KR20140065141A - Interworking system between driver's smart phone and embedded drive phone with car and method of the same - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an interface method of a smartphone and a drive phone. The method according to the present invention includes the steps of: (a) supplying power to a drive phone installed in a car; (b) enabling the drive phone to recognize the smartphone of a driver; (c) bypassing the communications of the smartphone to the drive phone; and (d) automatically recovering the communications of the smartphone, if the power supply to the drive phone is blocked.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a smart phone and a drive phone,

The present invention relates to a system and method using a smartphone, and more particularly, to a system and method using a smartphone operating in an automobile.

Cars have given mankind the convenience of living, but at the same time have brought a very dangerous environment that threatens human life. Most of the car accidents are caused by driver's carelessness. Among them, telephone conversation during driving has been pointed out as the biggest factor of carelessness. The problem is that a car accident threatens not only his own body but also the life of others, and he can not predict the accident. For this reason, the state has enacted regulations and strictly regulated telephone calls during driving. Social campaigns not only for the use of mobile phones while driving, but also for the regulation by law are also being carried out widely.

Hands-free devices are the most widely used techniques to solve this problem technically. The hands-free device is commonly equipped with a Bluetooth short-range communication module for a convenient user interface.

However, the mobile industry has changed dramatically from feature phones to smart phones, and unexpected problems have arisen in which the use of hands free devices is significantly lowered. Because of the advantage that various contents can be used for smart phones, problems such as viewing text messages, viewing images on a screen, viewing other contents on a smart phone, etc., are not necessarily caused by telephone calls. People do not make phone calls, but they use smart phones to use various social networks or various applications. Therefore, it was difficult to cope with a smartphone as a sound source-oriented auxiliary device such as a hands-free device.

However, viewing the display screen of the smartphone is not a phone call, but it causes driver carelessness. In addition, there is a problem that it is difficult to judge violation of traffic regulations in this case.

In the modern society where automobiles and smart phones have become common necessities of life, people with cars will have smartphones as well. Preventing car accidents and protecting the driver's life is the same as ensuring the smartphone usage environment. However, smartphone users are encouraged not to use smartphones while driving, as they are overly passive in the social loss of car accidents. On the other hand, warning of penalties for smartphone use is not a phone call I am still worried and dissatisfied with the difficulty of knowing whether to use the screen contents. However, attempts to implement other methods that require complex technical conditions for smartphone users are a problem because they do not match the driver's habit of quickly acting in a car (a typical behavior to turn on the engine and start driving immediately).

Also, it is not desirable to technically block the use of the smartphone by the driver simply because he / she is operating without any measures. In addition to being a driver's private space, the inside of a car is technically forbidden to use smartphone users, and it is dangerous to be unable to communicate when there is an emergency in the car. Technological development without alternative measures only results in severe dissatisfaction of the driver.

The inventor of the present invention has made a long effort to solve the above problems and propose a new approach.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a smartphone user (driver) with improved user environment and user experience while preventing a car accident caused by smartphone use during driving.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a method and system for eliminating the inconvenience of user adaptation to different environments in a smartphone usage environment outside a car and a smartphone usage environment when driving in a car .

On the other hand, other unspecified purposes of the present invention will be further considered within the scope of the following detailed description and easily deduced from the effects thereof.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of interworking between a smartphone and a drive phone,

(a) supplying power to a drive phone installed in a vehicle;

(b) recognizing the driver's smartphone by the drive phone;

(c) bypassing communication of the smartphone to the drive phone; And

(d) automatically restoring the communication of the smartphone when power supply to the drive phone is interrupted.

Further, in a method of interworking between a smartphone and a drive phone according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the drive phone preferably has an input / output element including a display capable of touch input, a wireless communication modem, and a smartphone recognition means.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of interworking between a smartphone and a drive phone, wherein the drive phone is installed with software for executing a function of interlocking with a smartphone, Having a telephone number subscribed to a different mobile communication network,

And registering the phone number of the smartphone to be interlocked with the drive phone by inputting the user interface of the drive phone.

