Method for controlling mobile communications

• US 8,565,838 B2
• Filed: 05/04/2011
• Issued: 10/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Nicolini, Daniele
• Primary Examiner(s): Lim, Steven
• Application Number:
  US13/100,858
• Publication Number:
  US 20120282908A1
• Time in Patent Office: 902 Days
• Field of Search: 4555691-5692
• US Class Current: 455/569.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/48 for in-vehicle communication

Abstract

A method for controlling mobile communications involves identifying an operator of the mobile vehicle, where the operator is associated with a mobile communications device. Via a telematics unit disposed in the mobile vehicle, the method further involves recognizing, while the vehicle is in motion, that the mobile communications device is not located in a predefined location inside a cabin area of the vehicle, and in response to a command generated by the telematics unit based on the recognizing, automatically adjusting a functionality of an audio system disposed in the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for controlling mobile communications, the method comprising:

identifying an operator of the mobile vehicle, the operator being associated with a mobile communications device;

via a telematics unit operatively disposed in the mobile vehicle, recognizing that the mobile communications device is not located in a predefined location inside a cabin area of the mobile vehicle, the recognizing being accomplished while the mobile vehicle is in motion; and

in response to a command generated by the telematics unit based on the recognizing, automatically adjusting a functionality of an audio system disposed in the mobile vehicle;

wherein the adjusting of the functionality of the audio system includes muting an output then-currently playing from the audio system, fading the output then-currently playing from the audio system, scrambling the output then-currently playing from the audio system, or combinations thereof.

2. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein prior to the identifying, the method further comprises associating the mobile communications device with the operator of the mobile vehicle by registering the mobile communications device utilizing a remotely accessible page.

3. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the mobile communications device has been paired with the telematics unit, and wherein the identifying of the operator of the mobile vehicle is accomplished by connecting the paired mobile communications device with the telematics unit, the connecting being accomplished using short range wireless communication between the mobile communications device and the telematics unit.

4. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the predefined location includes a mobile device holder operatively disposed inside the cabin area of the mobile vehicle.

5. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein after the identifying of the operator of the mobile vehicle, the method further comprises:

via a detector, detecting that the mobile communications device is not located in or at the predefined location; and

transmitting a signal from the detector to the telematics unit, the signal including a notification that the mobile communications device is not located in or at the predefined location.

6. The method as defined in claim 5 wherein:

the predefined location is a holder;

the detector is a mechanical switch operatively connected to the holder; and

the detecting is accomplished by activating the mechanical switch when the mobile device is not located inside the holder.

7. The method as defined in claim 5 wherein the detector is associated with a port operatively disposed inside the vehicle to receive a dongle connected to the mobile communications device, and wherein the detecting is accomplished by recognizing that the dongle has been disconnected from the port.

8. The method as defined in claim 5 wherein the detector is an RFID reader operatively associated with the predefined location, and wherein the detecting is accomplished by recognizing that an RF connection has been severed when the mobile communications device is not located in or at the predefined location.

9. The method as defined in claim 5 wherein the detecting is accomplished by recognizing that an acceleration of the mobile communications device exceeds a predetermined threshold indicating that the mobile communications device is not located in the predefined location.

10. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising playing an alert tone through the audio system.

11. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the audio system is muted, and wherein the method further comprises any of i) playing an audible warning message over the audio system, ii) displaying a text-based warning message on a display operatively disposed in the mobile vehicle, or iii) activating a warning light operatively disposed on a dashboard inside the cabin area of the mobile vehicle.

12. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the adjusting of the functionality of the audio system is accomplished until any of i) placing the mobile communications device in the predefined location, ii) moving the mobile communications device to a location outside a short range wireless distance from the telematics unit, iii) powering off the mobile communications device, iv) placing a transmission system of the mobile vehicle into a park mode, or v) unpairing the mobile communications device from the telematics unit.

13. A system for controlling mobile communications, comprising:

a mobile communications device associated with an operator of a mobile vehicle, the mobile communications device configured to receive and send messages;

a location inside a cabin area of the mobile vehicle, the location being configured to receive the mobile communications device;

a telematics unit operatively disposed in the mobile vehicle, the telematics unit configured to identify the operator of the mobile vehicle and to recognize when the mobile communications device is not located in or at the location while the mobile vehicle is in motion; and

an audio system disposed in the mobile vehicle and operatively associated with the telematics unit, the audio system including a functionality that is adjustable in response to a command generated by the telematics unit upon recognizing that the mobile communications device in not located in or at the location, the functionality being selected from the group consisting of a muting function to mute an output then-currently playing from the audio system, a scrambling function to scramble the output then-currently playing from the audio system, a fading function to fade the output then-currently playing from the audio system, or a combination thereof.

14. The system as defined in claim 13, further comprising a remotely accessible page for registering the mobile communications device so that the mobile communications device is associated with the operator of the mobile vehicle.

15. The system as defined in claim 13, further comprising a detector operatively associated with the location, and configured to i) detect that the mobile communications device is not located in or at the location and ii) transmit a notification signal to the telematics unit that the mobile communications device is not located in or at the location.

16. The system as defined in claim 15 wherein the location is a holder configured to receive the mobile communications device, and wherein the detector is a mechanical switch operatively connected to the location, the mechanical switch being activated when the mobile communications device is not located in the holder.

17. The system as defined in claim 15 wherein the detector is associated with a port operatively disposed inside the vehicle to which a dongle connected to the mobile communications device is operatively connected, and wherein the detector is configured to transmit a notification signal to the telematics unit that the mobile communications device is not located in or at the location upon detecting that the dongle has been disconnected from the port.

18. The system as defined in claim 13 wherein the audio system is configured to play an audible warning message upon activating the muting function or the fading function of the audio system.

19. The system as defined in claim 13, further comprising any of:

a display operatively associated with the telematics unit, and configured to display a text-based warning message upon activating the muting function of the audio system;

or

a warning light operatively disposed on a dashboard inside the cabin area of the mobile vehicle, the warning light configured to blink upon activating the muting function of the audio system.