JP2008042577A - Vehicle-carried apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vehicle-carried apparatus which improves the user convenience. <P>SOLUTION: The apparatus carried in a vehicle and communicating with communication terminals existing in a vehicle room by radio selects one terminal existing in a space including the driver seat area in the vehicle room among the plurality of communication terminals when detecting the plurality of communication terminals in the vehicle room, and automatically establishes a radio communication connection with the selected communication terminal. The apparatus comprises an antenna having a directivity set to ensure the higher reception strength of radio waves transmitted from the communication terminals existing in the specified space than that of radio waves transmitted from those communication terminals existing outside the specified space, and decides the communication terminal transmitting the radio waves of the highest reception strength by the antenna to be a communication terminal existing in the specified space. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention generally relates to an in-vehicle device that is mounted on a vehicle and performs wireless communication with a communication terminal that is present in the vehicle interior, and more particularly to an in-vehicle device that improves user convenience.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an in-vehicle device that is mounted on a vehicle and performs wireless communication with a communication terminal that exists in the vehicle interior is known (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).

  In Patent Document 1, an in-vehicle device that is a Bluetooth master device is detected using a directional antenna when establishing a Bluetooth communication connection with a Bluetooth terminal detected in a vehicle interior. A vehicle that determines whether or not a Bluetooth terminal is present in the driver's seat, makes a hands-free call if it is determined that the Bluetooth terminal is present in the driver's seat, and enables a call as a handset call if it is determined that the Bluetooth terminal is present in a region other than the driver's seat A wireless communication system is disclosed.

In Patent Document 2, a list of mobile phones that are present in a vehicle interior and can be connected to the in-vehicle device, which is a Bluetooth master device, via Bluetooth communication is displayed to the user by the in-vehicle device, and the mobile phone is connected to the in-vehicle device by Bluetooth communication. A communication system is disclosed in which it is possible to select easily.
JP-A-2005-354122 JP 2006-005744 A

  In paragraphs [0036] to [0037] of Patent Document 1, when a plurality of mobile phones having a Bluetooth communication function are detected in the vehicle interior, 1) a mobile phone that the user does not want to select is described. Output a voice message instructing the vehicle to turn off and wait for one mobile phone to be turned on, or 2) Touch the phone numbers of multiple detected mobile phones It is assumed that one mobile phone is selected by displaying one on the display and having the user select one of them, and then a directional antenna is connected to the selected one mobile phone. It is described that whether or not the vehicle is present in the driver's seat is determined from the received signal strength at each antenna.

  That is, in any of the systems described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, when a plurality of mobile phones that can be connected to the in-vehicle device that is the Bluetooth master device and the Bluetooth communication are detected in the vehicle interior, a selection operation by the user is performed. Necessary.

  Therefore, when the driver changes, or when the ignition switch (IG) is once turned off, the user must perform a selection operation each time, which may give the user an impression that it is annoying. There is.

  The present invention has been made to solve such problems, and its main object is to provide an in-vehicle device with improved user convenience.

  One aspect of the present invention for achieving the above object is an in-vehicle device that is mounted in a vehicle and performs wireless communication (for example, Bluetooth communication) with a communication terminal (for example, a mobile phone capable of Bluetooth communication) that exists in the vehicle interior. When a plurality of communication terminals are detected in the passenger compartment, one terminal is selected from the plurality of communication terminals according to a predetermined standard, and a wireless communication connection (for example, Bluetooth communication connection) with the selected communication terminal is automatically performed. It is an in-vehicle device established in

  In the above aspect, the predetermined reference is specified by, for example, A) existing in a predetermined space in the passenger compartment, or B) communication terminal identification information associated with user identification information set by the driver. Or C) the communication terminal specified by the communication terminal identification information associated with the voice pattern uttered by the driver, or D) on the face of the imaged driver A communication terminal specified by the associated communication terminal identification information.

  In the case of A), from the viewpoint of automatically establishing a communication connection with the driver's communication terminal, the predetermined space may be set to include A1) a driver seat area, or A2) for example, driving It may be set so as to include a communication terminal accommodating portion provided in the passenger compartment so that a driver sitting in a seat can easily place his / her communication terminal.

