In Vehicle Patents (Class 455/569.2)
  • Patent number: 11871184
    Abstract: A hearing improvement system for use with a user's smart device and earpiece/headphones includes software stored on a memory device of the smart device, the software configured to be executed by a processor of the smart device to cause an audio signal received from a microphone of or operating with the smart device if containing two or more sound patterns to be separated into a plurality of individualized sound patterns; categorize the individualized sound patterns; display an icon representing each categorized sound pattern on a screen of the smart device; enable a user viewing the icons to at least one of deactivate or activate each of the individualized sound patterns; and enable each of the non-deactivated individualized sound patterns to be delivered to the user's earpiece/headphones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Ramtrip Ventures, LLC
    Inventors: Pradeep Ram Tripathi, Robert W. Connors, Nishant Ram Tripathi
  • Patent number: 11724667
    Abstract: A motor vehicle has a component for recognizing a user based on a mobile device carried by the user and a microphone. Once a user has been recognized from the outside, the microphone converts sound waves acting on the motor vehicle into electrical signals. A speech control unit processes the sound waves transmitted by the microphone. The motor vehicle includes a number of microphones oriented in different directions on different sides of the motor vehicle. The number of microphones convert sound waves into electrical signals and transmit them to the speech control unit. The speech control unit is connected to a plurality of loudspeakers directed towards the surroundings of the vehicle for voice communication with the user, with speech output being provided only via the loudspeaker or loudspeakers closest to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: MERCEDES-BENZ GROUP AG
    Inventors: Klaus Bader, Laura Bader, Hannah Kniesel
  • Patent number: 11667240
    Abstract: A module system for a motor vehicle includes at least one camera pod adapted to be mounted to the motor vehicle at least temporarily extending to the outside and/or from an exterior surface, with said camera pod including at least one camera and at least one port for fitting at least one modular peripheral device and/or adapter of a peripheral device; and at least one interface module adapted to be mounted to the motor vehicle at least temporarily extending into the inside and/or being accessible from the inside, with the interface module being electrically connected to the at least one camera pod. A rear view device and a motor vehicle include the at least one module system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Motherson Innovations Company Limited
    Inventors: Andrea König, Alexandru Dobrete, Peter Hein, Ilka Rötzer
  • Patent number: 11665514
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed that identify a motor vehicle operation and whether a driver is operating a mobile device. One example of operation may include a method that includes receiving vehicle data based on active operation of a vehicle and compiling a candidate driver identification profile (DIP) based on the received vehicle data. The method may also include comparing the candidate DIP to a pre-stored DIP and determining a match between the candidate DIP and the pre-stored DIP. The method may also include applying a restriction to a mobile station operated by a driver of the vehicle responsive to the match determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: TANGO NETWORKS, INC.
    Inventors: Andrew Silver, Lathan Lewis
  • Patent number: 11546456
    Abstract: A hands-free device enables a hands-free call by being wirelessly connected to a mobile phone. The hands-free device incudes a hardware processor configured to: perform a control related to data transfer using a transfer protocol for implementing transfer of history data including incoming call history data and outgoing call history data, and phone book data stored in the mobile phone when the mobile phone is in a wireless connection area; receive the history data and the phone book data from the mobile phone through communication using the transfer protocol; and store the history data and the phone book data that are received. The hardware processor is configured to perform the control to transfer the history data prior to the phone book data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Satoshi Kawamura, Tomoaki Katada
  • Patent number: 11516330
    Abstract: Methods and systems are described for coordinating multiple calls across multiple devices. The system includes a communication interface configured to be paired with multiple mobile devices while maintaining concurrent communication with the multiple mobile devices. A controller is configured to connect a microphone and a speaker to the first mobile device via the communication interface to transmit and receive audio in a hands-free mode in response to detecting the first call at the first mobile device. The controller is configured to output a first prompt for selection of whether to continue the first call through the communication interface in the hands-free mode in response to detecting the second call at the second mobile device. The controller is configured to disconnect the microphone and the speaker from the first mobile device in response to receiving a first input indicating a selection of exiting the hands-free mode for the first call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventors: Daesung Joo, Jihye Kim
