Mobile device application for communicating with vehicles

• US 10,297,097 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2010
• Issued: 05/21/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zipcar Incorporated (Avis Budget Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Zipcar Incorporated (Avis Budget Group Incorporated)
• Inventors: Mottla, Lesley, Williams, Douglas, Wolfe, Jonathan Eric, Ramsperger, Gregory, Goldman, David J., Ghalib, Syed Naveed, Rigano, Lisa, Schneider, Lucas P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramesh, Krishnan
• Application Number:
  US12/796,574
• Publication Number:
  US 20110060480A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,269 Days
• Field of Search: 701409, 701 2
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3608 using speech input, e.g. using speech recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/00 Arrangements or apparatus for collecting fares, tolls or entrance fees at one or more control points handling coins or valuable papers, e.g. banknotes, G07D; apparatus for vending or hiring articles or services activated by coins, credit cards, paper currency or the like G07F7/00, G07F17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00507 keyless data carrier having more than one function
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00571 operated by interacting with a central unit

Abstract

Methods, systems, and devices for reserving a reservable asset using a mobile device. A mobile device communicates directly with a vehicle-associated control module or through a reservation server using either a TCP/IP communications channel or near-field communications. A member enters a request using the user interface provided by the mobile-device application. The identity of the member is validated the vehicle-associated control module executes the request by sending a signal to a computer or sensor in the vehicle through the vehicle wiring or the vehicle CANbus. The request can be a function, such as unlocking the vehicle doors, illuminating the interior or exterior lights, honking the horn, or activating a panic alarm.

Claims

1. A method for managing shared reservable assets, comprising the steps of:

prior to receiving a request to reserve a shared reservable asset, providing, by a first processor of a computing device, for display on a map using a second processor on a mobile computing device, information regarding each of one or more available shared reservable assets which have previously been designated as favorites by a user of the mobile computing device, wherein the information comprises a make, a model, a location, rental or use rate, the number of passengers accommodated, types of plugs or adapters provided, and fuel economy for each of the one or more available shared reservable assets;

receiving, by the first processor, from the second processor in the mobile computing device, a request to reserve a specific shared reservable asset at a user selected location, wherein the request comprises a first identifier associated with a user of the mobile computing device, and the shared reservable asset is a user selected, unique shared reservable asset of the one or more available shared reservable assets;

following acceptance of the request to reserve the specific shared reservable asset, storing, by the first processor in a reservation database, (i) the first identifier and (ii) an indication that the specific shared reservable asset is now a reserved asset, wherein the first identifier is associated with the reserved asset;

displaying, in response to the user of the mobile computing device selecting an unlock icon on the display screen of the mobile computing device, a user interface displaying a key-fob icon on the mobile computing device, said key-fob icon displaying the image of a key-fob with several additional icons displayed within said image, said additional icons comprising a button with an image of a lock for controlling the lock/unlock mechanism for the reserved asset, a button with an image of a horn for controlling the horn of the reserved asset, and a light indicator configured to indicate when one of said buttons is selected;

prior to an attempt to physically access the reserved asset by the user of the mobile computing device, receiving, by the first processor, from the second processor in the mobile computing device, a request to physically access the reserved asset, wherein the request includes a second identifier;

following receipt of the request to physically access the reserved asset, determining, by the first processor, that the second identifier is valid; and

sending, by the first processor, over a network, a signal to a third processor in a control module associated with the reserved asset, wherein the control module is configured to interact with a lock associated with the reserved asset to allow physical access to the reserved asset based on the signal from the first processor.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving, by the first processor, from the second processor in the mobile computing device, a request for information regarding the availability of one or more shared reservable assets, wherein the reserved asset is one of the one or more shared reservable assets; and

receiving, by the first processor, from the reservation database, information responsive to the request for information regarding the availability of the one or more shared reservable assets.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the reserved asset is a vehicle.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein:

the lock is a driver'"'"'s side door lock, and

the control module interfaces with at least one of wiring, a computer, and a sensor in the vehicle to control the driver'"'"'s side door lock.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein:

the mobile computing device is configured to request to control the horn of the vehicle, and

the control module is configured to communicate with the vehicle to control the horn of the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the second identifier is valid comprises determining, by the first processor, that the first identifier and the second identifier match.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the first identifier and the second identifier comprises one or more members selected from the group consisting of a password, a personal identification number, and a mobile-device serial number.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second identifiers are unique identifiers specific to at least one of the user of the mobile computing device and the request to reserve the specific shared reservable asset.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein an application running on the mobile computing device uses the location of the mobile computing device to identify and display one or more available reservable assets nearest to the mobile computing device.

