision unit.

17. A system according to claim 13, comprising:

a receiving unit; and

wherein

data is received by the receiving unit and is transmitted to the decision unit to be used alone or together with other data to control the blocking of the operating states or releasing of the operating states of the operable device.

18. A system according to claim 14, comprising:

a receiving unit; and

wherein

data is received by the receiving unit and is transmitted to the decision unit to be used alone or together with other data to control the blocking of the operating states or releasing of the operating states of the operable device.

19. A system according to claim 15, comprising:

a receiving unit; and

wherein

data is received by the receiving unit and is transmitted to the decision unit to be used alone or together with other data to control the blocking of the operating states or releasing of the operating states of the operable device.

20. A system according to claim 16, comprising:

a receiving unit; and

wherein

data is received by the receiving unit and is transmitted to the decision unit to be used alone or together with other data to control the blocking of the operating states or releasing of the operating states of the operable device.

21. The system according to claim 13, wherein a driver of the vehicle is notified about incoming calls even if the actual driving situation is dangerous with respect to the driver accepting the call.

22. The system according to claim 13, further comprising a navigation system, wherein the decision unit is configured such that announcements of the navigation system are to be outputted at least twice at speeds over a critical limit.

23. The system according to claim 13, further comprising a navigation system, wherein corresponding location data of the vehicle is transferred to a car phone in order to activate call forwarding depending on a current location of the vehicle.

24. The system according to claim 13, wherein said vehicle-specific conditions further comprise at least one of speed fluctuation, brake activation, steering wheel turning, and inclination angle of the vehicle.

25. A method for controlling at least two operable devices, which are used in a vehicle, comprising:

facilitating control of an operating panel by a user to cause at least one of producing existing operating states or changing existing operating states of a respective one of the operable devices;

receiving data from at least one sensor in a decision unit which is coupled to the operating panel, said data at least including information about the vehicle speed;

determining vehicle-specific conditions over a time period of vehicle operation by evaluating the received sensor data;

converting the vehicle-specific conditions into a driving profile indicating an actual driving situation of the vehicle; and

blocking or releasing the existing operating states of the respective operable device according to whether the actual driving situation is detected to be dangerous or non-dangerous, said detection being made on a basis of the driving profile;

wherein different speed limitations apply to different ones of said at least two operable devices or different operating states of one of said at least two operable devices in said detection if the actual driving situation is dangerous or non-dangerous.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein a driver of the vehicle is notified about incoming calls even if the actual driving situation is dangerous with respect to the driver accepting the call.

27. The method according to claim 25, wherein said vehicle is equipped with a navigation system, wherein announcements of the navigation system are outputted at least twice at speeds over a critical limit.

28. The method according to claim 25, wherein said vehicle is equipped with a navigation system, wherein corresponding location data of the vehicle is transferred to a car phone in order to activate call forwarding depending on the current location of the vehicle.

29. The method according to claim 25, wherein said data further comprises information about at least one of speed fluctuation, brake activation, steering wheel turning, and inclination angle of the vehicle.

30. A decision unit coupled to operating panels of at least two operable devices with operating states that are producible or changeable, which are used in a vehicle, the decision unit comprising an input configured to receive signals from at least one sensor present in the vehicle;

the decision unit configured to determine vehicle-specific conditions, at least including the vehicle speed, over a time period of vehicle operation by evaluating the received sensor signal and for converting the vehicle-specific conditions into a driving profile indicating an actual driving situation of the vehicle, wherein the decision unit is configured to block or release an existing operating state of a respective one of the operable devices according to whether the actual driving situation is detected to be dangerous or non-dangerous, said detection being made on a basis of the driving profile; and

an output configured to output an output signal, which is used for changing the operating states of the respective operable device connected to the decision unit;

wherein different speed limitations apply to different ones of said at least two operable devices or different operating states of one of said at least two operable devices in said detection if the actual driving situation is dangerous or non-dangerous.

31. The decision unit according to claim 30, wherein the driver of the vehicle is notified about incoming calls even if the actual driving situation is dangerous with respect to the driver accepting the call.

32. The decision unit according to claim 30, wherein said vehicle is equipped with a navigation system, wherein the decision unit is configured such that announcements of the navigation system are to be outputted at least twice at speeds over a critical limit.

33. The decision unit according to claim 30, wherein said vehicle is equipped with a navigation system, wherein corresponding location data of the vehicle is transferred to the car phone in order to activate call forwarding depending on the current location of the vehicle.

34. The decision unit according to claim 30, wherein said vehicle-specific conditions further comprise at least one of speed fluctuation, brake activation, steering wheel turning, and inclination angle of the vehicle.

35. An apparatus configured to be coupled to operating panels of at least two operable devices, including at least a car radio and car phone, with operating states that are producible or changeable, the apparatus comprising:

a decision unit configured for usage in a vehicle, the decision unit is configured to receive driving speed data from at least one sensor present in the vehicle;

the decision unit configured to determine vehicle-specific conditions by measuring fluctuation of the driving speed of the vehicle over a time period;

wherein the decision unit is configured to block or release the existing operating states of a respective one of the operable devices based on the measured fluctuation;

wherein different speed limitations apply to different ones of said at least two operable devices or different operating states of one of said at least two operable devices in said detection if the actual driving situation is dangerous or non-dangerous.

36. An apparatus according to claim 35, further comprising:

an output for outputting an output signal, which is used for changing the operating states of the respective operable device connected to the decision unit.

37. The decision unit according to claim 35, wherein the driver of the vehicle is notified about incoming calls even if the actual driving situation is dangerous with respect to the driver accepting the call.

38. The decision unit according to claim 35, wherein said vehicle is equipped with a navigation system, wherein the decision unit is configured such that announcements of the navigation system are to be outputted at least twice at speeds over a critical limit.

39. The decision unit according to claim 35, wherein said vehicle is equipped with a navigation system, wherein corresponding location data of the vehicle is transferred to the car phone in order to activate call forwarding depending on the current location of the vehicle.

40. The decision unit according to claim 35, wherein said vehicle-specific conditions further comprise at least one of speed fluctuation, brake activation, steering wheel turning, and inclination angle of the vehicle.