  • Patent number: 11451290
    Abstract: A vehicle communication management unit is provided that includes at least one configurable communication interface, at least one memory and a communication controller. Each configuration communication interface is configured to interface signals between a communication link and the vehicle communication management unit using a select communication protocol. The memory is used to store operating instructions of the communication management unit including an interface configuration table. The interface configuration table includes communication operating parameters for select communication protocols. The communication controller is used to control communication operations of the communication management unit. The communication controller is configured to determine a type of communication protocol used in a communication link coupled to the at least one configurable communication interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas F. McGuffin
  • Patent number: 11375066
    Abstract: An echo is allowed to be effectively removed while a processing load on an arithmetic device is reduced. When a magnitude of a reference signal transmitted to a speaker is equal to or greater than a first threshold, a learning algorithm using nonlinear processing is selected. When the magnitude of the reference signal is smaller than the first threshold, a learning algorithm using linear processing is selected. The echo is learnt using the selected learning algorithm to remove an echo included in an input signal picked up by a microphone based on a learning result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: TRANSTRON INC.
    Inventor: Yuki Satomi
  • Patent number: 11356549
    Abstract: A system and method for discouraging the in appropriate use of a mobile device including registering a mobile device with a monitoring application running on a system coupled with a network. A mobile device is linked with the monitoring application through the network. The operational status of the mobile device is monitored to detect if a change occurs in the operational status. A change in the operational status of the mobile device is reported to the monitoring program with time information and the status change is displayed in a graphical interface, and a notification message is sent to a system user. Beacons might also be implemented to advise a device user to disable a mobile device to be monitored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Inventors: Brian Way, Geoff Cornwall, Greg Neiheisel, David Pearce
  • Patent number: 11349995
    Abstract: A method for providing Internet access to a customer of a service provider wherein the service provider takes over the costs for the customer's Internet use. The method includes the customer's user equipment generating a service start notification message to a server of the service provider in response to the customer agreeing to the service and commencement of use of the service. The service start notification message triggers sending a query to a database of the service provider containing customer data, and confirming the customer has access rights for getting Internet access at the service provider's expenses. The service provider generates and sends out a request message to the mobile communication provider of the customer and requests an intermediate change of the customer's mobile communication contract so the costs for loading Internet data on the customer's user equipment will be temporarily charged to the service provider rather than the customer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Inventors: Jan Benedikt Stolze, Thorsten Hehn, Gregor Stock
  • Patent number: 11283742
    Abstract: A method for audio-based social media messaging for a wearable device includes generating a first audio message using a wearable device, the wearable device having at least one microphone and at least one speaker and conveying the first audio message from the wearable device to an audio-based social media platform using a wireless radio transceiver within the wearable device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: BRAGI GmbH
    Inventor: Nikolaj Hviid
  • Patent number: 11247667
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electronic parking assistance device (1) for a motor vehicle (10), comprising: a housing (2) provided with an antenna (3), a camera (6) that is contained, at least in part, in the housing, and a control unit (7) that is contained in the housing and is connected to said antenna. According to the invention, the housing is provided with at least one other antenna (4) that is connected to the control unit, and this control unit is suitable for selecting each antenna and for sending and receiving signals exclusively via the selected antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: VALEO COMFORT AND DRIVING ASSISTANCE
    Inventors: Jean-Claude Goumy, Frédéric Gehin
  • Patent number: 11246022
