SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IMPLEMENTING A VEHICLE CONFIGURATION BASED ON PARAMETERS THAT ARE SPECIFIED BY A MOBILE COMPUTING DEVICE WHEN OUTSIDE OF A VEHICLE

• US 20150148989A1
• Filed: 11/21/2014
• Published: 05/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Cooper, Rotem, Lane, Frank, Gujral, Sunvir, Jacobs, Paul, Chandhok, Ravinder, Ben-Zur, Liat, Sharma, Sandeep
• Granted Patent: US 9,428,127 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/2
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/245 where the antenna reception area plays a role
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/77 using wireless control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/107 wherein the security policies are location-dependent, e.g. entities privileges depend on current location or allowing specific operations only from locally connected terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/48 for in-vehicle communication

Abstract

A mobile computing device is operated to control a vehicle. A digital key for accessing a vehicle is stored for accessing the vehicle. Profile information is associated with the digital key for configuring operation and/or use of a vehicle. The profile information may include one or more outside parameters for implementing one or more pre-entry vehicle configurations. When one or more proximity conditions are detected as being satisfied as between the mobile computing device and the vehicle, a communication is sent to the vehicle in order to cause the vehicle to implement one or more pre-entry vehicle configurations. The communication can be based on the digital key and may specify the one or more outside parameters.

Claims

1. A method for operating a mobile computing device to control a vehicle, the method comprising:

(a) storing a digital key for accessing a vehicle;

(b) associating, with the digital key, profile information for configuring operation and/or use of a vehicle, the profile information including one or more outside parameters for implementing one or more pre-entry vehicle configurations;

(c) detecting one or more proximity conditions are satisfied as between the mobile computing device and the vehicle, the one or more proximity conditions indicating that the mobile computing device is sufficiently near the vehicle while being outside of the vehicle; and

(d) sending one or more communications to the vehicle upon the one or more proximity conditions being satisfied in order to cause the vehicle to implement the one or more pre-entry vehicle configurations, the one or more communications including the digital key and the one or more outside parameters.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, on the mobile computing device while the mobile computing device is outside of the vehicle, confirmation that the vehicle has been unlocked and that the one or more pre-entry vehicle configurations have been made within the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting input to the vehicle using the digital key, the input enabling entry or operation of the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the one or more outside parameters specify, before entry by a user, one or more of (i) an operational state of the vehicle;

(ii) a position and/or orientation of a seat within the vehicle;

(iii) a position and/or orientation of a steering wheel of the vehicle;

(iv) a setting for a media station within the vehicle;

(v) internal lighting within the vehicle; and

/or (vi) a climate control of the vehicle.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising predicting a seat position of a user when the mobile computing device is outside to the vehicle, and wherein the one or more outside parameters are selected for implementation on the vehicle based at least in part on the predicted seat position.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a data item from a key source, the data item corresponding to or providing a basis for the digital key.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the key source includes one of (i) a digital key service that communicates with the mobile computing device over a network, (ii) a kiosk that interfaces with the mobile computing device using a proximity or physical connection, (iii) a rental car service that interfaces with the mobile computing device using a proximity or physical connection, or (iv) a second mobile computing device.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the data item forms an asymmetric key pair with the digital key.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein sending the one or more communications includes encrypting the one or more communications, the one or more communications being decryptable by the vehicle using a stored key that is based on the digital key.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more proximity conditions include transmitting a detectable command to the vehicle using a short-range wireless medium.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the one or more communications includes sending an encrypted message that is decryptable using a stored key of the vehicle, the message specifying the one or more outside parameters.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, on the mobile computing device, that the mobile computing device is outside to the vehicle by analyzing a characteristic of a wireless signal exchanged between the mobile computing device and the vehicle.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein analyzing the characteristic of the wireless signal includes analyzing a returned signal strength indication from one or more wireless transmitters provided with the vehicle in order to determine whether the mobile computing device is inside or outside of the vehicle.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein analyzing the characteristic of the wireless signal includes triangulating an outside position of the mobile computing device by transmitting an acoustic signal to multiple microphones of the vehicle, and then determining a time when each acoustic signal was received by a corresponding one of the multiple microphones.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein analyzing the characteristic of the wireless signal includes determining a directional characteristic of the wireless signal.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving one or more restrictions on an operational or usage facet of the vehicle, the one or more restrictions being received from a source of the digital key,

wherein at least some of the profile information is based on the one or more restrictions, and

wherein sending the one or more communications to the vehicle includes sending at least one restriction in order to cause the vehicle to implement a configuration to preclude operation or use of an exterior facet of the vehicle.