In the method of interworking between a smartphone and a drive phone according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the step (b) may be executed by inputting a user interface of the drive phone.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of interworking a smartphone and a drive phone, wherein the step (b) is executed by recognizing the smartphone automatically by the local device recognizing means,

The user interface of the drive phone requesting approval of an operation of the recognized smartphone; And

And performing the step (c) when an approval event for the request is generated.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of interworking between a smartphone and a drive phone, the method comprising the steps of: when the communication is a telephone call and a message transmission / reception via a mobile communication network, Pass,

When the communication is via the application platform installed in the smartphone, the communication can be transmitted / received according to a driver account registered in advance in the drive phone.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of interworking between a smartphone and a drive phone, the drive phone being connected to a microphone and a speaker of an automobile, Speakers can be used.

Further, in a method of interworking a smartphone and a drive phone according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the communication in the step (c)

When the communication with the smartphone is received, the drive phone that performs short-range wireless communication with the smartphone activates a car microphone and a speaker, and presents an on-off user interface for a phone call through a display screen of the drive phone As shown in FIG.

A second aspect of the present invention is a drive phone installed in a car and interlocked with a smartphone of a driver,

A touch screen display on which a user interface is displayed;

Input means and output means for executing input and output;

An interface that calls the built-in microphone and speakers in the car;

A wireless communication modem for data communication through a mobile communication network;

A GPS module for acquiring position information;

Internal memory; And

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Wherein the smart phone interoperable application software includes a user interface for setting up and releasing interworking between the smart phone and the drive phone,

Wherein the processor executes a communication interlocking process so that communication of the smartphone is performed through the display or the microphone and speaker of the automobile according to the application software linked with the smartphone.

The drive phone of the present invention may be a navigation device or a tablet PC installed in an automobile.

According to the present invention, it is possible to more effectively prevent accidental driving due to the use of a smartphone during driving, and automobile accidents due to such driving carelessness.

It can also provide a new user experience and convenience to the driver by improving the smart environment in the car while ensuring safety.

On the other hand, even if the effects are not explicitly mentioned here, the effect described in the following specification, which is expected by the technical features of the present invention, and its potential effects are treated as described in the specification of the present invention.

1 is a view conceptually showing a system configuration inside a vehicle 20 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a diagram showing an internal electronic configuration example of the drive phone 100 of the present invention.
3 shows an example of a display screen configuration of the drive phone 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
4 is a diagram schematically showing an overall process of an interworking method according to an embodiment of the present invention.
5 is a diagram illustrating an example in which a user interface for requesting a user input is configured on a screen of the drive phone 100. In FIG.
FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 are views showing an example of the configuration of a user interface when initiating interworking between a drive phone and a smartphone according to an embodiment of the present invention.
* The accompanying drawings illustrate examples of the present invention in order to facilitate understanding of the technical idea of the present invention, and thus the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto.

The terms used herein are specifically defined as follows:

The term " drive phone " refers to a device having a wireless communication modem and a display installed in a vehicle, and performing a communication function by interfacing with a smartphone of a driver.

&Quot; Smartphone " is defined herein as a smartphone of the driver unless otherwise specified herein.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description of the present invention, a detailed description of known functions and configurations incorporated herein will be omitted when it may obscure the subject matter of the present invention.

Fig. 1 schematically shows a system configuration according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. An interlocking system between the drive phone 100 installed in the automobile 20 and the driver's smartphone 10 forms the network 1 inside the automobile 20. This network 1 ensures that communication in the smartphone 10 is deactivated in the preferred embodiment and that the communication is executed in the drive phone 100. [ In another preferred embodiment, the network 1 may synchronize or coexist communication between the smartphone 10 and the drive phone 100. In any embodiment, the driver does not need to communicate with the smartphone 10 in the car 20, and an environment is provided in which the driver can use the drive phone 100 to perform the desired communication. Preferably, the drive phone 100 is installed in correspondence with the direction in which the driver looks forward.

In a preferred embodiment, communication using smart phones 10 as a destination, such as communication for connecting a call via a mobile communication network such as 3G or LTE, communication such as SMS or MMS message, or various communication May be bypassed and intended to change the drive phone 100 to its destination.

