In-Vehicle Handsfree Apparatus

Abstract

If a cellular phone with which a communication link is established is compliant with PBAP (Phone Book Access Profile), an in-vehicle navigation apparatus with a handsfree function stores and arranges, in a work memory device, phone book data transmitted automatically from the cellular phone. Thus, the newest phone book data can be made available. On the other hand, if the cellular phone is not compliant with PBAP, the in-vehicle navigation apparatus stores and arranges, in the work memory device, phone book data, which are presently stored in a storage memory device. Thus, if the presently stored phone book data, which are not newest, are desirable, they can be made available.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An in-vehicle handsfree apparatus comprising:
 a communication unit configured to establish a communication link with a cellular phone compliant or noncompliant with a communication protocol, which specifies automatic transmission of phone book data;   a determination unit configured to execute a determination as to whether a cellular phone, with which the communication link is established, is compliant with the communication protocol specifying automatic transmission of phone book data; and   a control unit configured to;
 in cases that the determination unit makes a first determination that the cellular phone is compliant, display and make available phone book data, which are transmitted automatically from the cellular phone, and 
 in cases that the determination unit makes a second determination that the cellular phone is not compliant, display and make available phone book data, which are previously stored in the in-vehicle handsfree apparatus, at a time when the second determination that the cellular phone is not compliant is made. 
   
     
     
         2 . A method for using phone book data of a cellular phone in a handsfree apparatus, the method comprising:
 establishing a communication link with a cellular phone compliant or noncompliant with a communication protocol, which specifies automatic transmission of phone book data;   executing a determination as to whether the cellular phone, with which the communication link is established, is compliant with the communication protocol specifying automatic transmission of phone book data;   displaying and making available phone book data, which are transmitted automatically from the cellular phone, in cases that a first determination that the cellular phone is compliant is made; and   displaying and making available phone book data, which are previously stored in the handsfree apparatus at a time when a second determination that the cellular phone is not compliant is made.   
     
     
         3 . An in-vehicle handsfree apparatus comprising:
 a communication unit configured to establish a communication link with either a cellular phone compliant with a communication protocol or a cellular phone noncompliant with the communication protocol, the communication protocol specifying automatic transmission of phone book data;   a control unit configured to enable making a phone call using phone book data in cases that a request for using phone book data occurs,   wherein:   (i) in cases that a first determination is made such that a cellular phone with which the communications link is established is compliant with the communication protocol specifying automatic transmission of phone book data,   the control unit enables making a phone call using phone book data which are automatically transmitted from the cellular phone based on the communication protocol specifying automatic transmission of phone book data, according to the request for using phone book data; and   (ii) in cases that a second determination is made such that a cellular phone with which the communications link is established is not compliant with the communication protocol specifying automatic transmission of phone book data,   the control unit enables making a phone call using phone data which are stored in a storing unit in the in-vehicle handsfree apparatus at a time when the second determination is made such that the cellular phone with which the communications link is established is not compliant with the communication protocol specifying automatic transmission of phone book data, according to the request for using phone book data.   
     
     
         4 . A method for using phone book data of a cellular phone in a handsfree apparatus, the method comprising:
 establishing a communication link with a cellular phone;   executing, when the communication link is established with the cellular phone, a determination as to whether the cellular phone is compliant with a communication protocol, which specifies automatic transmission of phone book data;   enabling making a phone call using phone book data, which are automatically transmitted from the cellular phone at a time when a first determination is made such that the cellular phone with which the communication link is established is compliant with the communication protocol specifying automatic transmission of phone book data, according to a request for using phone book data; and   enabling making a phone call using phone data, which are stored in a storing unit in the handsfree apparatus at a time when a second determination is made such that the cellular phone with which the communication link is established is not compliant with the communication protocol specifying automatic transmission of phone book data, according to a request for using phone book data.