    Abstract: Disclosed is a Bluetooth headset device and a communication method for the same. The method comprises: establishing by a first earpiece serving as a Bluetooth master device a Bluetooth connection with a data source device; establishing by the first earpiece and a second earpiece a wireless connection therebetween; and according to a preset cyclicity, exchanging by the first and second earpieces control information within a first time period, sending by one of the first and second earpieces that serves as a primary earpiece a Bluetooth transmission request to the data source device, and receiving by the first and second earpieces simultaneously Bluetooth data sent by the data source device in response to the request, within a second time period, wherein the role of the primary earpiece is switched between the first and second earpieces in an alternate mode or a switching on-demand mode based on the control information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: KUNSHAN TELINK SEMICONDUCTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mingjian Zheng, Haipeng Jin
  • Patent number: 11240364
    Abstract: An original equipment manufacturer (OEM) human-machine interface (HMI) device operation of a non-OEM handheld mobile device is provided. A non-OEM handheld mobile device can be coupled with a vehicle network of a vehicle. The vehicle can include a head unit with a display. An OEM HMI can be presented on a display of the non-OEM handheld mobile device. Thus, the non-OEM handheld mobile device provides functionality associated with the head unit and/or functionality not associated with the vehicle. Responsive to receiving an input on the OEM HMI presented on the non-OEM handheld mobile device, a setting or control of a vehicle device can be caused to be adjusted. Alternatively or in addition, responsive to receiving an input on a vehicle OEM HMI, a setting or control of the non-OEM handheld mobile device can be caused to be adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Steven H. Shannir
  • Patent number: 11234114
    Abstract: This device operation controller is provided with: a wireless receiver that receives information including the ID of a portable device, the ID being wirelessly transmitted from the portable device; a first registration processing unit that registers, as the ID of a portable device belonging to an owner group, a first ID received by the wireless receiver by a predetermined procedure; a second registration processing unit that, when a second ID, together with the ID of the portable device belonging to the owner group and registered by the first registration processing unit, has been received by the wireless receiver, registers the second ID as the ID of a portable device belonging to a concerned person group; and a notification unit that notifies a device to be operated that an operation on the device is permitted on condition that either the ID of the portable device belonging to the owner group and registered by the first registration processing unit or the ID of the portable device belonging to the concerned
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: JVCKENWOOD CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroaki Yokoyama, Takafumi Sekine
  • Patent number: 11215473
    Abstract: A control device as a driving support device includes a processor configured such that the processor receives respective voice output instructions from an automatic driving device and a car navigation device provided in a vehicle, and when respective timings to output voice from the automatic driving device and from the car navigation device overlap with each other, the processor performs a control to display a content corresponding to a content of the voice output from the automatic driving device for a longer time than a time to display the content of the voice in a case where the timings do not overlap with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akira Iijima, Hiroaki Sakakibara, Yohei Kubo
  • Patent number: 11203323
    Abstract: A process for detecting a portable user device in a predetermined zone on the inside or outside of a vehicle by a detection device onboard the vehicle. The high-frequency, BLE type communication includes a first signaling mode and a second communication mode, the first mode including: positioning the portable device at a predetermined fixed distance from the detection device, transmitting a signal by the detection device with predetermined transmission power on a channel. As long as the detection device is receiving a response signal from the portable device, repeating transmission of the signal at the same transmission power on other channels, otherwise, repeating transmission of the signal on a channel with reduced transmission power, and if the detection device no longer receives a response signal, comparing the transmission power to a predetermined threshold transmission power, and applying a correction to the transmission power during the second mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Inventors: Sylvain Godet, Frédéric Merlet, Stéphane Billy
  • Patent number: 11190631
