Coupled GPS phone and navigation system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9250097-B2
Application number	US-55076909-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 31, 2009
Priority date	Jul 23, 2009
Publication date	Feb 2, 2016
Grant date	Feb 2, 2016

Abstract

A navigation system includes a Global Positioning System (GPS) enabled wireless phone and a GPS navigation system. The GPS enabled wireless phone includes a GPS receiver, a communications interface, and processing circuitry coupled to the GPS receiver and to the communications interface. The GPS navigation system includes a GPS receiver, a communications interface operable to communicatively couple to the communications interface of the GPS enabled wireless phone, and processing circuitry coupled to the GPS receiver and to the communications interface. The processing circuitry of the GPS navigation system is operable to establish device pairing with the GPS enabled wireless phone and to exchange GPS information and other information with the GPS enabled wireless phone via the secure link.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A navigation system comprising:
a Global Positioning System (GPS) enabled wireless phone comprising:
a cellular wireless interface configured to be coupled to a cellular wireless communications network;
a GPS receiver;
a communications interface operable to pair wirelessly with devices individually via a wireless personal area network (WPAN) protocol; and
processing circuitry coupled to the GPS receiver and to the communications interface;

a GPS navigation system carried in a vehicle, the GPS navigation system comprising:
a GPS receiver;
a communications interface configured to individually pair with the communications interface of the GPS enabled wireless phone via the WPAN;
processing circuitry coupled to the GPS receiver and the communications interface of the GPS navigation system, wherein the processing circuitry of the GPS navigation system physically couples to a vehicle and resides within the vehicle, the processing circuitry configured to:
establish device pairing with the GPS enabled wireless phone via the WPAN;
exchange GPS information with the GPS enabled wireless phone via the WPAN;
determine GPS coordinates of the vehicle;
transmit GPS coordinates of the vehicle to the GPS enabled wireless phone;
detect that a physical separation of the GPS enabled wireless phone and the GPS navigation system exceeds a threshold, wherein the threshold is determined based on a distance at which direct communication via the WPAN is lost; and
transmit the GPS coordinates of the vehicle to the GPS enabled wireless phone via a cellular network in response to detecting loss of direct communication via the WPAN.

2. The navigation system of claim 1 , wherein in establishing device pairing with the GPS enabled wireless phone the processing circuitry of the GPS navigation system establishes a secure wireless communication link with the GPS enabled wireless phone.

3. The navigation system of claim 1 , the processing circuitry of the GPS navigation system further configured to:
transmit the GPS coordinates of the vehicle to the GPS enabled wireless phone upon detection of powering down of the vehicle.

4. The navigation system of claim 1 , the processing circuitry of the GPS navigation system further configured to:
receive a request from the GPS enabled wireless phone for the GPS coordinates of the vehicle; and
transmit the GPS coordinates of the vehicle to the GPS enabled wireless phone in response to receipt of the request.

5. The navigation system of claim 1 , the processing circuitry of the GPS navigation system further configured to:
at least temporarily remove the device pairing after detecting a change in an operating state of the vehicle.

6. The navigation system of claim 1 , wherein exchanging GPS information with the GPS enabled wireless phone comprises the GPS navigation system receiving a route including GPS coordinates from the GPS enabled wireless phone.

7. The navigation system of claim 1 , wherein exchanging GPS information with the GPS enabled wireless phone comprises the GPS navigation system transmitting destination information, including GPS coordinates to the GPS enabled wireless phone.

8. The navigation system of claim 1 , wherein exchanging GPS information with the GPS enabled wireless phone comprises the GPS navigation system receiving destination information, including GPS coordinates from the GPS enabled wireless phone.

9. The navigation system of claim 1 , wherein communicative coupling between the GPS navigation system and the GPS enabled wireless phone services wireless communications that are relayed by a wireless network.

10. The navigation system of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further operable to remove the device pairing after expiration of a time period.

11. The navigation system of claim 1 , wherein exchanging GPS information with the GPS enabled wireless phone comprises:
determining portions of an active route not yet completed; and
transmitting the portions of the active route determined to be not yet completed to the GPS enabled wireless phone.

12. The navigation system of claim 1 , the processing circuitry of the GPS navigation system further configured to download to the GPS enabled wireless phone one or more of pictures and traffic information relating to the GPS information.

13. The navigation system of claim 1 , the processing circuitry of the GPS navigation system further configured to upload from the GPS enabled wireless phone traffic information relating to the GPS information.

14. A Global Positioning System (GPS) enabled wireless phone configured to interface with a GPS navigation system, the GPS enabled wireless phone comprising:
a cellular wireless interface configured to be coupled to a cellular wireless communications network;
a GPS receiver;
a communications interface operable to communicatively couple to a communications interface of the GPS navigation system via a wireless personal area network (WPAN) protocol; and
processing circuitry coupled to the GPS receiver and to the communications interface and configured to:
establish device pairing with the GPS navigation system, individually;
exchange GPS information with the GPS navigation system via the WPAN; and

wherein the GPS enabled wireless phone is configured to:
record, on the GPS enabled wireless phone, a location of the GPS enabled wireless phone in response to determining that direct communication with the GPS navigation system via the WPAN is lost.

15. The GPS enabled wireless phone of claim 14 , wherein in establishing device pairing with the GPS navigation system the processing circuitry of the GPS enabled wireless phone establishes a secure wireless communication link with the GPS navigation system.

16. The GPS enabled wireless phone of claim 14 :
wherein the GPS navigation system physically couples to a vehicle and resides within the vehicle; and
the processing circuitry of the GPS enabled wireless phone system is further configured to receive GPS coordinates of the vehicle from the GPS navigation system.

17. The GPS enabled wireless phone of claim 16 , wherein the GPS coordinates of the vehicle are received from the GPS navigation system upon detection of powering down of the vehicle.

18. The GPS enabled wireless phone of claim 16 , wherein the GPS coordinates of the vehicle are received from the GPS navigation system in response to a request transmitted from the GPS enabled wireless phone to the GPS navigation system.

19. The GPS enabled wireless phone of claim 16 , wherein the GPS coordinates of the vehicle are received from the GPS navigation system in response to a detection of physical separation of the GPS enabled wireless phone and the GPS navigation system that exceeds a threshold wherein the threshold is determined based on a distance at which direct communication via the WPAN is lost.

20. The GPS enabled wireless phone of claim 16 , wherein the processing circuitry is further operable to at least temporarily remove the device pairing after detection of powering down of a vehicle in which the navigation system is physically coupled.

21. The GPS enabled wireless phone of claim 14 , wherein exchanging GPS information with the GPS navigation system comprises the GPS enabled wireless phone transmitting a route including GPS coordinates to the GPS navigation system.

22. The GPS enabled wireless phone of claim 14 , wherein exchanging GPS information with the GPS navigation system c

Assignees

• Bennett James D
• Karaoguz Jeyhan
• Wheeler Jeffrey D
• Broadcom Corp

Inventors

• Bennett James D
• Karaoguz Jeyhan
• Wheeler Jeffrey D

Classifications

• G01S5/0072

  Transmission between mobile stations, e.g. anti-collision systems · CPC title

• G01S5/0027

  of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile · CPC title

• G01C21/3688 Primary

  Systems comprising multiple parts or multiple output devices (not client-server), e.g. detachable faceplates, key fobs or multiple output screens · CPC title