Systems and Methods for Locating a Vehicle

• US 20100114488A1
• Filed: 10/31/2008
• Published: 05/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Temic Automotive of North America, Incorporated (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Temic Automotive of North America, Incorporated (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Vidal, Guillermo, Khamharn, Oddy
• Application Number:
  US12/262,191
• Publication Number:
  US 20100114488A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/300
• 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: B60R 25/305 using a camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/33 of global position, e.g. by providing GPS coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0072 Transmission between mobile stations, e.g. anti-collision systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0284 Relative positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/005 including pedestrian guidance indicator
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental

Abstract

Methods and systems for locating a vehicle are disclosed, including determining a vehicle location information of a vehicle, and sending the vehicle location information to a mobile device, thereby enabling the mobile device to determine a relative location of the vehicle with respect to the mobile device, in response to the mobile device determining a mobile device location information of the mobile device.

Claims

1. A method for locating a vehicle, the method comprising:

determining a vehicle location information of a vehicle;

sending the vehicle location information to a mobile device, thereby enabling the mobile device to determine a relative location of the vehicle with respect to the mobile device, in response to the mobile device determining a mobile device location information of the mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, where sending the vehicle location information comprises at least one of:

sending the vehicle location information to the mobile device using packet data, sending the vehicle location information to the mobile device using text messaging, and sending the location information through a server.

3. The method of claim 1, where determining the vehicle and the mobile device location information comprises at least one of:

using GPS signals technology, and using assisted GPS technology.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising employing dead reckoning algorithms to determine the vehicle and the mobile device location information.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising uploading the vehicle location information to a server in response to turning off the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending audio-visual information from inside and/or outside the vehicle to the mobile device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising authorizing the mobile device prior to sending the vehicle location information to the mobile device.

8. An apparatus for locating a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

one or more processors;

one or more memory units coupled to the one or more processors;

a location unit coupled to the one or more processors, the location unit being configured to receive one or more external signals for determining a location of the apparatus; and

a communications device coupled to the one or more processors, the communications device being configured to communicate with a mobile device,

the apparatus being configured to;

determine a location information of the vehicle into which the apparatus is comprised;

send the vehicle location information to the mobile device, thereby enabling the mobile device to determine a relative location of the apparatus with respect to the mobile device, in response to the mobile device determining a mobile device location information of the mobile device.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, where the apparatus being configured to send the vehicle location information comprises the apparatus being configured to perform at least one of:

send the vehicle location information to the mobile device using packet data, send the vehicle location information to the mobile device using text messaging, and send the location information through a server.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, where the location device is configured to receive at one of:

GPS signals, and location information signals from one or more cellular towers.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, where the apparatus is further configured to employ dead reckoning algorithms to determine the vehicle location information.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, where the apparatus is further configured to upload the vehicle location information to a server in response to the vehicle being turned off.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising one or more cameras and one or more microphones for capturing and transmitting to the mobile device video, pictures, and audio.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, where the apparatus is further configured to authorize the mobile device prior to sending the vehicle location information to the mobile device.

15. A mobile device for locating a vehicle, the mobile device comprising:

one or more processors;

one or more memory units coupled to the one or more processors;

a location unit coupled to the one or more processors, the location unit being configured to receive one or more external signals for determining a location of the mobile device; and

a communications device coupled to the one or more processors, the communications device being configured to communicate with the vehicle,

the mobile device being configured to;

receive a vehicle location information from the vehicle;

determine a location information of the mobile device;

determine a relative location of the vehicle with respect to the mobile device.

16. The mobile device of claim 15, where the mobile device is configured to receive the vehicle location information comprises using at least one of:

packet data, text messaging, and using a server as an intermediary.

17. The mobile device of claim 15, where the location device is configured to receive at one of:

GPS signals, and location information signals from one or more cellular towers.

18. The mobile device of claim 15, where the mobile device is further configured to receive video, pictures, and audio from the vehicle.

19. The mobile device of claim 15, where the mobile device is further configured to send authorization information to the vehicle.

20. The mobile device of claim 15, where the mobile device is further configured to indicate the location information of the vehicle using at least one of:

visual feedback, audio feedback, and vibrational feedback.