MOBILE DEVICE-ACTIVATED VEHICLE FUNCTIONS

• US 20140129054A1
• Filed: 11/08/2012
• Published: 05/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Huntzicker, Fred W., Alrabady, Ansaf I., Gautama, Neeraj R., Chau, Jarvis, Kalhous, Amanda J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,110,772 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: 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

Mobile device-activated vehicle functions are implemented by authenticating a vehicle with a device via wireless signals transmitted between a low frequency antenna of the device and a low frequency antenna of the vehicle when the vehicle is in communicative range of the device. The mobile device-activated vehicle functions are further implemented by receiving, via computer processor embedded in the device, a selection from one of a plurality of input components embedded in the device, the selection associated with a vehicle function, and transmitting a request to implement the vehicle function via the low frequency antenna coupled to the computer processor and the low frequency antenna of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a computer processor embedded in a device;

input components embedded in the device, the input components communicatively coupled to the computer processor;

a low frequency antenna communicatively coupled to the computer processor; and

logic executable by the computer processor, the logic configured to implement a method, the method comprising;

authenticating a vehicle with the device via wireless signals transmitted between the low frequency antenna and a low frequency antenna of the vehicle when the vehicle is in communicative range of the device;

receiving a selection from one of the input components, the selection associated with a vehicle function; and

transmitting a request to implement the vehicle function via the low frequency antenna coupled to the computer processor and the low frequency antenna of the vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle function is a passive entry passive start function.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the passive entry passive start function is at least one of:

remote locking of a door;

remote unlocking of a door;

remote starting of vehicle engine;

remote activation of lights; and

remote activation of power windows.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a case configured to receive a mobile communications device, wherein the device is embedded in the case, and the case is communicatively coupled to the mobile communications device when the mobile communications device is placed in the case.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the device is powered by a battery disposed in the mobile communications device.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising a wireless receiver embedded in the case, the wireless receiver in conjunction with a wireless charger of the vehicle is configured to inductively charge the battery when the wireless receiver is in physical contact with the wireless charger.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the logic is further configured to implement programming a unique identifier to a memory of the computer processor, the unique identifier associated with the vehicle and the logic uses the unique identifier to authenticate the vehicle with the device.

8. A method, comprising:

authenticating a vehicle with a device via wireless signals transmitted between a low frequency antenna of the device and a low frequency antenna of the vehicle when the vehicle is in communicative range of the device;

receiving, via computer processor embedded in the device, a selection from one of a plurality of input components embedded in the device, the selection associated with a vehicle function; and

transmitting a request to implement the vehicle function via the low frequency antenna coupled to the computer processor and the low frequency antenna of the vehicle.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the vehicle function is a passive entry passive start function.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the passive entry passive start function is at least one of:

remote locking of a door;

remote unlocking of a door;

remote starting of vehicle engine;

remote activation of lights; and

remote activation of power windows.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

embedding the device in a case that is configured to receive a mobile communications device; and

communicatively coupling the case with the mobile communications device, via a coupling element, when the mobile communications device is placed in the case;

wherein the coupling element includes at least one of physical wiring and a wireless node.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the device is powered by a battery disposed in the mobile communications device.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

inductively charging the battery, via a wireless receiver embedded in the case in conjunction with a wireless charger of the vehicle, when the wireless receiver is in physical contact with the wireless charger.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

programming a unique identifier into a memory of the computer processor, wherein the unique identifier associated with the vehicle and the logic uses the unique identifier to authenticate the vehicle with the device.

15. A computer program product comprising a storage medium embodied with computer instructions, which when executed by a computer processor embedded in a device, causes the computer processor to implement a method, the method comprising:

authenticating a vehicle with the device via wireless signals transmitted between a low frequency antenna of the device and a low frequency antenna of the vehicle when the vehicle is in communicative range of the device;

receiving a selection from one of a plurality of input components embedded in the device, the selection associated with a vehicle function; and

transmitting a request to implement the vehicle function via the low frequency antenna coupled to the computer processor and the low frequency antenna of the vehicle.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the vehicle function is a passive entry passive start function.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the passive entry passive start function is at least one of:

remote locking of a door;

remote unlocking of a door;

remote starting of vehicle engine;

remote activation of lights; and

remote activation of power windows.

18. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises:

embedding the device in a case that is configured to receive a mobile communications device; and

communicatively coupling the case with the mobile communications device, via a coupling element, when the mobile communications device is placed in the case;

wherein the coupling element includes at least one of physical wiring and a wireless node.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the device is powered by a battery disposed in the mobile communications device.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the method further comprises:

inductively charging the battery, via a wireless receiver embedded in the case in conjunction with a wireless charger of the vehicle, when the wireless receiver is in physical contact with the wireless charger.