Devices, systems and methods for controlling permitted settings on a vehicle

• US 10,112,560 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2014
• Issued: 10/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Corp.
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rector, Jay Daryl, Davis, III, John Potts, McNamara, Justin Michael Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thomas, Ana D
• Application Number:
  US14/257,083
• Publication Number:
  US 20140229035A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,653 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/037 for occupant comfort , e.g. for automatic adjustment of appliances according to personal settings, e.g. seats, mirrors, steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/053 remote terminal provisioning, e.g. of applets
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/651 Text message transmission triggered by call automatic reactions in messaging within packet-switching networks H04L51/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42136 Administration or customisation of services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Abstract

Devices, systems, and methods are disclosed for altering permitted settings of a vehicle according to a driver identified through short range wireless communication. The vehicle captures a unique identifier from a wireless communication device of the driver of the vehicle. This unique identifier is used to reference a database to determine the identity of the driver as well as settings for the driver created by a controlling authority. The controlling authority may be, for instance, a parent or employer of the driver. The settings may limit certain devices within the vehicle and/or the vehicle itself. Speed control settings, radio settings, wireless communication device settings, and various other settings are all possible to limit distractions to the driver. Further, the settings may be influenced by the number or identities of passengers within the vehicle.

Claims

1. A settings control system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising

receiving a unique identifier associated with a first wireless communication device of a first user and a unique identifier associated with a second wireless communication device of a second user,

determining that the first user is a driver of a vehicle based, at least in part, on a difference between a signal received from the first wireless communication device of the first user and a signal received from the second wireless communication device of the second user,

transmitting, to a server via a network, the unique identifier associated with the first wireless communication device of the first user determined to be the driver of the vehicle,

receiving, from the server via the network, in response to transmitting the unique identifier associated with the first wireless communication device of the first user determined to be the driver of the vehicle to the server, a setting corresponding to the unique identifier associated with the first wireless communication device of the first user determined to be the driver of the vehicle, wherein the setting is for controlling a function of the vehicle when the first user is determined to be the driver of the vehicle, and

implementing the setting, wherein implementation of the setting controls the function of the vehicle.

2. The settings control system of claim 1, further comprising an antenna located proximate to a driver seat of the vehicle, wherein the difference between the signal received from the first wireless communication device of the first user and the signal received from the second wireless communication device of the second user is based, at least in part, on a proximity of the first wireless communication device of the first user to the antenna located proximate to the driver seat.

3. The settings control system of claim 2, further comprising a secondary sensor, wherein the operations further comprise verifying that the first user is the driver based on output received from the secondary sensor of the vehicle.

4. The settings control system of claim 1, wherein the setting comprises a radio control and wherein implementation of the setting causes at least one of a maximum radio volume of a radio of the vehicle to be set, allowed radio stations to be set, or compact discs prohibited from being played by the radio of the vehicle to be set.

5. The settings control system of claim 1, wherein the setting comprises a permitted speed setting and wherein implementation of the setting causes a maximum allowed speed of the vehicle to be set.

6. The settings control system of claim 1, wherein the setting comprises a wireless communication device control and wherein implementation of the setting causes prohibition of acceptance of communications received via the first wireless communication device.

7. The settings control system of claim 1, wherein the setting is dependent on a number of passengers in the vehicle.

8. The settings control system of claim 1, wherein the first wireless communication device is a contactless smart card.

9. A method comprising:

receiving, at a settings control system comprising a processor, a unique identifier associated with a first wireless communication device of a first user and a unique identifier associated with a second wireless communication device of a second user;

determining, by the settings control system, that the first user is a driver of a vehicle based, at least in part, on a difference between a signal received from the first wireless communication device of the first user and a signal received from the second wireless communication device of the second user;

transmitting, by the settings control system to a server via a network, the unique identifier associated with the first wireless communication device of the first user determined to be the driver of the vehicle;

receiving, at the settings control system, from the server via the network, in response to transmitting the unique identifier associated with the first wireless communication device of the first user determined to be the driver of the vehicle to the server, a setting corresponding to the unique identifier associated with the first wireless communication device of the first user determined to be the driver of the vehicle, wherein the setting is for controlling a function of the vehicle when the first user is determined to be the driver of the vehicle; and

implementing, by the settings control system, the setting, wherein implementation of the setting controls the function of the vehicle.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the difference between the signal received from the first wireless communication device of the first user and the signal received from the second wireless communication device of the second user is based, at least in part, on a proximity of the first wireless communication device of the first user to an antenna located proximate to a driver seat of the vehicle.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising verifying that the first user is the driver based on output received from a secondary sensor of the vehicle.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the setting comprises a radio control and wherein implementation of the setting causes at least one of a maximum radio volume of a radio of the vehicle to be set, allowed radio stations to be set, or compact discs prohibited from being played by the radio of the vehicle to be set.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the setting comprises a permitted speed setting and wherein implementation of the setting causes a maximum allowed speed of the vehicle to be set.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the setting comprises a wireless communication device control and wherein implementation of the setting causes prohibition of acceptance of communications received via the first wireless communication device.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the setting is dependent on a number of passengers in the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the first wireless communication device is a contactless smart card.

17. A computer-readable memory storing instructions that, when executed by a processor of a settings control system, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving a unique identifier associated with a first wireless communication device of a first user and a unique identifier associated with a second wireless communication device of a second user;

determining that the first user is a driver of a vehicle based, at least in part, on a difference between a signal received from the first wireless communication device of the first user and a signal received from the second wireless communication device of the second user;

transmitting, to a server via a network, the unique identifier associated with the first wireless communication device of the first user determined to be the driver of the vehicle;

receiving, from the server via the network, in response to transmitting the unique identifier associated with the first wireless communication device of the first user determined to be the driver of the vehicle to the server, a setting corresponding to the unique identifier associated with the first wireless communication device of the first user, wherein the setting is for controlling a function of the vehicle when the first user is determined to be the driver of the vehicle; and

implementing the setting, wherein implementation of the setting controls the function of the vehicle.

18. The computer-readable memory of claim 17, wherein the difference between the signal received from the first wireless communication device of the first user and the signal received from the second wireless communication device of the second user is based, at least in part, on a proximity of the first wireless communication device of the first user to an antenna located proximate to a driver seat of the vehicle.

19. The computer-readable memory of claim 18, wherein the operations further comprise verifying that the first user is the driver based on output received from a secondary sensor of the vehicle.

20. The computer-readable memory of claim 17, wherein the setting is dependent on a number of passengers in the vehicle.