US5898392A — System and method for remote control of an in-veh…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 144 words

A voice recording and playback device for use in a vehicle, said device comprising: a receiver for receiving a voice message transmitted from a remote location via a wireless link; a memory device coupled to said receiver for recording a received voice message; input means for receiving playback commands from a vehicle occupant; and a control circuit coupled to said input means and including means for identifying acoustic data transmitted within a received and recorded voice message, wherein said control circuit is responsive to an identification of acoustic data within a recorded voice message to divide the recorded voice message into separate segments at each location within the recorded voice message where acoustic data is identified, said control circuit controls said memory device to playback a recorded voice message one segment at a time in response to playback commands received by said input means.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 144 words

A voice recording and playback device for use in a vehicle, said device comprising: a receiver for receiving a voice message transmitted from a remote location via a wireless link; a memory device coupled to said receiver for recording a received voice message; input means for receiving playback commands from a vehicle occupant; and a control circuit coupled to said input means and including means for identifying acoustic data transmitted within a received and recorded voice message, wherein said control circuit is responsive to an identification of acoustic data within a recorded voice message to divide the recorded voice message into separate segments at each location within the recorded voice message where acoustic data is identified, said control circuit controls said memory device to playback a recorded voice message one segment at a time in response to playback commands received by said input means.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 17 words

The device as defined in claim 1 and further including a speaker coupled to said control circuit.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 26 words

The device as defined in claim 1 and further including a microphone coupled to said memory device for receiving a voice message from a vehicle occupant.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 28 words

The device as defined in claim 1, wherein said memory device includes a voice digitizing circuit for digitizing a received voice message prior to recording the voice message.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 43 words

The device as defined in claim 1, wherein a received voice message represents navigational directions for traveling from a first location to a second location and said segments represent separate navigational steps constituting the directions from the first location to the second location.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 15 words

The device as defined in claim 1, wherein said input means includes a user-actuated switch.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 36 words

The device as defined in claim 1, wherein said input means includes a microphone and a voice recognition unit coupled to said control circuit and to said microphone for identifying spoken commands from a vehicle occupant.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 18 words

The device as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for identifying acoustic data includes a DTMF decoder.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 24 words

The device as defined in claim 1, wherein said receiver is a cellular telephone receiver and said acoustic data is represented by DTMF signals.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 55 words

The device as defined in claim 9 and further including a vehicle bus interface for coupling said control circuit to electrical accessories coupled to a vehicle bus, wherein said control circuit is responsive to DTMF signals transmitted within a received cellular telephone call to control one of the electrical accessories coupled to the vehicle bus.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 47 words

The device as defined in claim 10 and further including a prompting circuit responsive to DTMF signals for generating audible prompting messages to prompt a caller to press certain keys on a telephone keypad to cause an identified vehicle accessory to be controlled in a specified manner.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 36 words

The device as defined in claim 1, wherein said control circuit causes an acknowledgment signal to be transmitted to the remote location from which the voice message originated in response to the receipt of acoustic data.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 152 words

A voice recording and playback device for use in a vehicle, said device comprising: a cellular telephone transceiver for originating and receiving telephone calls; a DTMF decoder coupled to said cellular telephone transceiver for decoding DTMF signals received during a telephone call; a memory device coupled to said cellular telephone transceiver for recording a voice message; input means for receiving playback commands from a vehicle occupant; and playback control circuit coupled to said input means and said DTMF decoder, wherein said playback control circuit is responsive to an identification of DTMF signals within a received voice message to divide the recording of the received voice message into separate segments at each location within the received voice message where a DTMF signal is identified, said playback control circuit controls said memory device to playback a recorded voice message one segment at a time in response to playback commands received by said input means.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 152 words

A voice recording and playback device for use in a vehicle, said device comprising: a cellular telephone transceiver for originating and receiving telephone calls; a DTMF decoder coupled to said cellular telephone transceiver for decoding DTMF signals received during a telephone call; a memory device coupled to said cellular telephone transceiver for recording a voice message; input means for receiving playback commands from a vehicle occupant; and playback control circuit coupled to said input means and said DTMF decoder, wherein said playback control circuit is responsive to an identification of DTMF signals within a received voice message to divide the recording of the received voice message into separate segments at each location within the received voice message where a DTMF signal is identified, said playback control circuit controls said memory device to playback a recorded voice message one segment at a time in response to playback commands received by said input means.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 28 words

