Increased automobile security via use of wireless network

• US 20080136611A1
• Filed: 12/08/2006
• Published: 06/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Benco, David S., Sheen, Baoling S., Voight, Kenneth J., True, Sandra L., Overend, Kevin J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,801,507 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/426.3
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/205 Mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/2018 Central base unlocks or authorises unlocking

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided to assist in providing security for vehicles with keyless ignition systems. The present invention involves receiving, via wireless communications, a signal to start an ignition of the vehicle. Upon receipt of the signal, a built-in cellular phone in the vehicle transmits a message to a server to provide a security key to the vehicle and the security key and a message to all mobile phones registered to a driver of the vehicle. The message indicates that an attempt has been made to start the vehicle. Upon receipt of the security key, the driver of the vehicle may input the security key into a key pad of the vehicle. If the security key received by the vehicle from the server matches the security key inputted by the driver of the vehicle, then the keyless ignition system may start the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method of providing security for a vehicle activated by a keyless ignition system, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving, via wireless communications, a signal to start an ignition of the vehicle;

transmitting, upon receipt of the signal, a message to a server to provide a security key to the vehicle and to one or more mobile phones registered to a driver of the vehicle; and

starting the ignition when, upon receipt of the security key by the driver and the vehicle, the security key received by the driver and inputted to the vehicle is identical to the security key received by the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the vehicle is selected from the group consisting of a) an automobile, b) a boat, c) an airplane, d) a tractor, e) a motorcycle, and f) a train.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the server determines the security key, in response to receipt of the message, and the server transmits the security key and an identifier to a mobile switching center (MSC).

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the server transmits the security key via a short message service (SMS) message.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the MSC retrieves telephone numbers of the one or more mobile phones registered to the driver of the vehicle from a database with the identifier.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the MSC transmits a) the security key to the vehicle and b) the security key and a message to the one or more mobile phones registered to the driver of the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the driver of the vehicle inputs the security key into a key pad of the vehicle.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the step of starting the ignition further comprises the steps of:

receiving the security key transmitted by the server;

receiving the security key inputted by the driver of the vehicle;

comparing the security key received from the server to the security key inputted by the driver of the vehicle; and

making a determination as to whether there exists at least one difference between the security key received from the server and the security key inputted by the driver of the vehicle.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of producing an alert when it is determined that the at least one difference exists.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein the driver of the vehicle, upon receipt of the security key, enters the security key into at least one of the one or more mobile phones, and wherein the at least one of the one or more mobile phones transmits the security key via a short message service (SMS) message to the server, and wherein the server transmits a SMS message to the vehicle to start the ignition.

11. An apparatus to provide security for a vehicle activated by a keyless ignition system, comprising:

means for receiving, via wireless communications, a signal to start an ignition of the vehicle;

means for transmitting, upon receipt of the signal, a message to a server to provide a security key to the vehicle and to one or more mobile phones registered to a driver of the vehicle; and

means for starting the ignition when, upon receipt of the security key by the driver and the vehicle, the security key received by the driver and inputted to the vehicle is identical to the security key received by the vehicle.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the vehicle is selected from the group consisting of a) an automobile, b) a boat, c) an airplane, d) a tractor, e) a motorcycle, and f) a train.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the server determines the security key, in response to receipt of the message, and the server transmits the security key and an identifier to a mobile switching center (MSC).

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the server transmits the security key via a short message service (SMS) message.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the MSC retrieves telephone numbers of the one or more mobile phones registered to the driver of the vehicle from a database with the identifier.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the identifier is at least one of the group consisting of:

i) a license plate number, ii) a vehicle identification number (VIN), iii) year, make and model information, iv) a telephone number of a built-in cellular phone system of the vehicle, and v) a bar code.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the MSC transmits a) the security key to the vehicle and b) the security key and a message to the one or more mobile phones registered to the driver of the vehicle.

18. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the means for starting the ignition further comprises:

means for receiving the security key transmitted by the server;

means for receiving the security key inputted by the driver of the vehicle;

means for comparing the security key received from the server to the security key inputted by the driver of the vehicle; and

means for making a determination as to whether there exists at least one difference between the security key received from the server and the security key inputted by the driver of the vehicle.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 further comprising means for producing an alert when it is determined that the at least one difference exists.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the means for receiving the security key inputted by the driver of the vehicle comprises a key pad.

21. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the means for comparing and the means for making a determination comprises a processor performing a matching process.

22. An apparatus operable to a) transmit, upon receipt of a signal to start an ignition of a vehicle, a message to a server to provide a security key to the vehicle and to mobile phones registered to a driver of the vehicle, b) receive, in response to the message, the security key transmitted by the server, c) compare the security key received from the server to a second security key received by the driver and inputted in a key pad in the vehicle, d) make a determination as to whether there exists at least one difference between the security key received from the server and the second security key inputted by the driver of the vehicle, and e) start the ignition if the security key received by the vehicle and the second security key inputted by the driver of the vehicle are identical.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the apparatus produces an alert when the at least one difference exists between the security key received by the vehicle and the second security key inputted by the driver of the vehicle.

24. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the vehicle is selected from the group consisting of a) an automobile, b) a boat, c) an airplane, d) a tractor, e) a motorcycle, and f) a train.

25. A method of starting a vehicle having a keyless ignition system, the method comprising the steps of:

calling a vehicle security call center;

responding to one or more inquires from an employee of the vehicle security call center to establish an identity of a driver of the vehicle; and

entering a security key into a key pad of the vehicle upon establishing the identity and receipt of the security key.