  Regardless of how the predetermined space is set, in the case of A), for example, the reception intensity of the radio wave transmitted from the communication terminal existing in the predetermined space to the in-vehicle device is the predetermined space. A communication terminal that transmits a radio wave having the highest reception intensity at the reception antenna by providing a reception antenna with directivity so as to be higher than the reception intensity of the radio wave transmitted from a communication terminal existing outside the space. Can be determined as a communication terminal existing in the predetermined space.

  In the case of B), it is necessary to associate and store the user identification information of each user and the communication terminal identification information in advance in the in-vehicle device for a plurality of users. In the case of C), it is necessary to associate and store the voice pattern information and communication terminal identification information of each user for the plurality of users in advance in the in-vehicle device. Furthermore, in the case of D), it is necessary to store and hold the face information and communication terminal identification information of each user in advance on the in-vehicle device for a plurality of users.

  According to the above aspect, when a plurality of communication terminals are detected in the vehicle interior, a wireless communication connection is automatically established with one of the plurality of communication terminals. There is no need to perform an operation for selecting a terminal.

  In the above aspect, in the case of A2), it is preferable that the communication terminal accommodation unit is configured such that the communication terminal accommodated in the communication terminal accommodation unit is charged.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the vehicle-mounted apparatus which improved the user convenience can be provided.

  Hereinafter, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  It should be noted that the basic concept, the main hardware configuration, the operating principle, the basic control method, etc. of the in-vehicle device that performs wireless communication with the communication terminal existing in the passenger compartment are known to those skilled in the art through the above-described patent documents. Therefore, detailed description is omitted.

  In the embodiment described below, a mobile phone capable of Bluetooth communication connection is taken as an example of a communication terminal, and Bluetooth communication connection is made with an in-vehicle device that is a Bluetooth master device.

  Bluetooth is a wireless communication technology for portable information devices of 1 Mbps that uses radio waves in the 2.45 GHz band. Unlike infrared communication, it can be used even if there is an obstacle as long as the distance between devices is within 10 meters. It is a feature that can be.

  A vehicle-mounted device according to one embodiment (first embodiment) of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 1 schematically shows an in-vehicle device 100 according to this embodiment and a plurality of mobile phones M1, M2, and M3 existing in the passenger compartment of the host vehicle V. In FIG. 1, three mobile phones M (M1 to M3) are illustrated as an example in the case where a plurality of mobile phones M exist in the vehicle interior, but naturally the mobile phones M that may exist in the vehicle interior. The number of is not limited to three.

  In the present embodiment, the in-vehicle device 100 is a Bluetooth master device, and the mobile phone M is a Bluetooth slave device.

  The in-vehicle device 100 includes a Bluetooth communication unit 101 for Bluetooth communication and a directional antenna 102 as illustrated. The mobile phone M also has a Bluetooth communication unit 103 for Bluetooth communication.

  When the in-vehicle device 100 is connected to the mobile phone M present in the vehicle interior via Bluetooth communication, the user can use the functions of the mobile phone M through the in-vehicle device 100. For example, the driver can make a hands-free call using the mobile phone M through the in-vehicle device 100.

  Such a mechanism for using the mobile phone M existing in the passenger compartment through the in-vehicle device 100 is known to those skilled in the art, and detailed description and illustration of related configurations and the like are omitted here.

  As shown in FIG. 1, when there are a plurality of mobile phones M capable of Bluetooth communication with the in-vehicle device 100 as shown in FIG. 1, the directional antenna 102 is a single mobile phone regardless of a user operation. M is automatically selected and used to establish a Bluetooth communication connection with the selected mobile phone M.

  In this embodiment, as an example, the driver's mobile phone M is automatically selected as one terminal of the communication partner.

  FIG. 2 shows an example of a configuration in which the driver's mobile phone M is detected and selected using the directional antenna 102 in the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the interior of the vehicle V as viewed from above. Here, the vehicle V is assumed to be a right-hand drive vehicle.

