Procedure for re-establishing a connection with a Bluetooth phone

Abstract

In a wireless communication system comprising a wireless communication module and a plurality of unconnected but connectable mobile wireless communication devices, a method for selecting a specific device to connect to the communication module, wherein the method comprises: determining a connection priority of a plurality of connectable devices, wherein the connection priority of a connectable device is determinable on the basis of at least one dynamic operating state, which is selectable from a plurality of possible dynamic operating states; and connecting the available device with the highest priority to the communication module, wherein the possible dynamic operating states have a prioritization order, the prioritization being determined by a user selection orUser specifications regarding prioritization factors are determined; where, if there is no user-specified operating conditions priority order, but there are user-specified OC weighting factors, the OC prioritization weighting factors are applied to make a selection as to which facility should be connected, where OC means operating conditions.

Description

BACKGROUND Wireless connections and communication, as well as wireless organizational techniques, are well-known. While different vehicles may employ different connection organization methods, some wireless communication and organizational implementations, such as Bluetooth, are user-unfriendly. In many Bluetooth-enabled vehicles, only one device of a specific category, such as a mobile phone, media player, or navigation system, can be connected to the vehicle's Bluetooth system at any given time. If more than one Bluetooth-compatible device is present in the vehicle, the Bluetooth system typically connects to the first device of each supported category that the system detects. Because some vehicles employ systems to prevent driver distraction, it is not possible to change the connection to a Bluetooth system while the vehicle is in motion. Since a list of devices is maintained in a fixed order, there is no mechanism by which the vehicle could connect to an available device located lower in the list, nor is there a mechanism for selecting and connecting devices based on the vehicle's current operating state. US 2007 / 0081506 A1 describes an in-vehicle device capable of reducing the operating load of a user attempting to establish a connection by selecting a mobile communications terminal to be connected according to the user's usage state. JP 2010 / 130531 A describes an in-vehicle hands-free device that can connect a driver's portable telephone, regardless of the situation in which a vehicle is entered, by reference to priority information that assigns a priority of the radio connection with the hands-free device to a provisionally created identifier of the portable terminal. BRIEF SUMMARY According to embodiments of the invention, when a wireless communication module, such as a Bluetooth transceiver in a vehicle, has access to a number of devices from which it can select one for a connection, the Bluetooth transceiver selects a specific device from among many by determining a connection priority for each available, connectable device. A priority can be determined by factors that change over time and for different users and devices. Examples include the time of day, the day of the week, the direction in which a vehicle is traveling, the person driving the vehicle, and the location where the vehicle was. The importance of each given factor can be user-specified or programmed into the Bluetooth transceiver. If there is no user-specified operating condition priority order, but there are user-specified OC weighting factors, the OC priority weighting factors are applied to select which facility to connect, where OC means "operating conditions". BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a representative view of an automobile with several Bluetooth-enabled, i.e., connectable, devices; Fig. 2 is a schematic representation of a wireless communication system comprising a wireless communication module and several connectable mobile wireless communication devices; Fig. 3 is a block diagram of a wireless communication module, such as a Bluetooth module, configured to determine a connection priority among several connectable devices and to connect to the device with the highest priority; and Fig. 4 is a flowchart illustrating the steps of a procedure for connecting a mobile wireless communication device to a wireless communication module. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Fig. 1 shows an automobile or other motor vehicle 100 with a wireless communication transceiver 102, which can communicate wirelessly with several wireless communication devices 104A and 104B when these devices are located in the vehicle 100. In a preferred embodiment, the communication transceiver 102 is configured as a Bluetooth transceiver; however, it could equally well be an access point compatible with IEEE 802.11 type protocols, also known as Wi-Fi access points. The communication devices 104A and 104B shown in Fig. 1 are mobile phones. They enable wireless communication with a user. Such communication can be voice communication or data communication (e.g., text messaging, internet access). The devices 104A and 104B are typically configured as mobile phones, but could also be one or more media players, one or more personal digital assistants (PDAs), one or more tablet computers, or one or more other types of devices that can be wirelessly connected to a Bluetooth transceiver or other type of access point. The vehicle communication module 102 is a Bluetooth radio transceiver designed to communicate wirelessly with the mobile communication devices 104A and 104B. The communication module 102 is also designed to connect to and communicate with the device that has the highest