Control module activation of vehicles in a key-off state

• US 10,363,796 B2
• Filed: 04/19/2017
• Issued: 07/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: DeCia, Nunzio, Herman, David A., Dutta, Arun, Dierker, Bill, Cartwright, Justin
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Tuan C
• Application Number:
  US15/491,872
• Publication Number:
  US 20180304836A1
• Time in Patent Office: 832 Days
• Field of Search: 701 2
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00657 Remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00778 the input being a stationary vehicle position, e.g. parking or stopping
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/03 for supply of electrical power to vehicle subsystems or for circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3822 specially adapted for use in vehicles H04B1/3827 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

Method and apparatus are disclosed for control module activation of vehicles in a key-off state. An example system includes a vehicle at a location in a key-off state that includes a battery, a communication module, and an infotainment unit to activate and present media responsive to the communication module receiving an activation signal. The example system also includes a remote processor to determine a charge level of the battery, identify a parking duration for the location, and send the activation signal responsive to the charge level being less than a threshold associated with the parking duration.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a vehicle at a location in a key-off state including;

a battery;

a communication module; and

an infotainment unit to activate and present media responsive to the communication module receiving an activation signal; and

a remote processor to;

determine a charge level of the battery;

identify a parking duration for the location; and

send the activation signal responsive to the charge level being greater than a threshold associated with the parking duration.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote processor sends the activation signal to activate the infotainment unit after the vehicle has transitioned from an on-state to the key-off state.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of a display and a speaker of the infotainment unit presents the media upon the infotainment unit being activated when the location of the vehicle is at a fueling station.

4. The system of claim 1, further including an HVAC unit that activates responsive to the communication module receiving the activation signal when the location of the vehicle is a post office.

5. The system of claim 1, further including a camera module that activates responsive to the communication module receiving the activation signal when the location of the vehicle is a parallel parking spot on a street.

6. The system of claim 1, further including a dedicated short range communication module for communication with a mobile device, the dedicated short range communication module activates when the vehicle is in the key-off state responsive to the communication module receiving the activation signal.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle includes a GPS receiver to determine the location.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication module is to send the location and the charge level to the remote processor via the communication module prior to the vehicle being in the key-off state.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle includes a battery sensor to detect the charge level of the battery.

10. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicle includes a battery control module that activates the infotainment unit upon the communication module receiving the activation signal from the remote processor.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote processor determines a current charge level of a battery of the vehicle based upon the charge level prior to the vehicle being in the key-off state and a time duration of the vehicle being in the key-off state.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the remote processor activates the infotainment unit in response to determining that the current charge level is greater than a predetermined charge threshold.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein, to deter the battery from being discharged, the remote processor determines an activation duration during which the infotainment unit is activated when the vehicle is in the key-off state.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the infotainment unit returns to a sleep mode upon the activation duration ending and the vehicle remaining in the key-off state.

15. A method comprising:

determining, via a remote server, a charge level of a battery of a vehicle parked at a location in a key-off state;

identifying, via the remote server, a parking duration of the vehicle at the location;

activating, via the remote server, an infotainment unit of the vehicle when the charge level is greater than a threshold associated with the parking duration; and

presenting media via the infotainment unit.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the infotainment unit presents the media via at least one a display and a speaker of the infotainment unit upon the infotainment unit being activated when the location of the vehicle is a fueling station.

17. The method of claim 15, further including sending, via a communication module of the vehicle, the location and the charge level to the remote server prior to the vehicle being in the key-off state.

18. The method of claim 15, further including activating an HVAC unit responsive to determining the location of the vehicle is a post office.

19. The method of claim 15, further including activating a camera module responsive to determining the location of the vehicle is a parallel parking spot on a street.

20. A tangible computer readable medium including instructions which, when executed, cause a remote server to:

determine a charge level of a battery of a vehicle parked at a location in a key-off state;

identify a parking duration of the vehicle at the location;

activate an infotainment unit of the vehicle responsive to the charge level being greater than a threshold associated with the parking duration; and

present media via the infotainment unit.