System and method for profile indication on a key fob

• US 10,127,749 B2
• Filed: 01/11/2016
• Issued: 11/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Schmidt, Kyle
• Primary Examiner(s): File, Erin M
• Application Number:
  US14/992,913
• Publication Number:
  US 20170200336A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,037 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: B60R 25/2081 combined with personal settings of other vehicle devices, e.g. mirrors, seats, steering wheels
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00769 with data transmission performed by wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00984 fob
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00174 Electronically operated locks; Circuits therefor; Nonmechanical keys therefor, e.g. passive or active electrical keys or other data carriers without mechanical keys mechanical locks with electric permutation E05B49/00; arrangements for sensing or reading record carriers G06K7/00; electronic switching H03K17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link

Abstract

A key fob associated with a select one of a plurality of driver profiles stored in a vehicle memory is provided. The key fob comprises a memory for storing a profile indication for identifying the driver profile associated with the key fob, and an output device for presenting the profile indication. Another embodiment provides a wireless system comprising a vehicle storing driver profiles in a memory, and a key fob associated with a select profile and comprising an output device for presenting a profile indication assigned to that profile. Another embodiment includes a method of providing a profile indication on a key fob associated with one of the driver profiles stored in the vehicle. The method comprises transmitting an identifier to the vehicle, receiving a profile indication associated with the identifier from the vehicle, and presenting the profile indication on an output device of the key fob.

Claims

1. A key fob comprising:

an antenna to;

communicate a key fob ID to a vehicle when the antenna receives a request from the vehicle; and

receive, from the vehicle, an input associated with the key fob ID for one of a plurality of driver profiles;

an input device;

memory to store the input; and

a display to show a visual assigned to the stored input for a predetermined period when the input device is actuated.

2. The key fob of claim 1, including an audio device, wherein the antenna is configured to receive, from the vehicle, a sound associated with the key fob ID for the one of the plurality of driver profiles.

3. The key fob of claim 1, wherein a processor controls the antenna to automatically communicate the key fob ID to the vehicle when the key fob detects the vehicle.

4. The key fob of claim 1, including an input device, wherein a light device displays a color only when the input device detects a user selection.

5. A method to indicate user profiles associated with key fobs, the method comprising:

responsive to receiving a request from a vehicle, communicating, via an antenna of a key fob, a key fob identifier to the vehicle;

receiving, via the antenna, an input associated with the key fob ID for one of a plurality of driver profiles associated with the vehicle;

storing, via memory of the key fob, the input; and

responsive to actuating an input device, showing, via a display of the key fob, a visual assigned to the input for a predetermined period.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the display is a light emitting diode (LED).