  In the example shown in FIG. 2, the directional antenna 102 is configured such that the communication area R covers the driver seat area. By adopting such a configuration, the directional antenna 102 of the radio wave transmitted from the mobile phone M that exists in the driver's seat area (that is, the possibility of being held and carried by the driver is extremely high). The received electric field strength at the directional antenna 102 of the radio wave transmitted from the mobile phone M that exists outside the driver's seat area (that is, it is highly possible that the driver is not held or carried by the driver). Expected to be significantly higher than strength.

  Therefore, when the configuration example shown in FIG. 2 is adopted, the in-vehicle device 100 is oriented among the plurality of mobile phones M in which the Bluetooth communication unit 101 can be connected to the in-vehicle device 100 detected in the vehicle interior via Bluetooth communication. The mobile phone M of the driver antenna 102 having the highest received electric field strength can be determined as the driver's mobile phone M, and a Bluetooth communication connection can be established with the mobile phone M.

  FIG. 3 shows another example of a configuration in which the driver's mobile phone M is detected and selected using the directional antenna 102 in the present embodiment. FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the interior of the vehicle V as viewed from above, as in FIG. 2. Here, the vehicle V is also assumed to be a right-hand drive vehicle.

  In the example shown in FIG. 3, the directional antenna 102 is configured such that the communication area R covers a cellular phone housing portion 301 provided near the driver's seat in the passenger compartment.

  The mobile phone accommodating unit 301 may have any shape, size, structure, and configuration as long as the mobile phone M can be stably and autonomously held.

  In any case, the mobile phone accommodating part 301 is a driver seated in the driver's seat of the vehicle V so that the driver who gets on the vehicle V can easily accommodate his / her mobile phone M before the start of traveling. It is preferable to be provided where it can be easily reached.

  In addition, in the example shown in FIG. 3, when the mobile phone housing unit 301 is provided with a mobile phone charging function by connecting the mobile phone housing unit 301 to, for example, a battery (BAT), the mobile phone M is housed in the mobile phone. This is preferable because the mobile phone M can be charged while being accommodated in the unit 301.

  By adopting such a configuration, a directional antenna for radio waves transmitted from the mobile phone M housed in the mobile phone housing portion 301 (that is, it can be said that the driver is highly likely to belong to the driver). The received electric field strength at 102 is received electric field strength at the directional antenna 102 of the radio wave transmitted from the mobile phone M which is not accommodated in the cellular phone accommodating portion 301 (that is, it is highly possible that the received electric field is not of the driver). Than expected.

  Therefore, when the configuration example shown in FIG. 3 is adopted, the in-vehicle device 100 is oriented among the plurality of mobile phones M in which the Bluetooth communication unit 101 can be connected to the in-vehicle device 100 detected in the vehicle interior via Bluetooth communication. The mobile phone M of the driver antenna 102 having the highest received electric field strength can be determined as the driver's mobile phone M, and a Bluetooth communication connection can be established with the mobile phone M.

  Next, with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 4, the flow of the Bluetooth communication connection automatic establishment process with the mobile phone M by the in-vehicle device 100 according to the present embodiment will be described. The flow of this process is common to both configurations in FIGS.

  First, the Bluetooth communication unit 101 of the in-vehicle device 100 determines whether or not the registered mobile phone M exists in the vehicle interior (S401).

  When the mobile phone M registered in the in-vehicle device 100 does not exist in the vehicle interior (“NO” in S401), the Bluetooth communication connection cannot be established between the in-vehicle device 100 and the mobile phone M. One routine is immediately terminated.

  On the other hand, when it is determined that the mobile phone M registered in the in-vehicle device 100 is present in the vehicle interior (“YES” in S401), the Bluetooth communication unit 101 then connects the mobile phone M that can be connected to the in-vehicle device 100 via Bluetooth communication. It is determined whether or not a plurality of vehicles are detected in the passenger compartment (S402).

  When a plurality of mobile phones M that can be connected to the vehicle-mounted device 100 via Bluetooth communication are detected in the vehicle interior (“YES” in S402), the Bluetooth communication unit 101 determines that the received electric field strength at the directional antenna 102 is as described above. The highest mobile phone M is determined to be the driver's mobile phone M, and the Bluetooth communication connection with the mobile phone M is established automatically, that is, without user operation (S403).