    Abstract: A system and method of generating an in-vehicle favorite contacts list includes pairing a first mobile device with an in-vehicle infotainment system, and transferring data from the first mobile device to the in-vehicle infotainment system. The data includes a contacts list from the mobile device. The transferred data is weighted, and an in-vehicle favorite contacts list is generated based on the weighted data. The generated in-vehicle favorite contacts list is displayed on a display in the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Rami Daman, Adam Saganski, Mohammad Sous, Asif Bader
  • Patent number: 11031027
    Abstract: A system for providing an acoustic environment recognizer for optimal speech processing is disclosed. In particular, the system may utilize metadata obtained from various acoustic environments to assist in suppressing ambient noise interfering with a desired audio signal. In order to do so, the system may receive an audio stream including an audio signal associated with a user and including ambient noise obtained from an acoustic environment of the user. The system may obtain first metadata associated with the ambient noise, and may determine if the first metadata corresponds to second metadata in a profile for the acoustic environment. If the first metadata corresponds to the second metadata, the system may select a processing scheme for suppressing the ambient noise from the audio stream, and process the audio stream using the processing scheme. Once the audio stream is processed, the system may provide the audio stream to a destination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Horst J. Schroeter, Donald J. Bowen, Dimitrios B. Dimitriadis, Lusheng Ji
  • Patent number: 11017770
    Abstract: A vehicle may include: an input processor to receive a speech of a user and convert the speech into a text-type utterance; a natural language processor that performs morpheme analysis on the text-type utterance, and identifies an intent of the user and selects a domain related to the text-type utterance based on a result of the morpheme analysis; a storage to store a plurality of domains; a controller to add a new domain to the plurality of domains based on a specific condition, and determine a final domain among the plurality of domains and the added new domain; and a result processor to generate a command based on the determined final domain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Seohwan Choi
  • Patent number: 10924153
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for an external vehicle wireless connection. Example methods may include: determining a condition associated with a vehicle; determining, based on the condition, a switching state between a first antenna external to the vehicle and a second antenna internal to the vehicle associated with the vehicle; transmitting, based on the switching state and via the first antenna, a first signal on a first frequency and on a first network or on a second network; and transmitting, based on the switching state and via the second antenna, a second signal on a second frequency on the first network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Eric Eaton, Pha Nguyen
  • Patent number: 10880431
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described herein for sending notifications associated with different use or active modes of a mobile device, such as a smart phone, tablet, and so on. For example, a mobile device may be in a busy mode, where a user associated with the mobile device is busy on a call, and/or in an entertainment mode (or other non-communication mode), where the user is utilizing entertainment functions provided by the mobile device (e.g., watching a video, playing a video game, listening to a podcast, and so on).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc.
    Inventor: Kalyan C. Yalamanchili
  • Patent number: 10848937
    Abstract: A system for transferring data from a wireless network of a vehicle includes a first station for covering a first wireless network, which is secured by encryption and a mobile device. The mobile device is configured for connecting to the first wireless network and to a second wireless network. The first station is provided in the vehicle, wherein access data for connecting to the two wireless networks is available in the mobile device. In the vehicle, data are available, which are transmitted from the first station to the mobile device, and from there to the second station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: WABCO Europe BVBA
    Inventors: Andelko Glavinic, Ulf Laude, Rainer Risse, Axel Stender, Norbert Witte
  • Patent number: 10821885
    Abstract: A system to enhance vehicle safety is disclosed comprising a vehicle having a front end and a rear end; at least one visual signal light apparatus positioned in the proximity to the front end of the vehicle; the visual signal light apparatus illuminates when the vehicle's is decelerating via its braking system; wherein the visual light apparatus is comprised of a rear view mirror having a first surface facing the front of the vehicle and a second surface facing the rear of the vehicle wherein at least one portion of solar panel is embodied to the first surface and at least one or more LED lights is embodied to the first surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Inventor: Yong Guk Yi
  • Patent number: 10798117
