CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2019-0168563, filed on Dec. 17, 2019, which application is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a wireless communication linkage control apparatus.

BACKGROUND

In general, a vehicular audio video navigation telematics (AVNT) system provides various conveniences to vehicle passengers by integrating various electronic devices such as an audio device, a video device, a navigation device and a telematics device mounted in a vehicle.

As such, the AVNT system has a plurality of electronic devices integrated therein and includes various functions and menus.

The AVNT system is wirelessly communication-linked with a mobile terminal such as a smartphone held by a vehicle passenger and provides convenience to the vehicle passenger.

The vehicular AVNT system is automatically and wirelessly communication-linked with a mobile terminal of a vehicle passenger through a wireless communication function such as Bluetooth when the mobile terminal held by the vehicle passenger is positioned within a vehicle.

However, when the mobile terminal of the vehicle passenger, which is wirelessly communication-linked with the vehicular AVNT system, is moved out of the vehicle from the inside of the vehicle, there is a problem in that the vehicular AVNT system maintains wireless communication linkage with the mobile terminal positioned outside the vehicle without releasing the wireless communication linkage, thereby providing inconvenience to a user.

In addition, when a mobile terminal of a driver and a mobile terminal of a passenger are each wirelessly communication-linked with the AVNT system and then wireless communication linkage is re-released within a vehicle, if the mobile terminal of the driver is moved out of the vehicle, the mobile terminal of the driver positioned outside the vehicle maintains wireless communication linkage without releasing wireless communication linkage with the AVNT system, but there is a problem in that the mobile terminal of the passenger positioned inside the vehicle is not capable of being wirelessly communication-linked with the AVNT system.

As such, conventionally, there is a problem in terms of a wireless communication linkage error whereby wireless communication linkage between a mobile terminal positioned outside a vehicle and a vehicular AVNT system is maintained rather than being released.

Accordingly, in the future, there is a need to develop a wireless communication linkage control device for reliably controlling maintenance or release of wireless communication linkage with a mobile terminal depending on a position of the mobile terminal.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure relates to a wireless communication linkage control apparatus. Particular embodiments relate to a wireless communication linkage control apparatus in a vehicle and a wireless communication linkage control method thereof for maintaining or releasing wireless communication linkage with a mobile terminal depending on whether the mobile terminal is present in the vehicle.

Additional embodiments relate to a wireless communication linkage control apparatus in a vehicle and a wireless communication linkage control method thereof for determining the position determination method of the mobile terminal based on state information of a vehicle to determine the current position of the mobile terminal, thereby reliably and optimally controlling maintenance or release of wireless communication linkage with the mobile terminal depending on the position of the mobile terminal.

The technical problems solved by the embodiments are not limited to above-described technical problems and other technical problems which are not described herein will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, a wireless communication linkage control apparatus includes a communicator that is wirelessly communication-linked with a mobile terminal, a position signal receiver configured to recognize a position of a vehicle, and a controller configured to control the communicator, wherein the controller receives global positioning system (GPS) information including position information from the mobile terminal, compares a position signal of the vehicle with GPS information of the mobile terminal to calculate a distance or speed difference between the mobile terminal and the vehicle, and when the calculated distance or speed difference is equal to or greater than a threshold value, the controller determines that a current position of the mobile terminal is outside of the vehicle, and releases wireless communication linkage with the mobile terminal.

In another embodiment of the present disclosure, a wireless communication linkage control apparatus includes a communicator that is wirelessly communication-linked with a mobile terminal, a position signal receiver configured to recognize a position of a vehicle, a position signal transmitter configured to transmit a position signal to the mobile terminal, and a controller configured to control the communicator, wherein, when the mobile terminal is in wireless communication linkage, the controller acquires state information of the vehicle, determines a position determination method of the mobile terminal based on the acquired state information of the vehicle, determines a current position determination method of the mobile terminal as the determined position determination method, and controls the communicator to release wireless communication linkage with the mobile terminal when determining that the current position of the mobile terminal is outside of the vehicle.

In another embodiment of the present disclosure, a method of controlling wireless communication linkage of a wireless communication linkage control apparatus comprising a controller configured to control wireless communication linkage with a mobile terminal, a position signal receiver configured to recognize a position of a vehicle, and a position signal transmitter configured to transmit a position signal to the mobile terminal is provided. The method includes receiving global positioning system (GPS) information including position information from the mobile terminal, by the controller, comparing a position signal of the vehicle with the GPS information of the mobile terminal to calculate a distance or speed difference between the vehicle and the mobile terminal, by the controller, and determining that a current position of the mobile terminal is outside of the vehicle based on the calculated distance or speed difference and releasing wireless communication linkage with the mobile terminal, by the controller.

In another embodiment of the present disclosure, a method of controlling wireless communication linkage of a wireless communication linkage control apparatus comprising a controller configured to control wireless communication linkage with a mobile terminal, a position signal receiver configured to recognize a position of a vehicle, and a position signal transmitter configured to transmit a position signal to the mobile terminal is provided. The method includes checking whether the mobile terminal is in wireless communication linkage, by the controller, when the mobile terminal is in wireless communication linkage, acquiring the state information of the vehicle, by the controller, determining a position determination method of the mobile terminal based on the acquired state information of the vehicle, by the controller, determining a current position of the mobile terminal as the determined position determination method, by the controller, and when determining that the current position of the mobile terminal is outside of the vehicle, releasing wireless communication linkage with the mobile terminal, by the controller.

In another embodiment of the present disclosure, a computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program for executing the method of controlling wireless communication linkage of a wireless communication linkage control apparatus in a vehicle performs procedures provided in the method of controlling wireless communication linkage of a wireless communication linkage control apparatus in a vehicle.

In another embodiment of the present disclosure, a vehicle includes a sensing apparatus configured to sense state information of the vehicle and a wireless communication linkage control apparatus configured to release wireless communication linkage with the mobile terminal when a current position of the mobile terminal is outside of the vehicle. The wireless communication linkage control apparatus includes a communicator that is wirelessly communication-linked with the mobile terminal, a position signal transmitter configured to transmit a position signal to the mobile terminal, and a controller configured, when the mobile terminal is in wireless communication linkage, to acquire state information of the vehicle from the sensing apparatus, to determine a position determination method of the mobile terminal based on the acquired state information of the vehicle, to determine a current position determination method of the mobile terminal as the determined position determination method, and to control the communicator to release wireless communication linkage with the mobile terminal when determining that the current position of the mobile terminal is outside of the vehicle.

