Vehicle sharing system and method for controlling or securing vehicle access and/or enablement

• US 6,850,153 B1
• Filed: 07/07/1999
• Issued: 02/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company), Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company), Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Inventors: Nakamura, Kazuhiro, Murakami, Hiroshi, Yano, Shunji, Barth, Matthew James, Todd, Michael Donovan
• Primary Examiner(s): Lieu, Julie
• Application Number:
  US09/348,803
• Time in Patent Office: 2,036 Days
• Field of Search: 340/425.5, 340/932.2, 340/825.31, 340/825.32, 340/825.34, 340/825.36, 340/5.2, 340/5.8, 340/5.81, 340/5.3, 235/381, 235/384, 705/5, 705/6
• US Class Current: 340/425.5
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/622 by satellite navigation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/70 Interactions with external data bases, e.g. traffic centres
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/32 of electricity
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/36 of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/31 Charging columns specially adapted for electric 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 53/67 Controlling two or more charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/20 Means to switch the anti-theft system on or off
• 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: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/025 Coordination of plural reservations, e.g. plural trip segments, transportation combined with accommodation
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles
• 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 shared vehicle system includes a central facility, at least one vehicle distribution port facility and a plurality or fleet of vehicles, each having a vehicle subsystem. In general, the central station and port facility and the vehicle subsystems communicate in a manner to allow a user to enter information at a port facility. That information is then communicated to the central facility, where the information is processed to select a vehicle from the fleet to allocate to the user at the port facility. Selection of a vehicle for allocation to a user may be based on selecting an available or soon to be available vehicle according to various algorithms that take into account the vehicles state of charge. The central station also communicates with the port facility and the vehicle subsystem to notify the user of the selected vehicle, to provide secure user access to the selected vehicle, to monitor the location and operating status of vehicles in the fleet, to monitor the state of charge of electric vehicles and to provide other functions. The vehicles communicate with the central station to notify the central station of the PIN number of the individual attempting to use the vehicle, and of vehicle parameters such as state of charge and location of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle sharing system, comprising:

a control module installed in each vehicle in a fleet of vehicles, said control module including;

a wireless communication unit;

a power control unit for selectively enabling a power source of said vehicle; and

a lock control unit for controlling a door lock of said vehicle; and

a control center, said control center including;

a computer unit adapted to allocate a vehicle from said fleet of vehicles to a user based on travel information submitted by the user and a state of charge of said vehicle, said computer unit allocating a vehicle having a highest state of charge to the user in response to more than one vehicles being available to the user; and

a wireless communication unit adapted to communicate with said wireless communication unit on said control module in each vehicle in said fleet of vehicles and provide an authorization signal to said vehicle which permits unlocking the door lock and/or enabling said vehicle.

2. A vehicle sharing system according to claim 1, wherein said control module further includes an input device for allowing the user to enter an ID code which is required for enabling said vehicle in addition to said authorization signal from said control center.

3. A vehicle sharing system according to claim 2, wherein control module is further programmed to disabling said vehicle upon detecting a parked state of said vehicle.

4. A vehicle sharing system according to claim 3, wherein said control module detects said parked state by detecting a shift lever at a park position.

5. A vehicle sharing system according to claim 3, wherein said control module detects said parked state by detecting an opening and/or closing of a door of said vehicle.

6. A vehicle sharing system according to claim 1, wherein said control further includes an ID card reader which responds to an ID card allocated to said ID card being required for unlocking said door lock in addition to said authorization signal from said control center.

7. A vehicle sharing system according to claim 1, wherein said control center includes means for detecting a presence of said vehicle in a designated area, and is adapted to cancel said authorization signal upon detecting a parked state of said vehicle within said designated area.

8. A vehicle sharing system according to claim 1, wherein said control module is adapted to lock a vehicle door upon detecting a parked state of said vehicle.

9. A vehicle sharing system according to claim 1, wherein control module is adapted to detect a parked state of said vehicle by detection an opening and/or closing a vehicle door.

10. A vehicle sharing system in which one or more vehicles from a fleet of vehicles is shared among a plurality of users, the system comprising:

a vehicle subsystem associated with and installed in each vehicle, said vehicle subsystem including a control device programmed to selectively provide an unlock signal and an electronic door lock responsive to the unlock signal for unlocking at least one vehicle door of the vehicle; and

a central station computer programmed to allocate a vehicle from the fleet based on travel information submitted by a user and a state of charge of said vehicle, and to selectively communicate information to said control device of the allocated vehicle for selectively controlling said control device to provide the unlocking signal, said central station allocating a vehicle having a highest state of charge to the user in response to more than one vehicles being available to the user.

11. A vehicle sharing system as recited in claim 10, wherein:

said vehicle subsystem further includes a user interface device coupled to the control device, for receiving an identification ID code from the user;

said central station computer transmits an expected ID code to the control device of said vehicle subsystem of the allocated vehicle; and

said control device includes a memory for storing the expected user ID code and is further programmed to provide the unlock signal in response to a sufficient match between a user ID code received by the user interface device and an expected user ID code stored in said memory.

12. A vehicle sharing system as recited in claim 10, wherein:

said central station computer transmits authorization information to said control device of said vehicle for selectively controlling the control device to provide an enable signal; and

said vehicle subsystem further includes a vehicle disablement device for disabling said vehicle said, in response to the enable signal, for enabling said vehicle.

13. A vehicle sharing system as recited in claim 12, wherein:

each vehicle in the fleet includes a power source; and

said vehicle disablement device comprises a power source disabling device for disabling the power source of the vehicle.

