Portable electronic device and a method in a portable electronic device

A method in a portable communication device for displaying information includes encoding data and transmitting the encoded data to a display associated with a vehicle. The encoded data is received by a receiver associated with the display, decoded and displayed.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to a portable electronic device and a method in a portable electronic device. In particular, the invention relates to information data that is transferred to and displayed in an information presenting device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Portable electronic devices, such as mobile phones of today, include a display where text information, such as network and battery status information, short message service (SMS) messages, call information, etc., may be displayed. These portable electronic devices are often used while driving, e.g., by using hands free equipment. That is, the portable electronic device may be controlled without requiring the user to directly input information to the portable electronic device using his/her hands. However, even though the handling of the portable electronic device is made easier by means of hands free equipment, it is sometimes difficult to see the information/data in the mobile phone display while driving a car, depending on where the phone is placed and the size of the display and/or size of the displayed text.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Aspects of the invention provide a mechanism for making it easier for a driver of a car to handle a portable electronic device while driving the car.

According to a first aspect, a method in a portable communication device for displaying information data in a display of an information presenting device in a vehicle is provided. The portable communication device comprises an FM transmitter and a Radio Data System (RDS) encoder. The information presenting device comprises a Frequency Modulation (FM) receiver and a RDS decoder. The method comprises the steps of: encoding the information data by means of the RDS encoder and transmitting the encoded information data, by means of the FM transmitter, to the information data presenting device. The information data is received by the FM receiver in the information presenting device, decoded by means of the RDS decoder in the information presenting device and displayed in the display of the information presenting device.

According to a second aspect of the invention, the portable communication device further comprises an application. The method comprises the further steps, to be taken before the steps of encoding the information data and sending the encoded information data to the information presenting device, of activating the application, which activating step triggers the further step of: transferring the information data to the RDS encoder.

According to a third aspect of the invention, the portable communication device is a mobile phone.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention, the information presenting device is car stereo.

According to a fifth aspect of the invention, a computer program product in a portable communication device for displaying information data in a display of an information presenting device in a vehicle, comprises computer program code for causing a processing means within a computer placed in the portable communication device to control an execution of the steps of the first aspect described above, when said code is loaded into the portable communication device.

According to a sixth aspect of the invention, a portable communication device is provided. The portable communication device comprises an RDS encoder adapted to encode information data, and an FM transmitter adapted to transmit the information data encoded by the RDS encoder to an information presenting device. The information data is adapted to be received by an FM receiver in the information data presenting device, and is adapted to be decoded by means of an RDS decoder in the information data presenting device and is further adapted to be displayed in a display of the information presenting device.

According to a seventh aspect of the invention, the portable communication device further comprises an application, which application when activated is adapted to transfer the information data to the RDS encoder.

According to an eighth aspect of the invention, the FM transmitter is a circuit, built-in in the portable communication device or a stand-alone device being adapted to be connected to the portable communication device.

According to a ninth aspect of the invention, the portable communication device is a mobile phone.

According to a tenth aspect of the invention, the information presenting device is car stereo.

According to an eleventh aspect, a portable communication device comprises a display configured to display information, an encoder configured to encode the displayed information, and a transmitter configured to transmit the encoded information to a vehicle radio or stereo system for display by the vehicle radio or stereo system.

Since the information data is encoded by means of the RDS encoder and transmitted by means of the FM transmitter to the information data presenting device, the information data can be displayed in the display of the information presenting device in the car, which makes the information data visible for a driver of a car, and thus make it easier to handle the portable electronic device while driving the car.

An advantage of aspects described herein is that for a mobile phone equipped with an FM transmitter with RDS functionality, no extra hardware will be needed to be able to display phone related information on a car radio/stereo display. Another advantage of aspects described herein is that no extra hardware is needed for the car stereo to allow the car stereo to display the phone related information.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Aspects of the invention are described below as including a method and a device which may be put into practice in the embodiments described below.

FIG. 1illustrates a portable communication device100. The portable communication device100may be a mobile phone, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) or any portable communication device. The portable communication device100includes a display110intended for displaying information data115associated with the portable communication device100. For example, information data115may include text, such as caller information (e.g., telephone numbers, names, etc.), a Short Message Service (SMS) message, phone battery status or other text messages, phone profile information (e.g., normal, meeting, car, hands free, etc.), reminders (e.g., meeting in 15 minutes), e-mail, Bluetooth and IR status (if active), etc. An information presenting device such as a car stereo display is designed to be clearly visible for the driver. Therefore, aspects of the invention use a display in an information presenting device in a vehicle for displaying information data associated with a portable communication device so that the information data is easily visible to a driver.

In an exemplary implementation, the portable communication device100includes a Frequency Modulation (FM) transmitter120and a Radio Data System (RDS) encoder130for the transmission of the information data115. An RDS system is a commonly used system for encoding small amounts of data, usually information data about the FM-radio station, the song being played and sometimes traffic information data. The small amounts of data are sent along with a conventional FM radio signal allowing devices that include RDS decoders to display information text, station names, etc. In an exemplary implementation, the RDS encoder130may be included in FM transmitter120. Alternatively, the RDS encoder130may be located externally from FM transmitter120.

