In Vehicle Patents (Class 455/569.2)
  • Patent number: 8224408
    Abstract: The invention relates to a cradle for a mobile phone, comprising a rear bearing surface; left and right side walls; two guide rails being located on the front side of said left and right side walls and protruding laterally from said side walls; a bottom part comprising a connector element for mechanically and electrically engaging a bottom connector of said mobile phone, said rear bearing surface, said side walls and said guide rails define left and right slots extending parallel to said side walls for receiving left and right side sections of a mobile phone; guiding a phone being inserted into said cradle to said bottom part; and retaining a mobile phone received in said cradle against forces acting in a direction substantially perpendicular to said slots; and said connector element comprises means for locking onto a bottom connector of a mobile phone received in said cradle for retaining said mobile phone inside said cradle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Inventors: Ralf Tomasini, Jan Kettula, Yossef Schvetz
  • Patent number: 8224398
    Abstract: A hands-free telephone conversation apparatus can reduce negative influence of an echo on a sound to be transmitted to a far-end user without deteriorating the sound. When a MPU determines that a mobile phone receives an incoming call, and a user starts to talk on the mobile phone, in accordance with an operation of an input device connected to an in-vehicle bus line, a MPU controls the mobile phone to have the mobile phone output, to the DSP, a sound signal indicative of a sound to be transmitted to the far-end user, and to have a switch select a loudspeaker, installed in an vehicle without being directed to the microphone, as a loudspeaker for outputting a sound received from the far-end user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Hideyuki Kirigaya
  • Patent number: 8219144
    Abstract: An apparatus in one example has: a predetermined location having at least a wireless communication device, the wireless communication device having a predetermined coverage area; a mobile terminal that communicates with the wireless communication device when the mobile terminal is within the predetermined coverage area; the mobile terminal having a camera and a functionality that selectively disables and enables the camera; and the wireless communication device having a functionality that causes the mobile terminal to disable the camera when the mobile terminal is within the predetermined coverage area, and wherein the mobile terminal effects an enabling of the camera when the mobile terminal leaves the predetermined coverage area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Alcatel Lucent
    Inventors: David S. Benco, Sanjeev Mahajan, Baoling S. Sheen, Sandra L. True
  • Patent number: 8219041
    Abstract: A design structure embodied in a machine-readable medium used in a design process provides a transmitter having a frequency response controllable in accordance with an operational parameter, and may include a storage operable to store operational parameters for controlling a frequency response of the transmitter under each of a plurality of corresponding operating conditions. A sensor can be used to detect an operating condition. In response to a change in the detected operating condition, a stored operational parameter corresponding to the detected operating condition can be used to control the frequency response of the transmitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Louis L. Hsu, Hayden C. Cranford, Jr., Joseph Natonio, James D. Rockrohr, Huihao Xu, Steven J. Zier
  • Patent number: 8219132
    Abstract: A communication method, for use in a communication system that performs radio communication between a number of vehicle-mounted terminal devices and a base station device, includes transmitting, by each of the vehicle-mounted terminal devices, vehicle-mounted device information thereof, and lastly-accessed identification information indicating a base station device that was in the radio communication with a vehicle-mounted terminal device just before when the communications therewith is cut off and authenticating, by the base station device, when there is a match between the transmitted lastly-accessed identification information and the identification information of the base station device stored in the base station device, based on the vehicle-mounted device information of the vehicle-mounted terminal devices stored in the base station device not entirely but partially, and the vehicle-mounted device information transmitted by each of the vehicle-mounted terminal devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Hiroki Hayashi
  • Publication number: 20120172087
    Abstract: The equipment comprises a pilot box (10) mounted on the dashboard, an offset box (12) and a link (14) for coupling these boxes. The pilot box comprises a signal processing and equipment control digital processor (18) and, coupled to this processor, an information display screen (20), means for applying user commands, and means (26) of wireless coupling with a remote phone (28). The offset box (12) comprises an audio amplifier (52) and a power supply (46) linked to the vehicle electrical network (48). The coupling link is consisted of a bidirectional digital bus adapted to convey concurrently digital signals and power supply currents. The offset box comprises an audio codec (56) coupling the digital bus to the audio amplifier, and an interconnection arrangement (38, 50, 58, 60, 64) for the wire connection to a plurality of peripheral devices (40, 42, 44, 62, 68, 72) of the equipment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2012
