Systems and Methods for Controlling Vehicle Access

• US 20070285209A1
• Filed: 04/19/2007
• Published: 12/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Mobility Genossenschaft
• Original Assignee: Mobility Genossenschaft
• Inventors: Heusi, Karl, Fischer, Rolf, Egli, Stephan
• Application Number:
  US11/737,486
• Publication Number:
  US 20070285209A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.230
• 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 2009/00793 by Hertzian waves
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/20 involving the use of a pass

Abstract

Contemplated systems and methods for automated and controlled vehicle access comprise a vehicle associated reader that informationally cooperates with a reservation system at which a user places a reservation. At the vehicle, the reader automatically retrieves a unique information code from the user (e.g., in form of an RFID signal) and is transferred to and compared with an entry in the reservation system. Upon validation, access is granted to already known users, most preferably in combination with a further validation step (e.g., via keypad). Users with previously unknown unique information code are issued a temporary code by the reservation system, and upon validation of the temporary code and automatic retrieval of the unique information code, the reservation database is updated such that the unique information code replaces the temporary code. Preferably, access is then granted upon further validation step.

Claims

1. A system for controlling access to a vehicle (201), comprising:

a vehicle-associated access control module (100) configured to enable access to the vehicle (201) by a first or a second authorized user following completion of a verification sequence, the vehicle-associated access control module (100) comprising a reader (105) for reading a provided unique information code (PUIC);

a server (215, 212) including a verification module (203), wherein the server is configured to execute a reservation for the vehicle (201) upon receiving a request to reserve the vehicle (201), the server further including a storage element (204, 213) for storing a unique information code (UIC) and a personal identification code (PIC) of the first and the second authorized user;

a communications channel (202) configured to support communication between the vehicle-associated access control module (100) and the server (215, 212);

wherein the vehicle-associated access control module (100) comprises a storage portion (109) configured to store information representative of the reservation, and comprises a decision module (101) configured to enable access to the vehicle (201);

wherein the decision module (101) is coupled to a reader (105) that is configured to read a provided unique identification code (PUIC);

wherein the decision module (101) is configured to check whether a unique identification code (UIC) of the first authorized user is stored, and is further configured to either;

(a) permit vehicle access to the first authorized user if the provided unique identification code (PUIC) corresponds to the unique identification code (UIC) of the first authorized user;

or

(b) read via an input device (105, 108) a provided personal identification code (PPIC) and permit access if the provided personal identification number (PPIC) corresponds to the personal identification code (PIC) of the first authorized user, wherein the decision module (101) is further configured to transmit the provided unique identification code (PUIC) via the communication channel (202) to the server (215); and

wherein the provided unique identification code (PUIC) is stored in the storage element (204) as the unique identification code (UIC) of the first authorized user.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the reader (105) comprises a chip card detector.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the reader (105) is configured to detect a chip ID.

4. The system claim 1, wherein the decision module (101) comprises a timer that is configured to enable access to the vehicle (201) for an authorized user only within a predetermined timeframe.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the verification module (203) is configured to monitor whether for an authorized user a respective unique information code (UIC) is stored, and is further configured to ascertain that, if available, the unique information code (UIC) is transmitted to the vehicle-associated access control module (100).

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the verification module (203) is programmed to select, based on a personal code (PC, PC1), the corresponding unique information code (UIC), and is programmed that in the communication with a third party the personal code (PC, PC1) is used.

7. A method of controlling access to a vehicle (201) by a first or second authorized user, characterized in that the method comprises:

making at a reservation system (212,215) a reservation for the vehicle (201) upon receiving a request by the first authorized user to reserve the vehicle (201), wherein the reservation system (212,215) stores information of authorized users;

checking whether information of authorized users comprises a unique identification code (UIC) of the first authorized user (U1), and if not, transmitting a personal identification code (PIC) to the first authorized user (U1);

wherein the first authorized user (U1) attempts to access to the vehicle (201) by providing a unique identification code (PUIC); and

either permitting access if the provided unique identification code (PUIC) corresponds to the unique identification code (UIC) of the first authorized user (U1);

or collecting the provided unique identification code (PUIC) and updating the stored information of the first authorized user (U1) in the reservation system (212,215) by storing the collected data as the unique identification code (UIC), and permitting access if the first authorized user (U1) provides a personal identification code (PPIC) corresponding to the transmitted personal identification code (PIC).

8. The method of claim 7 wherein, if the first authorized user (U1) provides a personal identification code (PPIC) corresponding to the transmitted personal identification code (PIC), access is only permitted if the first authorized user (U1) provides the personal identification code (PPIC) within a predetermined timeframe.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein providing a unique identification code (PUIC) comprises a step of reading a chip ID of a chip card.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein, if the request by the first authorized user (U1) to reserve the vehicle (201) does not comprise a unique identification code (UIC), stored data are checked, and if available, the stored unique identification code (UIC) of the first authorized user (U1) is chosen to be the unique identification code (UIC) of the first authorized user (U1).

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of making a reservation for the vehicle (201) and storing information of an authorized user comprises data about desired location, start date, start time, and personal code (PC).

12. The method of claim 11, wherein a third party makes a reservation for the vehicle (201) by providing data about desired location, start date, start time and personal code (PC1).

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising a step of sending billing information to the third party using the personal code (PC1) as reference.

14. A method of providing access to a vehicle, comprising:

using a processing device to assign a first identification information to a user to allow access to a vehicle having an remote access control module that communicates with the processing device;

acquiring the first identification information and a second identification information from a person using the remote access control module and transmitting the first and second identification information to the processing device; and

re-assigning access allowance by replacing the first identification information with the second identification information.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the user communicates with the processing device via Internet or telephone to make a reservation for the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the first identification information is a password and wherein the step of acquiring the first identification information comprises entering the password via a keypad.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the second identification information is a signal from an electronic device, and wherein the step of acquiring the second identification information comprises approximating or contacting the access control module with the electronic device.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the electronic device comprises a card comprising a microchip or an radiofrequency identification tag.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the user and the person are identical.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the user is a third party, and wherein the third party receives information about access to the vehicle by the person, and is optionally billed for use of the vehicle by the person.