The device as defined in claim 13, wherein said input means includes a user-actuated switch for inputting playback commands to play a next segment or a previous segment.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 17 words

The device as defined in claim 13, wherein said input means is mounted in an overhead console.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 17 words

The device as defined in claim 13, wherein said input means is mounted in a rearview mirror.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 36 words

The device as defined in claim 13 and further including a display coupled to said playback control circuit for displaying an identification of the current segment of the recorded voice message that is currently being played.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 43 words

The device as defined in claim 13, wherein a received voice message represents navigational directions for traveling from a first location to a second location and said segments represent separate navigational steps constituting the directions from the first location to the second location.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 32 words

The device as defined in claim 13, wherein said playback control circuit causes said cellular telephone transceiver to transmit a DTMF acknowledgment signal in response to the receipt of a DTMF signal.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 153 words

A navigation system for use in a vehicle, said system comprising: a cellular telephone transceiver for originating and receiving cellular telephone calls; a DTMF decoder coupled to said cellular telephone transceiver for decoding DTMF signals received during a telephone call; a memory device coupled to said cellular telephone transceiver for recording a voice message including navigational information; input means for receiving playback commands from a vehicle occupant; and a control circuit coupled to said input means and said DTMF decoder, wherein said control circuit is responsive to an identification of DTMF signals within a received voice message to divide the recording of the received voice message into separate navigational segments at each location within the received voice message where a DTMF signal is identified, said control circuit controls said memory device to playback a recorded voice message one navigational segment at a time in response to playback commands received by said input means.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 153 words

A navigation system for use in a vehicle, said system comprising: a cellular telephone transceiver for originating and receiving cellular telephone calls; a DTMF decoder coupled to said cellular telephone transceiver for decoding DTMF signals received during a telephone call; a memory device coupled to said cellular telephone transceiver for recording a voice message including navigational information; input means for receiving playback commands from a vehicle occupant; and a control circuit coupled to said input means and said DTMF decoder, wherein said control circuit is responsive to an identification of DTMF signals within a received voice message to divide the recording of the received voice message into separate navigational segments at each location within the received voice message where a DTMF signal is identified, said control circuit controls said memory device to playback a recorded voice message one navigational segment at a time in response to playback commands received by said input means.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 103 words

A voice recording device for use in a vehicle, said device comprising: a cellular telephone transceiver for originating and receiving telephone calls; a DTMF decoder coupled to said cellular telephone transceiver for decoding DTMF signals received during a telephone call; a memory device coupled to said cellular telephone transceiver for recording a voice message; and a control circuit coupled to said DTMF decoder, wherein said control circuit is responsive to an identification of a DTMF signal received during a telephone call that is originated or answered by a vehicle occupant, to commence/halt the recording of a received voice message in said memory device.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 103 words

A voice recording device for use in a vehicle, said device comprising: a cellular telephone transceiver for originating and receiving telephone calls; a DTMF decoder coupled to said cellular telephone transceiver for decoding DTMF signals received during a telephone call; a memory device coupled to said cellular telephone transceiver for recording a voice message; and a control circuit coupled to said DTMF decoder, wherein said control circuit is responsive to an identification of a DTMF signal received during a telephone call that is originated or answered by a vehicle occupant, to commence/halt the recording of a received voice message in said memory device.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 45 words

The device as defined in claim 21 and further including an input circuit for receiving playback commands from a vehicle occupant, wherein said control circuit controls said memory device to playback a recorded voice message in response to playback commands received by said input circuit.

Claim 27

Independent Claim 81 words

A system for remotely controlling vehicle accessories, said system comprising: a cellular telephone receiver for receiving cellular telephone calls; a DTMF decoder coupled to said cellular telephone receiver for decoding DTMF signals received during a telephone call; a vehicle accessory interface for coupling to an electrical accessory; and a control circuit coupled to said vehicle accessory interface and to said DTMF decoder for controlling the electrical accessory that is coupled to the vehicle accessory interface, in response to received DTMF signals.