    Abstract: An anomaly detection server is provided. The anomaly detection server is a server for counteracting an anomalous frame transmitted on an on-board network of a single vehicle. The anomaly detection server acquires information about multiple frames received on one or multiple on-board networks of one or multiple vehicles, including the single vehicle. The anomaly detection server, acting as an assessment unit that, based on the information about the multiple frames and information about a frame received on the on-board network of the single vehicle after the acquisition of the information about the multiple frames, assesses an anomaly level of the frame received on the on-board network of the single vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Haga, Hideki Matsushima, Manabu Maeda, Yoshihiro Ujiie, Takeshi Kishikawa, Junichi Tsurumi, Jun Anzai
  • Patent number: 10764683
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for distributing audio. An audio system is provided that includes one or more audio interfaces, at least one of which is a wireless audio interface. An audio hub couples to the one or more audio interfaces and detects the presence of one or more headphones coupled to the wireless audio interfaces. The audio hub selectively establishes communication channel(s) to convey audio content between a plurality of devices coupled to the audio interfaces. The plurality of devices may include one or more headphones, an infotainment head unit, a microphone, and a speaker. Accordingly, headphone users may hold conversations with each other and/or other occupants of a vehicle, and various users may share audio content with headphone users and/or other occupants of a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: BOSE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Teoman Bal, Ryan Boyle, Mark E. Dukeshire, Daniel B. Pierson, Naganagouda B. Patil
  • Patent number: 10694488
    Abstract: Control systems and methods are provided for vehicles that include, in one embodiment, a plurality of sensors, and a processor. The plurality of sensors are dispersed across a body of the vehicle, and are configured to detect an electronic device in proximity to the vehicle; and collect sensor data with respect to the electronic device. The processor is configured to determine, using the sensor data, whether the electronic device is physically disposed inside the vehicle; and selectively connect the electronic device with a telematics unit of the vehicle, via the processor, based on whether the electronic device is physically disposed inside the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventor: Steven Hartley
  • Patent number: 10684672
    Abstract: A memory system includes a nonvolatile semiconductor memory, and a controller circuit that includes a physical layer and is configured to store information defining a plurality of low power consumption modes for setting the physical layer to a low power consumption state while controlling the physical layer according to a first standard, and control input and output of signals between the physical layer and the nonvolatile semiconductor memory according to a second standard. The controller circuit selects one of the low power consumption modes based on a data transfer state of the physical layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Junji Koyama, Kenji Ichihara, Keizo Ikeda, Junichi Mishima, Yosuke Yamahara, Takashi Yamaguchi, Takuya Sekine, Akinori Bito, Yoshiki Yasui, Ken Okuyama, Yoshinori Shigeta
  • Patent number: 10686929
    Abstract: A vehicle safety system operating on a driver's cellphone and comprising selective blocking apparatus, controlled by a processor, for blocking specified functionalities of the cellphone only when the cellphone is in a moving vehicle; and communication functionality operative to receive from a remote server and feed to said processor, updates which determine which specified functionalities to block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: SAVERONE 2014 LTD.
    Inventors: Yossef Cohen, Amiram Gur Gerasi, Eliyahu Gur, Yaakov Shoshan
  • Patent number: 10678496
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an audio transmitter receiver device. The device includes an audio interface providing an audio signal, the audio signal including at least one of an audio input signal and an audio output signal; a digital communications interface for at least communicating audio information; and an audio codec for transcoding the audio information such that the audio information includes at least a high quality distortion free lossless representation of the audio signal and the audio signal includes an audio representation of the audio information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Inventor: Stéphanie England
  • Patent number: 10652715
    Abstract: A method for restoring local control to at least portions of a radio head unit in a motor vehicle when communication between a personal cellular (wireless) telephone, which has been paired with the radio head unit, and a telephone of a remote party is placed “on-hold” while both telephones are “off-hook”. Also a disclosed is a method for re-programming the radio head unit by a special “app” in a personal cellular (wireless) telephone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: TRIGROUP TECHNOLOGIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Loren S. Adell, Michael Adell
  • Patent number: 10628644
