Abstract:
A method for providing telematics communications is provided comprising: sending an ignition-on message to a switching server by a telematics device, when an ignition is turned on; sending a switching phone list to the telematics device by the switching server; sending to the switching server, by the telematics device, information about a mobile terminal that a driver or passenger selects from the switching phone list and an authentication number that the driver or passenger inputs; and sending a switching setting result to the mobile terminal by the switching server after performing user authentication by using the authentication number and performing switching setting to allow a telephone number assigned to the selected mobile terminal to be switched to that of the telematics device.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2008-70117 filed Jul. 18, 2008, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The present invention relates to a method for providing wireless communications, more particularly, to a method for providing telematics communications, which allows the phone number of a driver&#39;s mobile terminal or terminals and that of vehicle telematics device to be switchable with a single network in common. 
     Telematics provides a vehicle with various services including the service of providing audio contents or video contents by decoding audio signals or video signals stored in various media such as cassette tape, CD, DVD or the like, the service of providing traffic information such as path guidance for the destination which is set during driving, and the service of providing the information of a vehicle to the telematics information center when an accident occurs. 
     For such telematics communication, conventionally, a driver should subscribe to a mobile communication network service for a telematics device as well as a mobile communication network service for a mobile terminal or terminals of his/her own, which would increase mobile communication service fees. 
     The above information disclosed in the Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and, therefore, it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art. 
     SUMMARY 
     In one aspect, the present invention provides a method for providing telematics communications, the method comprising: sending an ignition-on message to a switching server by a telematics device, when an ignition is turned on; sending a switching phone list to the telematics device by the switching server; sending to the switching server, by the telematics device, information about a mobile terminal that a driver or passenger selects from the switching phone list and an authentication number that the driver or passenger inputs; and sending a switching setting result to the mobile terminal by the switching server after performing user authentication by using the authentication number and performing switching setting to allow a telephone number assigned to the selected mobile terminal to be switched to that of the telematics device. 
     In case the switching setting is completed, the telematics device may be able to provide voice call, SMS, and TCP services through the telephone number of the mobile terminal, while the mobile terminal may not be able to provide voice call service. 
     In an embodiment, the present methods may further comprising: sending a request for canceling the switching setting to the switching server, when the telematics device receives the request from a driver in the ignition-on state; and sending a switching cancellation result to the mobile terminal, after the switching server cancels switching setting. 
     In case the cancellation of the switching setting is completed, the mobile terminal may be able to provide voice call, SMS, and TCP services, while the telematics device may not able to provide voice call, SMS, and TCP services except for emergency. 
     In another embodiment, the present methods may further comprise: sending an ignition-off message to the switching server by the telematics device, when the ignition is turned off; sending to the telematics device by the switching server a message confirming that the switching setting needs to be canceled and receiving a response message from the telematics device; and canceling the switching setting by the switching server and sending a switching cancellation result to the mobile terminal. 
     In the present methods, preferably, the switching server generates and saves the switching phone list and information about the mobile terminal in advance. 
     In one aspect, the present invention provides a system for providing telematics communications, the system comprising: A system for providing telematics communications, the system comprising: a telematics device performing a wireless communication with a telematics information center; and a switching server sending a switching phone list to the telematics device when an ignition is turned on and performing switching setting to allow a telephone number assigned to a selected mobile terminal from the switching phone list to be switched to that of the telematics device. 
     In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, wherein the telematics device comprises: the system of claim  7 , wherein the telematics device comprises: an input unit for inputting an authentication number and selecting the mobile terminal to be switched from the switching phone list; a wireless communication unit performing a wireless communication with the switching server and the telematics information center and transmitting a message associated with the ignition on/off of a vehicle and the authentication number to the switching server. 
     In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, wherein, in case the switching setting is completed, the telematics device is able to provide voice call, SMS, and TCP services through the telephone number of the mobile terminal, while the mobile terminal is not able to provide voice call service, but is able to provide SMS and TCP services. 