  On the other hand, when only one mobile phone M capable of Bluetooth communication with the in-vehicle device 100 is detected in the vehicle interior (“NO” in S402), the Bluetooth communication unit 101 performs Bluetooth communication with the single mobile phone M. A connection is established automatically (ie, without user operation) (S404).

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, even when there are a plurality of mobile phones that are Bluetooth slave devices that can be connected to an in-vehicle device that is a Bluetooth master device and a Bluetooth communication device, any user operation can be performed. The Bluetooth communication connection is automatically established between the in-vehicle device and one mobile phone without the need, so that the user can select the mobile phone to be connected by user operation compared to the conventional configuration Convenience can be improved.

  In addition, according to the present embodiment, by using a directional antenna, a mobile phone that is most likely to be a driver's mobile phone is automatically selected from a plurality of mobile phones detected in the passenger compartment. Even if there are multiple mobile phones that can be connected to the in-vehicle device and the Bluetooth communication in the vehicle interior, no user operation is required. A Bluetooth communication connection can be automatically established with the driver's mobile phone.

  Next, an in-vehicle device according to another embodiment (embodiment 2) of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the component same as Example 1, and the overlapping description is abbreviate | omitted for convenience.

  FIG. 5 schematically shows the in-vehicle device 500 according to the present embodiment and a plurality of mobile phones M1, M2, and M3 existing in the passenger compartment of the host vehicle V. In FIG. 5, three mobile phones M (M1 to M3) are illustrated as an example in the case where a plurality of mobile phones M exist in the vehicle interior, but naturally the mobile phones M that may exist in the vehicle interior. The number of is not limited to three.

  Also in the present embodiment, the in-vehicle device 500 is a Bluetooth master device, and the mobile phone M is a Bluetooth slave device.

  The in-vehicle device 500 includes a Bluetooth communication unit 101, a user identification unit 501 that identifies a driver as a user, and a storage unit 502 as illustrated. The mobile phone M also has a Bluetooth communication unit 103.

  The user identification unit 501 identifies and identifies which user among the plurality of users registered in advance. In this embodiment, the user identification unit 501 acquires user identification information from a position memory (not shown) as an example. In the position memory, each of a plurality of buttons is assigned to one user, and each user's favorite seat position, steering wheel position (tilt angle), side mirror angle, etc. are stored, and the user simply presses the button. This is a mechanism in which a position stored in advance for the user corresponding to the button is realized.

  The user identification unit 501 can handle the information as user identification information by acquiring information indicating which button of the position memory has been pressed during the boarding.

  The storage unit 502 may be an arbitrary storage medium. The storage unit 502 stores user identification information (information indicating which button of the position memory is pressed) acquired by the user identification unit 501 from the position memory, and identification information (for example, a telephone number) of each user's mobile phone M. Is stored in advance in the form of a table.

  The user identification unit 501 obtains the identification information of the user's mobile phone M specified by the user identification information in light of the table stored in advance in the storage unit 502 with the user identification information acquired from the position memory, and the Bluetooth It is configured to pass to the communication unit 101.

  Accordingly, the Bluetooth communication unit 101 can establish a Bluetooth communication connection with one mobile phone M that is a driver's mobile phone specified by the mobile phone identification information transmitted from the user identification unit 501.

  Next, with reference to a flowchart of FIG. 6, a flow of Bluetooth communication connection automatic establishment processing with the mobile phone M by the in-vehicle device 500 according to the present embodiment will be described.

  First, the Bluetooth communication unit 101 of the in-vehicle device 500 determines whether or not the registered mobile phone M exists in the vehicle interior (S601).

  If the mobile phone M registered in the in-vehicle device 500 does not exist in the vehicle interior (“NO” in S601), the Bluetooth communication connection cannot be established between the in-vehicle device 500 and the mobile phone M. One routine is immediately terminated.

  On the other hand, when it is determined that the mobile phone M registered in the in-vehicle device 500 exists in the vehicle interior (“YES” in S601), the Bluetooth communication unit 101 then enables the mobile phone M that can be connected to the in-vehicle device 500 via Bluetooth communication. It is determined whether or not a plurality of vehicles are detected in the passenger compartment (S602).