In an exemplary implementation, the information data115in portable communication device100is adapted to be transferred to the RDS encoder130, where the RDS encoder130is adapted to encode the information data115. The FM transmitter120may be configured to send the encoded information data115to an FM receiver140in an information presenting device150in a vehicle by using FM signals. The FM transmitter120in the portable communication device100may transmit the information data115on a specific frequency. The FM transmitter120may be a circuit included within the portable communication device100or may be, for example, a stand-alone device that is adapted to be connected to the portable communication device100.

The portable communication device100may further include an application155, such as a software and/or hardware application. When the application155is activated by the user, the process of transferring the information data115to the RIDS encoder130, encoding the information data115and sending the encoded information data115to the information presenting device150may be triggered to start.

The information presenting device150may be, for example, a car radio system or car stereo system in a vehicle. The FM receiver140in the information presenting device150is adapted to receive the information data115sent by the FM transmitter120in the portable communication device100. The FM receiver140is adapted to receive the information data115on a specific channel. The specific channel may have the same specific frequency as the frequency via which the FM transmitter120in the portable communication device100is sending the information data115. The information presenting device150may further include an RDS decoder170which may be included in the FM receiver140. The RDS decoder170is adapted to decode the received information data115, encoded by the RDS encoder130. The information presenting device150may further include a display160that preferably is located or placed in an area clearly visible to a driver of the vehicle. The display160is adapted to display the information data115received by the FM receiver140and decoded by the RDS decoder170.

To view information via information presenting device150, the user of the portable communication device100may just have to start (e.g., turn on) the information presenting device150and if not already set, tune the FM receiver140in the information presenting device150to the specific channel (i.e., the channel used by FM transmitter120), to make the information data115visible in the display160of the information presenting device150. This specific frequency may be preset for a specific channel, e.g., channel3, in the information presenting device150so that the user only has to click on channel3in the information presenting device150to make the information data115visible in the display160. In this manner, the user of portable communication device100may use display160as an alternate display (i.e., other than display110) for telephone related information while driving a vehicle.

In other implementations, FM transmitter120may be configured to encode and simultaneously broadcast the encoded data on a number of frequencies, such as a number of frequencies associated with stations frequently listened to by the user (e.g., radio stations associated with preset buttons on the car radio/stereo system). In this way, the information from display110may be viewed via display160when the car radio/stereo is tuned to any of these particular stations. In addition, in some implementations, the user of mobile communication device100may be able to select the particular input frequency or frequencies that FM transmitter120will use to transmit the information data via a selection mechanism on portable communication device100.

FIG. 2depicts an exemplary method that may be performed by the portable communication device100. Assume that the user of the portable communication device100is in a vehicle and wishes to make the information data115in the portable communication device100visible in the display160in the information presenting device150. Further assume that the application155in the portable communication device100is activated by the user (201). The activation of application155may be done, for example, by pressing one or more buttons on portable communication device100associated with activating application155, opening a menu listing a number of applications included in portable communication device100and selecting application155, etc.

The information data115may then be transferred to the RDS encoder130(202). This may be triggered by the activated application155. The RDS encoder130encodes the information data115(203).

The FM transmitter120may then transmit the encoded information data115to the FM receiver140in the information presenting device150(204). This may be triggered by the application155, such as by activating/starting application155. The RDS decoder170in the information presenting device150decodes the encoded information data115and the decoded information data115is made visible in the display160in the information presenting device150. In this manner, information that is displayed on display110of portable communication device100may also be displayed (e.g., concurrently) on display160of information presenting device150. Advantageously, this may allow the user of portable communication device100to more easily view information associated with the operation of portable communication device100while he/she is driving.

The present mechanism for displaying information data can be implemented through one or more processors or microprocessors, such as the processor180in the portable communication device100depicted inFIG. 1, together with computer program code for performing the functions described herein. The program code mentioned above may also be provided as a computer program product, for instance in the form of a data carrier carrying computer program code for performing the functions described herein when loaded into the first device. One such carrier may be in the form of a CD ROM disc. It is, however, feasible to user other data carriers or types of computer-readable mediums, such as a memory stick. The computer program code can furthermore be provided as pure program code on a server and downloaded to the first portable communication device100remotely or may be pre-stored in portable communication device100.

As described above, aspects of the invention may be implemented in methods and/or computer program products. Accordingly, the invention may be embodied in hardware and/or in software (including firmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.). The actual software code or specialized control hardware used to implement aspects consistent with the principles of the invention is not limiting of the invention. Thus, the operation and behavior of the aspects were described without reference to the specific software code—it being understood that one of ordinary skill in the art would be able to design software and control hardware to implement the aspects based on the description herein.

Further, certain portions of the invention may be implemented as “logic” that performs one or more functions. This logic may include hardware, such as a processor, microprocessor, an application specific integrated circuit or a field programmable gate array, software, or a combination of hardware and software.

The present invention is not limited to the above-describe preferred embodiments. Various alternatives, modifications and equivalents may be used. For example, the above described embodiments refer to an information presenting device in a vehicle that is part of a car radio/stereo system. In other implementations, the information presenting device may be associated with or may be part of other vehicle systems/devices, such as a display associated with a vehicle monitoring system.

Therefore, the above embodiments should not be taken as limiting the scope of the invention. The scope of the invention is defined by the claims and their equivalents.