Gsm/Cdma Based Novel Truly Hands Free Taxi Communication Device

Abstract

GSM / CDMA based truly hands-free communication system and device for taxis of the present invention provides a mechanism for two-way communication over widely accepted networks like GSM/CDMA. The communication device provided is a trulyhands free that can be worn by the taxi driver as any other head-set and device provides intelligence that requires no intervention from the driver to pick up incoming calls. At the same time, the device can also keep the dispatcher informed of the vehicle location without driver intervention, thus minimizing driver distraction. The communication device also possesses necessary intelligence to block unauthorized in coming calls. The communication device also has the necessary intelligence to be reconfigured over the air.

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Specification

THE FOLLOWING SPECIFICATION PARTICULARLY DESCRIBES THE
NATURE OF THE INVENTION
GSM / CDMA based novel truly hands-free taxi communication device
A) Techinal Field
1. The GSM/CDMA based taxi control device provides a widely supported network based two way communication, a truly hands-free approach for receiving incoming calls and allows to call pre-configured out going numbers with the push of a single button. The GSM/CDMA based taxi control device relates to two way wireless communication over a wide area wherever such network is present. The GSM/CDMA based taxi control device in particular related to a two way communication device with truly hands-free receiving of incoming calls and single button push dialing for outgoing calls.
B) Background and Prior Art
2. Communication has evolved from simple wire based to wireless based networks. Various devices and networks have evolved over the period. This has made communication simpler and easier for people moving around.
3. The prior art can be considered to be two widely prevailing customer devices - a) the cell phone b) the VHF radio set commonly used as the walkie talkie. Use of these wireless devices in moving vehicles, typically in taxis is one of the most common application. Since the drivers of these vehicles need to concentrate on
driving the vehicle, it is of paramount importance that these devices are very user friendly and requires as less effort in receiving a call as possible.
4. The cell phone needs the driver to operate at least one key to pick up a call. The cell phone is not fixed to a vehicle.
5. The two way radio / walkie-takie is a push to talk mechanism. However, no one other than one possessing operational license of the spectrum and within the line of sight of the device can talk to the driver. The driver still has to press at least one button to talk. Also, at any given time either the dispatcher can talk or the driver can talk.
6. Both the systems described above requires the user to push adeast one button to connect to the network. The present invention provides a no-button pick up of incoming calls so that communication is hazard free and the driver can focus on driving with his two hands and at the same time pick the call up.
7. This invention allows the driver to pick a call without having to press any button; he can simultaneously talk while the dispatcher is talking, in a truly hands-free way. Also, there is no line of sight limit like in a two-way radio, and the driver can be reached wherever the GSM / CDMA network is present. The driver can also dial out numbers using a single button.
C) Objects of the Present Invention
8. The primary object of the invention is to provide a truly hands free two way communication device.
9. Another object of the present invention is to provide a two way communication system over a widely supported network like GSM/CDMA.
10. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a two way communication system that enables dialing outward calls with a press of a single button wherein the buttons are pre programmed to dial specific numbers that can be reconfigured on the air.
11. Still another object of the present invention is to provide a two way communication mechanism wherein the communication device can be located by way of the communication device sending out messages about its location based on a tracking policy that is pre programmed.
12. Another object of the present invention is to provide a mechanism where in any incoming calls not from an authorized list of numbers can be blocked without pressing any buttons manually.
D) Statement of the invention
13. Accordingly the invention provides a truly hands-free two way communication device for use in taxis which is characterized in that the driver using the device need not do anything to pick up an incoming call. The communication system accordingly can be implemented with widely supported networks like GSM/CDMA. The communication device of the present communication system comes with a non-volatile memory which is pre-loaded with answer policy and stealth tracking policy. The answer policy provides information on authorized numbers. Thus the system allows incoming calls only from such authorized numbers defined in the answer policy. This blocking of unauthorized incoming calls is handled by the embedded software and does not require the intervention of the driver. The communication device also provides a number of buttons on a button panel which are pre-programmed to dial specific numbers. The pre¬programmed numbers could be reconfigured on the air by sending an SMS to the communication device. The communication system of the present invention also provides mechanism to track the communication device wherein the communication device sends out messages about its location based on the stealth tracking policy that is pre-programmed and stored on to the non-volatile memory.
E) Brief description of the drawings
14. Fig 1 shows the schematic diagram of the GSM/GPRS/CDMA system with the hands-free device.
15. Fig 2 shows the hands-free device
F) Detailed description of the invention