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Applicant: PARROT
    Inventors: Simao Borges Varela, Antoine Loizeau
  • Patent number: 8213967
    Abstract: A method and system for preventing replay-type attacks on a vehicle communications system that sends short message service (SMS) messages between a call center and a fleet of vehicles. The method uses separate sequence counters maintained at the call center and at each of the vehicles in the fleet to help prevent or at least minimize the effects of unauthorized third party interference; such as replay-type attacks. Each wireless message is embedded with a sequence counter that is provided by the sender and is compared by the recipient with a separate sequence counter for purposes of validation. Some optional features that can be used in conjunction with the sequence counters include a tolerance window feature, a consecutive message feature, and a proximity feature, to name but a few.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: James M. Kortge, Ansaf I. Alrabady
  • Patent number: 8204550
    Abstract: While an in-vehicle handsfree apparatus establishes a connection of a handsfree profile (HFP) with a first cellular phone, an audio visual profile (AVP) connection with a second cellular phone is requested. In such a case, the handsfree apparatus once cuts the HFP connection with the first cellular phone, and then connects the AVP with the second cellular phone. This can prevent the handsfree apparatus from connecting the HFP with the first and second cellular phones at the same time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Soichi Saito
  • Patent number: 8203442
    Abstract: A motor vehicle is provided having a wireless interface to a mobile terminal, a storage unit in which information about vehicle functions is stored, and a control unit, which is set up such that information about terminal functions is transmitted from the terminal to the control unit via the wireless interface. The information about vehicle functions is compared to the information about terminal functions, and information about corresponding vehicle functions and terminal functions is stored in the storage unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Thomas Sykora, Andreas Bonfert, Andreas Heitz
  • Patent number: 8204549
    Abstract: A portable terminal including a terminal body having an earpiece mounting portion, and an earpiece detachably mounted at the earpiece mounting portion. The earpiece includes an earpiece body configured to communicate with the terminal body, and a speaker portion configured to output sound transmitted from the earpiece body, the speaker portion having a controllable length so as to reduce a thickness of the earpiece when the earpiece is detachably mounted at the earpiece mounting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Young-Joong Kim, Won-Seok Joo
  • Publication number: 20120149441
    Abstract: An in-vehicle handsfree apparatus connects a handsfree profile (HFP) with a cellular phone, and then connects a service discovery profile (SDF) with the cellular phone to thereby designate a compliance state of the cellular phone with respect to a phone book access profile (PBAP) as a PBAP compliance flag. Then, when a user performs an operation to require an all item transfer to transfer all items of phone book data registered in the cellular phone, the handsfree apparatus refers to the PBAP compliance flag to thereby select and connect either the PBAP or an object push profile (OPP) with the cellular phone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2012
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Soichi Saito, Hiroyasu Hamanishi
  • Patent number: 8200293
    Abstract: A mobile phone cradle may include a housing, a lower body displaceably received in the housing, an upper body rotatably fixed to an upper portion of the lower body and displaceably received in the housing, wherein a mobile phone is held on the upper body, a first elastic member, wherein one end of the first elastic member is selectively wound around a roller rotatably mounted on the housing to move the lower body upwards and the other end of the elastic member is fixed to the lower body, a fixing member selectively fixing the lower body to the housing, and a moving unit guiding displacement of the lower body along the housing, wherein the upper body is rotated at a predetermined angle when taken out of the housing by the first elastic member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Ecoplastic Corporation
    Inventors: Dong-Jin Park, Byung Kyu Yoon, Hong Sik Chang, Hun Soo Kim, Hae Ryong Kim, Hee Jun Jeong
  • Patent number: 8200291
    Abstract: A safety device for automotive vehicles (cars, buses and trucks) or rail locomotives. The device inhibits use of cellular telephones and other communication devices that run the risk of distracting a driver/operator while the vehicle is in motion. Several techniques for inhibiting use are described which can be used individually or in a complementary combinations. In one technique, a rapidly varying signal level is created local to the communication device. The variations exceed the operational limits of the system, thereby inhibiting communications. In another technique, the safety device emits radiation that interferes with the reception of signals by the communication device only within the interior of the vehicle and will not interfere with cell phones or wireless devises outside the automotive vehicle or rail locomotive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Inventors: Allan Steinmetz, Douglas Magyari, Stuart Lipoff
  • Patent number: 8190214