priority, the highest priority being determined according to a locally defined priority list of known devices. Fig. 2 is a schematic representation of a wireless communication system 200 for use in a vehicle. A wireless communication module 202 is shown within a signal range of several different types of "wireless connectable" devices, which are designated by reference numerals 204, 206, 208, 210 and 212. These include, without limitation, mobile phones 204, 206 and 208, a Bluetooth-enabled music / media player 210 and a Bluetooth-enabled tablet computer 214.As described above, a problem with a vehicle wireless communication system is to determine which of the several possible devices 204 to 214 should be connected to the communication module 202, which is typically only capable of connecting one device of a particular type (e.g., telephone, media player) at a time along with other devices. As described herein, a method for restoring a Bluetooth connection selects a specific device to establish a connection using a prioritization of several different connectable devices 204 to 214. The prioritization is preferably based on one or more changing or changeable operating states, which comprise all or part of a set of states that can be applied to the task of selecting which device to connect.In another embodiment, prioritization is determined via a user selection or user specification with regard to prioritization factors. Figure 3 is a block diagram of a communication module 300, which is configured to select a specific device for connection to or disconnection from several possible devices. The selected device is the one to be wirelessly connected to the communication module. The selection of a device for connection to the module is based on the connection priority level of the selected device relative to the other connectable devices. The communication module 300 is therefore configured to connect to the wireless device with the highest priority among the currently available devices. Of paramount importance for the communication module is the wireless transceiver 302, which is preferably configured as a Bluetooth transceiver, but can also be used as Wi-Fi or another similar wireless communication device. The transceiver 302 is coupled to a computer 303. The computer 303, which is known in the prior art as a controller, comprises a processor or a central processing unit (CPU) 304, a program and data storage device 311, and a data memory 324. The transceiver 302 and the processor are coupled to each other via a conventional address / data / control bus 306, various embodiments of which are well known in computer technology. The bus 306 also couples the CPU 304 to a user interface 308, via which a user of the communication module 300 can specify operating states or parameters, including specifying a prioritization list.Prioritization factors by which the Communication Module 300 will select a specific facility from among many with which it will establish a connection to the Communication Module. Bus 306 also connects CPU 304 to one or more non-volatile program and data storage devices, one of which is represented and identified by reference numeral 311. Program and data storage device 311 is preferably designed as a so-called flash memory device. It stores executable program instructions and data. When the stored program instructions are executed by CPU 304, they cause CPU 304 to perform various different process steps described below. Flash memory device 324 is also capable of storing data in a manner familiar to those skilled in the art. When the program instructions stored in the memory device 311 are executed by the processor 304, they provide the processor 304 with the algorithms used to determine a connection priority for several connectable mobile wireless communication devices, such as those shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. The program instructions in the program and data memory device 311 also enable the CPU 304 to connect the transceiver 302 to a specific device that has the highest priority among all available devices. In addition to connecting the CPU 304 to the transceiver 302, the user interface 308, and the program and data storage device 311, the bus 306 also connects the CPU 304 to various sensors, whose signal outputs are referred to herein as vehicle status indicators. Examples of different sensors and the information they output are generally identified by reference numeral 310. The various individual status indicators include, without limitation, signals or information from: a motion sensor 312, such as an integrated circuit accelerometer, which is designed to detect whether the vehicle is moving or stationary and to provide a signal indicating movement orrepresents; a Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation system 314, which can provide location information as well as speed and direction information; one or more vehicle seat occupancy sensors 316, which are configured to provide the CPU with information on whether a seat in the vehicle is occupied, and if so, how many occupants are in the vehicle and in which seats they are seated; a temperature sensor 318, which is configured to provide an output signal corresponding to a temperature; and a driver seat position detector 320, which provides the CPU 304 with information from which it can be determined which driver, among a plurality of drivers, is driving the vehicle. A compass (not shown), which provides a direction signal, can be added. A clock / calendar 322, which provides time and / or date information, can be provided.The clock / calendar 322 can also store meeting information, i.e., meeting points or people to be met at specific dates and / or times. Information from the clock or calendar, combined with information from the other sensors, can help identify which Bluetooth device should be prioritized for connecting to the transceiver 302 among