Communication bypassed from the smartphone 10 to the drive phone 100 may be enumerated as follows:

1. Attempts to make a call connection with a call connection request (ring tone ring through drive phone 100) for a telephone call;

2. Mobile phone call (calls to drive phone 100, using the car's microphone and speakers);

3. Creating and receiving text messages using smart phones;

4. An email sent and received using a unique user account of the smartphone 10;

5. Various alarm signals transmitted and received using a unique user account of the smartphone 10; or

6. Screen execution of the application provided by the application platform to which the user of the smartphone 10 subscribes.

It is preferable that the communication of the above 1 to 3 is preferably automatically bypassed to the drive phone 100 and the communication of 4 to 6 is performed in the same manner in the smartphone 10 and the drive phone 100 . Particularly, in the latter case, it is necessary to register the same account as the user account of the smartphone 10 when registering the user account in the drive phone 100.

2 schematically shows the internal structure of the drive phone 100 according to the present invention. The drive phone 100 may be embedded in the interior of the vehicle 20. Also, the drive phone 100 may be installed inside the vehicle 20 using fixing means and connecting means.

The drive phone 100 is a device having a communication function. And may be a navigation device. It may also be a tablet PC in another preferred embodiment. In the case of a navigation device, it is preferable that a wireless communication modem (a wireless communication chip module conforming to a network standard) capable of making a telephone conversation using a mobile communication network is incorporated. In this embodiment, the navigation device includes UI / UX and software for performing the functions of the drive phone.

In the case of a tablet PC, for example, an embodiment in which a tablet PC such as iPad ( ^TM) , Galaxy Tab ( ^TM) , or Surface ( ^TM) is installed for an automobile or for detachment can be devised. The tablet PC has an OS installed therein. Since this OS is linked with the smart phone, the function of the drive phone 100 can be effectively performed. Technologies that recognize devices with the same OS installed at close distances are known. Therefore, in this embodiment, the drive phone 100 can provide an advantageous environment for automatically recognizing the smartphone 10. In addition, the Tablet PC provides an enhanced environment in addition to being able to provide navigation functions, as well as being able to run various applications. Also in this embodiment, the tablet PC includes UI / UX and application software for performing functions of the drive phone.

Returning back to Fig. 1, the drive phone 100 has a software or hardware input 105 as input means. As the output means, there is a display 107. The display 106 preferably includes a UI / UX of the operating system software and UI / UX of the application software, and a touch screen functioning as an input device.

The vehicle interface (108) of the drive phone (100) is responsible for connection with the vehicle and can be connected to a microphone and a speaker of the vehicle to expand the input / output means of the drive phone (100). In one preferred embodiment, the drive phone 100 calls the built-in microphone and speaker of the vehicle through the vehicle interface 108. In another preferred embodiment, the drive phone 100 may use the Bluetooth module 106 to call the car's microphone and speaker.

The drive phone 100 may include a Bluetooth module 106 and local device recognition means 108. [ The Bluetooth module 106 performs communication between the devices in accordance with the Bluetooth local communication standard, and the local device recognition unit 108 performs a function of automatically recognizing the smartphone 10 located in the set range. In some embodiments of the present invention, the local device recognition means 108 may use the GPS or the Bluetooth device search function, etc., when the car is started and the drive phone 100 is powered on It is possible to detect the smartphone 10 inside the automobile.

The communication module 103 serves to exchange data with an external device through a modem for wireless communication. Various communications are received by the drive phone 100 through the communication module 103. [ Preferably, the wireless communication modem has a status of a subscriber subscribed to the mobile communication network and is assigned a unique telephone number. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the telephone number assigned to the drive phone 100 is different from the telephone number to which the smartphone is subscribed. The GPS module 104 acquires position information of the drive phone 100. [

The internal memory 102 of the drive phone 100 generally provides a place to store computer code and data used in the device. In addition, in the embodiment of the present invention, the application memory 102a, which executes the function of interfacing with the smartphone, is located in the internal memory, and resources necessary for driving and managing the application will be stored.

The processor 101 executes the computer code together with the operating system and executes the operations of generating and projecting the data. The processor 101 may also use a series of instructions to receive and process input and output data between components of the user mobile device 100. In addition, the processor 101 serves as a control unit for executing functions of application software installed in the drive phone 100. [ The processor 101 processes communication transmitted and received through the communication module 103 and transmits communication of the smartphone 10 to the display 107 or the display 107 of the drive phone 100 It is possible to execute a communication interlocking procedure to be performed through a microphone and a speaker of a car.