    Abstract: An in-vehicle handsfree apparatus establishes a handsfree profile connection with at least two cellular phones. It may be determined that a first cellular phone and a second cellular phone are receiving incoming calls at the same time, or that while a first cellular phone is calling, a second cellular phone is receiving an incoming call. In such a case, based on attributes (for example, a holder or intended use) of the first and second cellular phones, a notice manner of information on incoming call or information on telephone call is differentiated, for instance, in regard to a background color of a display window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Yousuke Kimura, Hideaki Suzuki, Tooru Kakehi, Takehiro Abeta, Takafumi Okayasu
  • Patent number: 8189798
    Abstract: A method for controlling a maximum signal level output to headphones of a wireless device is provided. The method includes: determining an impedance of the headphones; determining a carrier specific maximum signal level for headphones having the impedance; and, adjusting an audio amplifier of the wireless device coupled to the headphones to restrict the maximum signal level output to the headphones to the carrier specific maximum signal level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventor: Cyril Martin
  • Patent number: 8190089
    Abstract: A mounting type Bluetooth unit is provided, which can lengthen the life span of a battery. The mounting type Bluetooth unit is fixedly installed in the interior of a vehicle and is provided with a casing body that packages a circuit board having a controller with control logic for performing Bluetooth communication with a Bluetooth device of a portable phone. The controller further includes a human body sensor as a control switch of operation logic. Also, the controller further includes a logic for sensing a driver's getting into/out of the vehicle in accordance with existence/nonexistence of a sensing signal of the human body sensor and controlling the operation of the Bluetooth unit in a sleep/awake or power-on/off state to cancel pairing with the Bluetooth device in a non-use state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: GT Telecom Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ju Won Heo
  • Publication number: 20120122525
    Abstract: In at least one embodiment an apparatus that includes a communication module is provided. the communication module is configured to enable a driver to control the operation of a portable occupant communication device (OCD) in a hands free mode and to transmit a first command to the portable OCD to disable the hands free mode and to activate a privacy mode for enabling the driver to control the OCD via switches positioned on the OCD. The communication module is further configured to receive a driver performance signal that is indicative of the driver's performance while the privacy mode is active and to transmit a second command to the portable OCD to deactivate the privacy mode and to reactivate the hands free mode based on the driver performance signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2010
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Lee Miller, Brian Bennie, Doron M. Elliott, David Anthony Hatton, Gary Jablonski
  • Patent number: 8180337
    Abstract: A method of activating a device involves establishing communication between the device and another device and receiving, at the other device, a message including activation information from a third party facility. The activation information includes a header and a mobile dialing number. The method further includes using the header to identify the message as an activation message for the device and, via the device, retrieving the identified message from the other device. The mobile dialing number is stored in a memory associated with the device, where the mobile dialing number enables the third party facility to initiate communication with the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: General Motors LLC
    Inventors: Shpetim S. Veliu, Joseph K. Medley
  • Patent number: 8180399
    Abstract: A wireless interface extension for mobile devices is provided. The wireless interface extension includes a user interface, a wireless communication link, and a processor. The processor communicates with a mobile device over the wireless communication link and enables a user to use the user interface to interact with at least one user application on the mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Robin D. Katzer, Carl J. Persson, M. Jeffrey Stone
  • Patent number: 8175657
    Abstract: When an in-vehicle handsfree apparatus establishes concurrent connection with a cellular phone via a Bluetooth interface device with respect to a phone book access profile (PBAP) for realizing a phone book data transfer as well as a handsfree profile (HFP) for realizing a handsfree phone call and a message access profile (MAP) for realizing a mail transfer, the in-vehicle apparatus is configured to start a connection process of PBAP without inserting the connection process of MAP, after the completing of the connection process of HFP.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Takafumi Okayasu
  • Patent number: 8170537
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for playing local device information over a telephone connection. In one aspect, a method includes establishing, by a first electronic client communication device, an audio connection between the first electronic client communication device and a remote second electronic client communication device, determining that a user has selected a control of the first electronic client communication device, selecting, with a computer system and in response to determining that the user selected the control, text data that is associated with the user or the first client communication device, translating, with the computer system, the text data into a speech signal, and playing the speech signal to the remote second client device over the audio connection by electronically inserting the speech signal into the audio connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventor: David P. Bort