the majority of Bluetooth devices. As mentioned above, in an alternative embodiment, a user can define the prioritization order of a list of facilities. A separate data storage 324 is therefore shown as part of the communication module 300, as a representation of where such information could be stored. Fig. 4 shows steps of a method 400 for the communication module 300 to select a specific device for a connection. The method begins at step 410, where the communication module 300, shown in Fig. 3, wirelessly determines the number and identity of available connectable wireless devices using conventional techniques. The connectable devices, i.e., those available for a wireless connection with the communication module 300, include, for example, the devices shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. After the number and identity of available connectable wireless devices have been determined by the communication module 300 in step 420, one or more of the various operating states or status indicators can be read and evaluated by the controller or CPU 304. The corresponding operating states and / or status indicators and their meaning or importance can be defined or specified by a user via the user interface 308 or determined by software control, i.e., by programmed instructions. The information obtained in step 420 can include the date, day of the week, time of day, vehicle location, and whether the vehicle is in motion. The information obtained in step 420 can also include the vehicle's direction of travel, the person in the driver's seat, the number of passengers in the vehicle, and whether the available facilities have any service restrictions or specified service details, which would limit or prioritize the connectable facilities in different ways. Additionally, the information analyzed in step 420 can include route and destination data from a navigation system, as well as meeting information provided by a calendar organization system.The information obtained at step 420 is that which is available from the status indicators which are marked together with reference numeral 310, or which may be available in data memory 324, or which are stored in the program and data storage device 311. For the purpose of claim definition, it is important to note here that the data or information obtained from the condition indicators are dynamic in such a way that they can change continuously during vehicle operation; they can also change from one day to the next or from one week to the next. The operating states detected by the various condition indicators 310 are thus considered dynamic operating states, which in one embodiment can be prioritized or selected by a user or predefined by instructions stored in the program and data storage device 311. Step 422 determines whether a vehicle user has defined an operating condition (OC) priority order. If the test at 422 is true, the procedure proceeds to step 430, where the procedure "reads" or retrieves an operating state prioritization order either from the program and data storage device 311 or a data storage device 324. The operating state prioritization order determines a sequence in which operating states are used by the state indicators first, then second, third, etc., to determine which wireless communication device the module is connected to, which takes place at step 432. If the test in step 422 fails, meaning the user has not defined their own OC sequence, the procedure proceeds to step 434, where a test is performed to determine whether the user has defined or specified an OC weighting factor for different OCs. The various operating states, which are read from the state indicators 310, can be weighted either by a user-defined value or by a value pre-programmed in the program instructions. For example, a seat position detector 320 could be able to uniquely identify the seated person and user of the vehicle as a specific individual based on the position of the seat.If the seat is in a specific position, the program instructions can preferably identify a specific Bluetooth device for connection, based on the assumption that if the driver's seat is in a specific position, a specific driver is in the driver's seat, and that a specific driver's phone should be connected. Some so-called keyless entry systems use a small wireless transmitter to lock and unlock the vehicle doors. The wireless transmitter for a specific vehicle can be designed to transmit signal-based data that uniquely identifies each of the different key fobs. Driver identification could therefore also be determined using other means, such as the specific key fob currently in use and one or more data components that link a particular key fob to a specific driver. Information transmitted via a signal from a key fob that identifies a specific driver is referred to here as driver key fob information. If a user-specified OC weighting factor exists, the procedure proceeds to step 436, where the OC prioritization weighting factors are read from a memory and applied with respect to the various operating states to make a selection as to which facility should be activated / connected in the aforementioned step 432. If the test fails at steps 422 and 434, the procedure proceeds to step 438, where another test is performed to determine whether an empirically determined operating state prioritization table exists. Empirically determining a prioritization is based on experience and trial and error in how known Bluetooth devices are selected over time, by a user manually connecting a specific phone to the communication module. The system thus "learns" which phone or other Bluetooth-enabled device should be connected and under which operating states. If such data exists, i.e., the test performed at step 438 is true or marked "yes," the procedure proceeds to step 439, where the operating state (OC) prioritization data / information is read.is preferably from a