Incoming call management method for communication with a motor vehicle user

Abstract

An incoming call management method for communication with a user of a motor vehicle is implemented by a processor and comprises the steps of: defining (203) a list of call originators to be blocked, this list being associated with at least one vehicle environment criterion; receiving (205) an incoming call; determining (207) the vehicle environment and, if the vehicle environment meets the environment criterion, activating (209) the call originator list; and, if the originator of the incoming call is included in the call originator list, blocking (217) the incoming call. An incoming call management device for communication with a user and a motor vehicle, including the device, is also described. Figure to be published with the abbreviation: Fig 2

Description

Title of the invention: Method for managing incoming calls for communication with a user of a motor vehicle technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for managing incoming calls for communication with a user of a motor vehicle, a device for managing incoming calls for communication with a user of a motor vehicle, a motor vehicle comprising such a device and a computer program product. State of the art

[0002] Currently, mobile phones are in common use and practically every user of a motor vehicle owns one.

[0003] As a general rule, most legislation concerning motor driving prohibits the use of a mobile phone while driving a vehicle.

[0004] Consequently, numerous devices have been developed to allow telephone communication while maintaining the necessary attention for driving. The oldest device is the so-called "hands-free" kit, which allows the use of a telephone via a microphone and speakers installed in the vehicle, as well as via controls on the steering wheel.

[0005] Then, phone manufacturers offered software solutions so that the user could use the central screen of the dashboards as a phone interface.

[0006] In all cases, there is a pairing between the mobile phone and the vehicle to allow interaction between these two objects. This pairing uses either a wireless link of the "Bluetooth" type (registered trademark and specifications developed by the Bluetooth SIG) or Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11 specifications), or a wired link of the USB type ("Universal Serial Bus" in English, or "Universal Serial Bus").

[0007] Furthermore, the phones provide the possibility of blocking incoming calls, either because the user has defined a time range during which he / she does not wish to be disturbed, or because the sender is on a blacklist of undesirable senders.

[0008] While driving a vehicle, there are also possibilities to block all incoming calls while the vehicle is in motion.

[0009] However, there is no incoming call blocking solution that automatically adapts to the driver's situation.

[0010] There is therefore a real need for a process and device for managing incoming calls for communication with a user of a motor vehicle which resolves all or part of the aforementioned disadvantages. Description of the invention

[0011] To resolve one or more of the aforementioned drawbacks, according to a first embodiment, an incoming call management process for communication with a user of a motor vehicle is implemented by a processor and comprises the steps of: • definition of a list of call originators to block, this list being associated with at least one vehicle environment criterion; • receiving an incoming call; • Determination of the vehicle's environment and • if the vehicle's environment meets the environmental criteria, activation of the emitter list; and • if the sender of the incoming call is included in the sender list, the incoming call is blocked.

[0012] Thus, the user can automatically manage call blocking based on environmental criteria that can be more or less complex.

[0013] Specific features or embodiments, usable alone or in combination, are: • a user's phone is paired with the vehicle before receiving an incoming call; • when the incoming call is blocked, no information about the incoming call is broadcast by the vehicle; • a plurality of criteria is associated with the list and the process further includes a learning step in which the user validates or not the blocking of the incoming call; • a plurality of emitter lists is defined, each list being associated with a list of criteria, and the process further includes the selection of one or more lists based on the environmental criteria met; and / or • When multiple lists are selected, it is sufficient for the sender of the incoming call to be included in one of the selected lists for the call to be blocked.

[0014] In a second embodiment, a device includes a memory associated with at least one processor configured to implement the method of the first embodiment.

[0015] In a third embodiment, a motor vehicle includes a device according to the second embodiment

[0016] In a fourth embodiment, a computer program includes instructions which, when the program is executed by the device according to the second embodiment, lead the device to implement the process according to the first embodiment. Brief description of the figures

[0017] The invention will be better understood upon reading the following description, given solely by way of example, and with reference to the figures in the appendix in which: • [Fig. 1] represents a top view of a vehicle comprising an incoming call management device for communication with a user according to one embodiment; and • [Fig.2] represents a flowchart of an incoming call management process for communication with a user according to a specific implementation. Methods of implementation

[0018] The embodiments presented below refer to a motor vehicle, a car. However, those skilled in the art understand that they are also applicable to other types of vehicles, such as vans, trucks, etc. Other applications, such as a robot in a warehouse or a motorcycle on a country road, are also conceivable.

