METHOD FOR PROVIDING A SECURITY SERVICE USING A VEHICLE KEYFOB

• US 20090164053A1
• Filed: 12/21/2007
• Published: 06/25/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Oesterling, Christopher L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,731,741 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0027 Post collision measures, e.g. notifying emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2025/1013 Alarm systems characterised by the type of warning signal, e.g. visual, audible
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/205 Mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C

Abstract

A system and method that enables a user of a telematics-equipped vehicle to initiate security services by activating their vehicle keyfob. If a user senses an emergency situation, such as a person breaking into their home, they can engage a panic button on their vehicle keyfob. This causes the vehicle to send a wireless warning signal to a call center which already has emergency contact numbers on file. The call center can then call the user to see if they require assistance from a police department, fire department, ambulance, etc. In one embodiment, the method also determines if the vehicle is currently located within a certain proximity of one or more designated locations (usually the user'"'"'s home or work) before contacting the user. This can reduce responses to non-emergencies, such as when a user simply presses their panic button in order to locate their vehicle in a crowded parking lot.

Claims

1. A method for providing a security service using a vehicle keyfob, comprising the steps of:

(a) enrolling a telematics-equipped vehicle in the security service;

(b) implementing response instructions;

(c) receiving a wireless warning signal from the telematics-equipped vehicle at a call center, wherein the wireless warning signal is generated in response to the activation of the vehicle keyfob; and

(d) responding to the wireless warning signal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further comprises enrolling the telematics-equipped vehicle in the security service by acquiring from a customer at least one piece of information from the group consisting of:

a designated location for the telematics-equipped vehicle, a contact number for responding to the wireless warning signal, and a confidential code.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) further comprises implementing response instructions that compare a vehicle location to a designated location to determine if they are within a certain proximity of each other.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the response instructions are implemented at a call center and include the following steps:

i) determining the vehicle location from the wireless warning signal, ii) comparing the vehicle location to the designated location, which is maintained at the call center, and iii) instructing the call center to respond in step (d) if the vehicle location is within the certain proximity of the designated location.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the response instructions are implemented at the telematics-equipped vehicle and include the following steps:

i) determining the vehicle location from a GPS module in the telematics-equipped vehicle, ii) comparing the vehicle location to the designated location, which is maintained at the telematics-equipped vehicle, and iii) instructing the telematics-equipped vehicle to send the wireless warning signal in step (c) if the vehicle location is within the certain proximity of the designated location.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the vehicle location is determined by obtaining previously saved vehicle location data.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the vehicle location is determined by powering up a GPS module in the telematics-equipped vehicle and obtaining new vehicle location data.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle keyfob is activated by engaging a panic button that can also be used to set off a light and/or alarm on the telematics-equipped vehicle.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein step (d) further comprises responding to the wireless warning signal by placing a call to a previously provided contact number, and engaging the services of a public-safety answering point (PSAP) if needed.

10. A method for providing a security service using a vehicle keyfob, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving a wireless activation signal from the vehicle keyfob at a telematics-equipped vehicle;

(b) utilizing the wireless activation signal to determine if a panic button has been engaged; and

(c) if the panic button has been engaged, then sending a wireless warning signal from the telematics-equipped vehicle to a call center, wherein the wireless warning signal indicates that the panic button on the vehicle keyfob has been engaged.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of:

enrolling the telematics-equipped vehicle in the security service by acquiring from a customer at least one piece of information from the group consisting of;

a designated location for the telematics-equipped vehicle, a contact number for responding to the wireless warning signal, and a confidential code.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of:

implementing response instructions that compare a vehicle location to a designated location to determine if they are within a certain proximity of each other.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the response instructions are implemented at the call center and include the following steps:

i) determining the vehicle location from the wireless warning signal, ii) comparing the vehicle location to the designated location, which is maintained at the call center, and iii) instructing the call center to respond if the vehicle location is within the certain proximity of the designated location.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the response instructions are implemented at the telematics-equipped vehicle and include the following steps:

i) determining the vehicle location from a GPS module in the telematics-equipped vehicle, ii) comparing the vehicle location to the designated location, which is maintained at the telematics-equipped vehicle, and iii) instructing the telematics-equipped vehicle to send the wireless warning signal in step (c) if the vehicle location is within the certain proximity of the designated location.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the vehicle location is determined by obtaining previously saved vehicle location data.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the vehicle location is determined by powering up a GPS module in the telematics-equipped vehicle and obtaining new vehicle location data.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the panic button can also be used to set off a light and/or alarm on the telematics-equipped vehicle.

18. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of:

responding to the wireless warning signal by placing a call to a previously provided contact number, and engaging the services of a public-safety answering point (PSAP) if needed.

19. A method for providing a security service using a vehicle keyfob, comprising the steps of:

(a) determining a designated location and a vehicle location;

(b) receiving a wireless activation signal from the vehicle keyfob at a telematics-equipped vehicle, wherein the wireless activation signal indicates that a panic button on the vehicle keyfob has been engaged;

(c) sending a wireless warning signal from the telematics-equipped vehicle to a call center, wherein the wireless warning signal indicates that the panic button on the vehicle keyfob has been engaged;

(d) receiving the wireless warning signal at the call center; and

(e) responding to the wireless warning signal if the designated location and the vehicle location are within a certain proximity of each other.

20. A system for providing a security service using a vehicle keyfob, comprising:

a vehicle having a telematics unit;

a keyfob having a panic button and being capable of transmitting a wireless activation signal to said vehicle, wherein the wireless activation signal indicates that a panic button on the keyfob has been depressed; and

a call center capable of wireless communication with the vehicle telematics unit via a wireless carrier system, wherein said vehicle is responsive to receipt of the wireless activation signal to supply a warning signal to the call center via wireless communication from the telematics unit.

21. A system as defined in claim 20, wherein said call center is configured to carry out a response to the warning signal.

22. A system as defined in claim 21, wherein said response includes placing a call to a previously provided contact number, and engaging the services of a public-safety answering point (PSAP) if needed.

23. A system as defined in claim 20, wherein said vehicle is configured to provide vehicle location information to the call center along with the warning signal.

24. A system as defined in claim 23, wherein said call center is configured to carry out a response to the warning signal if the vehicle location information indicates that the vehicle is within a certain proximity of a designated location.

25. A system as defined in claim 23, wherein said vehicle includes a GPS module and wherein said vehicle obtains the vehicle location information from the GPS module.