16. Fig 1 shows a schematic representation of the GSM/GPRS/CDMA system along with the hands-free device. The figure shows GSM/GPRS/CDMA network (Ml), a GSM/GPRS /CDMA base band module (M2) implementing the GSM/GPRS/CDMA protocols for voice and data communications using a cellular communication infrastructure, a microprocessor (M3) that provides control and user interface to the modules Ml and M2, an embedded software (M4) running on M3 or any other microprocessor for this purpose implementing a specific protocol required for the working of this invention, a non volatile memory under the control of M4 to store configuration parameters, a panel containing a plurality of buttons
(M6), and a download server (M7) that can reconfigure the system on the field over the air.
17. The system works wherever a GSM/GPRS/CDMA network like Ml is present. The GSM/GPRS/CDMA network allows communication between the hands-free device and the other devices on the network through the base band module M2. The embedded software M4 running on the microprocessor M3 or any other microprocessor for this purpose encapsulates call handling module that continuously checks for incoming calls. Upon detecting an incoming call, the call handling module checks the answer policy stored in the non-volatile memory M5 if the incoming call number is allowed. The call handling module connects the call if the number from which the call originated is allowed as per the answer policy or else the call is automatically disconnected.
18. The button panel M6 of the hands-free device contains a plurality of buttons which are pre-configured to call specific outgoing numbers. The pre-configured numbers are stored in the non-volatile memory M5. Whenever the driver of the vehicle wants to call the control center or any of the preconfigured numbers, the driver would press the designated pre-configured button to call that particular number. The embedded software would automatically dial the pre-configured number designated to the pressed button and would connect the call. The call can be closed by pressing the same button once again or by the called party.
19. The buttons on the button panel M6 have pre-configured outgoing numbers. These pre-configured numbers for outgoing calls could be changed from the control center without any disturbance to the driver of the vehicle by sending an SMS to the hands-free device. The embedded software running on the device checks for the SMS and updates the pre-configured numbers according to the
message by overwriting the existing pre-configured numbers in non-volatile memory M5.
20. The embedded software M4 could also be updated using the download server. The embedded software M4 periodically checks for a new version of the software/answer policy/stealth tracking policy. In case a new version is available, a data call is placed or a GPRS session is started with the download server M7. Once the data call is placed, the download from the download server M7 starts thus updating software/answer policy/stealth tracking policy as the case may be. Upon download, the software/answer policy/stealth tracking policy is automatically updated.
21. The embedded software M4 also, if the stealth tracking policy permits, sends messages of the location of the device to the control center to update the center of any location change. In cases of theft, it would be easy for the control center to locate the device by checking these messages.
22. One specific embodiment of the software implementation is explained below with specific illustrations:
I) Power On Sequence
Upon Powering up the embedded software running on M4 enters an initialization sequence preprogrammed into M5. An example of the sequence is given below:
If Power On Self Test OK
Then if OUTGOING PERMITTED
Then get ONE BUTTON DIAL OUT PHN NUMBER from M5
If STEALTH TRACKING PERMITTED Then get TRACKING MODE AND TRACKING INTERVAL from M5
Get TRACKING OUT PHN NUMBER from M5 Get TRACKING OUT POLICY from M5 Get HANDSFREE RING PERMITTED from M5 Get NUMBER RINGS FOR HANDFREE from M5 Get HANSDFREE ANSWER POLICY from M5 Assign POWERONSELFTEST MAGIC
II) Over the Ait Configuration :
This can change the embedded software M4 in the field
IF POWERONSELFTESTMAGIC If OTAPENDING
Place data call for OTA DOWNLOAD with DOWNLOAD SERVER
III) In Coming Voice Call Handling
IF INCOMING PHN NUMBER is allowed by HANDSFREE ANSWER POLICY
THEN connect the call to the headset
IF HANDSFREE RING PERMITTED
AFTER NUMBER RINGS FOR HANDFREE
IV) Out going Voice Call Handling
IF ONE BUTTON M6 pressed
THEN connect call to ONE BUTTON DIAL OUT PHN
NUMBER
IF ONE BUTTON DIAL OUT PHN NUMBER busy then
Redial until CONNECTION successful.
V) Stealth ttacktng feature
IF STEALTH TRACKING PERMITTED
SEND OUT TRACKING Messages as per TRACKING OUT POLICY
VI) InComing Configuration Message
Authenticate in coming messages If AUTHENTICATED MESSAGE MODIFY M5 as per INCOMING MESSAGE
23. Fig 2 shows the arrangement of the hands-free device. The device consists of a headset (1) connected to the hands-free taxi control device (2). The control device a button panel mounted with number of buttons that are pre-configured to dial specific numbers. The control device is attached with a GSM/CDMA antenna (3) to receive signals. The device derives power directly from the battery of the car (4). In the present embodiment, the control device is small enough to hold with a single hand and is cylindrical in shape with buttons provided on lateral surface of the cylindrical control device.
24. The driver wears the hands-free as any headset and incoming call pick-up happens direcdy without the intervention of the driver. In order to make an outgoing call, the driver just needs to press one of the plurality of buttons provided on the button panel of control device (2). The driver can end the call by pressing the same button once again.
G) Scope of the Invention
25. In the present embodiment, the communication system and device are meant to be used for taxi control applications wherein monitoring and controlling of taxi vehicles becomes very easy and can be done remotely.
26. Although the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, this description is not meant to be construed in a limiting sense. Various modifications of the disclosed embodiments, as well as alternate embodiments of the invention, will become apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reference to the description of the invention. It is therefore contemplated that such modifications can be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention as defined.