Fig. 3 shows an example of the screen configuration of the drive phone 100. Fig. The set or selected main function of the drive phone 100 is executed in the main area 110 of the drive phone 100 screen. For example, the navigation function can be executed. An interlocking function may be displayed in the side area 120. The side regions 120 may be located on the left and right sides or the upper and lower sides of the main region 110.

The side area 120 may include a communication unit 121, a message unit 123, an e-mail unit 125, and an application unit 127, for example. The configuration displayed in the side area 120 may be set to a default, and may be set by a user's selection. The scope of protection of the present invention is not limited by the number and type of the structures displayed in the side area 120. [ In particular, the e-mail unit 125 and the application unit 127 may be deactivated so that the driver can concentrate on driving.

When a call is made to the smartphone 10, the call connection attempt is bypassed to the drive phone 100, not the smartphone 10, and a ringing tone may be heard through the speaker of the car. The user can make a mobile phone call using the drive phone 100 by touching the call unit 121. [ Likewise, messages can be transmitted and received by touching the message part 123. [

In addition, the user can select the e-mail unit 125 to send and receive e-mail, select the application unit 127 to use an application such as Facebook or Twitter, or use a service provided via other application platforms . To do this, the user will first register the user's unique account on the drive phone.

4 schematically shows an overall process of a method of interworking a smartphone and a drive phone according to an embodiment of the present invention.

First, the environment settings for the drive phone will be made. The driver registers the driver smartphone according to a predetermined order and rules through the user interface of the drive phone (S100). This includes registering the phone number of the driver smartphone and the driver's unique account. The former allows the communication via the mobile communication network to be bypassed to the drive phone, and the latter is to set the user account to display the communication via the application platform as a drive phone.

Next, power is supplied to the drive phone (S110). Turning on the car's power can power the drive phone. In addition, the operation of the drive phone can be started by pressing the power input key of the drive phone. In addition, the drive phone has an internal battery, so that the drive phone can be operated even when the vehicle is turned off.

Next, the drive phone executes a process of recognizing the driver smartphone (S120). The step S120 may be implemented through various embodiments. A method of the device recognizing the device and automatically proceeding to the next step and a method of recognizing the input by the driver through the user interface may be included.

FIG. 5 conceptually illustrates an example of a scenario in which the driver inputs the step S120 through a user interface according to an embodiment of the present invention. A cover 150 (including an icon, a text icon, and the like) 150 indicating " safe mode " is provided on the initial screen of the drive phone 100, and the driver can select and input the icon to perform step S120. When the drive phone 100 starts operating to induce the user's input, the safety mode indicator 150 may be blinked or a registered sound may be output.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an interworking process in which the drive phone automatically detects the presence of a smartphone according to another embodiment of the present invention and executes step S120, but notifies the user of the fact and receives input from the user. In the information window (140), "I have found a registered driver's mobile phone. Do you want to run the safe mode? "Is displayed on the drive phone screen. That is, the user interface of the drive phone is requested to approve the link with the recognized smartphone. The selection event for the approval button 141 or the disapproval button 142 is generated so that the interlocking process can proceed.

In yet another embodiment, an approval event to proceed with the interlocking process may occur by entering the telephone number of the driver into the input window 130 and then pressing the execute button 131, as shown in FIG. When the telephone number is inputted, it is possible to compare the telephone number of the previously registered driver and proceed the interlocking process. The driver may be in another place to prevent the driver from using the phone or overcharging the phone.

5, 6, and 7, when the safe mode is selected, the drive phone executes interworking communication to allow the smartphone to receive and send communication according to the set mode (S130).

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, before the transition from step S120 to step S130, the drive phone transmits a bypass request to the base station of the mobile communication network. The mobile communication company server is configured to transmit communication to the driver's smart phone number through the base station to the telephone number of the drive phone (bypass setting of the mobile communication company). For this purpose, two subscriber numbers interlinked with each other in the mobile communication network server can be registered, and pre-registration for this interworking service can be performed.

