METHOD AND SYSTEM OF LOCATING STATIONARY VEHICLE WITH REMOTE DEVICE

• US 20100241347A1
• Filed: 03/17/2009
• Published: 09/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: King, Ronald O., Luo, Yi
• Granted Patent: US 8,922,397 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/201
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3635 Guidance using 3D or perspective road maps
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3682 output of POI information on a road map G01C21/3614, G01C21/3685 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3688 Systems comprising multiple parts or multiple output devices (not client-server), e.g. detachable faceplates, key fobs or multiple output screens

Abstract

A location system for use in locating a vehicle or other object. The system may include displaying directional information on a mobile device, such as but not limited to a mobile phone, personal digital assistant (PDA), remote vehicle control device (fob, RKE, passive entry, etc.). The displayed directional information may indicate a direction of travel to the vehicle without requiring the mobile device to rely on GPS satellites to determine a position useful in orientating the user in a direction toward the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method of locating a stationary vehicle with a fob comprising:

receiving vehicle location (VL) coordinates transmitted from the vehicle, the VL coordinates being determined by a vehicle GPS unit included in the vehicle;

receiving points of interest (POI) coordinates transmitted from the vehicle, the POI coordinates being determined by the vehicle GPS unit included in the vehicle; and

displaying a direction to the vehicle on a display of the fob, the displayed direction being determined as a function of the VL and POI coordinates transmitted to the fob.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving at least two different POI coordinates and displaying the direction to the vehicle relative a selected one of the POI coordinates.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising determining the direction to the vehicle for at least one of the POI coordinates prior to the fob receiving the VL and POI coordinates.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising determining the direction to the vehicle for at least one of the POI coordinates after the VL and POI coordinates are received by the fob.

5. The method of claim 2 further comprising displaying the at least two different POI coordinates on the fob to facilitate user selection of the selected one of the POI coordinates.

6. The method of claim 2 further comprising displaying the direction to the vehicle to include a distance and angle to the vehicle relative to the selected one of the POI coordinates.

7. The method of claim 2 further comprising, after displaying the direction to the vehicle, displaying another direction to the vehicle upon subsequent selection of another one of the POI coordinates.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising the fob receiving the VL and POI coordinates only after an ignition of the vehicle is turned off.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying the direction to the vehicle without requiring the fob to independently collect GPS coordinates.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising adjusting the displayed direction to the vehicle as a function of a change in position of the fob relative to the vehicle.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising determining the change in position of the fob as a function of user selection of one of the POI coordinates.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising determining the change in position of the fob as a function of movement information collected by an accelerometer included within the fob.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying the direction to the vehicle to at least included a compass bearing.

14. A method of indicating an direction of travel from a mobile device to an object comprising:

determining at least two points of interests (POI) within an area proximate to a current location of the object from information carried within wireless signals transmitted to the mobile device from the object; and

displaying at least a portion of the POIs on a display of the mobile device, wherein each of the displayed POIs are spatially separated within the display according to a relative direction to the object such that the direction of travel from the mobile device to the object is shown by the spatial relation of the POIs relative to the object.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising, upon selection of one of the POIs, and without further wireless communications, indicating a distance and heading from the mobile device to the object as a function of the direction of travel required to travel from the selected one of the POIs to the object.

16. A vehicle locator system comprising:

a navigation system included within the vehicle, the navigation system being configured to determine a current location of the vehicle and a number of points of interest (POIs) proximate to the current location of the vehicle;

a fob in wireless communication with the vehicle, the wireless communication being sufficient for the fob to control operation of at least one vehicle system; and

wherein the fob includes a display for displaying a direction of travel to the vehicle as a function of wireless signals received from the vehicle indicating the current location of the vehicle and the POIs.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the fob is configured to display the direction of travel to the vehicle when the fob is beyond a wireless communication range of the vehicle.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein the fob displays the direction of travel to the vehicle by spatially separating the displayed POIs according to a relative distance and direction to the vehicle.

19. The system of claim 16 wherein the fob displays the direction of travel to the vehicle by displaying a distance and heading from a selected one of the displayed POIs to the vehicle.

20. The system of claim 16 wherein the fob is unable to independently collect global positioning system (GPS) coordinates.