PORTABLE TRANSCEIVER WITH VEHICLE SECURITY CONTROL AND LOCATE FEATURES

• US 20130158747A1
• Filed: 02/15/2013
• Published: 06/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VOXX International Corporation
• Original Assignee: VOXX International Corporation
• Inventors: Malone, Thomas C., Tranchina, James R., DiCroce, John, Wilson, Shane
• Granted Patent: US 9,063,833 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/33 of global position, e.g. by providing GPS coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/36 Input/output arrangements for on-board computers
• 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

Abstract

A portable transceiver for locking and locating an automobile, includes a remote keyless entry system for locking the automobile; a locating device determining a location of the transceiver, wherein the remote keyless entry system and the locating device are housed in a pocket sized housing; and a processor deriving directional information from a current location to a waypoint, wherein in response to an activation of the remote keyless entry system, the locating device determines the waypoint corresponding substantially to that of the automobile.

Claims

1. A portable electronic device, comprising:

a transceiver configured to unlock a vehicle via at least one of a cellular connection and a Bluetooth connection;

a locating device configured to determine a waypoint;

a processor configured to provide data to guide a user from a current location to the waypoint, wherein the data comprises at least one of a direction from the current location to the waypoint, a distance from the current location to the waypoint, and an elevation direction from the current location to the waypoint; and

a display configured to present the data to the user.

2. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the transceiver is configured to start an engine of the vehicle via the at least one of the cellular connection and the Bluetooth connection.

3. The portable electronic device of claim 2, wherein the transceiver is a cellular transceiver and the cellular transceiver is configured to unlock the vehicle and start the engine of the vehicle via the cellular connection.

4. The portable electronic device of claim 3, wherein the locating device is a global positioning system (GPS) receiver.

5. The portable electronic device of claim 2, wherein the transceiver is a Bluetooth transceiver and the Bluetooth transceiver is configured to unlock the vehicle and start the engine of the vehicle via the Bluetooth connection.

6. The portable electronic device of claim 5, wherein the locating device is a global positioning system (GPS) receiver.

7. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the data presented to the user comprises a bread-crumb trail indicating a return path from the current location to the waypoint.

8. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the locating device is configured to determine the waypoint upon a lock vehicle command being transmitted from the portable electronic device to the vehicle.

9. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the locating device is configured to initiate a tracking procedure that measures a distance that the portable electronic device is moved away from the waypoint upon unlocking the vehicle.

10. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein

the locating device is configured to track a distance and a direction of a plurality of traversed paths of the portable electronic device relative to the waypoint,

the processor is configured to process the plurality of traversed paths, and reconstruct a return path back to the waypoint, and

the display is configured to display a pointer indicating a direction from a current one of the plurality of traversed paths to a next one of the plurality of traversed paths, a waypoint indicator indicating a distance from the current one of the plurality of traversed paths to the next one of the plurality of traversed paths, and a set of arrows indicating an elevation direction from the current one of the plurality of traversed paths to the next one of the plurality of traversed paths.

11. A method of communicating with a vehicle via a portable electronic device, comprising:

unlocking the vehicle via at least one of a cellular connection and a Bluetooth connection;

determining a waypoint; and

providing data to guide a user from a current location to the waypoint based on at least one of a direction from the current location to the waypoint, a distance from the current location to the waypoint, and an elevation direction from the current location to the waypoint.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising starting an engine of the vehicle via the at least one of the cellular connection and the Bluetooth connection.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein unlocking the vehicle and starting the engine of the vehicle are performed via the cellular connection.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the waypoint and the current location are determined using a global positioning system (GPS) receiver.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein unlocking the vehicle and starting the engine of the vehicle are performed via the Bluetooth connection.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the waypoint and the current location are determined using a global positioning system (GPS) receiver.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the data provided to the user comprises a bread-crumb trail indicating a return path from the current location to the waypoint.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

tracking a distance and a direction of a plurality of traversed paths of the portable electronic device relative to the waypoint;

processing the plurality of traversed paths, and reconstructing a return path back to the waypoint; and

displaying a pointer indicating a direction from a current one of the plurality of traversed paths to a next one of the plurality of traversed paths, a waypoint indicator indicating a distance from the current one of the plurality of traversed paths to the next one of the plurality of traversed paths, and a set of arrows indicating an elevation direction from the current one of the plurality of traversed paths to the next one of the plurality of traversed paths.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

transmitting a lock vehicle command from the portable electronic device to the vehicle,

wherein the waypoint is determined upon transmitting the lock vehicle command.

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

initiating a tracking procedure that measures a distance that the portable electronic device is moved away from the waypoint upon unlocking the vehicle.