Claim 28

Independent Claim 81 words

A system for remotely controlling vehicle accessories, said system comprising: a cellular telephone receiver for receiving cellular telephone calls; a DTMF decoder coupled to said cellular telephone receiver for decoding DTMF signals received during a telephone call; a vehicle accessory interface for coupling to an electrical accessory; and a control circuit coupled to said vehicle accessory interface and to said DTMF decoder for controlling the electrical accessory that is coupled to the vehicle accessory interface, in response to received DTMF signals.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 47 words

The system as defined in claim 23 and further including a prompting circuit responsive to DTMF signals for generating audible prompting messages to prompt a caller to press certain keys on a telephone keypad to cause an identified vehicle accessory to be controlled in a specified manner.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 113 words

The system as defined in claim 23 and further including a memory device coupled to said cellular telephone receiver for recording a voice message, and input means for receiving playback comnmnands from a vehicle occupant, wherein said control circuit is coupled to said input means and is responsive to an identification of DTMF signals within a received voice message to divide the recording of the received voice message into separate segments at each location within the received voice message where a DTMF signal is identified, said control circuit controls said memory device to playback a recorded voice message one segment at a time in response to playback commands received by said input means.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 32 words

The system as defined in claim 23, wherein said vehicle accessory interface is a vehicle bus interface for coupling to a vehicle bus to which a plurality of electrical accessories are coupled.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 24 words

The system as defined in claim 23, wherein said vehicle accessory interface is a discrete wire interface to which the electrical accessory is coupled.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 26 words

The system as defined in claim 23, wherein said vehicle accessory interface is a discrete wire interface to which a plurality of electrical accessories are coupled.

Claim 34

Independent Claim 82 words

A system for remotely personalizing vehicle accessories, said system comprising: a cellular telephone receiver for receiving cellular telephone calls; a DTMF decoder coupled to said cellular telephone receiver for decoding DTMF signals received during a telephone call; a vehicle accessory interface for coupling to a plurality of electrical accessories; and a control circuit coupled to said vehicle accessory interface and to said DTMF decoder for reprogramming electrical accessories that are coupled to the vehicle accessory interface, in response to received DTMF signals.

Claim 35

Independent Claim 82 words

A system for remotely personalizing vehicle accessories, said system comprising: a cellular telephone receiver for receiving cellular telephone calls; a DTMF decoder coupled to said cellular telephone receiver for decoding DTMF signals received during a telephone call; a vehicle accessory interface for coupling to a plurality of electrical accessories; and a control circuit coupled to said vehicle accessory interface and to said DTMF decoder for reprogramming electrical accessories that are coupled to the vehicle accessory interface, in response to received DTMF signals.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 47 words

The system as defined in claim 29 and further including a prompting circuit responsive to DTMF tones for generating audible prompting messages to prompt a caller to press certain keys on a telephone keypad to cause an identified vehicle accessory to be reprogrammed in a specified manner.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 113 words

The system as defined in claim 29 and further including a memory device coupled to said cellular telephone receiver for recording a voice message, and input means for receiving playback commands from a vehicle occupant, wherein said control circuit is coupled to said input means and is responsive to an identification of DTMF signals within a received voice message to divide the recording of the received voice message into separate segments at each location within the received voice message where a DTMF signal is identified, said control circuit controls said memory device to playback a recorded voice message one segment at a time in response to playback commands received by said input means.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 32 words

The system as defined in claim 29, wherein said vehicle accessory interface is a vehicle bus interface for coupling to a vehicle bus to which the plurality of electrical accessories are coupled.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 26 words

The system as defined in claim 29, wherein said vehicle accessory interface is a discrete wire interface to which the plurality of electrical accessories are coupled.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2002-04-26	2002-10-26	2003-04-27	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2006-04-26	2006-10-26	2007-04-27	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2010-04-26	2010-10-26	2011-04-27	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

System and method for remote control of an in-vehicle voice recorder and other electrical accessories

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