     In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, wherein the switching server comprises: an authentication unit performing user authentication by comparing a received authentication number from the telematics device with a pre-stored user authentication information; a switching setting unit performing switching setting or switching cancellation when it receives a request for the setting or cancellation from the telematics device; and a storage unit stores the switching phone list and the user authentication information. 
     The above features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from or are set forth in more detail in the accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of this specification, and the following Detailed Description, which together serve to explain by way of example the principles of the present invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above and other features of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to certain exemplary embodiments thereof illustrated by the accompanying drawings which are given hereinafter by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a configuration diagram of a system for providing telematics communications according to an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a flowchart that shows an operation mode of the system of  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 3  is another flowchart that shows an operation mode of the system of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     It should be understood that the appended drawings are not necessarily to scale, presenting a somewhat simplified representation of various preferred features illustrative of the basic principles of the invention. The specific design features of the present invention as disclosed herein, including, for example, specific dimensions, orientations, locations, and shapes will be determined in part by the particular intended application and use environment. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Hereinafter, embodiments of the method for providing telematics communications according to the invention will be described with reference to the attached  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 3 . 
       FIG. 1  is a configuration diagram of a system for providing telematics communications according to an embodiment of the invention. 
     The system may include a telematics device  100 , a switching server  200  communicating with the telematics device  100  through a mobile communication network, and a mobile terminal  300  communicating through the mobile communication network. 
     The telematics device  100  may include a wireless communication unit  110 , a controller  120 , an input unit  130 , a display unit  140  and an emergency call button  150 . The wireless communication unit  110  performs a wireless communication with the switching server  200  and telematics information center. The controller  120  control to transmits a message associated with the ignition on/off of a vehicle and an authentication number to the switching server  200 . 
     The input unit  130  receives an authentication number from the driver and receives information about a mobile terminal, selected from a switching phone list, to be switched. The display unit  140  displays the switching phone list. The emergency call button  150  performs an emergency call to a telematics information center (not shown) when it is pressed by the driver in case of the occurrence of an accident. 
     The switching server  200  may include an authentication unit  210 , a switching setting unit  220  and a storage unit  230 . In case of receiving the authentication number from the telematics device  100 , the authentication unit  210  performs user authentication by comparing the received authentication number with a pre-stored user authentication information in the storage unit  230 . 
     The switching setting unit  220  performs switching setting or switching cancellation when it receives the request for the setting or cancellation from the telematics device  100 . 
     The storage unit  230  stores the switching phone list and the user authentication information. 
     Hereinafter, operation modes of the system according to an embodiment will be described with reference to  FIGS. 2 and 3 . 
     A driver subscribes to a mobile network service for the mobile terminal  300  and the telematics device  100 . The mobile network service assigns a number for the mobile terminal  300  and another number for the telematics device  100 . The mobile network service provides a supplementary service which allows the driver to switch the numbers for communication. 
     For instance, in case where the number “011-1111-1111” is given to the mobile terminal  300  and “011-2222-2222” is given to the telematics  100 , if the driver sets the switching from the mobile terminal  300  to the telematics device  100  after getting the ignition of the on, telephone calls to the number “011-1111-1111” of the mobile terminal  300  can be received by the telematics device  100 . On the other hand, if the driver does not turn on the switching function, the mobile terminal  300  can communicate but the telematics device  100  cannot unless the emergency call button  150  is on. Such emergency call button function may or may not be available depending on the policy of mobile network service providers. 
     In the meantime, when the ignition is turned off, the switching function is cancelled such that telephone calls to the number “011-1111-1111” is received by the mobile terminal  300  and communication with the telematics device  100  is not available. In this case, depending on the policy of the mobile network service providers, emergency call through the emergency call button  150  may or may not be available. 
     Hereinafter, with reference to the below table 1 and  FIG. 2 , the operation of the system will be described in detail. It is noted that as described above, the availability of the services listed in Table 1 and types/kinds of available services may vary depending on the policy of the mobile network service providers. 
     
