VEHICLE KEY FOR BI-DIRECTIONAL COMMUNICATION WITH VEHICLE

• US 20080150685A1
• Filed: 03/05/2008
• Published: 06/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems US Incorporated (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Drescher, Susan Adelle, Desai, Tejas Bhupendra, Wallace, Mark D.
• Application Number:
  US12/042,358
• Publication Number:
  US 20080150685A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.61
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/2081 combined with personal settings of other vehicle devices, e.g. mirrors, seats, steering wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks

Abstract

A method for bi-directional communication between a vehicle and a vehicle key includes providing a vehicle key with a connector to communicate with the vehicle, storing user data on the vehicle key, communicating with the vehicle with the vehicle key, and adjusting a plurality of vehicle settings to match the user data stored on the vehicle key responsive to communicating between the vehicle and the vehicle key.

Claims

1. A method for bi-directional communication between a vehicle and a vehicle key, comprising the steps of:

a) providing the vehicle key with a connector to communicate with the vehicle;

b) storing user data on the vehicle key;

c) communicating with the vehicle with the vehicle key; and

d) adjusting a plurality of vehicle settings to match the user data stored on the vehicle key responsive to said step c).

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the connector is a USB connector.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the connector is a wireless communication device.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said step a) includes the step of:

providing the vehicle key with a memory device and a plurality of switches to actuate signals to be transmitted to the vehicle.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said step b) includes the steps of:

communicating between the vehicle key and a home computer through the connector; and

transferring the user data from the home computer onto the vehicle key.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein said step b) includes the step of:

downloading a plurality of services onto the vehicle key subsequent to connecting the vehicle key to the home computer.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said step c) includes the steps of:

plugging the connector of the vehicle key into a port of the vehicle.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said step c) includes the step of:

wirelessly communicating between the vehicle key and the vehicle.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the wireless communication is achieved through Bluetooth communications.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the user data includes at least one of a plurality of user settings, navigation information, audio and video downloads, home access data and phone links.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said step d) includes the step of:

reading the user data with an electronic control module on the vehicle; and

adjusting a plurality of user settings to match the user data responsive to command signals communicated by the electronic control module.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising the step of:

e) transferring vehicle data from the vehicle onto the vehicle key.