[0019] The terms "front", "rear", "top", "bottom", "transverse" are understood in relation to the vehicle.

[0020] Figure 1 represents an example of a device 101 included in the vehicle, in a network (“cloud”) or in a server. This device 101 can be used as a centralized device in charge of at least some steps of the process described below with reference to Figure 2.

[0021] Advantageously, device 101 is included in vehicle 103.

[0022] This device 101 can take the form of a housing comprising printed circuits, any type of computer or even a mobile phone ("smartphone"). This device is sometimes called a computer or ECU (from the English acronym "Electronic Control Unit").

[0023] The device 101 includes a random access memory 105 for storing instructions for the implementation by a processor 107 of at least one step of the process as described below. The device also includes a mass storage 109 for storing data intended to be retained after the implementation of the process.

[0024] The device 101 may further include a digital signal processor (DSP) 111. This DSP 111 receives data to shape, demodulate and amplify, in a manner known per se, this data.

[0025] The device 101 also includes an input interface 113 for receiving data implemented by the described process and an output interface 115 for transmitting data implemented by the described process.

[0026] For example, the input interface 113 can receive the following data: vehicle position or geographical location, vehicle speed and / or acceleration, setpoint or predetermined positions / speeds / accelerations, engine speed, position and / or stroke of the clutch, brake and / or accelerator pedal, detection of other vehicles or objects, position or geographical location of other vehicles or objects detected, speed and / or acceleration of other vehicles or objects detected, operating states of sensors, confidence index of data from or processed by sensors and / or devices similar to device 101.

[0027] For example, sensors capable of providing data include: GPS with or without mapping, tachometers, accelerometers, RADAR, LIDAR, lasers, ultrasound, cameras...

[0028] For example, the output interface 115 can transmit data similar to the data received by the input interface 113.

[0029] In addition, the device 101 includes a human-machine interface 117 enabling interaction with the user. This interface 117 includes, for example, a touchscreen for displaying information and receiving commands and settings. It also includes a microphone and speakers for audio interaction.

[0030] Device 101 also includes a transmitter 119 enabling the user's phone to be paired with device 101, and more generally with vehicle 103, according to one of the protocols described in the preamble.

[0031] The operation of device 101 is as follows, [Fig.2].

[0032] At step 201, the user's phone is paired with device 101 using methods well known to those skilled in the art.

[0033] In step 203, the user defines a list of callers to block. This corresponds to a list of telephone numbers which, if they initiate a call to the user's phone, the 101 device must block. This list is associated with one or more environmental criteria that must be met for the list to be activated. Examples of environmental criteria are a time period, whether the vehicle is moving, whether or not there are passengers in the vehicle, the weather, traffic conditions, road type, etc. Each of these examples can also be refined into sub-criteria. For example, if the vehicle has a dashcam with facial recognition, a sub-criterion could be the presence of a specific person or group of people.

[0034] When there are several criteria associated with the list, these can be linked by logical operators so that activation can be triggered when only one particular criterion is met or when a combination of criteria is met.

[0035] It is noted that steps 201 and 203 can be carried out in any order.

[0036] When an incoming call is received, step 205, device 101 determines, step 207, the state of the environment of vehicle 103 and compares them, step 208, with the activation criteria of the list.

[0037] If the conditions associated with the activation criteria are met, the list is activated, step 209, otherwise the list is not activated, step 211, and the incoming call is signaled to the user, step 213, so that he can take the call.

[0038] When step 209, which activates the list, is performed, device 101 checks, in step 215, whether the sender is present in the list. If it is not present, signaling step 213 is performed. If it is present in the list, the incoming call is blocked, in step 217.

[0039] Thus, by setting up in advance one or more lists according to environmental criteria, the user can advantageously organize a filtering of calls which takes into account his situation.

