VEHICLES AND CLOUD SYSTEMS FOR SHARING E-KEYS TO ACCESS AND USE VEHICLES

• US 20180134254A1
• Filed: 12/26/2017
• Published: 05/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Emerging Automotive, LLC
• Original Assignee: Emerging Automotive, LLC
• Inventors: Penilla, Angel A., Penilla, Albert S.
• Granted Patent: US 10,442,399 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/70 Interactions with external data bases, e.g. traffic centres
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/10 by alarm
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/20 by driver identification
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/36 of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/665 Methods related to measuring, billing or payment
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/68 Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/80 Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/01 operating on vehicle systems or fittings, e.g. on doors, seats or windscreens
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/2018 Central base unlocks or authorises unlocking
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/241 whereby access privileges are related to the identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/308 using the Internet of Things
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/32 using wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/326 Payment applications installed on the mobile devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3829 : involving key management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 : Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0631 : Item recommendations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 : Graphical representation of items or shoppers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0645 : Rental transactions; Leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 : Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00412 : the transmitted data signal being encrypted
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00769 : with data transmission performed by wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 : operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00571 : operated by interacting with a central unit
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/20 : involving the use of a pass
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 15/005 : dispensed for the electrical charging of vehicles electrical charging as such, B60L50/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 : in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/44 : for communication between vehicles and infrastructures, e.g. vehicle-to-cloud [V2C] or vehicle-to-home [V2H]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 : Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/14 : Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

A vehicle configured to communicate with a server of a cloud system to enable access to use the vehicle via one or more electronic keys is provided. The vehicle includes electronics and a subsystem of the vehicle for enabling unlocking of the vehicle. The subsystem is interfaced with the electronics and a subsystem of the vehicle for enabling starting of the vehicle for use of the vehicle. The vehicle further includes communications circuitry that is interfaced with electronics of the vehicle. The communications circuitry is programmable to communicate with the server of the cloud system and communicate with a mobile device. The communications circuitry of the vehicle is configured to receive a request from the mobile device for unlocking of the vehicle. The request from the mobile device includes a unique access code obtained by the mobile device from the server to enable sending the request to the vehicle. The unique access code is associated with privileges for use of the vehicle. The privileges are defined for the unique access code, and the vehicle is configured to receive information from the server to authenticate the request by the mobile device. And, if the request is authentic, the mobile device is provided with data to enable an electronic key to use the vehicle, and the electronics of the vehicle instructs the subsystem of the vehicle to enable unlocking of the vehicle and enable starting of the vehicle for use of the vehicle via the electronic key consistent with the privileges of the unique access code.

Claims

1. A vehicle, comprising,

an on-board computer of the vehicle;

a first system of the vehicle interfaced with the on-board computer of the vehicle for enabling unlocking of the vehicle;

a second system of the vehicle interfaced with the on-board computer of the vehicle for enabling starting of the vehicle for use of the vehicle; and

communications circuitry of the vehicle interfaced with on-board computer of the vehicle, the communications circuitry is configured to process program instructions to enable communication with the server and to enable communication with a mobile device;

wherein the communications circuitry of the vehicle is configured to receive coded data from the mobile device for unlocking and use of the vehicle, the coded data from the mobile device including a unique access code received by the mobile device from the server, wherein the unique access code is associated with privileges for use of the vehicle, and privileges are defined for the unique access code, the unique access code functioning as an electronic key (e-key) that is managed via one or more graphical user interface inputs of rendered on a screen of the mobile device.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is configured to receive information from the server to authenticate the coded data received from the mobile device to activate the e-key.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the communications circuitry of the vehicle is configured to receive one or more additional requests from other mobile devices to use the vehicle, each request is associated with a unique access code generated by the server, such that each unique access code is associated with a user account having respective privileges assigned by an administrator of the vehicle that enables assigning or use of e-keys to use the vehicle, wherein one unique access code is active at a particular time when using e-keys.

4. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein said vehicle is a shared vehicle.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said vehicle is identified as available for sharing and is discoverable via an application based on a geographic location of the vehicle.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein an application accessed by said mobile device is configured to enable finding a geo-location of said vehicle and enables requesting use of said vehicle to receive said unique access code.

7. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein an application accessed by said mobile device is configured to enable sending instructions to said server to enable sharing said vehicle with a user to enable use of the e-key or another e-key on said vehicle, wherein the e-key has functions enabled via graphical user interfaces of the application of the mobile device.

8. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the unique access code is obtained by the mobile device responsive to a computer requesting assignment of the e-key to the mobile device, the assignment being enabled when the assignment is by an owner of said vehicle or an administrator of said vehicle.

9. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the vehicle is a sharable vehicle, and said privileges are defined for each sharing session of the vehicle, wherein the on-board computer collects use data of the vehicle while the e-key active for use of the vehicle, the collected data being saved to the server.