Motor Vehicle Configuration System

• US 20110237186A1
• Filed: 03/15/2011
• Published: 09/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Inventors: Schoellermann, Tobias, Preissinger, Joerg, Steffen, Rainer
• Granted Patent: US 10,005,407 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/037 for occupant comfort , e.g. for automatic adjustment of appliances according to personal settings, e.g. seats, mirrors, steering wheel

Abstract

Motor vehicle configuration system, including a motor vehicle, in the interior of which at least one transponder that is capable of wireless near field communication is attached and which has a receiving unit for wireless reception of vehicle configuration data over a wireless communication link independent of the wireless near field communication. A portable device has at least one data memory for storing the memory data and has a transmitting unit for a wireless transmission of data on the basis of the memory data. The portable device is programmed such that, when an approach of the portable device to a transponder is detected on the basis of wireless near field communication, the data are transferred from the portable device to the motor vehicle a wireless communication link between the transmitting unit and the receiving unit for the purpose of providing the motor vehicle with configuration data. The communication link is independent of the wireless near field communication.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle configuration system, comprising:

a motor vehicle;

at least one transponder capable of wireless near field communication being attached in an interior of the motor vehicle;

a receiving unit of the motor vehicle, the receiving unit wirelessly receiving vehicle communication data over a wireless communication link independent of the wireless near field communication;

a portable device capable of wireless near field communication and being operatively configured to use near field communication for detecting an approach of the portable device to the transponder;

wherein the portable device has at least one data memory for storing memory data and a transmitting unit for wirelessly transmitting transmission data based on the stored memory data via a wireless communication link independent of the wireless near field communication; and

wherein the portable device is operatively programmed such that, upon detecting an approach of the portable device to the transponder based on wireless near field communication, transmission data are transferred from the portable device to the motor vehicle via the wireless communication link between the transmitting unit and the receiving unit in order to provide the motor vehicle with vehicle configuration data, said communication link being independent of the wireless near field communication.

2. The motor vehicle configuration system, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transponder is constructed as a passive NFC tag in conformity with one of an ISO 14443 and ISO 18092 FeliCa standard.

3. The motor vehicle configuration system, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the portable device is a mobile phone.

4. The motor vehicle configuration system, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wireless communication link that is independent of the wireless near field communication is configured to respond to the detection of the approach of the portable device to the transponder.

5. The motor vehicle configuration system, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wireless communication link that is independent of the wireless near field communication is configured as a Bluetooth link.

6. The motor vehicle configuration system, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the interior of the motor vehicle has a plurality of transponders capable of wireless near field communication;

the portable device is capable of detecting which of the several transponders it is approaching; and

various transmission data are transferable from the portable device to the motor vehicle as a function of the respective transponder.

7. The motor vehicle configuration system, as claimed in claim 6, wherein at least one of the multiple transponders capable of wireless near field communication is assigned at least one of a specific location and a specific display unit of the motor vehicle, and

wherein upon detecting the approach of the portable device to this transponder, the transmission data are transferred to the motor vehicle, and the transmission data in turn provide the motor vehicle with the vehicle configuration data and optionally the multimedia data that are at least partially specific to the respective location of the motor vehicle.

8. The motor vehicle configuration system, as claimed in claim 6, wherein at least one of the multiple transponders capable of wireless near field communication is assigned a specific location of the motor vehicle, and

wherein upon detecting the approach of the portable device to this transponder, a pointer to at least one of this transponder and this location is transferred to the motor vehicle.

9. The motor vehicle configuration system, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one transponder is arranged under a cover in the interior of the motor vehicle.

10. The motor vehicle configuration system, as claimed in claim 9, wherein the cover exhibits an optically detectable marking as a pointer to at least one of a mounting place and a detection range of the transponder.

11. The motor vehicle configuration system, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one transponder has an adhesive face and is attachable on a surface in the interior of the motor vehicle.

12. The motor vehicle configuration system, as claimed in claim 1, wherein a user interface of the portable device is capable of influencing at least one of the following:

(a) which transmission data shall be sent in an event of a detection of an approach of the portable device to the transponder of the motor vehicle;

(b) which vehicle configuration data shall be provided to the motor vehicle in an event of a detection of an approach; and

(c) which vehicle configurations shall be made in an event of a detection of an approach.

13. The motor vehicle configuration system, as claimed in claim 12, wherein the portable device is programmable starting from the user interface of the motor vehicle as a function of the influencing.

14. The motor vehicle configuration system, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the transponder has specification information regarding a potential wireless communication link that is independent of the wireless near field communication; and

the specification information is readable by the portable device via near field communication, in order to at least one of;

(a) set up, taking into consideration this specification information, the wireless communication link between the transmitting unit and the receiving unit, and

(b) communicate, taking into consideration this specification information, over this communication link.

15. The motor vehicle configuration system, as claimed in claim 6, wherein the portable device is operatively configured to execute a software application preconfigurable on detection of the approach of the portable device, as a function of the respective transponder, for a certain functionality that is assigned to the transponder and/or that is assigned to a position in the vehicle interior recognizable by the transponder.