Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US7346374?dq=3798359
Timestamp: 2014-07-22 08:01:55
Document Index: 798246137

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 60', 'Application No. 00939377', 'Application No. 00939377', 'Application No. 02076747', 'Application No. 02076747', 'Application No. 00', 'Application No. 02076747', 'Application No. 00', 'Application No. 00', 'Application No. 02', 'Application No. 00939377', 'Application No. 02076747', 'Application No. 00939377', 'Application No. 02076747']

Patent US7346374 - Wireless communications system and method - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign in<nobr>Advanced Patent Search</nobr>PatentsA system for communicating information is described. The system comprises a radio frequency (RF) transceiver coupled to a vehicle. The transceiver is configured to communicate with a personal digital assistant (PDA) located external to the transceiver using wireless RF signals to transmit information...http://www.google.com/patents/US7346374?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US7346374 - Wireless communications system and methodAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS7346374 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 10/336,466Publication dateMar 18, 2008Filing dateJan 3, 2003Priority dateMay 26, 1999Fee statusPaidAlso published asUS7970446, US8634888, US20040048622, US20080161047, US20110227698, US20140184393, WO2004064343A1Publication number10336466, 336466, US 7346374 B2, US 7346374B2, US-B2-7346374, US7346374 B2, US7346374B2InventorsTodd R. Witkowski, Kurt A. Dykema, Steven L. Geerlings, Mark L. Zeinstra, Robert F. BuegeOriginal AssigneeJohnson Controls Technology CompanyExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (101), Non-Patent Citations (50), Referenced by (31), Classifications (30), Legal Events (4) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetWireless communications system and methodUS 7346374 B2Abstract A system for communicating information is described. The system comprises a radio frequency (RF) transceiver coupled to a vehicle. The transceiver is configured to communicate with a personal digital assistant (PDA) located external to the transceiver using wireless RF signals to transmit information between the transceiver and the PDA.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/979,199, filed Apr. 29, 2002, which is a National Stage of International Application No. PCT/US00/14692, filed May 26, 2000, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/135,979, filed May 26, 1999.
BACKGROUND This invention relates generally to wireless communications devices, and more particularly to a wireless communications system and method which facilitates an automatic wireless connection and wireless communication of voice and/or data information between various electronic components such as notebook computers, cellular telephones, hand held computing devices, pagers, audio devices, display terminals and other electronic systems.
With the increasing popularity of various personal electronic information and computing devices, there has been an increasing need to conveniently integrate the operation, and more specifically the transfer of information, between one or more of such devices. These electronic devices may include portable computing devices such as notebook computers or personal digital assistants (�PDAs�), such as a hand held computing devices, desktop computers, cellular phones, pagers, audio systems, display devices, cordless headsets, digital cameras and virtually any other electronic or electromechanical device that uses electronic information for its operation.
Until the present, transferring information between one or more of these devices has most often required that cabling be connected between the devices. Usually the cabling is �application specific�, meaning that the cabling used to connect, for example, a notebook computer and a hand-held PDA, is specifically designed for only these two components. Thus, the same communications cabling needed for connecting two specific electronic components often can only be used to connect those two components, and not to connect different combinations of other electronic components. Thus, interconnecting different combinations of electronic devices for intercommunication is often possible only with specific and often expensive cabling.
Furthermore, it would be desirable if such a wireless communications system could be provided which does not add appreciably to the overall costs of such portable electronic devices or to the costs of various electronic subsystems of the vehicle. Preferably, the system would provide a manner of transmission that also ensures very secure wireless transmissions to limit the possibility of the devices being susceptible to electronic �eavesdropping� or the data being intercepted by other RF devices operating in the same frequency spectrum.
SUMMARY According to an exemplary embodiment, a system for communicating information is described. The system comprises a radio frequency (RF) transceiver coupled to a vehicle. The transceiver is configured to communicate with a personal digital assistant (PDA) located external to the transceiver using wireless RF signals to transmit information between the transceiver and the PDA.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The various advantages will become apparent to one skilled in the art by reading the following specification and by referencing the following drawings in which:
FIG. 11 is a block diagram of a wireless communications system being used to establish a wireless data link between a cellular phone of a user and one or more subsystems of a vehicle, where the cellular phone is linked with a wireless service organization so that �push� services from an Internet service provider can be used to provide personalized traffic, weather or other information automatically from the Internet to the user as the user travels in the vehicle;
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS According to an exemplary embodiment, a system for communicating information includes a vehicle interface system configured to receive vehicle system information from a vehicle system and a trainable transceiver coupled to a vehicle. The trainable transceiver can be configured to receive the vehicle system information through the vehicle interface system. The trainable transceiver can be further configured to wirelessly communicate with a first electronic device located external to the trainable transceiver to transmit the vehicle system information between the trainable transceiver and the first electronic device.