[0040] Figure 1 illustrates a system according to certain embodiments. The breakdown presented is for pedagogical purposes to highlight the different functions. However, it is understood that each block can be implemented using different means or combinations thereof, such as hardware components, software, one or more computers, and / or electronic circuits. Each component may include at least one computer or a control unit. At least one memory may be included in each component. The memory may include computer program instructions or software code.

[0041] The computers can be implemented by any type of data processing device, such as a central processing unit, a signal processing unit, a specific application integrated circuit, a programmable gate network, etc. The computers can be implemented in the form of a single controller, or a plurality of controllers or computers.

[0042] The different modules are connected to each other by data links adapted to the environment. These can be wired, electrical or optical, or wireless.

[0043] For the software, the implementation may comprise modules or units distributed in the form of procedures, functions, etc. The memories may be any type of storage circuit. They may be part of the processor circuit, or separate from it and connected via electrical data links. This may be non-volatile memory types, hard drives, RAM, flash memory, etc.

[0044] The software product can be downloaded from a communication network and / or stored on a computer-readable medium. It can be directly executable by a processor or be in the form of a high-level language requiring one or more intermediate operations to be executable.

[0045] Thus, the program instructions stored in memory and processed by the computers can be any type of program code, for example, a compiled or interpreted program written in a suitable programming language.

[0046] The computer program instructions stored in memory are such that, when executed by the computer, the latter carries out one or more of the steps of the processes described above.

[0047] The invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and the preceding description. This description is to be considered illustrative and given by way of example and not as limiting the invention to this single description. Numerous embodiments are possible.

[0048] For example, the process has been described as a sequence of steps. Some steps can be carried out in parallel or in a different sequence.

[0049] Equations and calculations have also been detailed. The invention is not limited to the form of these equations and calculations, and extends to any other type of mathematically equivalent form.

[0050] In a first variant, instead of pairing with the user's device, the vehicle 103 may include an integrated mobile phone connected to the device 101.

[0051] In a second variant, the call blocking results in the suppression of all information on the human-machine interface 117. Thus, neither the user nor any potential passenger is informed that there has been an incoming call. This can be extended to the mobile phone's human-machine interface by suppressing the phone's ringtone or vibration alert.

[0052] In a third variant, when there are multiple criteria, the 101 device may include an artificial intelligence machine that uses deep learning. There is then a learning phase to refine the situations in which a call should be blocked. For example, over a specified period, the user can review blocked and unblocked calls with the associated environmental criteria and confirm or refute the decision made by the 101 device.

[0053] In a fourth variant, there are several lists, each having different associated criteria or different combinations of criteria.

[0054] Device 101 then examines whether one or more lists should be activated depending on the call environment and it checks whether the call originator is part of at least one list activated to block the call.

Claims

Demands

1. A method for managing incoming calls for communication with a user of a motor vehicle, said method being implemented by a processor and comprising the steps of: • defining (203) a list of call originators to be blocked, this list being associated with at least one vehicle environment criterion; • receiving (205) an incoming call; • determining (207) the vehicle environment and • if the vehicle environment meets the environment criterion, activating (209) the list of originators; and • if the originator of the incoming call is included in the list of originators, blocking (217) the incoming call.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein a user's phone is paired with the vehicle before receiving an incoming call.

3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, when the incoming call is blocked, no information about the incoming call is broadcast by the vehicle.

4. A method according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein a plurality of criteria is associated with the list and the method further comprises a learning step in which the user validates or not the blocking of the incoming call.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein a plurality of emitter lists is defined, each list being associated with a list of criteria, and the method further comprises the selection of one or more lists based on the environmental criteria met.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein, when several lists are selected, it is sufficient for the originator of the incoming call to be included in one of the selected lists for the call to be blocked.

7. Device (101) comprising a memory (105) associated with at least one processor (107) configured to implement the method according to one of the preceding claims.

8. Motor vehicle (103) comprising the device according to the preceding claim.

9. 9 Computer program product comprising program code instructions which, when the program is executed by the device according to claim 7, cause the device to implement the method according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

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