       
         
               
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 1 
               
               
                   
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                 Mobile 
                   
               
               
                 Ignition 
                 Switching 
                 Service 
                 terminal 
                 Telematics 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 Ignition on 
                 Switching 
                 Voice 
                 Impossible 
                 Possible 
               
               
                   
                 setting 
                 call 
               
               
                   
                   
                 SMS 
                 Possible 
                 Possible 
               
               
                   
                   
                 TCP 
                 Possible 
                 Possible 
               
               
                 Ignition on 
                 Switching 
                 Voice 
                 Possible 
                 Impossible 
               
               
                   
                 cancelling 
                 call 
                   
                 (except for emergency) 
               
               
                   
                   
                 SMS 
                 Possible 
                 Impossible 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 (except for emergency) 
               
               
                   
                   
                 TCP 
                 Possible 
                 Impossible 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 (except for emergency) 
               
               
                 Ignition 
                 Switching 
                 Voice 
                 Possible 
                 Impossible 
               
               
                 off 
                 automatic 
                 call 
               
               
                   
                 cancelling 
                 SMS 
                 Possible 
                 Impossible 
               
               
                   
                   
                 TCP 
                 Possible 
                 Impossible 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     That is, when the ignition of the vehicle is turned on (S 101 ), the telematics device  100  sends the vehicle ignition-on message to the switching server  200  (S 102 ). Then, the switching server  200  sends to the telematics device ( 100 ) a switching phone list which includes the number of numbers of mobile terminal or terminals capable of being switched with the number of the telematics device  100  (S 103 ). The telematics device  100  displays the switching phone list (S 104 ) for the driver to select a number from the list and receives information about the selected number (mobile terminal) with an authentication number inputted from the driver (S 105 ). 
     Thereafter, the telematics device  100  sends the selected mobile terminal information and the authentication number to the switching server  200  (S 106 ). 
     The switching server  200  performs user authentication based on the authentication number and performs the function of switching from the number of the selected mobile terminal  300  to that of the telematics  100  (S 107 ). Then, the switching server  200  sends the result of the switching setting to the mobile terminal  300  (S 108 ). The mobile terminal  300  sends a response message for the switching setting result to the switching server  200  (S 109 ). 
     When the switching setting is completed, as shown in Table 1, the telematics device  100  may provide voice call, SMS (short message service), and TCP (transmission control protocol) service received by the mobile terminal  300  while the mobile terminal  300  may not provide voice call service. In this case, it can be designed such that SMS and TCP services may be available for the driver&#39;s convenience. 
     Thereafter, in case of receiving a switching cancellation request from the driver when the ignition is turned on (S 110 ), the telematics device  100  requests switching cancellation to the switching server  200  (S 111 ), and the switching server  200  performs the switching cancellation (S 112 ). Then, the switching server  200  sends the switching cancellation result to the mobile terminal  300 (S 113 ), and the mobile terminal  300  sends a response message for the switching cancellation result to the switching server  200  (S 114 ). 
     As described, when the switching is cancelled in the ignition-on state, as shown in Table 1, the mobile terminal  300  is able to provide voice call, SMS, and TCP services, while the telematics device  100  is not able to provide all the services. In this case, it can be designed such that SMS and TCP services may be available for the driver&#39;s convenience. 
     Hereinafter, with reference to  FIG. 3 , the method for cancelling the telematics communication switching according to an embodiment of the invention will be described in detail. 
     When the ignition of the vehicle is turned off (S 201 ), the telematics device  100  sends the vehicle ignition off message to the switching server  200  (S 202 ). At this time, the switching server  200  sends to the telematics device  100  a message that confirms that switching needs to be canceled (S 203 ). The telematics device  100  sends to the switching server  200  a response message for the switching cancellation confirming message (S 204 ), and the switching server  200  performs the switching cancellation (S 205 ). Subsequently, the switching server  200  sends the switching cancellation result to the mobile terminal  300  (S 206 ). The mobile terminal  300  sends to the switching server  200  a response message for the switching cancellation result (S 207 ). 
     In case the switching is cancelled after the ignition of the vehicle is turned off, as shown in Table 1, the mobile terminal  300  is able to provide voice call, SMS, and TCP services. As the power is turned off in the vehicle ignition-off setting, the telematics device  100  is not able to provide voice call, SMS, and TCP services. 
     As described above, according to the present methods, since mobile terminal or terminals of a driver (or a passenger) can be switched to the telematics device of a vehicle, subscription to an additional mobile communication network service is not required, thereby being able to reducing the communication fee.