  • Patent number: 8170623
    Abstract: An arrangement for charging an electronic accessory (such as a wireless headset) using a docking station that obtains power from at least one of a power port and a data port of an attached electronic device (such as the pairing cellular phone). The docking station provides mechanical support and a convenient storage arrangement for the electronic accessory, as well as power conditioning. In another embodiment, the charging and storage functions for the electronic accessory are provided by a cigarette lighter plug employed to charge the electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jesse Dorogusker, Donald Joseph Novotney, Nicholas Robert Kalayjian, John G. Tang, Emery Sanford, Evans Hankey
  • Patent number: 8170512
    Abstract: A wireless transmitter that includes a phase rotating unit which adds phase rotation to signals which are respectively input to antennas and adds first phase rotation for controlling the maximum delay time between the antennas and a second phase rotation for controlling the phases of arbitrary antennas among the antennas, wherein scheduling of users is performed on a per-chunk basis where a region defined in a frequency domain and in a time domain is divided into chunks in the frequency domain and in the time domain, and in the case in which the frequency bandwidth of the chunk is Fc, the phase rotating unit adds the first phase rotation so that the maximum delay time between the antennas is set to either a predetermined first value which is smaller than 1/Fc or a predetermined second value which is larger than 1/Fc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kimihiko Imamura
  • Patent number: 8160560
    Abstract: Systems, methods and interfaces are disclosed for managing communications associated with a mobile communication device. Mobile communication devices process environmental inputs and transmit mobile communication device context information to a communication management system. The context information may, for example, reflect the motion and/or geographic location of the mobile device, and may reflect the risk associated with using the device to handle a call or other communications session. The communication management system uses the context information, optionally in combination with communication device profiles, to determine how to manage incoming and/or ongoing calls or other communication sessions. Mobile device users may also be inhibited from initiating communication sessions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Aegis Mobility, Inc.
    Inventors: John J. Geyer, Peter A. Featherstone, Andrew S. Wright, Mandy Chan, Stephen J. Williams
  • Patent number: 8155707
    Abstract: A voice input-output device includes a voice input section and a voice output section. The voice input section includes a microphone unit, the microphone unit including a housing that has an inner space, a partition member that is provided in the housing and divides the inner space into a first space and a second space, the partition member being at least partially formed of a diaphragm, and an electrical signal output circuit that outputs an electrical signal that is the first voice signal based on vibrations of the diaphragm, a first through-hole through which the first space communicates with an outer space of the housing and a second through-hole through which the second space communicates with the outer space being formed in the housing. The voice output section includes: an ambient noise detection section that detects ambient noise during a call based on the first voice signal; and a volume control section that controls volume of the speaker based on a degree of the detected ambient noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignees: Funai Electric Advanced Applied Technology Research Institute Inc., Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Rikuo Takano, Kiyoshi Sugiyama, Toshimi Fukuoka, Masatoshi Ono, Ryusuke Horibe, Fuminori Tanaka, Hideki Choji, Takeshi Inoda
  • Patent number: 8155709
    Abstract: An in-vehicle handsfree apparatus is disclosed. The in-vehicle handsfree apparatus includes a handsfree connection section and a control section. The connection section establishes connection with first and second cellular phones by using a handsfree communication protocol. When the control section determines that the first and second cellular phones are respectively receiving incoming calls at a same time, the control section causes an display unit to distinctly display information associated with the incoming call of the first cellular phone and information associated with the incoming call of the second cellular phone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Takehiro Abeta, Toru Kakehi
  • Patent number: 8150474
    Abstract: An in-vehicle handsfree apparatus connects a handsfree profile (HFP) with a cellular phone, and then connects a service discovery profile (SDF) with the cellular phone to thereby designate a compliance state of the cellular phone with respect to a phone book access profile (PBAP) as a PBAP compliance flag. Then, when a user performs an operation to require an all item transfer to transfer all items of phone book data registered in the cellular phone, the handsfree apparatus refers to the PBAP compliance flag to thereby select and connect either the PBAP or an object push profile (OPP) with the cellular phone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Soichi Saito, Hiroyasu Hamanishi
