Hands Free Phone

DESCRIPTION 

A Uconnect® Hands Free Phone system is factory-installed optional equipment. This system allows hands free use of compatible mobile phones for sending and receiving phone calls and text messages as well as for streaming audio from those devices through the audio system in the vehicle. The Hands Free Phone system includes the following major components, which are described in additional detail elsewhere in this service information:

• Bluetooth® Antenna  - A Bluetooth® antenna is internal and integral to the Radio Receiver Module (RRM) on 178 mm (7 inch) radios. However, a separate Bluetooth® antenna is used on models that are equipped with the 257 mm (10.1 inch) DSM. The separate Bluetooth® antenna is located just above the Passenger AirBag (PAB).
• Bluetooth® Phone  - A compatible, customer-supplied and paired Bluetooth® phone is a required component of the hands free phone system. A list of suggested phones and providers is available at: https://www.driveuconnect.com 
• Body Control Module  - The Body Control Module (BCM) is located within the instrument panel on the driver side of the vehicle. The BCM is the configuration master node for the vehicle. Refer to MODULE, BODY CONTROL (BCM), DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION .
• Microphone  - A microphone is integral to the roof lamp unit in the headliner near the center of the upper windshield opening header panel in vehicles equipped with the Uconnect® Hands Free Phone system. Refer to MICROPHONE, DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION .
• Radio Receiver Module  - The RRM is located within the instrument panel and is the primary component of the hands free phone system in this vehicle. Depending upon selected vehicle optional equipment, the RRM may include a microcontroller, a Bluetooth® transceiver, a navigation module, flash memory and sophisticated Advanced Speech Recognition (ASR) input capability through Voice Recognition (VR) software. The ASR software includes many different available languages. Each vehicle is equipped with a list of available languages, which are made available from the factory based upon languages most commonly used for the market destination. Refer to RADIO, DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION .
• Steering Wheel Switches  - The steering wheel switches for the audio/telematics systems are located in one switch pod located on the left side of the Driver AirBag (DAB) trim cover secured to the surface of the left steering wheel spoke. This switch pod contains the Uconnect® VR switch button and the Uconnect® Phone switch button of the Hands Free Phone system in addition to the Electronic Vehicle Information Center (EVIC) access buttons.

The RRM also contains a microcontroller and programming that allows it to communicate with other electronic modules in the vehicle over the Controller Area Network - Interior High Speed (CAN-IHS) data bus. Refer to COMMUNICATION, DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION .

The Uconnect® Hands Free Phone system components cannot be adjusted or repaired. If any Hands Free Phone system component is damaged or ineffective, that component must be replaced. The Hands Free Phone system software is flash programmable through the Universal Serial Bus (USB) port.

OPERATION 

The Uconnect® Hands Free Phone system relies upon Bluetooth® technology to enable wireless connectivity between Bluetooth® compatible, paired and turned ON mobile devices and the on-board entertainment system components. This system also relies upon Advanced Speech Recognition (ASR) software to enable voice commands to control the mobile device as well as the components and features of some other on-board systems.

The system will recognize up to 10 Bluetooth® compatible devices, each of which is identified within the system by the name acquired from the device during the pairing process. The Hands Free Phone system will communicate with a paired device that is anywhere within the vehicle. However, covering the paired device with a metal object may block the signal.

The Hands Free Phone system is operated in one of two ways: actively or passively. Active operation begins with the vehicle operator pressing a push button in the steering wheel switch pod on the left side of the Driver AirBag (DAB) trim cover in the center of the steering wheel. The Uconnect® Voice Recognition (VR  ) button is pressed for hands free voice command access to available features other than the phone, or the Uconnect® Phone (Phone  is identified by a phone handset icon) button is pressed for hands free phone access.

The VR  or Phone  button press provides a resistor multiplexed input to the Body Control Module (BCM). The BCM is a gateway to the Controller Area Network - Interior High Speed (CAN-IHS) data bus and sends an electronic switch press  message over the CAN-IHS data bus to the Radio Receiver Module (RRM).

When the RRM receives the electronic switch press  message, the RRM suppresses any current audio output and issues an audible beep  to indicate that the VR hardware is prepared to receive a voice command. Part of the Uconnect® Hands Free Phone system hardware includes the VR microphone integral to the roof lamp unit in the headliner centered between the sun visors near the windshield. The microphone provides a hardwired input of voice commands to the VR engine within the RRM, and the ASR software converts that input into an electronic instruction message broadcast over the CAN-IHS data bus to invoke the appropriate system response. If no appropriate voice command is received within a few seconds following the audible beep  , the system will provide an audible verbal output listing a menu of the available voice command options.

Passive operation begins when an incoming cellular call is received. If the Bluetooth® phone is Short Message Service (SMS) text message capable and compatible with the Uconnect® system (see the Uconnect® web site), passive operation will also begin when an SMS text message is received. The call or SMS text message is relayed to the Bluetooth® transceiver embedded within the RRM. The Bluetooth® transceiver then instructs the RRM to announce the incoming call or message. The vehicle operator presses the Uconnect® Phone  button in the steering wheel switch pod or the soft button that will appear in the RRM display to accept the call or to accept the message.

The Bluetooth® transceiver connects the voices of the two phone parties using outputs through the audio system speakers and inputs through the Uconnect® hands free microphone. In the case of a text message, the Bluetooth® transceiver sends the message to the VR hardware and the ASR software converts the message from text to voice and plays it through the audio system speakers. The text message can then be replied to by pressing the Uconnect® VR  button and giving an SMS  voice command to select from several predetermined short text phrase responses.

The Hands Free Phone system operates on battery current received through a fused B(+) circuit, but also monitors the ignition switch status through electronic messages received over the CAN-IHS data bus. If a call is in progress when the status of the ignition switch transitions to OFF, the system will continue to operate until the call has been completed.

The RRM receives electronic message inputs over the CAN-IHS data bus related to the Hands Free Phone system. The RRM is also connected to the CAN-C data bus; however, the RRM is not a CAN gateway. All electronic message outputs of the RRM are carried over the CAN-IHS data bus. When the RRM monitors a problem in any of the audio system circuits and components, or in any of the Bluetooth® transceiver circuits, it stores a fault code or Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) in its memory circuit.

The hardwired circuits between components related to the RRM and the Hands Free Phone system may be diagnosed using conventional diagnostic tools and procedures. Refer to the appropriate wiring information. The wiring information includes wiring diagrams, details of wire harness routing and retention, connector pin-out information and location views for the various wire harness connectors, splices and grounds. For proper wire repair, and connector repair procedures. Refer to WIRE SPLICING , CONNECTOR TERMINAL REMOVAL and CONNECTOR TERMINAL INSTALLATION .

However, conventional diagnostic methods will not prove conclusive in the diagnosis of the RRM or the electronic controls and communication between modules and other devices that provide some features of the Hands Free Phone system. The most reliable, efficient and accurate means to diagnose the RRM or the electronic controls and communication related to Hands Free Phone system operation requires the use of a diagnostic scan tool. Refer to the appropriate diagnostic information.