  When a plurality of mobile phones M that can be connected to the vehicle-mounted device 500 via Bluetooth communication are detected in the vehicle interior (“YES” in S602), the user identification unit 501 acquires user identification information for identifying the driver from the position memory. A driver is specified (S603).

  As described above, the user identification unit 501 obtains the driver's mobile phone identification information by referring to the acquired user identification information in a table stored and held in advance in the storage unit 502, and passes it to the Bluetooth communication unit 101. Then, the Bluetooth communication unit 101 determines that the mobile phone M specified by the mobile phone identification information transmitted from the user identification unit 501 is the driver's mobile phone M, and establishes a Bluetooth communication connection with the mobile phone M. Is established automatically, that is, without user operation (S604).

  On the other hand, when only one mobile phone M capable of Bluetooth communication with the in-vehicle device 500 is detected in the vehicle interior (“NO” in S602), the Bluetooth communication unit 101 performs Bluetooth communication with the single mobile phone M. A connection is established automatically, that is, without user operation (S605).

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, even when there are a plurality of mobile phones that are Bluetooth slave devices that can be connected to an in-vehicle device that is a Bluetooth master device and a Bluetooth communication device, any user operation can be performed. The Bluetooth communication connection is automatically established between the in-vehicle device and one mobile phone without the need, so that the user can select the mobile phone to be connected by user operation compared to the conventional configuration Convenience can be improved.

  Further, according to the present embodiment, the user identification information from the position memory and the mobile phone identification information are stored in association with each other in advance, so that the driver's mobile phone can be detected from a plurality of mobile phones detected in the passenger compartment. Since it can be configured so that mobile phones can be automatically extracted, even if there are multiple mobile phones that can be connected to the in-vehicle device and Bluetooth communication in the vehicle compartment, no user operation is required. A Bluetooth communication connection can be automatically established between the in-vehicle device and the driver's mobile phone.

  Next, an in-vehicle apparatus according to still another embodiment (Example 3) of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the component same as Example 1, and the overlapping description is abbreviate | omitted for convenience.

  FIG. 7 schematically shows the in-vehicle device 700 according to the present embodiment and a plurality of mobile phones M1, M2, and M3 existing in the passenger compartment of the host vehicle V. In FIG. 7, three mobile phones M (M1 to M3) are illustrated as an example in the case where a plurality of mobile phones M exist in the vehicle interior, but naturally the mobile phones M that may exist in the vehicle interior. The number of is not limited to three.

  Also in the present embodiment, the in-vehicle device 700 is a Bluetooth master device, and the mobile phone M is a Bluetooth slave device.

  As illustrated, the in-vehicle device 700 includes a Bluetooth communication unit 101, a microphone (not shown), a voice recognition unit 701 that performs voice recognition processing on voice input through the microphone, and a storage unit 702. The mobile phone M also has a Bluetooth communication unit 103.

  A microphone (not shown) of the voice recognition unit 701 is disposed in a position suitable for picking up a voice uttered by a user (that is, a driver) seated in the driver's seat in the passenger compartment. Hereinafter, the microphone is referred to as a “driver's seat microphone”.

  When a driver's voice is input to the driver's microphone, the voice recognition unit 701 analyzes the voice by voice recognition processing and extracts a voice pattern that can identify an individual.

  The storage unit 702 may be an arbitrary storage medium. The storage unit 702 stores and holds in advance a correspondence relationship between the voice pattern information of each user and the identification information (for example, telephone number) of the mobile phone M of each user in the form of a table.

  The voice recognition unit 701 compares the voice pattern obtained by performing voice recognition processing on the voice input to the driver's seat microphone with reference to the table stored in advance in the storage unit 702, and the user's mobile phone identified by the voice pattern. The identification information of the telephone M is acquired and passed to the Bluetooth communication unit 101.

  As a result, the Bluetooth communication unit 101 can establish a Bluetooth communication connection with one mobile phone M that is the driver's mobile phone specified by the mobile phone identification information transmitted from the voice recognition unit 701.

  Next, the flow of the Bluetooth communication connection automatic establishment process with the mobile phone M by the in-vehicle device 700 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  First, the Bluetooth communication unit 101 of the in-vehicle device 700 determines whether or not the registered mobile phone M exists in the vehicle interior (S801).