  • Patent number: 8135442
    Abstract: A communication apparatus for use in a vehicle includes a transmission repeater, a transmission terminator and a re-number unit. In a wireless communication between the communication apparatus and a communication unit in a facility such as a toll collection booth or the like, the transmission repeater transmits transmission data to the communication unit repeatedly until receiving an acknowledgement of reception completion of the transmission data from the communication unit, and the transmission terminator terminates repeated transmissions of the transmission data by the transmission repeater when a number of the repeated transmissions of the transmission data reaches a standard value. Further, the re-number unit changes the number of the repeated transmissions of the transmission data based on a content of the transmission data from the communication unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Junichi Ichikawa
  • Patent number: 8131205
    Abstract: A mobile phone detection and interruption system and method are provided. The system is operative to transmit different blocking signals capable of degrading or blocking mobile phone communication in a vehicle responsive to a velocity of the vehicle reaching different pre-configured velocity levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Inventor: Michael Rosen
  • Patent number: 8131323
    Abstract: A handsfree apparatus notifies a user of the reception of a mail if the reception of the mail by a cellular phone happens during a call, and stores an unread history of the received mail in a memory unit if a mail content display operation is not performed. Further, the handsfree apparatus notifies the user of the unread history of the received mail when Bluetooth connection link to the cellular phone having received the mail is disconnected, thereby enabling the received mail to be recognized by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Kenji Miyake
  • Publication number: 20120052907
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method determines an event at a mobile device and a movement value for a speed of movement of the mobile device based on the event. The movement value is compared to a threshold. If the movement value has passed the threshold, the method enables a mode such that the mobile device is configured to announce information to a user of the mobile device and configured to receive an audible command from the user of the mobile device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2010
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Applicant: SENSORY, INCORPORATED
    Inventors: James C. Gilbreath, Todd F. Mozer
  • Patent number: 8126514
    Abstract: A communication unit communicates with a cellular phone device simultaneously using a handsfree communication protocol for handsfree communication and a data transfer protocol for data transfer. The cellular phone device is selectively in one of: i) a handsfree communication state where outgoing and incoming voice is transmitted via input and output units of the in-vehicle apparatus when opening a voice path with the in-vehicle apparatus using the handsfree communication protocol; and ii) a handset communication state where outgoing and incoming voice is transmitted via input and output units of the cellular phone device when closing the voice path. A control unit permits a data transfer request transmitted from the cellular phone device using the data transfer protocol when the cellular phone device is in the handset communication state and refuses the data transfer request when the cellular phone device is in the handsfree communication state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuyoshi Azuma
  • Patent number: 8126492
    Abstract: The improved vehicle crew communication system provides an increase in the number of wireless headsets that can be used with one base station, an increase range from the vehicle for operation of said headsets, full duplex operation communication over digitally encrypted DECT protocol links from one base station to a plurality of headsets, pairing of each headset to a particular base station, use of wireless technology inside and outside of the vehicle, automatic channel and link selection to transparently avoid interfered-with channels and links, removal of the need to manually select a channel on the headset, and the combination of the noise-cancelling microphone with noise threshold, noise attenuation, and line echo cancellation tuned to intercom parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Sonetics Corporation
    Inventors: Sarmad Hannosh, Brian VanderPloeg
  • Patent number: 8116836
    Abstract: System for processing transportation information using a communication network, comprising a customer communication means for performing a direct call connection to a transportation vehicle; a plurality of communication means provided with the transportation vehicle for performing a direct call connection with the customer communication means; an information database means for storing subscriber information; a host server means in which is operated such that the customer communication means makes a direct call connection to the communication means of the transportation vehicles sequentially according to the predetermined order based on the subscriber information and the connection history information in the information database means; and a data relay means for performing a direct call connection to the customer communication means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Inventor: Joon Seong Ki