    Abstract: A system for sequence management of vehicles may include: smart tags respectively attached to each of vehicles which are sequentially moved in a production line; a tag recognition device disposed in the production line and receiving data from the smart tags and sensing whether the smart tags enter respective process areas and an actual vehicle sequence through the data; and a server storing sequence information of the vehicles, receiving the actual vehicle sequence from the tag recognition device, comparing the sequence information and the actual vehicle sequence, and determining whether a sequence error occurs in the sequence information, and when the error occurs in the sequence information, changing the sequence information to the actual vehicle sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Sung Wook Lee
  • Patent number: 10616389
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a handset and a cradle that removably holds the handset. In the cradle, the storage section is disposed in the main body, includes a recess formed from a bottom surface, two side surfaces extending along a longitudinal direction, and two end surfaces extending along a lateral direction that crosses the longitudinal direction, and can accommodate the entire length of the handset. The cord insertion portion is open at a first end surface of the two end surfaces. A cord of the electronic terminal passes through the cord insertion portion. The push-up member is disposed so as to retractably project from the bottom surface of the storage section, and abuts against the handset stored in the storage portion. The handset is stored in the storage section so as to form a space between the handset and the bottom surface of the storage section, and can pivot to the first end surface side due to the push-up member projecting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takashi Sato, Mitsuhiro Tosa, Keiichi Taketani
  • Patent number: 10602316
    Abstract: A method for automatically transmitting a notification about the occurrence of at least one vehicle state of a vehicle to at least one mobile terminal of a user involves performing or preventing the automatic transmission of the notification depending on a geographical area, a predetermined time, a condition predetermined by the user, and/or learned condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: DAIMLER AG
    Inventor: Christian Maihoefer
  • Patent number: 10594852
    Abstract: A control circuit determines when a user of a corresponding portable communication device is presently driving a vehicle and then, in response to detecting this use state, automatically answer incoming communications and provide at least two contact options to the sender. One of these contact options can comprise the option to speak with the user during the incoming communication. Another of these contact options can comprise recording a voice message for the user and discontinuing the incoming communication without the sender communicating with the user. The control circuit can determine whether the user is presently driving a vehicle by relying upon a direct acknowledgement of the user and/or by indirect means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Robert Felice Mori, Philip Gabriel Yurkonis
  • Patent number: 10490041
    Abstract: A security cover for an audio/video recording and communication device (A/V device) comprises a front wall includes first and second apertures. The first aperture is positioned to expose a camera of the A/V device. The second aperture is positioned to expose a button of the A/V device. The security cover further includes a set of one or more adjoining sidewalls extending from the front wall and being sloped outward from the front wall. The security cover further includes a mounting surface extending about the set of sidewalls, the mounting surface being spaced from the front wall. The security cover further includes a rigid mounting frame having a first surface for abutting a support surface and a second surface, opposite the first surface, for abutting the mounting surface. The front wall, the set of sidewalls, and the rigid mounting frame together form an interior compartment to contain the A/V device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Jeremy Churak
  • Patent number: 10477010
    Abstract: The disclosed system may include a first and a second mobile device coupled to a vehicular system, the vehicular system may include a processor and a memory including executable instructions that cause the processor to effectuate operations including (i) receiving an indication that the first mobile device is associated with a first driver of the vehicle when the first mobile device comes into proximity with the vehicular system, (ii) determining that the second mobile device is associated with the first driver of the vehicle based on identifying a biometric of the first driver, (iii) based on the indication received from the first mobile device, instructing the vehicular system to cause the first mobile device and the second mobile device to enter a mode, (iv) detecting an override from the first mobile device, and (v) responsive to detecting the override, instructing the vehicular system to release the second mobile device from the mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: Lyft, Inc.