  When the mobile phone M registered in the in-vehicle device 700 does not exist in the vehicle interior (“NO” in S801), the Bluetooth communication connection cannot be established between the in-vehicle device 700 and the mobile phone M. One routine is immediately terminated.

  On the other hand, when it is determined that the mobile phone M registered in the in-vehicle device 700 exists in the vehicle interior (“YES” in S801), the Bluetooth communication unit 101 then enables the mobile phone M that can be connected to the in-vehicle device 700 via Bluetooth communication. It is determined whether or not a plurality of vehicles are detected in the passenger compartment (S802).

  When a plurality of mobile phones M that can be connected to the vehicle-mounted device 700 via Bluetooth communication are detected in the vehicle interior (“YES” in S802), the voice recognition unit 701 uses the voice input to the driver's seat microphone to identify the user Is extracted to identify the utterance source user who is considered to be the driver (S803).

  As described above, the voice recognition unit 701 obtains the mobile phone identification information of the utterance source user who is considered to be the driver in light of the obtained voice pattern against a table stored in advance in the storage unit 702, and the Bluetooth communication unit 101. Then, the Bluetooth communication unit 101 determines that the mobile phone M specified by the mobile phone identification information transmitted from the voice recognition unit 701 is the driver's mobile phone M, and establishes a Bluetooth communication connection with the mobile phone M. Is established automatically, that is, without user operation (S804).

  On the other hand, when only one mobile phone M that can be connected to the in-vehicle device 700 via Bluetooth communication is detected in the vehicle interior (“NO” in S802), the Bluetooth communication unit 101 performs Bluetooth communication with the single mobile phone M. A connection is established automatically, that is, without user operation (S805).

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, even when there are a plurality of mobile phones that are Bluetooth slave devices that can be connected to an in-vehicle device that is a Bluetooth master device and a Bluetooth communication device, any user operation can be performed. The Bluetooth communication connection is automatically established between the in-vehicle device and one mobile phone without the need, so that the user can select the mobile phone to be connected by user operation compared to the conventional configuration Convenience can be improved.

  In addition, according to the present embodiment, a microphone is installed in the driver's seat, and the user's voice pattern and mobile phone identification information are stored in association with each other in advance, so that a plurality of mobile phones detected in the passenger compartment are detected. Since it can be configured to automatically extract the driver's mobile phone from the inside, even if there are multiple mobile phones that can be connected to the in-vehicle device and Bluetooth communication in the vehicle interior, any user operation Bluetooth communication connection can be automatically established between the in-vehicle device and the driver's mobile phone.

  Next, an in-vehicle device according to another embodiment (embodiment 4) of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the component same as Example 1, and the overlapping description is abbreviate | omitted for convenience.

  FIG. 9 schematically shows the in-vehicle device 900 according to this embodiment and a plurality of mobile phones M1, M2, and M3 existing in the passenger compartment of the host vehicle V. In FIG. 9, three mobile phones M (M1 to M3) are illustrated as an example in the case where a plurality of mobile phones M exist in the vehicle interior, but of course, the mobile phones M that may exist in the vehicle interior. The number of is not limited to three.

  Also in the present embodiment, the in-vehicle device 900 is a Bluetooth master device, and the mobile phone M is a Bluetooth slave device.

  As illustrated, the in-vehicle device 900 includes a Bluetooth communication unit 101 and a camera (not shown) that captures an image of the driver's face, and an image recognition unit 901 that performs image recognition processing on the driver's face imaged by the camera. And a storage unit 902. The mobile phone M also has a Bluetooth communication unit 103.

  A camera (not shown) of the image recognition unit 901 is, for example, a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) camera, a CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor) camera, or the like, which is a user seated in a driver's seat in a vehicle interior (that is, a driver). ) Is placed at a position suitable for imaging the face. Hereinafter, the camera is referred to as a “driver's seat camera”.

  When the driver's face is imaged by the driver's seat camera, the image recognition unit 901 analyzes the image by image recognition processing and extracts face data that can identify an individual.