Referring to FIG. 1, a wireless communications system 10 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment is illustrated. The exemplary embodiment is broadly directed to a wireless communications system 10 in which at least one pair of RF transceivers 10 a and 10 b are used to create a wireless communications link between at least two independent electronic devices. Each RF transceiver 10 a and 10 b operates in accordance with a suitable wireless communications protocol or standard to enable wireless communications between the transceivers 10 a and 10 b. The specific protocol or standard used also preferably enables the wireless communications link to be established automatically when the two RF transceivers come into proximity with each other. The specific protocol or standard may be the Bluetooth communications standard or the Shared Wireless Access Protocol-Cordless Access (SWAP-CA) specification, or any other suitable wireless communications specification that enables voice and/or data information to be transmitted between the two RF transceivers 10 a and 10 b. The Bluetooth communications standard was established for creating small form factor, low-cost, short range RF links between mobile telephones, notebook computers, PDAs and other portable electronic devices. It is the result of a joint effort between several major commercial organizations to develop a RF communications standard for creating secure, wireless communications links between portable electronic devices such as cellular phones, PDAs, computers and other electronic devices. The Bluetooth communications standard is presently an �open� standard that enables short range, secure, RF transmission of voice and/or data information between such portable electronic devices to thus eliminate the need for physical cables for interconnecting the devices. Its implementation is based on a high performance, but low cost, integrated RF transceiver chip set. The Bluetooth standard further provides the potential for automatic and rapid �ad hoc� wireless connections when two or more devices equipped with RF transceivers operating in accordance with the Bluetooth standard come into proximity with each other.
In FIG. 1, one RF transceiver 10 a is integrated into a first electronic device 12 while the other RF transceiver 10 b is disposed within a motor vehicle 14. The electronic device 12 may comprise a notebook computer, a hand-held PDA, a cellular phone, a pager, or any other portable electronic component. The first RF transceiver 10 a includes an antenna 16 for enabling two way communications with the RF transceiver 10 a. Likewise, the second RF transceiver 10 b also includes its own antenna 18 for enabling two way communications. The vehicle 14 typically includes an audio system 20 and a display system 22. The display system 22 may be mounted-in a dashboard or instrument panel, an overhead console, a floor mounted console, a visor, a rear view mirror or at a wide variety of other locations inside the vehicle 14. The display 22 may comprise a small cathode ray tube (�CRT�), a liquid crystal display (�LCD�) or various other forms of displays which are easily visible in daytime as well as nighttime driving conditions.
Referring now to FIG. 8, yet another implementation of the wireless communications system 10 is shown in which a cellular phone 78 is linked with a proprietary speech recording/playback system 80 available commercially from the assignee of the present application and marketed under the trademark �Travelnote��. The Travelnote� system enables the driver or other vehicle occupant to speak directly into a microphone 82 to record any notes or other information which the user would otherwise write down on paper, but which cannot be accomplished easily while driving the vehicle 14. The notes or other information can be played back from the Travelnote� recording/playback system 80 over a speaker 84 once the user reaches his/her destination and prior to exiting the vehicle 14. The Travelnote� recording/playback system 80 is described in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 5,810,420, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
In this implementation, the RF transceiver 10 a is integrated with the cellular phone 78 and the second RF transceiver 10 b is integrated with the Travelnote� recording/playback system 80. The Travelnote� recording/playback system 80 may be located within a visor or rear view mirror 86. Alternatively, it may be located on the dashboard, overhead console, or any other convenient location within the vehicle 14. The wireless communications system 10 provides a high-speed, wireless communications link between the cellular phone 78 and the Travelnote� recording/playback system 80 to enable �hands free� use of the cellular phone 78. Thus, the user need not hold the cellular phone 78 in one hand while driving; the phone 78 can be placed on a console or seat adjacent to the user while the user carries on a hands-free conversation via the microphone 82 and speaker 84 of the Travelnote� playback/recording system 80.
As will be appreciated, other implementations can be made in connection with a home and/or vehicle. For example, RF transceiver 10 a could be disposed in a cellular phone while RF transceiver 10 b is disposed in a Homelink� system which is proprietary to the assignee of the present application. The Homelink� system can be programmed to interface with, for example, a garage door opener to open the garage door when a control unit of the Homelink� system is actuated by a user. By incorporating RF transceiver 10 b into the Homelink� system, the user could enter a predetermined code in the cellular phone which is received by the Homelink� system and which causes the Homelink� system to open the garage door. In this manner, if an individual was not in his/her vehicle as he/she approached their house, the garage door could still be easily opened without the user having the garage door opener unit.
Referring to FIG. 10, the wireless communications system 10 can also be used to enable information relating to various �points of interest� along a route being traveled by the user. This information could also be �personalized� information for the user from an Internet-based information service.
Referring to FIG. 11, another implementation of the wireless communications system 10 is illustrated where �Push� technology is used to download information from the Internet automatically to the user traveling in the vehicle 14. A cellular phone 98 having the first RF transceiver 10 a of the wireless communications system 10 establishes an automatic, high-speed wireless communications link with the second RF transceiver 10 b located in the vehicle 14. The transceiver 10 b is in communication with the vehicle's display system 22 and/or the vehicle's audio system 20.
