SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MOBILE PHONE KEY FOB MANAGEMENT

• US 20160300417A1
• Filed: 04/09/2015
• Published: 10/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: HATTON, David Anthony
• Granted Patent: US 10,249,123 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00865 remotely by wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00857 where the code of the data carrier can be programmed

Abstract

A vehicle system includes one or more vehicle processors programmed to: provide a user interface to program a first wireless device as a new vehicle key and to delete a second wireless device as an existing vehicle key. The one or more vehicle processors may be further programmed to wirelessly transmit vehicle key security codes from the vehicle to the first device to program the first device. The one or more vehicle processors may be further programmed to display one or more programmed devices including the second device via a user interface for user selection to delete the second device as an existing vehicle key.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

one or more vehicle processors programmed to;

wirelessly transmit vehicle key security codes to a first device comprising a processor, the first device selected via a vehicle-mounted user interface for programming as a new vehicle key; and

delete a second wireless device comprising a processor as an existing vehicle key in response to selection of the second device from programmed key devices displayed via the vehicle-mounted user interface.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more vehicle processors are further programmed to delete the second wireless device by clearing or modifying security codes associated with the second device in at least one vehicle program memory.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more vehicle processors are further programmed to delete the second wireless device by wirelessly transmitting a signal to the second wireless device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more vehicle processors are further configured to search for a signal from a vehicle key transmitter to enable the programming of the first device as the new vehicle key.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle key security codes configure a mobile device application at the first device to implement one or more vehicle control functions using the security codes.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the one or more vehicle processors are further programmed to wirelessly receive commands for implementing one or more vehicle control functions via the first device using the vehicle key security codes for the vehicle without a manufacturer vehicle key present.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more vehicle processors are further programmed to prompt a user to assign a security PIN for the first device.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the security PIN is at least one of biometrics, a picture password, and a predefined numerical password.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the predefined numerical password may be entered at a vehicle-mounted door key pad.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more vehicle processors are further programmed to:

initialize a predefined timer for the vehicle key security codes; and

enable the first device to implement one or more vehicle control functions using the vehicle key security codes before the predefined timer expires.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second devices are each a smartphone, a tablet, or a personal computer.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more vehicle processors are further programmed to:

configure the first device to be identifiable as either a primary key or a secondary key, wherein the primary key provides greater control over vehicle functionality than the secondary key; and

transmit a signal indicative of the first device being one of the primary key or the secondary key.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions configured to cause at least one processor coupled to a transceiver to:

receive a request via the transceiver for establishing communication between the at least one processor and a vehicle processor;

receive vehicle key security codes and a predefined user identification from the vehicle processor based on the established communication such that the at least one processor is configured to command one or more vehicle functions without the presence of a vehicle key fob; and

in response to the predefined user identification entered at a user interface, transmit the one or more vehicle functions to the vehicle processor.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 13, further comprising instructions configured to receive a signal indicative of assigning the at least one processor as a primary key or a secondary key, wherein the primary key provides greater control over vehicle functionality than the secondary key.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the transceiver is configured to receive harvested energy from a vehicle transceiver coupled to the vehicle processor so that the at least one processor coupled to the transceiver may transmit at least one of the vehicle key security codes and the user identification.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the predefined user identification is at least one of a picture password and a numerical password.

17. A vehicle computing system comprising:

a processor communicating with a transceiver and a user interface and programmed to;

transmit vehicle security codes and a predefined user identification via the transceiver to configure a mobile device comprising a processor as a key fob in response to receiving a key fob program request via the user interface, the mobile device selected via the user interface from mobile devices detected by the processor and transceiver.

18. The vehicle computing system of claim 17, wherein the processor is additionally programmed to output at least a portion of a list of mobile device key fobs programmed to communicate the one or more vehicle control functions and enable a user to delete a mobile device from the list.

19. The vehicle computing system of claim 17, wherein the predefined user identification is at least one of a unique identifier associated with the user and a media access control address associated with selected mobile device.

20. The vehicle computing system of claim 17, wherein the transceiver is configured to provide harvested energy to a mobile device transceiver so that the at least one processor may receive vehicle security codes stored at a configured mobile device as the key fob.