  • Patent number: 8112132
    Abstract: A mobile device, particularly a wireless headset, includes a cord to which an earpiece is fixed and a module having a spring-actuated retractor reel into which the cord is retracted for storage. A fastener on the module makes the device wearable. A rotary encoder generates a position data output according to the rotational position of the reel, and a controller receives the position data output from the sensor, and, in response, controls a function such as placing the device in an on-hook or off-hook state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Inventor: Yuet Ming Chan
  • Patent number: 8108009
    Abstract: An in-vehicle hands free device includes: a voice line coupling element for coupling with an external communication network through a voice line; a communication element for providing a communication link with a cell phone, wherein the communication element receives a reception signal from the network through the cell phone; and a controller for controlling reception of the signal from the cell phone when the communication element receives the signal. The controller determines whether it is possible to control the reception of the signal from the cell phone. The controller prohibits reception signal notice action of the cell phone when the controller determines that it is impossible to control the reception of the signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Shuji Karino
  • Patent number: 8108010
    Abstract: An in-vehicle handsfree apparatus performs a dialing control with a first dialing phone number, which is a phone number included in historical data of outgoing or incoming calls of a cellular phone. If the destination of the dialing with the first phone number does not answer, the handsfree apparatus performs a dialing control by using a different second phone number, if it is available from the cellular phone. The second phone number, e.g., a number of a home telephone, is registered in phone book data of the cellular phone by using the same registration name as that of the first phone number; further, the second phone number is transmitted from the cellular phone to the handsfree apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Kenji Miyake
  • Patent number: 8102995
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a communication device and a telephone communication method thereof. The present invention includes two or more microphones mounted at different positioned in a predetermined space, e.g., in a vehicle. Further, a detector compares selectively the signal-to-noise ratios, sound quality states, volume intensities or the like of signals input through the microphones, and detects the most optimal signal as a telephone communication signal in the signals. Echo and/or howling contained in the input signal when one talks over the telephone with a communication counterpart is removed through an echo remover in accordance with the control operation of a controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Sang Oh Kim
  • Patent number: 8103210
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a short-distance wireless communication unit and a player selection controller. The short-distance wireless communication unit receives, from a partner device via short-distance wireless communication, a selection request to select any one of players. In accordance with the selection request, the player selection controller controls switching to a player requested to be selected. After start of the player switching, when a predetermined time elapses before success or failure of the player switching is determined, the short-distance wireless communication unit transmits, to the partner device via short-distance wireless communication, a selection success response to the selection request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Fujitsu Toshiba Mobile Communications Limited
    Inventor: Toshiya Tamura
  • Patent number: 8103315
    Abstract: A portable terminal device, which closes AV incoming call notification sound ringing at a headset when incoming call notification sound ringing processing through an AV profile competes with incoming call notification sound processing through a hands-free profile between a cellular phone and a headset, and when an in-band notification mode is set at the cellular phone, connects a sound link to perform communication through the hands-free profile, and starts ringing of an incoming call notification sound through the hands-free profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Fuijtsu Toshiba Mobile Communications Limited
    Inventors: Tosaku Tanada, Toshiya Tamura
  • Patent number: 8099138
    Abstract: The invention relates to a holding device comprising a receiving system for receiving a mobile telephone (30, 30?) provided with a device fort the wireless transmission of data and voice signals. Said holding device comprises a housing (1), an interface for a handsfree device, and a device for controlling the charging of a battery of the mobile telephone (30, 30?). The aim of the invention is to provide a holding device which enables different mobile telephones (30, 30?) to be held and operated. To this end, the receiving system can be adjusted in such a way as to receive different-sized mobile telephones (30, 30?), the holding device has an electrical output with an electrical power that can be used for charging the battery, and the device for controlling the charging is arranged in a cable (9) which is used specifically for the mobile telephone (30, 30?) and can be connected to the output on one end thereof and to the mobile telephone (30, 30?) on the other end thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Bury Sp.z.o.o.