    Inventor: Samuel Zellner
  • Patent number: 10453332
    Abstract: The invention relates to a system comprising a seat (10) and a mobile terminal that are or can be connected to one another in order to transmit data, wherein the seat (10) comprises at least one electromechanical actuator (22, 24, 26, 28) and/or at least one sensor element (32, 34, 36, 38), the mobile terminal is designed to receive inputs from a user and control the at least one actuator (22, 24, 26, 28) on the basis of these inputs and/or to receive and process data collected by the at least one sensor element (32, 34, 36, 38), and the seat (10) and the mobile terminal are each provided with at least one communication means (44), which are designed to wirelessly transmit data between the seat (10) and the mobile terminal. The invention also relates to a corresponding method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: Stabilus GmbH
    Inventors: Lars Löhken, Ulrich Probst, Raphael Piroth, Markus Müller
  • Patent number: 10419882
    Abstract: Described examples include a system for tracking a construction vehicle at a construction site. The system includes a Bluetooth receiver located at the construction site for receiving a unique identifier code transmitted by a Bluetooth beacon mounted on a construction vehicle, and the Bluetooth receiver is further configured to communicate the unique identifier code to a remote computer over a communications interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: Heavy Construction Systems Specialists, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Bordelon, Joshua Owen McDonald
  • Patent number: 10306422
    Abstract: A method for controlling the operability and functionality of an electronic device with an electronic device detection system begins by determining whether an electronic device is located within the vehicle and proximate to an operator of the vehicle. The electronic device detection system defines a restricted zone in which electronic device use is partially or fully prohibited and a safe zone in which all or some of the functionality of electronic devices is enabled. Once it is determined that an electronic device is in use and within a restricted zone, a determination is made as to whether any usage prohibition conditions are satisfied. If usage prohibition conditions are satisfied, then particular functions of the electronic device may be disabled in a restricted zone. If prohibition conditions are not met, the electronic device may be totally enabled, partially enabled to allow certain functions, or the electronic device is never disabled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: VISTEON GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Mark L. Zeinstra, Philip J. Vanderwall
  • Patent number: 10278024
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided to facilitate a return of a mobile device to an owner. A graphical user interface element is displayed, utilizing a display of a mobile device. A user input is detected in connection with the graphical user interface element, utilizing an input device of the mobile device. An interface is displayed including at least one return option for returning the mobile device to an owner of the mobile device, utilizing the display of the mobile device. Such interface is displayed in response to the detection of the user input in connection with the graphical user interface element utilizing the input device of the mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Futurewei Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Reza Yazdani
  • Patent number: 10268278
    Abstract: A hand gesture control system to be operated via hand gestures to receive a call from a mobile phone includes: a casing; a control unit installed inside the casing; a hand gesture recognition unit installed inside the casing, including an image capturing module and a hand gesture recognition module, wherein the image capturing module captures an image of a hand gesture of a user and transmits to the gesture recognition module for comparison, which feeds back an operation instruction to the control unit corresponding to the comparison; a wireless transmission unit communicates with the mobile phone via a wireless communication protocol for establishing communication between the mobile phone and the control unit; a microphone disposed at an exterior of the casing in order to receive a user's voice; and a loudspeaker disposed at an exterior of the casing in order to output the user's voice from the microphone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: H.P.B. OPTOELECTRONIC CO., LTD
    Inventors: Yuan-Hsin Chiang, Hsuan-Yueh Hsu
  • Patent number: 10244095
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for receiving, by a removable computing device that is electrically connected to a computing system through a physical connection, contact information from a contact list that is assigned to a user account. The user account is associated with a mobile computing device that is in wireless communication with the removable computing device. The removable computing device is configured to physically disconnect from the computing system. The removable computing device provides the computing system with the contact information for presentation by a display of the computing system. The removable computing device receives from the computing system an indication of user input requesting that the mobile computing device initiate communication with a device identified by the contact information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Andrew Scott Brenner, Patrick Brady, Rupinder Kataria, Karl Alun Townsend, Sharlik Shah, Andrey Gubarev
  • Patent number: 10237648
