Patent Application
20070296559
Embodiments of the inventive aspects of this disclosure will be best understood with reference to the following detailed description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
A system and method for controlling a hand-held communication device in a vehicle is disclosed. In an embodiment of the invention, the hand-held communication device (e.g., a cellular telephone) is controlled by a workload manager module, just as the embedded communication device in the telematics unit is controlled by the workload manager module as discussed above. To control the cellular telephone, at least a transmitter is coupled to the diagnostic connector (e.g., an OBD-II connector) in the vehicle. That transmitter can be coupled directly to the connector via a dongle or can be coupled via a cable. Either way, the transmitter receives instructions from the workload manager module and transmits them to the cellular telephone, for example, via a short-range wireless protocol such as Bluetooth, or WiFi, or any other suitable protocol. So that the cellular telephone can properly interpret and act on these commands, an application program (e.g., a Java applet) is preferably downloaded to the telephone either through the cellular telephone's multi-pin connector, through the Bluetooth link, or through the cellular telephone's standard voice/data transceiver. With the application program in place in the telephone, the commands from the workload manager module can now be implemented at the cellular telephone, thus providing safety and convenience benefit to the vehicle's user. As another option to the use of a transmitter, the diagnostic connector in the vehicle can be directly connected to the multi-pin connector on the telephone (e.g., via a cable), thus alleviating the need for short-range communications between the cellular telephone and the diagnostic connector.
As noted earlier, a problem with telematics systems in vehicles is the lack of communication and control between the telematics system and other hand-held communication devices that might be present in the vehicle. Specifically, in the context of a telematics system having a workload manager module designed to mitigate or arbitrate driver distractions, this lack of communication and control reduces the effectiveness of the workload manager module, as distractions (e.g., telephone calls) can be presented to the driver's hand-held cellular telephone even when the workload manager module knows it is not optimal.
This problem is solved in one embodiment of the invention by providing a communication and control link 55 between the workload manager module 32 and the hand-held communication device 40, as shown in
As is known, many present-day vehicles have OBD systems, such as ODB system 28 introduced earlier. Such OBD systems 28 can be controlled by any control device coupled to the vehicle bus 14, and can run algorithms to query various sensors on the vehicle (not shown), and to report queried data back to the control device. In this regard, a diagnostic connector 45, normally located by the driver under the vehicle's dashboard, is provided as a convenient location for connecting such a control device. For example, although not shown, in a typical diagnostic application, a vehicle needing inspection drives to a garage having authorized inspection equipment, i.e., an example of the control device just alluded to (not shown). The inspection equipment is essentially a specialized computer having a cable for coupling to the diagnostic connector 45. Once connected, the inspection equipment can send control signals to the OBD module 28, which in turn queries the sensors, etc., and returns data back to the inspection equipment via the vehicle bus 14 and through the diagnostic connector. One skilled in the art will realize that other information other than raw diagnostic information is also available on the vehicle bus 14, and hence is available through the diagnostic connector, such as a vehicle's identification number (VIN), odometer information, etc.
Standards typically govern the various designs of the diagnostic connector 45 and the protocol used with them. Currently, OBD-II connectors are mandated to be supplied with all new cars sold in the U.S. OBD-II replaced the earlier OBD-I standard, and may eventually be replaced in production vehicles by an even-newer OBD-III standard or the like. Again, vehicle diagnostics, the protocols, connector designs, etc., are all very well known to those of skill in the art. Moreover, it should be understood that the particular type of connector, or the protocol standards with which it is used, are not important to the invention, and hence the term “diagnostic connector” should be understood as generic to all such types of connector, whether in the vehicle's cabin underneath the dashboard, under the hood of the vehicle, etc.
However, the salient point with respect to the invention is not vehicle diagnostics per se, but rather realization that the diagnostic connector 45 is useful in the context of the invention as a means for “tapping into” the vehicle bus 14, and hence the workload manager module 32, which is also coupled to the vehicle bus. Assuming the cellular telephone 40 can be communicatively coupled to this diagnostic connector 45 via link 55, a mechanism can exist for allowing communication and control between the cellular telephone 40 and the workload manager module 32. This, in turn, allows the telephone 40 to be controlled by the workload manager module 32 in the vehicle 8, as is explained further below.
In an embodiment, communicatively coupling the diagnostic connector 45 with the cellular telephone 40 is accomplished by a dongle 50, as already mentioned. As one skilled in the art will understand, a “dongle” is a term used to denote a communication module housing which can be directly coupled to a connector (such as 45) without the use of a cable or other link. Thus, as shown, dongle 50 comprises a rigid case of any suitable composition for housing the electronics as shown in further detail in
In one embodiment, the communication link 55 between the dongle 50 and the cellular telephone 40 is any short-range radio communication means, such as Bluetooth, WiFi, etc. Typically, the electronics in the dongle 50 are kept as simple as possible to reduce its cost. For example, in the most minimal implementation, and referring to
The circuitry in the dongle 50 receives power to operate from power pins (such as 51) that route power and ground from the vehicle's battery or other vehicle power supply (not shown) to the dongle 50. Alternatively, the dongle 50 could contain its own replaceable or rechargeable battery (not shown).
The design of the dongle 50, from both a mechanical and circuitry standpoint, can generally be uniformly designed to serve after market users. This is possible because the design of the diagnostic connector 45 and the protocols are standardized in the marketplace. (Again, OBD-II is currently ubiquitous in vehicles in North America). This allows dongles 50 to be built as a “one size fits all” after-market solution that almost anyone could use on their vehicles. Should it be desirable to build a dongle 50 to work with many varieties of serial vehicle busses, then the dongle would contain the necessary communication physical layers to effectuate this, as one skilled in the art well understands.