  The storage unit 902 may be an arbitrary storage medium. The storage unit 902 stores and holds in advance a correspondence relationship between each user's face data and identification information (for example, a telephone number) of each user's mobile phone M in the form of a table.

  The image recognition unit 901 identifies face data obtained by performing image recognition processing of the driver's face image captured by the driver's seat camera in accordance with the face data stored in the storage unit 902 in advance and stored. The identification information of the user's mobile phone M is acquired and passed to the Bluetooth communication unit 101.

  Thereby, the Bluetooth communication unit 101 can establish a Bluetooth communication connection with one mobile phone M which is a driver's mobile phone specified by the mobile phone identification information transmitted from the image recognition unit 901.

  Next, the flow of the Bluetooth communication connection automatic establishment process with the mobile phone M by the in-vehicle device 900 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  First, the Bluetooth communication unit 101 of the in-vehicle device 900 determines whether or not the registered mobile phone M exists in the vehicle interior (S1001).

  When the mobile phone M registered in the in-vehicle device 900 does not exist in the vehicle interior (“NO” in S1001), the Bluetooth communication connection cannot be established between the in-vehicle device 900 and the mobile phone M. One routine is immediately terminated.

  On the other hand, when it is determined that the mobile phone M registered in the in-vehicle device 900 is present in the vehicle interior (“YES” in S1001), the Bluetooth communication unit 101 then makes the mobile phone M connectable to the in-vehicle device 900 via Bluetooth communication. It is determined whether or not a plurality of vehicles are detected in the passenger compartment (S1002).

  When a plurality of mobile phones M capable of Bluetooth communication with the in-vehicle device 900 are detected in the vehicle interior (“YES” in S1002), the image recognition unit 901 identifies the user from the driver's face captured by the driver's seat camera. The user to be imaged who is considered to be the driver is identified by extracting the facial data to be operated (S1003).

  As described above, the image recognizing unit 901 obtains the mobile phone identification information of the user to be imaged considered to be a driver by comparing the acquired face data with a table stored in advance in the storage unit 902, and the Bluetooth communication unit 101. The Bluetooth communication unit 101 determines that the mobile phone M specified by the mobile phone identification information transmitted from the image recognition unit 901 is the driver's mobile phone M, and establishes a Bluetooth communication connection with the mobile phone M. Is established automatically, that is, without user operation (S1004).

  On the other hand, when only one mobile phone M capable of Bluetooth communication with the in-vehicle device 900 is detected in the vehicle interior (“NO” in S1002), the Bluetooth communication unit 101 performs Bluetooth communication with the single mobile phone M. A connection is established automatically, that is, without user operation (S1005).

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, even when there are a plurality of mobile phones that are Bluetooth slave devices that can be connected to an in-vehicle device that is a Bluetooth master device and a Bluetooth communication device, any user operation can be performed. The Bluetooth communication connection is automatically established between the in-vehicle device and one mobile phone without the need, so that the user can select the mobile phone to be connected by user operation compared to the conventional configuration Convenience can be improved.

  In addition, according to the present embodiment, a camera is installed in the driver's seat, and the user's face data and mobile phone identification information are stored in association with each other in advance, so that a plurality of mobile phones detected in the passenger compartment are detected. Since it can be configured to automatically extract the driver's mobile phone from the inside, even if there are multiple mobile phones that can be connected to the in-vehicle device and Bluetooth communication in the vehicle interior, any user operation Bluetooth communication connection can be automatically established between the in-vehicle device and the driver's mobile phone.

  In the first to fourth embodiments, the communication connection between the in-vehicle device and the mobile phone in the vehicle interior is the Bluetooth communication connection. However, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the application of the present invention is not limited to this. It is not limited to such embodiment, The communication system employ | adopted may be arbitrary.

  In the first to fourth embodiments described above, a situation in which a driver uses a mobile phone via a vehicle-mounted device, for example, in a hands-free call while driving the vehicle has been described as one premise. As will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The communication terminal that automatically establishes the communication connection with the in-vehicle device in the vehicle interior by the method according to the present invention is not limited to the mobile phone, and a PDA (Personal Digital Assistants) as long as it has a wireless communication function. Or any communication terminal such as a notebook computer.

  INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can be used for an in-vehicle device that performs wireless communication with a communication terminal existing in a vehicle interior. The power source type, fuel type, appearance design, weight, size, running performance, etc. of the vehicle to be controlled are all unquestioned.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is the schematic of the some vehicle terminal which exists in the vehicle-mounted apparatus which concerns on one Example (Example 1) of this invention, and a vehicle interior. It is a figure which shows an example of the communication area which the directional antenna of the vehicle-mounted apparatus which concerns on one Example (Example 1) of this invention covers. It is a figure which shows another example of the communication area which the directional antenna of the vehicle-mounted apparatus which concerns on one Example (Example 1) of this invention covers. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the automatic communication connection process by the vehicle-mounted apparatus which concerns on one Example (Example 1) of this invention. It is the schematic of the vehicle-mounted apparatus which concerns on another one Example (Example 2) of this invention, and the some communication terminal which exists in a vehicle interior. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the automatic communication connection process by the vehicle-mounted apparatus which concerns on another one Example (Example 2) of this invention. It is the schematic of the vehicle equipment which concerns on another one Example (Example 3) of this invention, and the some communication terminal which exists in a vehicle interior. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the automatic communication connection process by the vehicle-mounted apparatus which concerns on another one Example (Example 3) of this invention. It is the schematic of the vehicle equipment which concerns on another one Example (Example 4) of this invention, and the some communication terminal which exists in a vehicle interior. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the automatic communication connection process by the vehicle-mounted apparatus which concerns on another one Example (Example 4) of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

V Vehicle M Mobile phone with Bluetooth communication function (Bluetooth Slave)
100, 500, 700 In-vehicle device (Bluetooth master)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 101 Master side Bluetooth communication part 102 Directional antenna 103 Slave side Bluetooth communication part 301 Cell-phone accommodation part 501 User identification part 502,702,902 Storage part 701 Voice recognition part 901 Image recognition part

Claims (10)

An in-vehicle device that is mounted on a vehicle and performs wireless communication with a communication terminal existing in the vehicle interior,
When a plurality of communication terminals are detected in the passenger compartment, one terminal is selected from the plurality of communication terminals according to a predetermined standard, and a wireless communication connection with the selected communication terminal is automatically established. In-vehicle device. The in-vehicle device according to claim 1,
The in-vehicle device characterized in that the predetermined reference is in a predetermined space in a vehicle interior. The in-vehicle device according to claim 2,
The in-vehicle device, wherein the predetermined space includes a driver seat area. The in-vehicle device according to claim 2,
The in-vehicle device, wherein the predetermined space includes a communication terminal accommodating portion provided in a vehicle interior. The in-vehicle device according to claim 4,
The in-vehicle device, wherein the communication terminal accommodating unit is configured to charge a communication terminal accommodated in the communication terminal accommodating unit. The in-vehicle device according to any one of claims 2 to 5,
Reception with directivity so that the reception intensity of radio waves transmitted from communication terminals existing in the predetermined space is higher than the reception intensity of radio waves transmitted from communication terminals existing outside the predetermined space. Have an antenna,
An in-vehicle device, wherein a communication terminal that transmits a radio wave having the highest reception intensity at the reception antenna is determined to be a communication terminal existing in the predetermined space. The in-vehicle device according to claim 1,
For a plurality of users, each user's user identification information and communication terminal identification information are associated and stored in advance,
The in-vehicle device, wherein the predetermined reference is a communication terminal specified by communication terminal identification information associated with user identification information set by a driver. The in-vehicle device according to claim 1,
For multiple users, each user's voice pattern information and communication terminal identification information are associated and stored in advance,
The vehicle-mounted device, wherein the predetermined reference is a communication terminal specified by communication terminal identification information associated with a voice pattern uttered by a driver. The in-vehicle device according to claim 1,
For multiple users, each user's face information and communication terminal identification information are associated and stored in advance,
The vehicle-mounted device characterized in that the predetermined reference is a communication terminal specified by communication terminal identification information associated with a captured driver's face. It is an in-vehicle device according to any one of claims 1 to 9,
The in-vehicle device, wherein the wireless communication connection is a Bluetooth communication connection.

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