Systems and methods for regulating vehicle access

• US 10,086,796 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2017
• Issued: 10/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Scoot Rides, Inc. (Bird Global, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Scoot Networks, Inc. (Bird Global, Inc.)
• Inventors: Keating, Michael, Passmore, J. Loren, Russo, Peter R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dager, Jonathan M
• Application Number:
  US15/653,275
• Publication Number:
  US 20180009414A1
• Time in Patent Office: 441 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/20 Means to switch the anti-theft system on or off
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/33 of global position, e.g. by providing GPS coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: B62H 5/20 indicating unauthorised use, e.g. acting on signalling devices alarm locks in general E05B45/00, e.g. alarm cable or chain lock E05B45/005
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 11/00 Supporting arrangements specially adapted for fastening specific devices to cycles, e.g. supports for attaching maps
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 45/10 Arrangement of audio equipment; Supports therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 50/22 electronic, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 50/225 Mounting arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 50/28 characterised by quick release, e.g. snap on connectors
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 21/12 Handlebars; Handlebar stems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/29 the pass containing active electronic elements, e.g. smartcards
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/30 not involving the use of a pass
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/005 including pedestrian guidance indicator
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3877 Arrangements for enabling portable transceivers to be used in a fixed position, e.g. cradles or boosters
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/44 for communication between vehicles and infrastructures, e.g. vehicle-to-cloud [V2C] or vehicle-to-home [V2H]

Abstract

A method for regulating vehicle access comprises receiving, from an electronic device of a user, a request to access a vehicle. The vehicle can be disposed at a designated geographic location. Next, geographic information of the user is received from the electronic device. The geographic information is determined with the aid of the electronic device of the user. The user is then provided access to the vehicle if, based on the received geographic information, a geographic location of the user is within a given distance from the designated geographic location of the vehicle.

Claims

1. An electronic control system for a vehicle, comprising:

an electronic control unit programmed to permit use of the vehicle by a user while the electronic control unit is coupled to an electronic device of the user,

wherein the electronic control unit comprises a communication component configured to provide communication between the electronic control unit and the electronic device, and

wherein the electronic device is an instrument cluster of the vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic device of the user is configured to receive an access signal from a server, and wherein the access signal comprises an instruction to permit access the vehicle.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the electronic control unit is configured to permit access to the vehicle if the electronic control unit determines that the access signal is stored in a memory of the electronic device.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the electronic device of the user is configured to transfer the access signal to the electronic control unit.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the electronic control unit is configured to permit access to the vehicle if the electronic control unit determines that the access signal is stored in a memory of the electronic control unit.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic control unit further comprises a server communication component to provide communication between the electronic control unit and a server, wherein the electronic control unit is configured to receive from the server, via the server communication component, an access signal to regulate access to the vehicle.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic control unit is configured to permit access to the vehicle if geographic information of the electronic device of the user indicates that a geographic location of the electronic device is within a given distance from a designated geographic location at which the vehicle is disposed.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the electronic control unit is configured to permit access to the vehicle in response to detection by the electronic control unit of an access signal stored in a memory of the electronic device or a memory of the electronic control unit, the access signal indicative of a determination by a server that the user is moving towards the vehicle.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic control unit is configured to permit access to the vehicle if the electronic control unit or the electronic device detects that the user is wearing a safety device.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the safety device comprises a helmet, and wherein the electronic control unit is configured to prevent turning on of the vehicle if the electronic control unit or the electronic device determines that the user is not wearing the helmet.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the instrument cluster comprises a graphical user interface configured to display an amount of fuel remaining in the vehicle.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is a motor scooter.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is powered in whole or in part by electrical energy.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the instrument cluster comprises a graphical user interface configured to display a charged state of an energy storage system of the vehicle.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the instrument cluster comprises a graphical user interface configured to display a speedometer of the vehicle.