    Abstract: An object is to provide a sound collecting device and a method of controlling a sound collecting device with which it is possible to easily obtain audio of a speaking person with a high level of precision while keeping the number of component parts small and preventing the structure from becoming complicated. An audio processing unit 35 judges whether or not the current mode is an operation mode (a speech mode or a conversation mode) in which audio of an occupant of the vehicle serving as a speaking person is obtained (step S1A). When the current mode is another operation mode (an audio playback mode or a head position measuring mode), the audio processing unit 35 sets the directionality of a microphone array to be directed toward the outside of the occupant or to be non-directional (steps S4A and S5A) and obtains input audio of the microphone array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: CLARION CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Naoki Takada, Fumiaki Nakashima
  • Patent number: 10218448
    Abstract: A system and method for determining vehicle position uses light based communication (LBC) signals and a time-of-flight (TOF) pulse. Each vehicle includes a LBC system having light emitting diodes (LEDs) and receiver photodiodes capable of sending and receiving pulsed light binary messages. The LBC system may also include a TOF transceiver for sending and receiving TOF pulses, or the transmitter and receiver diodes may be used to send and receive TOF pulses. Each LBC system has a controller coupled to the transmitter diodes and receiver diodes (and the TOF transceiver when present). The controller includes a processor configured to determine the distance between vehicles. Optical characteristics are used to discern relative angle, a header is used to determine relative orientation, and the time-of-flight is used to determine distance, which together may be used by the processor to determine the relative location between transmitting vehicle and the receiving vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: OSRAM SYLVANIA Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Laski, Vimlesh Shukla, Jeremy Spaulding
  • Patent number: 10187103
    Abstract: At least one communication service for transmitting and/or receiving information associated with the communication service utilizes at least one of several antennas in a motor vehicle. An antenna circuit, associated with each of the antennas, converts an analog signal received by the antenna into digital received data associated with that antenna circuit and/or converts digital transmission data associated with that antenna circuit into an analog transmission signal which is supplied to the associated antenna. A communication device in the motor vehicle generates transmission data associated with the antenna circuits in accordance with transmission information and transfers the transmission data to the associated antenna circuit and receives the digital received data from at least one of the antenna circuits to provide reception information based on the digital received data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventor: Jürgen Spehl
  • Patent number: 10187513
    Abstract: A system and method for discouraging the in appropriate use of a mobile device including registering a mobile device with a monitoring application running on a system coupled with a network. A mobile device is linked with the monitoring application through the network. The operational status of the mobile device is monitored to detect if a change occurs in the operational status. A change in the operational status of the mobile device is reported to the monitoring program with time information and the status change is displayed in a graphical interface, and a notification message is sent to a system user. Beacons might also be implemented to advise a device user to disable a mobile device to be monitored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: 20/20 CTE, LLC
    Inventors: Brian Way, Geoff Cornwall, Greg Neiheisel, David Pearce
  • Patent number: 10142752
    Abstract: An interaction apparatus comprises: a loudspeaker array, comprising speaker units, where each speaker unit is configured to make sound according to an input signal; an obstacle detection module, configured to detect an obstacle parameter corresponding to an obstacle inside space on a side of a sound-making surface of the loudspeaker array; and a compensation module, configured to adjust, according to the obstacle parameter, the input signal corresponding to a speaker unit of the speaker units, and compensate for a sound-making effect of the loudspeaker array influenced by the obstacle. A loudspeaker array comprising the speaker units can be disposed, an obstacle that influences a sound-making effect of the loudspeaker array can be detected, and an input signal of a corresponding speaker unit can be adjusted when the obstacle exists, thereby alleviating influence from the obstacle on the sound-making effect during use, and improving user experience.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: BEIJING ZHIGU RUI TUO TECH CO., LTD
    Inventors: Lin Du, Wei Shi
  • Patent number: 10131243
    Abstract: Method, device and system for charging electric vehicles. Carrying out 28 on the vehicle side a charging process at a charging station, emitting 30 on the vehicle side an item of information about the charging process and receiving 24 on the vehicle side a current contract key after the emission on the vehicle side of the information about the charging process are proposed for identifying an electric vehicle to a billing center.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: innogy SE
    Inventors: Stefan Helnerus, Armin Gaul
  • Patent number: 10034145
    Abstract: Method and system for localizing a mobile device in a vehicle is provided. The method may include: triggering an audio system mounted on a vehicle, which audio system includes a plurality of speakers, to play an acoustic signal; and calculating a position of a mobile device in the vehicle based on a recording of the audio system's playback of the acoustic signal, which is recorded by the mobile device, and position information of the plurality of speakers. Localization may be more accurate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: Harman International Industries, Incorporated
    Inventors: Zeng Yang, Qingshan Zhang, Guoxia Zhang