Referring to FIG. 12, a variation of the implementation shown in FIG. 11 is illustrated in which existing �push� technology is used to download personalized information from an Internet based information service to a suitable electronic system located at or closely adjacent to a gasoline pump 101, or at a kiosk including the gasoline pump 101, when the users vehicle 14 comes within the vicinity of the gasoline pump 101. In this implementation, the gasoline pump 101 includes the electronic device 12 which includes the RF transceiver 10 b, and the vehicle 14 includes the RF transceiver 10 a. The RF transceiver 10 a is in communication with the vehicle's display 22 and/or audio system 20. When the vehicle 14 comes into reasonably close proximity (e.g., within 10 meters of the gasoline pump 101), the RF transceiver 10 a automatically establishes a high speed, wireless communications link with the RF transceiver 10 b of the electronic device 12. The RF transceiver 10 a transmits appropriate identifying information to the RF transceiver 10 b via the automatically established wireless communications link. This information is then linked to the Internet-based information service. Information is then transmitted back to the electronic system 12 associated with the gasoline pump 101. The information is then transmitted over the wireless communications link to the RF transceiver 10 a located in the vehicle 14. It will be appreciated that this personalized information could also be obtained from the Internet by establishing wireless communications links with electronic devices located on road signs, freeway overpasses, at traffic lights and other points along a road or highway.
Referring now to FIG. 14, another implementation of the wireless communications system 10 is provided in which information from a business or a company is �pushed� into a company vehicle 14 from a corporate message center or corporate PC 102. The information from the corporate message center or PC 102 is transmitted via the Internet to the wireless service organization 96. A communications link is established between the wireless service organization 96 and the user's cellular phone 98. The cellular phone 98 includes one RF transceiver 10 a of the apparatus 10 and the vehicle 14 includes the second RF transceiver 10 b. Again, the RF transceiver 10 b is in communication with the vehicle's display 22 and/or the vehicle's audio system 20. Important business information received by the cellphone 98 can then be downloaded via the wireless communications link created by the RF transceivers 10 a and 10 b to the user to apprise the user of important corporate news, events, scheduling or other information which needs to transmitted to the user on a timely basis. Again, this information could be relayed through suitable electronic relaying devices provided at gasoline pumps or at other points such as intersections, freeway overpasses, etc. that the vehicle 14 is expected to pass in proximity to during use.
Referring now to FIG. 16, wireless control system 112 is illustrated along with a remote electronic system 118 which may be any of a plurality of home electronic systems, such as, a garage door opener, a security gate control system, security lights, home lighting fixtures or appliances, a home security system, etc. For example, remote electronic system 118 may be a garage door opener, such as the Whisper Drive� garage door opener, manufactured by the Chamberlain Group, Inc., Elmhurst, Ill. Remote electronic system 118 may also be a lighting control system using the X10 communication standard. Remote electronic system 118 includes an antenna 128 for receiving activation signals including control data which will control remote electronic system 118. The activation signals are preferably in the ultra-high frequency (UHF) band of the radio frequency spectrum, but may alternatively be infrared signals or other wireless signals.
Trainable transceiver 112 further includes the vehicle interface system 24. As stated above, vehicle interface system 24 can be configured for two way communications via data bus 26 with various electronic subsystems of the vehicle 14 such as the Electronic Control Module (ECM) 28, the fuel sensor 30, the exhaust sensor 32, the wheel speed sensor 34 or virtually any other form of sensor which provides an electronic output signal related to its operation. Additionally, vehicle interface system 24 can also provide communication with any other system not including a sensor. Systems can include a vehicle information center, a cellular phone system, a vehicle navigation system, a Travelnote� system, etc. The systems and devices can be positioned external to wireless communication system 112 such that they are not connected by a wired connection to control circuit 130.
Trainable transceiver 118 is configured to receive one or more characteristics of the activation signal from a original transmitter or from another source, which characteristics can include the frequency, control data, modulation scheme, etc. In this embodiment, trainable transceiver is configured to learn at least one characteristic of the activation signal by receiving the activation signal, determining the frequency of the activation signal, and demodulating the control data from the activation signal. Trainable transceiver 112 can be a HomeLink� trainable transceiver and may be constructed according to one or more embodiments disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,091,343, U.S. Pat. No. 5,854,593 or U.S. Pat. No. 5,708,415, which are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety. Alternatively, trainable transceiver 112 can receive one or more characteristics of the activation signal by other methods of learning. For example, the one or more characteristics of the activation signal can be preprogrammed into memory 174 during manufacture of trainable transceiver 112 or can be input via operator input device 132 (which can include a key pad, buttons, etc.). In this manner, trainable transceiver 112 need not actually receive the activation signal in order to receive characteristics of the activation signal. Trainable transceiver 112 can receive the characteristics of the signal by any of these methods and store the characteristics of the activation signal in memory 174.
According to one exemplary embodiment, trainable transceiver 112 is fixedly coupled to a vehicle interior element. This fixed coupling provides a convenient location for a trainable transmitter in vehicle 14, and further prevents an operator from losing, misplacing, dropping, or otherwise losing control of trainable transceiver 112. The term �fixedly coupled� refers to the characteristic that trainable transceiver 112 is not removable from the vehicle interior element, though it may be moved within the vehicle interior element (for example, in a sliding configuration).
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