17. A mobile computing device comprising:

a short-range wireless port;

a memory resource; and

a processor to;

store in the memory resource a digital key to access a vehicle;

associate, with the digital key, profile information for configuring operation and/or use of the vehicle, the profile information including one or more outside parameters for implementing one or more pre-entry vehicle configurations;

detect, using the short-range wireless port, when one or more proximity conditions are satisfied as between the mobile computing device and the vehicle, the one or more proximity conditions indicating that the mobile computing device is sufficiently near the vehicle while being outside of the vehicle; and

send, using the short-range wireless port, one or more communications to the vehicle upon the one or more proximity conditions being satisfied, the one or more communications including the digital key and the one or more outside parameters.

18. The mobile computing device of claim 17, wherein the processor receives, while the mobile computing device is outside of the vehicle, confirmation that the vehicle has been unlocked and that the one or more pre-entry vehicle configurations have been made within the vehicle.

19. The mobile computing device of claim 17, wherein the processor transmits, using the short-range wireless port, input to the vehicle, wherein the input enables entry and/or operation of the vehicle.

20. The mobile computing device of claim 17, wherein the one or more outside parameters specify, before entry by a user, one or more of (i) an operational state of the vehicle;

(ii) a position and/or orientation of a seat within the vehicle;

(iii) a position and/or orientation of a steering wheel of the vehicle;

(iv) a setting for a media station within the vehicle;

(v) internal lighting within the vehicle; and

/or (vi) a climate control of the vehicle.

21. The mobile computing device of claim 17, wherein the processor predicts a seat position of a user when the mobile computing device is outside to the vehicle, and wherein the processor selects the one or more outside parameters for implementation on the vehicle based at least in part on the predicted seat position.

22. The mobile computing device of claim 17, further comprising:

a network interface;

wherein the processor receives, over the network interface, a data item from a key source, the data item corresponding to or providing a basis for the digital key.

23. The mobile computing device of claim 17, wherein the processor determines that the mobile computing device is outside to the vehicle by analyzing a characteristic of a wireless signal exchanged by short-range wireless port and the vehicle.

24. The mobile computing device of claim 23, wherein the characteristic of the wireless signal includes a received signal strength indication.

25. The mobile computing device of claim 23, wherein the characteristic of the wireless signal includes a directional characteristic of the wireless signal received over the short-range wireless port.

26. A vehicle comprising:

a controller;

a set of interfaces to operational and usage facets of the vehicle;

a short-range wireless port;

wherein the controller operates to;

receive, using the short-range wireless port, one or more communications from a mobile computing device, the one or more communications including a digital key and one or more outside parameters for implementing one or more vehicle configurations;

authenticate the digital key;

upon authenticating the digital key, communicate with one or more of the interfaces in the set of interfaces, in order to (i) implement the one or more vehicle configurations prior to occurrence of an event signifying that the mobile computing device is inside the vehicle, and (ii) provide access to the vehicle.

27. The vehicle of claim 26, wherein the controller operates to:

determine a side of the vehicle from which the mobile computing device is approaching, and

implements at least a first configuration based on one of (i) a predicted seat that a user will occupy, or (ii) a vehicle side from which the user will enter the vehicle.

28. The vehicle of claim 26, wherein the controller previously receives a shared access key from the mobile computing device, and wherein the controller authenticates the mobile computing device using the shared access key.

29. The vehicle of claim 26, wherein the controller receives a communication that specifies a restriction parameter for an external facet of the vehicle, and wherein the controller implements the configuration of the restriction parameter by precluding access to the external facet while enabling access to the vehicle.

30. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that stores instructions, executable by one or more processors, to cause the one or more processors to perform operations that comprise:

(a) storing a digital key for accessing a vehicle;

(b) associating, with the digital key, profile information for configuring operation and/or use of a vehicle, the profile information including one or more outside parameters for implementing one or more pre-entry vehicle configurations;

(c) detecting one or more proximity conditions are satisfied as between the mobile computing device and the vehicle, the one or more proximity conditions indicating that the mobile computing device is sufficiently near the vehicle while being outside of the vehicle; and

(d) sending one or more communications to the vehicle upon the one or more proximity conditions being satisfied in order to cause the vehicle to implement the one or more pre-entry vehicle configurations, the one or more communications including the digital key and the one or more outside parameters.