Coupled GPS phone and navigation system

• US 9,250,097 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2009
• Issued: 02/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bennett, James D., Karaoguz, Jeyhan, Wheeler, Jeffrey D.
• Primary Examiner(s): McGue, Frank J
• Application Number:
  US12/550,769
• Publication Number:
  US 20110018759A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,346 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357.4, 701/213, 340/5.8
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3688 Systems comprising multiple parts or multiple output devices (not client-server), e.g. detachable faceplates, key fobs or multiple output screens
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0072 Transmission between mobile stations, e.g. anti-collision systems

Abstract

A navigation system includes a Global Positioning System (GPS) enabled wireless phone and a GPS navigation system. The GPS enabled wireless phone includes a GPS receiver, a communications interface, and processing circuitry coupled to the GPS receiver and to the communications interface. The GPS navigation system includes a GPS receiver, a communications interface operable to communicatively couple to the communications interface of the GPS enabled wireless phone, and processing circuitry coupled to the GPS receiver and to the communications interface. The processing circuitry of the GPS navigation system is operable to establish device pairing with the GPS enabled wireless phone and to exchange GPS information and other information with the GPS enabled wireless phone via the secure link.

Claims

1. A navigation system comprising:

a Global Positioning System (GPS) enabled wireless phone comprising;

a cellular wireless interface configured to be coupled to a cellular wireless communications network;

a GPS receiver;

a communications interface operable to pair wirelessly with devices individually via a wireless personal area network (WPAN) protocol; and

processing circuitry coupled to the GPS receiver and to the communications interface;

a GPS navigation system carried in a vehicle, the GPS navigation system comprising;

a GPS receiver;

a communications interface configured to individually pair with the communications interface of the GPS enabled wireless phone via the WPAN;

processing circuitry coupled to the GPS receiver and the communications interface of the GPS navigation system, wherein the processing circuitry of the GPS navigation system physically couples to a vehicle and resides within the vehicle, the processing circuitry configured to;

establish device pairing with the GPS enabled wireless phone via the WPAN;

exchange GPS information with the GPS enabled wireless phone via the WPAN;

determine GPS coordinates of the vehicle;

transmit GPS coordinates of the vehicle to the GPS enabled wireless phone;

detect that a physical separation of the GPS enabled wireless phone and the GPS navigation system exceeds a threshold, wherein the threshold is determined based on a distance at which direct communication via the WPAN is lost; and

transmit the GPS coordinates of the vehicle to the GPS enabled wireless phone via a cellular network in response to detecting loss of direct communication via the WPAN.

2. The navigation system of claim 1, wherein in establishing device pairing with the GPS enabled wireless phone the processing circuitry of the GPS navigation system establishes a secure wireless communication link with the GPS enabled wireless phone.

3. The navigation system of claim 1, the processing circuitry of the GPS navigation system further configured to:

transmit the GPS coordinates of the vehicle to the GPS enabled wireless phone upon detection of powering down of the vehicle.

4. The navigation system of claim 1, the processing circuitry of the GPS navigation system further configured to:

receive a request from the GPS enabled wireless phone for the GPS coordinates of the vehicle; and

transmit the GPS coordinates of the vehicle to the GPS enabled wireless phone in response to receipt of the request.

5. The navigation system of claim 1, the processing circuitry of the GPS navigation system further configured to:

at least temporarily remove the device pairing after detecting a change in an operating state of the vehicle.

6. The navigation system of claim 1, wherein exchanging GPS information with the GPS enabled wireless phone comprises the GPS navigation system receiving a route including GPS coordinates from the GPS enabled wireless phone.

7. The navigation system of claim 1, wherein exchanging GPS information with the GPS enabled wireless phone comprises the GPS navigation system transmitting destination information, including GPS coordinates to the GPS enabled wireless phone.

8. The navigation system of claim 1, wherein exchanging GPS information with the GPS enabled wireless phone comprises the GPS navigation system receiving destination information, including GPS coordinates from the GPS enabled wireless phone.

9. The navigation system of claim 1, wherein communicative coupling between the GPS navigation system and the GPS enabled wireless phone services wireless communications that are relayed by a wireless network.

10. The navigation system of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further operable to remove the device pairing after expiration of a time period.

11. The navigation system of claim 1, wherein exchanging GPS information with the GPS enabled wireless phone comprises:

determining portions of an active route not yet completed; and

transmitting the portions of the active route determined to be not yet completed to the GPS enabled wireless phone.

12. The navigation system of claim 1, the processing circuitry of the GPS navigation system further configured to download to the GPS enabled wireless phone one or more of pictures and traffic information relating to the GPS information.

13. The navigation system of claim 1, the processing circuitry of the GPS navigation system further configured to upload from the GPS enabled wireless phone traffic information relating to the GPS information.