10. A system for managing shared reservable assets, comprising:

a first processor; and

a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the first processor, cause the first processor to;

prior to receiving a request to reserve a shared reservable asset, provide for display on a map using a second processor on a mobile computing device, information regarding each of one or more available shared reservable assets which have previously been designated as favorites by a user of the mobile computing device, wherein the information comprises a make, a model, a location, rental or use rate, the number of passengers accommodated, types of plugs or adapters provided, and fuel economy for each of the one or more available shared reservable assets;

receive a request to reserve a specific shared reservable asset at a user-selected location, wherein the request comprises a first identifier associated with a user of the mobile computing device, and the shared reservable asset is a user-selected, unique reservable shared asset of the one or more available shared reservable assets;

following acceptance of the request to reserve the specific shared reservable asset, store in a reservation database (i) the first identifier and (ii) an indication that the specific shared reservable asset is now a reserved asset, wherein the first identifier is associated with the reserved asset;

displaying, in response to the user of the mobile computing device selecting an unlock icon on the display screen of the mobile computing device, a user interface displaying a key-fob icon on the mobile computing device, said key-fob icon displaying the image of a key-fob with several additional icons displayed within said image, said additional icons comprising a button with an image of a lock for controlling the lock/unlock mechanism for the reserved asset, a button with an image of a horn for controlling the horn of the reserved asset, and a light indicator configured to indicate when one of said buttons is selected;

prior to an attempt to control a function of the reserved asset by the user of the mobile computing device, receive, from the second processor on the mobile computing device, a request to control a function of the reserved asset, wherein the request includes a second identifier;

determine whether the second identifier is valid based at least in part on a comparison of the first identifier and the second identifier; and

following determining the second identifier is valid, send over a network, a signal to a third processor in a control module associated with the reserved asset, wherein;

the signal identifies the function of the reserved asset the mobile computing device requested to control, and

the control module is configured to communicate with the reserved asset to cause the reserved asset to perform the requested function.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the shared reservable asset is a vehicle.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the requested function is a member selected from the group consisting of honking a horn of the vehicle, illuminating an interior of the vehicle, illuminating an exterior light of the vehicle, unlocking a door of the vehicle, locking a door of the vehicle, opening a trunk of the vehicle, sounding a panic alarm of the vehicle, sounding a security alarm of the vehicle, remote starting the vehicle, opening a window of the vehicle, or closing a window of the vehicle.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the requested function is unlocking a driver'"'"'s side door lock, and the control module interfaces with at least one of wiring, a computer, and a sensor in the vehicle to control the driver'"'"'s side door lock.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the requested function is honking a horn of the vehicle, and

the control module interfaces with at least one of wiring, a computer a sensor in the vehicle to control the horn of the vehicle.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein determining the second identifier is valid comprises determining, by the first processor, the first identifier and the second identifier match.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the first and second identifiers are one or more members selected from the group consisting of a password, a personal identification number, and a mobile-device serial number.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the first identifier is a unique identifier specific to at least one of the user of the mobile computing device and the request to reserve the shared reservable asset.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein application running on the mobile computing device uses the location of the mobile device to identify and display one or more available reservable assets nearest to the mobile device.

19. The system of claim 10, further comprising the memory storing instructions that, when executed by the first processor, cause the first processor to:

receive, from the mobile computing device, a request for information regarding the availability of one or more shared reservable assets, wherein the shared reservable asset is one or the one or more shared reservable assets; and

receive, from the reservation database, information responsive to the request for information regarding the availability of one or more shared reservable assets.

20. The system of claim 10, wherein the control module interfaces with at least one of wiring, a computer, and a sensor in the vehicle to control a driver'"'"'s side door lock.