H) WE CLAIM:
1. A modern low cost communication system comprising:
a GSM/GPRS/CDMA based two-way radio communication mechanism; and a download server that can reconfigure the system on the field over the air.
2. The device as claimed in claim 1, comprises
a. a micro processor that provides control and user interface;
b. an embedded software on the said microprocessor or on a separate microprocessor that implements a specific protocol;
c. a non volatile memory under the control of the said embedded software to configuration parameters;
d. a panel mounted switch consisting of a plurality of buttons used for making outgoing calls; and
e. a GSM/GPRS/CDMA based radio device that implements the GSM/GPRS/CDMA protocols for voice and data communications using a cellular communication infrastructure.
3. The device as claimed in claim 1, is completely hands free with no buttons required to be pressed to receive a call wherein receiving is handled by the call handling module of the said embedded software and allows simultaneous talking while the dispatcher is in function.
4. The device as claimed in claim 1, has a set of pre-configured outgoing numbers for each of the buttons provided on the said panel mounted switch and the numbers are stored in the said non volatile memory.
5. The configurable buttons as claimed in claim 4, can be reconfigured any time over the air by sending an SMS or through GPRS connection to the said device that will enable the said embedded software to rewrite the preconfigured numbers on to the said non volatile memory.
6. The device as claimed in claim 1, has a stealth tracking policy stored in the said non volatile memory using which the said device sends messages containing the said device's location information.
7. The device as claimed in claim 1, has a hands free answer policy stored in the said non volatile memory monitored by the said embedded software, thus enabling the software to stop the device from receiving calls from unauthorized phone numbers.
8. The embedded software as claimed in claim 2, provides facility to connect to the download server based on a download policy that is stored in the said non volatile memory using which the said hands free answer policy and the said stealth tracking policy can be reconfigured over the air while the device is still on the field.

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