    Inventor: Roman Piekarz
  • Patent number: 8090367
    Abstract: A cellular phone accumulates input information, which is inputted by a user using the cellular phone located not only inside but also outside of a vehicle, as parent population data for interest extraction, and extracts interest information, which reflects a present interest of a user, from the parent population data for interest extraction. An in-vehicle information output apparatus internally or externally collects provision information, which matches the interest information extracted in the cellular phone, and provides the user with the collected provision information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Shogo Kameyama
  • Patent number: 8086267
    Abstract: A vehicle communication system includes a processor that may query a wireless device to determine, among other things, a carrier identity. The carrier identity is the identity of the service provider for the wireless device. If the carrier identity is known, the processor may use a lookup table to determine an access phone number (APN) and a user name and password for provisioning a wireless internet connection through the wireless device. If the carrier identity is unknown, or if more than one APN and/or user name/password combination are associated with a given carrier, the processor is operable to perform a guess and check process to determine the appropriate provisioning information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Nello Joseph Santori, Jr., Brian Woogeun Joh, Joseph N. Ross
  • Patent number: 8082009
    Abstract: A mobile telephone or cellular telephone unit and a rear view mirror housing of an automobile are combined to provide an improved telephone apparatus that enables a hands-free use by a driver while operating the vehicle, the improved telephone apparatus includes a rear view mirror housing, the housing including a rear view mirror, telephone and SIM card for sending and receiving telephone calls and instant video image, the image display and SIM card are removably connected thereto. A telephone key pad is cooperatively connected to the telephone for dialing the telephone. An attachment bracket attaches the mirror housing to the vehicle. The housing has the electronic circuitry incorporated therewith to which a telephone and video assembly is connectable. A remote device, and computer process to communicate with the motor vehicle without the need for an automated hub, or Network Operating Center (NOC).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Akihabara Limited LLC
    Inventors: Ronald Baratono, Mossad Abbas
  • Patent number: 8078241
    Abstract: A universal console for portable telephones with electrical connection points is disclosed, where the connecting part in the console is arranged to adapt to the design of the telephone connections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Modulprodukter AS
    Inventor: Per Magnussen
  • Patent number: 8078237
    Abstract: A mobile phone holder with lateral connectors, especially for a mechanical vehicle, provided with a base (1) and a cover (4) and a slide (3), which is mounted slideably in the base and into which a mobile phone is inserted, the holder is provided with an unlocking module (2) with lateral buttons (15), which are connected to an eccentric wheel (17) and which, when pressed, unlock the mobile phone, wherein its slide (3) is provided with a power plug (9), mounted slideably in it, and having a casing (39) and pins (34), which are concurrently guided both along the guides (8) of the base (1) and the cover (4), the guides inclined towards the axis of the holder and along the guide (30) of the flat protrusion (29) of the holder (3), that is perpendicular to the holder axis, thus making the power plug (9) move perpendicularly to the A-A axis of the holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: BURY Sp. z o.o.
    Inventor: Henryk Bury
  • Patent number: 8073496
    Abstract: A helmet-type hands free system with a radio communication function is provided, in which a hands free function key input unit for executing a hands free function is mounted on a handle of a vehicle. Accordingly, it is possible to operate a hands free module without taking a hand off the handle and to establish radio communication between neighboring hands free modules without communicating with a base station. As a result, safer driving is possible and radio communication costs are reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Dream Technology Co.
    Inventors: Young Ho Kim, Joon Ho Kim, Jae Ho Kang
  • Patent number: 8068883
    Abstract: A connection of a hands-free apparatus to a cellular phone is established through a hands-free profile, and the connection of the hands-free apparatus to the cellular phone through the hands-free profile is switched from the cellular phone to another cellular phone when a data communication is triggered. Then, the hands-free apparatus establishes another connection to the cellular phone through a dial-up network profile so that a hands-free call by the hands-free apparatus is appropriately handled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: DENSO Corporation
    Inventor: Naoki Matsuda
  • Patent number: 8068884
    Abstract: A device comprising a circuit for picking up acoustic signals with the microphone; a circuit for playing back audio signals with an amplifier and a loudspeaker; an interface circuit for interfacing with a telephone network or a cell phone; and a circuit for digitally processing audio signals and reducing the acoustic echo that results from interaction of the loudspeaker with the microphone. The circuit for digitally processing audio signals comprises: an echo cancellation stage with an adaptive linear filter suitable for subtracting from the signal picked up by the microphone a reference signal that is derived from the signal received at the output from the interface; a gain control stage for suppressing the residual echo, and a stage for selectively reducing the background noise present in the signal received at the output from the echo suppression stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Parrot
    Inventor: Henri Seydoux
  • Patent number: RE43027
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and method for facilitating short-range wireless communications between a mobile wireless device and an auxiliary device. The wireless device includes a short-range transceiver for communicating with an auxiliary device; a signal module for providing a mode control signal; and, a control module for controllably shifting a short-range transceiver between a power saver mode and a search mode based on the mode control signal received from the signal module. When in the search mode, the short-range transceiver is operable to search for the auxiliary device to communicate therewith. When in a power saver mode, the short-range transceiver is not operable to search for the auxiliary device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Research in Motion Limited
    Inventors: Scotte Zinn, Sean Wilson