list or table, wherein the prioritization factors in the list or table are used to select a specific facility for a connection at step 432. If all of the tests performed in steps 422, 434, and 438 fail, which occurs if there is no user-specified operational state priority order (test in step 422 fails), no user-specified operational state weighting factor (test in step 434 fails), and no empirically determined prioritization table or factor (test in step 438 fails), the procedure shown in Fig. 4 continues at step 440. This step identifies the last selected wireless device as the one to be reconnected. This device is then reconnected in step 432. Regardless of the tests performed, after a device is connected at step 432, if the vehicle is "off", the device is disconnected at step 442. Procedure 400 is repeated the next time a wireless device is to be connected. Once the connectable device with the highest priority factor or level has been determined, the communication module initiates a connection with the available device with the highest priority. In a preferred embodiment, the communication module 300 periodically re-evaluates the priorities of the available devices, the frequency or rate of this re-evaluation being a design choice. The communication module 300 can also monitor the vehicle for so-called "trigger events," such as when a passenger exits or enters the vehicle. The communication module 300 can disconnect the currently connected device and connect to a device with a higher priority at any time, or according to user specifications and program instructions. When a connection is established between the Communication Module 300 and a specific device, the Communication Module will periodically search for available devices. If a higher-priority device enters the signal reception range of the Communication Module 300 and is detected by the Communication Module 300 while it is connected and communicating with a lower-priority device, the Communication Module 300 can optionally terminate the existing connection with the first device and establish a connection with the most recently added, higher-priority device. The procedure described above for re-establishing a connection with a wireless device can be used in a variety of different situations. In one scenario, a vehicle equipped with a communication module as described above can assign a specific wireless communication device 204, 206, 208, or 210 to a specific driver. Assigning a device to a driver can be done either via the user interface 308 or by the wireless transceiver 302, which tracks which wireless communication device 204, 206, 208, or 210 connects to the communication module 300 when only the driver is in the vehicle. If the vehicle 100 is able to identify a driver using a specific wireless key fob, the driver's biometric data such as their speech, retinal scans, or an optical recognition system, the communication module 300 can assign a specific wireless communication device 204 that happens to be in the vehicle when there are no additional passengers and only the driver is present. Subsequently, if the same driver device 204 is detected in the vehicle 100 along with other devices 206, 208, and / or 210, the communication module 300 can preferentially connect to the driver device 204 before the other devices 206, 208, and 210. In another scenario, two or more people form a so-called carpool, meaning they share the same car and drive to work together, with their requirements for the car varying depending on the day of the week. Specifically, it is assumed that one person drives the car on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and therefore uses a different key fob to unlock, start, and operate the car. Furthermore, it is assumed that a second person drives the car on Tuesdays and Thursdays but uses a different key fob.Since the car 100 and the communication module 300 can determine who drives the car on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays using the first key fob, and can determine who drives the car on Tuesdays and Thursdays using the second key fob, the communication module 300 can be configured to preferably establish a connection for the wireless device of the first person on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and preferably to establish a connection for the wireless device of the second person on Tuesdays and Thursdays, simply by tracking which key fob is used to open, start, and / or operate the vehicle 100 and by using the information received from the clock / calendar 322. In another scenario, if a wireless device 204 is initially connected to the communication module 300 and subsequently requests a disconnection of the communication module 300 from the device 204, the communication module 300 can be configured to attempt a reconnection with a second, different wireless device 206, 208, or 210, based on selection rules for a next device. This next device may already exist or may be defined at the time the first device 204 is disconnected. A selection rule for a next device can simply be to establish a connection with a device listed as the next in a list. Selection rules for a next device can also be more complex, such as a selection based on a weighting of one or more indicators or of the various sensors 312, 314, 316, 318, etc.320, as described above, received data. The communication module 300 will nevertheless reconnect to another wireless device 206, 208 or 210 according to the steps shown in Fig. 4. In another scenario, it is assumed that a first wireless device 204 is wirelessly connected to the communication module 300, but the first device 204 is not the driver's device. If the vehicle 100 stops moving and the connection with the first wireless device 204 is lost or terminated during the stop, or if the vehicle 100 detects one fewer passenger when it starts moving again, the wireless device 206, 208, or 210 with the highest