When the power of the drive phone is turned off, interworking is automatically terminated and communication of the smartphone is restored (S140). Preferably, the moment the power of the drive phone is turned off, the off signal may be transmitted to the server of the mobile communication company through the wireless modem of the drive phone, and the bypass mode set by the mobile communication company receiving the signal may be canceled.

[Various Variations]

1. While the present invention has been described in the spirit of the present invention with a focus on an embodiment in which an interlocking function is executed by waiting for a user's input on a touch screen of a drive phone, it is possible to achieve an optimized embodiment, a desired function So as not to cause inconvenience to the driver. The use of smart phones in automobiles is not desirable for safety, and car accidents can threaten the lives of others who are not responsible. In order to fundamentally prevent this, it is necessary to automatically shut off the use of the smartphone without foreseeing the input action of the driver and forcibly interlock with the drive phone. In order for such an embodiment to be optimized, not only must legal regulations be accompanied, but all automobile manufacturers must comply with mandatory technical standards.

2. In addition, although the present specification has exemplified various communications transmitted and received in the drive phone, it is also possible to configure the function of the drive phone very simply. The smartphone and the drive phone constitute a network for short-distance wireless communication by the Bluetooth module, and when the communication is received by the smart phone, the Bluetooth module allows the communication to be bypassed to the drive phone, And a speaker can be called. In this case, the display screen of the drive phone may be presented with a user interface for turning on / off the telephone call. Preferably, if the UI displayed on the screen of the smartphone is the same as or similar to the UI displayed on the drive phone, the driver will use the drive phone while looking for or touching the smartphone while watching the front of the smartphone.

The scope of protection of the present invention is not limited to the description and the expression of the embodiments explicitly described in the foregoing. It is again to be understood that the scope of protection of the present invention can not be limited by obvious alterations or permutations of the present invention.

Claims (11)

(a) supplying power to a drive phone installed in a vehicle;
(b) recognizing the driver's smartphone by the drive phone;
(c) bypassing communication of the smartphone to the drive phone; And
(d) automatically restoring communication of the smartphone when power supply to the drive phone is interrupted. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the smartphone has an input / output element including a display capable of touch input, a wireless communication modem, and a smartphone recognizing means. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the drive phone is provided with software for executing a function of interlocking with a smartphone and has a telephone number subscribed to a mobile communication network different from a telephone number assigned to the smart phone,
Further comprising the step of registering the phone number of the smartphone to be interlocked with the drive phone by inputting the user interface of the drive phone. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the step (b) is executed by inputting a user interface of the drive phone. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the step (b) is executed by recognizing the smartphone automatically by the local device recognizing means,
The user interface of the drive phone requesting approval of an operation of the recognized smartphone; And
And performing the step (c) when an approval event for the request is generated. The method of claim 3,
The communication of the smartphone is bypassed to the communication of the drive phone when the communication is a telephone call and a message transmission / reception via the mobile communication network,
Wherein when the communication is via the application platform installed on the smartphone, the communication is performed by the driver account registered in advance in the drive phone. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the drive phone is connected to a microphone and a speaker of an automobile, and the voice input / output during the communication of (c) uses a microphone and a speaker of a car. The method according to claim 1,
The communication in the step (c) is a telephone call,
When the communication with the smartphone is received, the drive phone that performs short-range wireless communication with the smartphone activates a car microphone and a speaker, and presents an on-off user interface for a phone call through a display screen of the drive phone Wherein the smartphone and the drive phone are interlocked. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the drive phone is a navigation device or a tablet PC installed in a car. It is a drive phone installed in a car and linked to a driver's smartphone:
A touch screen display on which a user interface is displayed;
Input means and output means for executing input and output;
An interface that calls the built-in microphone and speakers in the car;
A wireless communication modem for data communication through a mobile communication network;
A GPS module for acquiring position information;
Internal memory; And
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Wherein the smart phone interoperable application software includes a user interface for setting up and releasing interworking between the smart phone and the drive phone,
Wherein the processor executes a communication linkage process so that the communication of the smartphone is performed through the display or the microphone and speaker of the car according to the application software linked with the smartphone. 11. The method of claim 10,
The drive phone is a navigation device installed in a car or a drive phone that works with a smart phone, which is a tablet PC.

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