Any instructions sent from the workload manager module 32 to the cellular telephone 40 through the dongle 50, however, need to be in a condition which the cellular telephone 40 can recognize and act upon. In this respect, it should be noted that the commands as sent from the vehicle (assuming they are not translated at the vehicle 8) will be issued according to the protocol operable on the vehicle bus 14. Of course, this protocol may or may not be recognizable by the cellular telephone 40.
To address this concern, in one embodiment, the telephone is provided with an application program 60 stored in memory 58 including computer program instructions for interpreting the commands as issued from the vehicle bus 14 (specifically, from the workload manager module 32) and for converting such commands to instructions executable by a microcontroller 56 of the cellular telephone 40. In one embodiment, the application program 60 comprises a Java applet, i.e., an application program written in the Java programming language. However, it should be noted that the language in which the application program 60 is written is not important to embodiments of the invention.
As one skilled in the art will understand, the application program 60 may be different for different models of cellular telephones 40, because such different models of cellular telephones may require different translations of the original vehicle bus commands. Alternatively, the application program 60 may be able to detect the type of telephone into which it is installed, and can execute appropriate routines for that telephone accordingly, which again provides a “one size fits all” solution for the telephone-side of the communication. Regardless, the goal of the application program 60 is to control the telephone in accordance with instructions issued by the workload manager module 32 in the vehicle 8.
In one embodiment, the application program 60 reacts to commands sent from the workload manager module 32 in exactly the same way that the embedded communication device 12 in the telematics unit 10 reacts. For example, if the workload manager module 32 decides on the basis of driving conditions indicated on the vehicle bus 14 that the driver is probably busy and should not be interrupted, the module 32 may instruct both the embedded device 12 and the cellular telephone 40 to not “ring” the driver, and may instruct either device to pass the attempted communication to a voice mail box. Again, the application program 60 converts these instructions in a manner understandable to the microcontroller 56 in the telephone 40.
The application program 60, like the dongle 50, is preferably easily installed in an otherwise standard cellular telephone 40 after market, although of course any of the implementations disclosed herein can also be implemented during manufacturing. In an after-market application, it is necessary to download the application program to the cellular telephone 40, where it can be stored in a non-volatile memory 58 for execution by the microcontroller 56. The application program 60 can be downloaded to the cellular telephone 40 in several different ways. For example, the program can be loaded into the telephone via a typical multi-pin connector 70 typically present on most cellular telephones 40, which might allow the program 60 to be downloaded from a service station that services the telephones 40 in question via a cable from a suitable on-site telephone programmer.
Alternatively, the application program 60 is downloaded to the telephone wirelessly, which can occur in at least two ways. First, if the application program 60 is a general program designed to work with several different models of cellular telephones 40, the program 60 may be stored in conjunction with the telematics unit 10, for example, during the installation of the telematics unit 10 in the vehicle 8. In that case, the application program 60 can be downloaded to the cellular telephone 40 via the short-range wireless Bluetooth link 55a already discussed.
Second, the application program 60 can be downloaded to the cellular telephone 40 via the longer-range transceiver circuitry 61 used to carry normal cellular communications (voice and data) to and from the cellular telephone 40. In this embodiment, and as shown in
Regardless of how the application program 60 is downloaded to the cellular telephone 40, once locally resident in memory 58, that program 60 is executed to essentially control the cellular telephone 40 in response to commands from the workload manager model 32. It is however not strictly necessary that the embedded communication device 12 and the cellular telephone 40 be controlled exactly in the same fashion and/or in tandem. For instance, the workload manager module may issue different instructions to embedded devices 12 and external devices such as cellular telephone 40, in a manner which produces different results at these two devices. For example, the workload manager module 32 may decide that it is appropriate given certain driving conditions to allow calls to pass to the embedded device 12 (which is more easily answered, allows for hands-free operation, etc.), but not to external communication devices such as the cellular telephone 40 (which is more cumbersome to answer, requires manipulation, etc.).
Using embodiments of the disclosed invention, the workload manager module 32 is now expanded in its performance, and better able to perform it advocacy function, as it is enabled to control not just communications internal to the vehicle 8, but communications outside the vehicle as well. Thus, the results are improved driver safety, and better overall control of all communications that might be implicated in the vehicle 8.
In addition to the embodiments disclosed above, other modifications are possible and are still within the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, it was earlier noted that there are benefits to the use of a dongle 50. However, it is not strictly necessary to use a dongle, i.e., a housing directly connected to connector 45 without the use of a cable or link. Instead, and as shown in
Furthermore, and as shown in
In other useful embodiments, the user can override operation of the system to prevent the workload manager module 32 from controlling the cellular telephone 40 if desired, which might be important to the user if s/he is expecting a very important call which should not be interrupted.
Finally, it should be recognized that embodiments of the invention are directed broadly to manners for using the electronics in a vehicle to controlling a hand-free communication device. In this regard, it is not necessary that such control be directed to driver safety, or that such control originating from a safety-oriented module such as the workload manager module 32 discussed above. In short, embodiments of the invention accommodate other non-safety based commands, which commands can issue from any module in the vehicle, such as the telematics unit 10, the embedded communication device 12, any of the subsystems 20-30, etc.
As used herein, a “command” issued by a vehicle module and as received by the hand-held device includes commands as might be modified in a manner not affecting their function. For example, if a command is issued by the workload manager module, that same command is said to be received at the cellular telephone even if its form has been modified in transition. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, this recognizes that a command is not changed and rendered something else just because it has been processed on route between the module and the telephone.
It should be understood that the inventive concepts disclosed herein are capable of many modifications. To the extent such modifications fall within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents, they are intended to be covered by this patent.
