METHOD AND INDICATING SYSTEM FOR A VEHICLE

• US 20180110113A1
• Filed: 10/06/2017
• Published: 04/19/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kwang Yang Motor Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Kwang Yang Motor Company Limited
• Inventors: LIN, Chen-Sheng, TSAI, Yi-Yang, WANG, John C., HUANG, Ming-San, CHEN, Li-Hui, HSU, Chi-Hui, YEH, Nai-Kun, HSU, Chih-Feng
• Granted Patent: US 10,123,401 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/482 for locating vehicle in parking lot
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/005 including pedestrian guidance indicator
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission

Abstract

A method to be implemented by a vehicle capable of communication with a portable electronic device is shown. The vehicle includes an electrical system including a power switch, and an indicating system including a processor, a wireless transmission module and an indicating unit. The method includes: controlling the electrical system to temporarily provide electric power to the indicating system when the power switch is switched from a conductive state to a non-conductive state; determining whether a wireless connection is established between the portable electronic device and the wireless transmission module. When it is determined that the wireless connection is established, activating the indicating unit to output an indication signal.

Claims

1. A method for a vehicle, the method to be implemented by a vehicle capable of communication with a portable electronic device, the vehicle including an electrical system that includes a power switch, and an indicating system that includes a processor, a wireless transmission module and an indicating unit, the method comprising steps of:

controlling, by the processor, the electrical system to temporarily provide electric power to the indicating system after the power switch is switched from a conductive state to a non-conductive state;

determining, by the processor, whether a wireless connection is established between the portable electronic device and the wireless transmission module;

when it is determined by the processor that the wireless connection is established, activating, by the processor, the indicating unit to output an indication signal.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of activating the indicating unit to output an indication signal includes controlling the indicating unit to repeatedly output the indication signal at a frequency that is directly proportional to a strength of the wireless connection.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, the indicating unit including a display, the indicating system further including a storage module, the method further comprising a pairing procedure including steps of:

displaying, by the display, a vehicle identification code of the vehicle when the power switch is in a conductive state;

sending out, by the wireless transmission module, the vehicle identification code to be searched by the portable electronic device and displayed thereon, after which the portable electronic device allows a user to select the vehicle identification code, and transmits a device identification code of the portable electronic device to the wireless transmission module in response to user selection of the vehicle identification code;

receiving, by the wireless transmission module, the device identification code from the portable electronic device; and

storing, by the processor, the device identification code of the portable electronic device in the storage module and pairing the portable electronic device with the vehicle to allow the wireless connection to be established therebetween.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the indicating unit includes one of a display to generate breathing light as the indication signal, a turn signal to generate flashing light as the indication signal, a horn to output sound as the indication signal, and a decorative light device to emit decorative light as the indication signal.

5. A method for a vehicle, the method to be implemented by a vehicle capable of communication with a portable electronic device, the vehicle including an electrical system that includes a power switch, and an indication system that includes a processor, a wireless transmission module, and an indicating unit, the method comprising steps of:

controlling, by the processor, the electrical system to temporarily provide electric power to the indicating system after the power switch is switched from a conductive state to a non-conductive state;

determining, by the processor, whether a wireless signal from the portable electronic device is received through the wireless transmission module;

when it is determined by the processor that the wireless signal is received, activating, by the processor, the indicating unit to output an indication signal.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the step of activating the indicating unit to output an indication signal includes controlling the indicating unit to repeatedly output the indication signal at a frequency that is directly proportional to a strength of the wireless signal received from the portable electronic device.

5-1. method as claimed in claim 5, the indicating unit including a display, the indicating system further including a storage module, the method further comprising a pairing procedure including steps of:

displaying, by the display, a vehicle identification code of the vehicle when the power switch is in a conductive state;

sending out, by the wireless transmission module, the vehicle identification code, the portable electronic device allowing a user select the vehicle identification code after searching out and displaying the vehicle identification code, the portable electronic device transmitting a device identification code of the portable electronic device to the wireless transmission module in response to user selection of the vehicle identification code;

receiving, by the wireless transmission module, the device identification code from the portable electronic device; and

storing, by the processor, the device identification code of the portable electronic device in the storage module and pairing the portable electronic device with the vehicle to allow transmission of the wireless signal.

8. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the indicating unit includes one of a display to generate breathing light as the indication signal, a turn signal to generate flashing light as the indication signal, a horn to output sound as the indication signal, and a decorative light device to emit decorative light as the indication signal. 10

9. A method for a vehicle, the method to be implemented by a vehicle capable of communication with a portable electronic device, the vehicle including an electrical system that includes a power switch, and an indicating system that includes a processor, a wireless transmission module and an indicating unit, the method comprising steps of:

controlling, by the processor, the electrical system to provide electric power to the indicating system when the power switch is in a conductive state;

determining, by the processor, whether one of a first condition that a wireless connection is established between the portable electronic device and the wireless transmission module and a second condition that a wireless signal from the portable electronic device is received through the wireless transmission module is satisfied;

when it is determined by the processor that one of the first and second conditions is satisfied, activating, by the processor, the indicating unit to output an indication signal.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the step of activating the indicating unit to output an indication signal includes controlling the indicating unit to repeatedly output the indication signal at a frequency that is directly proportional to a strength of the wireless connection in the first condition or a strength of the wireless signal received from the portable electronic device in the second condition.

11. The method as claimed in claim 9, the indicating unit including a display, the indicating system further including a storage module, the method further comprising a pairing procedure including steps of:

displaying, by the display, a vehicle identification code of the vehicle when the power switch is in a conductive state;

sending out, by the wireless transmission module, the vehicle identification code, the portable electronic device allowing a user to select the vehicle identification code after searching out and displaying the vehicle identification code, the portable electronic device transmitting a device identification code of the portable electronic device to the wireless transmission module in response to user selection of the vehicle identification code;

receiving, by the wireless transmission module, the device identification code from the portable electronic device; and

storing, by the processor, the device identification code of the portable electronic device in the storage module and pairing the portable electronic device with the vehicle.

12. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the indicating unit includes one of a display to generate breathing light as the indication signal, a turn signal to generate flashing light as the indication signal, a horn to output sound as the indication signal, and a decorative light device to emit decorative light as the indication signal.

13. An indicating system to be installed on a vehicle, the vehicle including an electrical system that includes a power switch, said indicating system comprising:

a host computer that includes a processor, and a wireless transmission module electrically connected to said processor and being operable to establish a wireless connection with a portable electronic device and to receive a wireless signal from the portable electronic device; and

an indicating unit electrically connected to said host computer,

wherein, when said processor controls the electrical system to temporarily provide electric power to said indicating system after the power switch is switched from a conductive state to a non-conductive state, said processor activates said indicating unit to output an indication signal when said processor determines that one of a first condition that a wireless connection is established between the portable electronic device and said wireless transmission module and a second condition that a wireless signal from the portable electronic device is received through said wireless transmission module is satisfied; and

wherein, when said processor controls the electrical system to provide electric power to said indicating system after the power switch is switched from the non-conductive state to the conductive state, said processor activates said indicating unit to output the indication signal when said processor determines that one of the first condition and the second condition is satisfied.

13-1. indicating system as claimed in claim 13, wherein said indicating unit is activated by said processor to repeatedly output the indication signal at a frequency that is directly proportional to a strength of the wireless connection in the first condition or a strength of the wireless signal received from the portable electronic device in the second condition.

15. The indicating system as claimed in claim 13, wherein said host computer further includes a storage module electrically connected to said processor, and said indicating unit includes a display,

wherein, when said indicating system implements in a pairing procedure,

said display displays a vehicle identification code of the vehicle while the power switch is in a conductive state,

said wireless transmission module sends out the vehicle identification code, the portable electronic device allowing a user to select the vehicle identification code after searching out and displaying the vehicle identification code, the portable electronic device transmitting a device identification code of the portable electronic device to said wireless transmission module in response to user selection of the vehicle identification code, and

said processor stores the device identification code of the portable electronic device in said storage module and pairs the portable electronic device with the vehicle to allow the wireless connection to be established or the wireless signal to be received.

16. The indicating system as claimed in claim 13, wherein said wireless transmission module is a Bluetooth transmission module.

17. The indicating system as claimed in claim 13, wherein said indicating unit includes at least one of a display to generate breathing light as the indication signal, a turn signal to generate flashing light as the indication signal, a horn to output sound as the indication signal, and a decorative light device to emit decorative light as the indication signal.

18. The indicating system as claimed in claim 13, wherein said power switch is a main switch of the vehicle.