priority will be the device with which the communication module 300 reconnects using the steps shown in Fig. 4. In another car-pool scenario, where several wireless devices 204, 206, 208 and 210 are located in the vehicle 100 and each of them can connect to the communication module 300, data which includes the time of day and / or day of the week from the clock or calendar 322 can be used by the communication module 300 to select a specific device 204, 206, 208 and 210 for a connection or reconnection. For example, if a first person in vehicle 100 (driver or passenger) has a regularly scheduled business conference call at 8:00 a.m. on Mondays, and a second person (driver or passenger) sometimes retrieves voice messages between 8:00 and 8:30 a.m., the first person with the 8:00 a.m. conference call can be given a higher weighting factor, i.e., a higher priority than the connection for the second person to retrieve voice messages between 8:00 and 8:30 a.m.The communication module 300 will therefore establish a connection with the wireless device of the first person, even if the second person is driving. In a slightly more complex scenario, several wireless communication devices 204, 206, 208, and 210 are assumed to be installed in a vehicle 100, with the vehicle traveling a long distance during which service coverage by different wireless service providers changes or is highly likely to change. If different devices 204, 206, 208, and 210 have different operating frequency characteristics, such as different receive sensitivities, different transmit powers, and / or different battery lifetimes, different devices 204, 206, 208, and 210 can be selected along the route as a preferred device for connection to the communication module 300 using weighting factors with respect to the various operating frequency characteristics of the different devices.Similarly, if different facilities 204, 206, 208 and 210 are assigned to different service providers, facility 204 can be selected or not selected with respect to the other facilities 206, 208 and 210 along the route based on a determination of which facility is in the so-called non-roaming or roaming state. The communication module 300 can also select a device for a connection based on one or more operating characteristics of a wireless device. Consider a communication module 300 that provides a wireless connection to a first telephone 204, which has a tariff that does not allow text messages, whereas a second telephone 206 has a tariff that includes text messages. If a text message needs to be sent from a vehicle transmission system, the vehicle 100 generates a text message, which is then transmitted. The Communication Module 300 can be configured to maintain a connection for both phones, with text messages being provided to the second phone via the Vehicle 100. It can also be configured to keep only the first phone connected for voice communication and the second phone connected for text messages as needed. The Communication Module 300 can also select a connection configuration based on a per-minute user rate, data transfer limits, capacity utilization, or cost-based connection preferences. One phone can have an unlimited text message rate or unlimited voice minutes, while the other phone does not. In another scenario, the communication module 300 can select a specific device 204, 206, 208, 210 for a connection, using a calendar or user calendar of that device 204, 206, 208, 210. If two people use the same vehicle 100, one person can select a calendar function of their device 204 to be linked and / or synchronized with the clock / calendar 322. The processor 304 can periodically check the clock / calendar 322 for appointments and times when a connection is required for a specific wireless device 204, 206, 208, 210 to allow the device's user to fulfill scheduled connections. For example, if the communication module 300 knows that a specific person is scheduled to make a phone call on a specific date and time, the processor 304 can schedule a call for that specific person.If the communication module 300 has to receive a call, it can prioritize the wireless communication device connected to that person. Determining the need for a connection can be done via an explicit command or instruction. Determining when a connection is needed can also be done via an explicit command or instruction. Alternatively, determining when a connection is needed can be done by searching calendar entries for specific keywords. For the purposes of claim formulation, the processor (CPU) 304, the instructions it executes, and the memory device 311 and / or 324 perform the prioritization determinations and priority comparisons, whereby instructions and / or data can be stored in the memory device. The CPU 304, its instructions, and the memory devices in which these instructions and / or data are stored are therefore considered herein to be a prioritization device. The determination of a connection priority for a wireless device 204, 206, 208, and 210 in the vehicle 100 is therefore performed by means of the communication module 300, which is part of the vehicle 100. A wireless device connection priority determination is not performed by the device or a wireless service provider. Furthermore, the CPU 304, the instructions it executes, and the memory devices 311 and / or 324, in which instructions and / or data can be stored, provide the connection between the communication module 300 and a specific device from the available pool of devices. The CPU 304, its instructions, and the memory devices in which these instructions and / or data are stored are therefore referred to herein as a connector device. The bus 306 can likewise be referred to as a connector device. The person skilled in the art will recognize that the preceding description serves only for illustrative purposes. The true scope of the invention is defined in the accompanying claims.

