SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROFILE INDICATION ON A KEY FOB

• US 20170200336A1
• Filed: 01/11/2016
• Published: 07/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Schmidt, Kyle
• Granted Patent: US 10,127,749 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 25/2081 combined with personal settings of other vehicle devices, e.g. mirrors, seats, steering wheels
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00769 with data transmission performed by wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00984 fob
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00174 Electronically operated locks; Circuits therefor; Nonmechanical keys therefor, e.g. passive or active electrical keys or other data carriers without mechanical keys mechanical locks with electric permutation E05B49/00; arrangements for sensing or reading record carriers G06K7/00; electronic switching H03K17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link

Abstract

A key fob associated with a select one of a plurality of driver profiles stored in a vehicle memory is provided. The key fob comprises a memory for storing a profile indication for identifying the driver profile associated with the key fob, and an output device for presenting the profile indication. Another embodiment provides a wireless system comprising a vehicle storing driver profiles in a memory, and a key fob associated with a select profile and comprising an output device for presenting a profile indication assigned to that profile. Another embodiment includes a method of providing a profile indication on a key fob associated with one of the driver profiles stored in the vehicle. The method comprises transmitting an identifier to the vehicle, receiving a profile indication associated with the identifier from the vehicle, and presenting the profile indication on an output device of the key fob.

Claims

1. A key fob comprising:

an antenna configured to;

communicate a key fob ID to a vehicle; and

receive, from a vehicle, a profile indication associated with the key fob ID for one of a plurality of driver profiles;

memory to store the key fob ID and the profile indication; and

an output device to visually indicate which of the driver profiles is associated with the key fob based on the received profile indication.

2. The key fob of claim 1, wherein the output device includes a light emitting diode capable of emitting a plurality of light colors.

3. The key fob of claim 2, wherein the light emitting diode is to emit one of the plurality of light colors based on the profile indication associated with the driver profile.

4. The key fob of claim 2, wherein the light emitting diode is located on a front face of the key fob.

5. The key fob of claim 2, wherein the light emitting diode is located on at least one side surface of the key fob.

6. The key fob of claim 1, wherein the output device includes a plurality of light emitting diodes.

7. The key fob of claim 6, wherein one of the plurality of light emitting diodes is to activate based on the profile indication associated with the driver profile.

8. The key fob of claim 6, wherein each of the plurality of light emitting diodes emits a different light color.

9. The key fob of claim 1, wherein the output device includes a display device.

10. The key fob of claim 9, wherein the display device is to display at least one of a graphical message or a text message based on the profile indication associated with the driver profile.

11. A wireless system, comprising:

a vehicle including memory to store driver profiles; and

a key fob including;

an antenna in wireless communication with the vehicle to receive a profile indication assigned to a key fob ID of the key fob, the key fob ID associated with one of the driver profiles; and

an output device to display visually indicate which of the driver profiles is associated with the key fob based on the received profile indication.

12. The wireless system of claim 11, wherein the profile indication is stored in a memory of the key fob.

13. The wireless system of claim 11, wherein the output device includes a light emitting diode capable of emitting a plurality of light colors, the light emitting diode to emit one of the plurality of light colors based on the profile indication associated with the one of the driver profiles.

14. The wireless system of claim 11, wherein the output device includes a display device, the display device to display at least one of a graphical message or a text message based on the profile indication associated with the one of the driver profiles.

15. The wireless system of claim 11, wherein the vehicle further comprises a processor configured to enable user-selection of the profile indication.

16. The wireless system of claim 15, wherein the vehicle transmits the user-selected profile indication to the antenna of the key fob.

17. A method to indicate user profiles associated with key fobs, the method comprising:

transmitting a key fob identifier to a vehicle;

receiving a profile indication associated with the key fob ID for one of a plurality of driver profiles associated with the vehicle; and

displaying a visual indication the profile indication on an output device of the key fob to indicate which of the driver profiles is associated with the key fob based on the received profile indication.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising storing the profile indication in a memory of the key fob.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the output device includes a light emitting diode capable of emitting a plurality of light colors, and where displaying a visual indication includes emitting one of the plurality of light colors based on the profile indication.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the output device includes a display device, and where displaying a visual indication includes displaying at least one of a graphical message or a text message based on the display device based on the profile indication.