14. A Global Positioning System (GPS) enabled wireless phone configured to interface with a GPS navigation system, the GPS enabled wireless phone comprising:

a cellular wireless interface configured to be coupled to a cellular wireless communications network;

a GPS receiver;

a communications interface operable to communicatively couple to a communications interface of the GPS navigation system via a wireless personal area network (WPAN) protocol; and

processing circuitry coupled to the GPS receiver and to the communications interface and configured to;

establish device pairing with the GPS navigation system, individually;

exchange GPS information with the GPS navigation system via the WPAN; and

wherein the GPS enabled wireless phone is configured to;

record, on the GPS enabled wireless phone, a location of the GPS enabled wireless phone in response to determining that direct communication with the GPS navigation system via the WPAN is lost.

15. The GPS enabled wireless phone of claim 14, wherein in establishing device pairing with the GPS navigation system the processing circuitry of the GPS enabled wireless phone establishes a secure wireless communication link with the GPS navigation system.

16. The GPS enabled wireless phone of claim 14:

wherein the GPS navigation system physically couples to a vehicle and resides within the vehicle; and

the processing circuitry of the GPS enabled wireless phone system is further configured to receive GPS coordinates of the vehicle from the GPS navigation system.

17. The GPS enabled wireless phone of claim 16, wherein the GPS coordinates of the vehicle are received from the GPS navigation system upon detection of powering down of the vehicle.

18. The GPS enabled wireless phone of claim 16, wherein the GPS coordinates of the vehicle are received from the GPS navigation system in response to a request transmitted from the GPS enabled wireless phone to the GPS navigation system.

19. The GPS enabled wireless phone of claim 16, wherein the GPS coordinates of the vehicle are received from the GPS navigation system in response to a detection of physical separation of the GPS enabled wireless phone and the GPS navigation system that exceeds a threshold wherein the threshold is determined based on a distance at which direct communication via the WPAN is lost.

20. The GPS enabled wireless phone of claim 16, wherein the processing circuitry is further operable to at least temporarily remove the device pairing after detection of powering down of a vehicle in which the navigation system is physically coupled.

21. The GPS enabled wireless phone of claim 14, wherein exchanging GPS information with the GPS navigation system comprises the GPS enabled wireless phone transmitting a route including GPS coordinates to the GPS navigation system.

22. The GPS enabled wireless phone of claim 14, wherein exchanging GPS information with the GPS navigation system comprises the GPS enabled wireless phone receiving a route including GPS coordinates from the GPS navigation system.

23. The GPS enabled wireless phone of claim 14, wherein exchanging GPS information with the GPS navigation system comprises the GPS enabled wireless phone transmitting destination information, including GPS coordinates to the GPS navigation system.

24. The GPS enabled wireless phone of claim 14, wherein exchanging GPS information with the GPS navigation system comprises the GPS enabled wireless phone receiving destination information, including GPS coordinates from the GPS navigation system.

25. The GPS enabled wireless phone of claim 14, wherein communicative coupling between the GPS navigation system and the GPS enabled wireless phone includes wireless communications that are relayed by a wireless network.

26. The GPS enabled wireless phone of claim 14, wherein communications between the GPS navigation system and the GPS enabled phone comply with a wireless network communication protocol standard.

27. The GPS enabled wireless phone of claim 14, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to remove the device pairing after expiration of a time period.

28. The GPS enabled wireless phone of claim 14, wherein exchanging GPS information with the GPS navigation system comprises:

determining portions of an active route not yet completed; and

transmitting the portions of the active route not yet completed to the GPS navigation system.

29. The GPS enabled wireless phone of claim 14, wherein the processing circuitry further configured to upload to the GPS navigation system one or more of pictures, destination information, waypoint information, and traffic information relating to the GPS information.

30. The GPS enabled wireless phone of claim 14, wherein the processing circuitry further operable to upload from the GPS enabled wireless phone to the GPS navigation system one or more of pictures relating to the GPS information.

31. A navigation system supporting mounting within a vehicle, the navigation system having first geographical location data, the navigation system interacting with a mobile device that has second geographic location data, the mobile device being carried by a user both within and outside of the vehicle, the navigation system comprising:

first communication interface circuitry;

processing circuitry configured to securely communicate global positioning system (GPS) coordinates of the vehicle to the mobile device via the first communication interface circuitry;

the processing circuitry configured to support handover of a navigation routing wherein at least a first portion of the navigation routing occurs via the navigation system and at least a second portion of the navigation routing occurs via the mobile device; and

second communication interface circuitry;

wherein the handover includes the processing circuitry communicating the GPS coordinates of the vehicle to the mobile device indirectly via the second communication circuitry in response to detecting loss of direct communication via the first communication circuitry.