14. A vehicle sharing system as recited in claim 12, wherein said vehicle disablement device comprises an ignition disabling device.

15. A vehicle sharing system as recited in claim 10, wherein:

said vehicle subsystem further includes;

a first user interface device coupled to the control device for receiving a first input code from the user; and

a second user interface device coupled to the control device for receiving a second input code from the user; and

said control device of each vehicle provides an unlock signal upon a first input code sufficiently matching an expected first input code and provides an enable signal upon the second input code sufficiently matching an expected second input code.

16. A vehicle sharing system as recited in claim 15, wherein:

said first user interface is accessible by the user on an exterior of the vehicle; and

said second user interface is accessible by the user on an interior of the vehicle.

17. A vehicle sharing system as recited in claim 16, wherein:

said first user interface comprises an electronic token reader; and

said second user interface comprises a key pad device.

18. A vehicle sharing system as recited in claim 10, wherein:

said vehicle subsystem further includes a first user interface device for receiving a first input code and a second user interface device for receiving a second input code;

said control device includes a memory for storing an expected first input code, and is further programmed to provide an unlock signal in response to a sufficient match between the first input code and the expected first input code;

said control device is further programmed to communicate the second input code to the central station computer and to provide an enable signal in response to an authorization signal from the central station computer; and

said central station computer includes a memory for storing an expected second input code, and is further programmed to communicate an authorization signal to the control device in response to the second input code sufficiently matching the expected second input code.

19. A vehicle sharing system as recited in claim 10, wherein:

said control device of is further programmed to provide a lock signal in response to detecting a parking state of said vehicle; and

said electronic door lock is further responsive to the lock signal for locking at least one door of the vehicle.

20. A vehicle sharing system as recited in claim 19, wherein said control device is further programmed to communicate a parking state signal to said central station computer in response to detecting the parking state and to respond to a lock command from the central station computer to produce said unlock signal.

21. A vehicle sharing system as recited in claim 19, wherein said vehicle subsystem comprises a sensor for sensing a setting of the vehicle in a parking gear.

22. A vehicle sharing system as recited in claim 19, wherein said vehicle subsystem comprises a sensor for sensing an opening and/or closing of a door of the vehicle.

23. A vehicle sharing system as recited in claim 19, wherein said central station computer includes:

means for detecting a location of each vehicle in the fleet; and

means for determining whether the location is within a designated area.

24. A vehicle sharing system as recited in claim 23, wherein said vehicle subsystem detects a parking state of the vehicle in response to the vehicle being within the designated area and the vehicle being set in a parking gear.

25. A vehicle sharing system as recited in claim 23, wherein said vehicle subsystem detects a parking state of the vehicle in response to detecting the vehicle being within the designated area and the vehicle door opening and/or closing.

26. A vehicle sharing system as recited in claim 12, wherein:

said vehicle disablement device is further responsive to a disable signal for disabling the vehicle; and

said control device is further programmed to provide a disable signal in response to detecting a parking state of said vehicle.

27. A vehicle sharing system as recited in claim 26, wherein said control device comprises a sensor for sensing a setting of the vehicle in a parking gear.

28. A vehicle sharing system as recited in claim 26, wherein said control device comprises a sensor for sensing an opening and/or closing of a door of the vehicle.

29. A vehicle sharing system as recited in claim 26, wherein:

said central station computer includes means for detecting a location of each vehicle in the fleet; and

said control device comprises means for determining whether the location of the vehicle is within a designated area.

30. A vehicle sharing system as recited in claim 26, wherein:

said central station computer includes means for detecting a location of each vehicle in the fleet; and

said vehicle subsystem detects a parking state of the vehicle in response to the vehicle being within a designated area and the vehicle being set in a parking gear.

31. A vehicle sharing system as recited in claim 26, wherein:

said central station computer includes means for detecting a location of each vehicle in the fleet; and

said vehicle subsystem detects a parking state of the vehicle in response to the vehicle being within a designated area and the vehicle door opening and/or closing.

32. A vehicle allocation system for allocating one or more vehicles from a fleet of vehicles to one or more users, the vehicle allocation system comprising:

one or more ports at geographically remote locations relative to each other, each port includes a port computer system having a user interface for receiving travel information submitted by a user;

a plurality of vehicle subsystems associated on a one-to-one basis with the vehicles from the fleet of vehicles and including a control device for controlling an access of the associated vehicle; and

at least one central station computer system coupled for communication with each port computer system for receiving travel information from any one of said port computer systems at which a user inputs travel information, wherein said at least one central station computer system is programmed to select a vehicle within the fleet, in response to the user-input information and for communicating access information to the vehicle subsystem of the selected vehicle, wherein said at least one central station computer system selects a vehicle with a highest state of charge in response to more than one vehicles available to the user based on the user-input information.

33. A method for sharing vehicles in which one or more vehicles from a fleet of vehicles is shared among a plurality of users, in which each vehicle that is shared is equipped with a computer subsystem including an electronic door lock responsive to an unlock signal from a central computers the method comprising:

coupling each vehicle subsystem in wireless communication with a central station computer;

allocating a vehicle from a vehicle sharing fleet to a user based on travel information submitted by the user and, in response to more than one vehicles available to the user based on the travel information, selecting a vehicle having a highest state of charge among the available vehicles for allocation; and

communicating information from the central station computer to a vehicle subsystem for selectively providing an unlock signal to the electronic door lock.