SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REMOTELY CONTROLLING VEHICLE COMPONENTS FROM A NOMADIC COMMUNICATION DEVICE OR COMPUTER

• US 20110071734A1
• Filed: 09/23/2009
• Published: 03/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Aldighieri, Paul, Kwon, Dae Wook, Schondorf, Steven Yellin, Van Wiemeersch, John Robert, Miller, Thomas Lee, Kleve, Robert Bruce, Bennie, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 8,346,432 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/49
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/93 Remote control using other portable devices, e.g. mobile phone, PDA, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks

Abstract

A method for remotely controlling one or more vehicle components includes receiving over a telecommunications network signals originating from a remote terminal. The signals include remote operation instructions for remotely operating a vehicle entertainment system component. The remote operation instructions are executed. Operation status identifiers transmitted over a vehicle data bus are received from the vehicle entertainment system component. Based on the operation status identifiers, an operating status of the vehicle entertainment system component is determined. A return signal including an operation status message and an instruction for displaying the operation status message at the remote terminal is generated. The signal is transmitted to the remote terminal for display.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for remotely controlling one or more vehicle components, the computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving over a telecommunications network one or more first signals originating from a nomadic wireless communication device (NWCD), the one or more first signals including one or more remote operation instructions including at least one instruction for remotely operating a vehicle entertainment system component;

executing the one or more remote operation instructions;

receiving one or more operation status identifiers transmitted over a vehicle data bus from at least the vehicle entertainment system component;

based on the one or more operation status identifiers, determining an operating status of at least the vehicle entertainment system component;

generating at least one second signal including at least one operation status message and at least one instruction for displaying the operation status message at the NWCD; and

transmitting the at least one second signal to the at least one remote NWCD for display.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the remote operation instructions include instructions for remotely operating at least one other vehicle component and the method further comprises performing the method with respect to the at least one other component.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 wherein the at least one other component is an audible vehicle locator system.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 wherein the audible vehicle locator system is remotely operated according to a user preference.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the at least one remote operation instruction includes at least one media source selection instruction and wherein the at least one operation status message includes a message that the selected media source is being remotely operated.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 wherein the media source is selected from the group consisting of a radio, a compact disc player, a tape player, a digital video disc (DVD) player, and a personal media player.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the at least one remote operation instruction includes at least one volume level selection instruction and wherein the at least one operation status message includes a message identifying the volume at which the one or more media items are being played.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7 wherein the volume level selection is a predetermined selection by a user from the NWCD and the at least one volume level selection instruction includes an instruction to play the one or more media items according to the user'"'"'s predetermined selection.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 wherein the predetermined volume level selection is a user-defined selection.

10. A computer-implemented system for remotely controlling one or more vehicle components, the computer-implemented system comprising:

a cellular communication module within a vehicle communicating with one or more remote terminals over a telecommunications network, the cellular communication module being configured to;

receive one or more first signals originating from the one or more remote terminals, the one or more first signals including one or more remote operation instructions including at least one instruction for remotely operating a vehicle entertainment system component;

transmit the one or more remote operation instructions for execution wherein the at least one instruction is executed by a vehicle;

receive one or more operation status identifiers transmitted over a vehicle data bus from at least the vehicle entertainment system component;

based on the one or more operation status identifiers, determine an operating status of at least the vehicle entertainment system component;

generate at least one second signal including at least one operation status message and at least one instruction for displaying the operation status message at the one or more remote terminals; and

transmit the at least one second signal to the one or more remote terminals for display.

11. The computer-implemented system of claim 10 wherein the one or more remote operation instructions include at least one instruction for controlling one or more features of the vehicle entertainment system.

12. The computer-implemented system of claim 11 wherein the one or more features of the vehicle entertainment system includes at least one of a volume control feature, a radio scan feature, a track selection feature, a channel selection feature, a play feature, and a stop feature.

13. The computer-implemented system of claim 10 wherein the one or more remote operation instructions further includes at least one instruction for remotely operating at least one other vehicle component wherein the cellular communication module is further configured to perform each step with respect to the at least one other component.

14. The computer-implemented system of claim 13 wherein the at least one other component is a vehicle seat heating system component.

15. The computer-implemented system of claim 13 wherein the at least one other component is a vehicle seat positioning system component.

16. The computer-implemented system of claim 13 wherein the at least one other component is a vehicle double locking system component.

17. The computer-implemented system of claim 13 wherein the at least one other component is a hazard lighting system component.

18. The computer-implemented system of claim 10 wherein the one or more remote terminals is a nomadic wireless communication device (NWCD) or a personal computer (PC).

19. A computer-implemented system for remotely controlling one or more vehicle components, the computer-implemented system including one or more servers in communication with one or more remote terminals over a telecommunications network, the one or more servers being configured to:

receive input defining one or more first operation status identifiers;

receive one or more first signals originating from the one or more remote terminals, the one or more first signals including one or more remote operation instructions including at least one instruction for remotely operating a vehicle entertainment system component;

transmit the one or more remote operation instructions for execution by a vehicle;

receive one or more second operation status identifiers from the vehicle pertaining to the vehicle entertainment system component, the one or more second operation status identifier originating from a vehicle data bus;

process the one or more second operation status identifiers based on the one or more first operation status identifiers to determine an operation status of at least the vehicle entertainment system component;

generate at least one second signal including at least one operation status message and at least one instruction for displaying the operation status message at the one or more remote terminals; and

transmit the at least one second signal to the one or more remote terminals for display.

20. The computer-implemented system of claim 19 wherein the one or more terminals are one or more nomadic wireless communication devices.