System and method for setting functions according to location

• US 10,189,483 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2016
• Issued: 01/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Victor A. Grossman
• Original Assignee: Victor A. Grossman
• Inventors: Grossman, Victor A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phung
• Application Number:
  US15/369,794
• Publication Number:
  US 20170080951A1
• Time in Patent Office: 785 Days
• Field of Search: 34042611, 340988, 34042619, 3409322
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/00 Fittings or systems for preventing or indicating unauthorised use or theft of vehicles locks for vehicles E05B77/00-E05B85/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/01 operating on vehicle systems or fittings, e.g. on doors, seats or windscreens
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/33 of global position, e.g. by providing GPS coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/30 including control of auxiliary equipment, e.g. air-conditioning compressors or oil pumps
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0677 Engine power
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/30 Auxiliary equipments
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2756/10 Involving external transmission of data to or from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/082 Selecting or switching between different modes of propelling
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/12 Limiting control by the driver depending on vehicle state, e.g. interlocking means for the control input for preventing unsafe operation
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/01 Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer G06F3/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/16 Sound input; Sound output speech processing G10L
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0261 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect trespassing over a fixed physical boundary, e.g. the end of a garden
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/22 Provisions facilitating manual calibration, e.g. input or output provisions for testing; Holding of intermittent values to permit measurement

Abstract

An apparatus, system, and method for controlling functions of a vehicular alarm. The method includes receiving one or more signals including location information, determining a location of the vehicle using the location information, setting one or more functions based on the location information, determining whether an alarm function is activated, and activating the one or more functions according to the setting upon determining that an alarm has been activated. The method may further include using GPS data or signals transmitted from one or more base stations (e.g., from cellular telephone base stations, computer networks, proprietary transmitters, etc.) to determine the position of the apparatus (e.g., installed in the vehicle). The apparatus may also inform a user of regulations relating to an area dependent upon its location.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a display screen;

a receiver which receives location information; and

a controller configured to;

determine the location of the vehicle using the location information, render, on the display screen, a plurality of mode selection options including a valet mode selection option to select a valet mode, determine whether the valet mode selection option is selected, activate the valet mode when the valet mode selection option is selected, and render on the display a menu including a plurality of valet mode settings associated with the valet mode.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to render a valet mode active menu to enter a security code when the valet mode is activated.

3. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the controller is further configured to cancel the activation of the valet mode when the security code is entered.

4. The vehicle of claim 3, wherein the security code is received from a cellular telephone.

5. The vehicle of claim 3, wherein the security code is entered on a touch-screen input area of the display.

6. The vehicle of claim 5, wherein the valet mode settings comprise a privacy option setting to hide non-essential data.

7. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to control one or more functions of the vehicle in accordance with the valet mode settings when the valet mode is activated.

8. The vehicle of claim 7, wherein the valet mode settings comprises one or more of a trunk-locked setting, a hood-locked setting, a power reduction-mode setting, a vehicle-track setting, a range setting, an alarm sensor deactivation setting, and a privacy option setting.

9. A vehicle comprising:

a display screen;

a receiver which receives location information; and

a controller which is configured to;

determine the location of the vehicle using the location information, render a plurality of mode selection options including a valet mode selection option on the display screen to select a valet mode, determine whether the valet mode selection option is selected, activate the valet mode when the valet mode selection option is selected, and render on the display a menu including a plurality of valet mode settings associated with the valet mode.

10. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to determine whether the vehicle is in an energy refilling area based upon the determined location.

11. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to display an energy refilling menu.

12. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to determine whether a vehicle is to be parked.

13. The vehicle of claim 12, controller further configured to display a menu relating to parking options when it is determined that the vehicle is to be parked.

14. The vehicle of claim 9, further comprising a speaker to output an audible signal.

15. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein the controller regulates an output of the audible signal.

16. A system for controlling operation of a vehicle, the system comprising:

a display screen;

a receiver which receives location information; and

a controller which;

renders, on the display screen, a plurality of mode selection options including a valet mode selection option to select a valet mode, determines whether the valet mode selection option is selected, activates the valet mode when the valet mode selection option is selected, and renders on the display a menu including a plurality of valet mode settings associated with the valet mode.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the controller renders a valet mode active menu to enter a security code when the valet mode is activated.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the controller cancels the valet mode when the security code is entered.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the security code to cancel the valet mode is received from a cellular telephone.

20. The system claim 17, wherein the controller controls one or more functions of the vehicle in accordance with the valet mode settings when the valet mode is activated.