Claims

In a wireless communication system comprising a wireless communication module and a plurality of unconnected but connectable mobile wireless communication devices, a method for selecting a specific device to connect to the communication module, wherein the method comprises: determining a connection priority of a plurality of connectable devices, wherein the connection priority of a connectable device is determinable on the basis of at least one dynamic operating state, which is selectable from a plurality of possible dynamic operating states; and connecting the available device with the highest priority to the communication module, wherein the possible dynamic operating states have a prioritization order, the prioritization being determined by a user selection orUser specifications regarding prioritization factors are determined; where, if there is no user-specified operating conditions priority order, but there are user-specified OC weighting factors, the OC prioritization weighting factors are applied to make a selection as to which facility should be connected, where OC means operating conditions. Method according to claim 1, wherein the wireless communication module is part of a vehicle and wherein the step of determining a connection priority is performed by the wireless communication module. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one dynamic operating state is selected by a user of the system and / or empirically by the communication module. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one dynamic operating state selected by a user also has a value specified by the user and / or wherein the at least one operating state has a value empirically determined by the communication module. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the step of determining a connection priority comprises an empirical ordering of possible dynamic operating states by the communication module. Communication module comprising: a radio frequency transceiver configured to transmit radio frequency signals and to receive radio frequency signals from compatible mobile wireless communication devices; a prioritizing device coupled to the radio frequency transceiver and configured to determine a connection priority of a plurality of connectable, available devices;and a connector coupled to the transceiver and the prioritization device, wherein the connector is configured to establish the wireless connection of the communication module with a specific mobile wireless communication device in response to a prioritization signal from the prioritization device, wherein the communication module is coupled to a user interface and is configured to receive a user-specified prioritization of mobile wireless communication devices for connection to the communication module, wherein the prioritization device and the connector comprise: a processor coupled to the transceiver and the user interface;and at least one non-volatile memory device coupled to the processor, wherein the at least one non-volatile memory device stores program instructions which, when executed, cause the processor to: determine a connection priority of a plurality of mobile wireless devices that are connectable to the transceiver, wherein each mobile wireless device has a relative connection priority;and to establish a wireless connection between the communication module and a mobile wireless device that has the highest relative connection priority, wherein the program instructions are configured to determine a connectable device from a plurality of devices based on at least one dynamic operating state, which is selected by the processor from a plurality of possible dynamic operating states and / or by a user of the communication module, and / or to determine a connection priority based on an importance direction and / or an importance level, wherein, if there is no user-specified operating state priority order, but there are user-specified OC weighting factors, the OC prioritization weighting factors are applied to make a selection as to which device should be connected, where OC means "operating conditions". Communication module according to claim 6, extended by a vehicle status display coupled with the prioritization device, wherein the status display provides at least one component of the following: a date; a day of the week; a time of day; date information; a meeting information; a movement indicator; a direction indicator; driver key fob information; a route or destination information from a navigation system; a seat occupancy indicator; a temperature; a seat setting; and a database of mobile wireless communication device operating parameters and states. Communication module according to one of claims 6 to 7, wherein the program instructions are designed to empirically determine a connection priority. Communication system comprising: a wireless communication module according to any one of claims 6 to 8, which is configured to be able to wirelessly connect a wireless device selected from a plurality of mobile wireless devices, wherein the wireless communication module is configured to select a mobile wireless device for connection using connection prioritization; at least one mobile wireless device which is configured to be wirelessly connected to the wireless communication module.

Images