METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REMOTE VEHICLE COMMUNICATIONS AND CONTROL

• US 20090312012A1
• Filed: 08/24/2009
• Published: 12/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Inventors: PARTIN, DALE L., SCHUMACHER, ROBERT W., SULTAN, MICHEL F., TIEMAN, CRAIG A., OMAN, TODD P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,170,526 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/426.100
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/205 Mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/102 a signal being sent to a remote location, e.g. a radio signal being transmitted to a police station, a security company or the owner
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10

Abstract

Long-range remote communication and control of a vehicle is achieved with primary and secondary cellular devices provided by the vehicle user. The primary cellular device is retained by the user, while the secondary cellular device is dedicated to the vehicle and placed in a docking station provided in the vehicle passenger compartment. The vehicle docking station is equipped with typical cell phone electrical interfaces to supply power and to establish a bi-directional data communication link between the secondary cellular device and an on-board vehicle computer. The secondary cellular device remains activated, and provides a low-cost remotely accessible communication link between the on-board vehicle computer and the primary cellular device or any other phone, provided that specified security conditions are satisfied.

Claims

1. Long-range communication and control apparatus for a vehicle having an on-board electronic controller, comprising:

primary and secondary cellular devices provided by a user of the vehicle;

a docking station in the vehicle in which the secondary cellular device is received; and

a bi-directional communication link between the secondary cellular device and the on-board electronic controller, the on-board electronic controller being programmed to recognize and accept calls placed to the secondary cellular device from the primary cellular device by the user, and thereafter to process vehicle-related requests communicated from the primary cellular device to the secondary cellular device by the user.

2. The long-range communication and control apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a power cable linking the docking station to a vehicle power outlet to supply battery charging current from the power outlet to an internal battery of the secondary cellular device.

3. The long-range communication and control apparatus of claim 1, where:

the bi-directional communication link is a short-range wireless communication link.

4. The long-range communication and control apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a communications cable linking the docking station to the on-board electronic controller to establish the bi-directional communication link.

5. The long-range communication and control apparatus of claim 1, where:

the on-board electronic controller is programmed to initiate a communication from the secondary cellular device to the primary cellular device or another device.

6. The long-range communication and control apparatus of claim 5, where:

the communication initiated by the on-board electronic controller is responsive to a vehicle-related event detected by the on-board electronic controller or another controller or sensor.

7. The long-range communication and control apparatus of claim 1, where:

the secondary cellular device includes an internal charge storage device; and

a power cable links the docking station to a vehicle power outlet to supply power from the power outlet to the secondary cellular device via said internal charge storage device.

8. The long-range communication and control apparatus of claim 1, where:

the secondary cellular device is designed to operate in a range of temperature and humidity conditions that can occur in a vehicle passenger compartment.

9. The long-range communication and control apparatus of claim 1, where:

the secondary cellular device lacks at least one of a keypad, a display and an internal battery.

10. The long-range communication and control apparatus of claim 1, where:

the secondary cellular device executes a custom software applet to facilitate communications with at least one of the primary cellular device and the on-board electronic controller.

11. A long-range communication and control method for a vehicle having an on-board electronic controller, comprising the steps of:

receiving within the vehicle a secondary cellular device provided by a user of the vehicle;

establishing a bidirectional communication link between the on-board electronic controller and the secondary cellular device; and

programming the on-board electronic controller to recognize and accept calls placed to the secondary cellular device by the user with a primary cellular device, and thereafter to process vehicle-related requests communicated from the primary cellular device to the secondary cellular device by the user.

12. The long-range communication and control method of claim 11, including the step of:

programming the on-board electronic controller to initiate a communication from the secondary cellular device to the primary cellular device or another device.

13. The long-range communication and control method of claim 12, where:

the communication initiated by the on-board electronic controller is responsive to a vehicle-related event detected by the on-board electronic controller or another controller or sensor.

14. The long-range communication and control method of claim 11, including the step of:

supplying power to an internal battery or charge storage device of the secondary cellular device from a vehicle power outlet.

15. The long-range communication and control method of claim 14, including the step of:

programming the secondary cellular device to initiate a communication to the primary cellular device or another device in response to an apparent failure of the vehicle power outlet.