Portable memory automobile ignition system

• US 7,006,914 B1
• Filed: 01/18/2005
• Issued: 02/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uatc, LLC (Uber Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Colin Paul Cahoon
• Inventors: Cahoon, Colin Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Hieu T.
• Application Number:
  US11/037,620
• Time in Patent Office: 406 Days
• Field of Search: 701/115, 701/102, 701/1, 307/10.1, 307/10.4, 307/10.5, 307/10.6
• US Class Current: 701/115
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/101 Bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/045 by limiting or cutting the electrical supply to the propulsion unit
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/2081 combined with personal settings of other vehicle devices, e.g. mirrors, seats, steering wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/307 using data concerning maintenance or configuration
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/33 of global position, e.g. by providing GPS coordinates

Abstract

A portable memory device used in substitution of an automobile key and interfaced with an automobile onboard computer and ignition system. The portable memory device contains data that, when read by the onboard computer, enables the ignition system. The portable memory device is read and write capable, thereby allowing for data to be used by the onboard computer in conjunction with several automobile systems, and allowing for data to be transferred from said systems to the portable memory device by the onboard computer.

Claims

1. An automobile ignition system comprising:

a portable memory device receiving port;

an onboard processing unit in electrical communication with said port and the automobile'"'"'s ignition system; and

a portable memory device, wherein said memory device is read and write capable and is a USB portable flash drive,

wherein said portable memory device is inserted into said port, thereby allowing data transfer from said device to said processing unit for initiating the starting of the automobile'"'"'s engine.

2. The automobile ignition system of claim 1 wherein said portable memory device receiving port is a USB port located near the driver'"'"'s position inside the automobile.

3. The automobile ignition system of claim 1 wherein said portable memory device is read in order to enable driver preference settings for automobile components, said components comprising side mirrors and an adjustable driver'"'"'s seat.

4. The automobile ignition system of claim 1 wherein said portable memory device is accessible for the transfer of data from the portable memory device to an entertainment media in the automobile.

5. The automobile ignition system of claim 4 wherein said entertainment media comprises an automobile radio.

6. The automobile ignition system of claim 4 wherein said entertainment media comprises an audio/visual system.

7. The automobile ignition system of claim 1 wherein said portable memory device interfaces with an onboard navigation system.

8. The automobile ignition system of claim 7 wherein said onboard navigation system is a Global Positioning System.

9. The automobile ignition system of claim 1 wherein said portable memory device interfaces with engine controls.

10. The automobile ignition system of claim 1 wherein said portable memory device interfaces with automobile system monitors.

11. The automobile ignition system of claim 1 wherein said portable memory device has a storage capacity of at least 64 MB.

12. An automobile ignition system that utilizes a read and write capable portable memory device in lieu of an automobile ignition key, wherein said portable memory device is a USB portable flash drive, said ignition system comprising:

a portable memory device receiving port; and

an onboard processing unit in electrical communication with said port and the automobile'"'"'s ignition system;

wherein said portable memory device is inserted into said port, thereby allowing data transfer from said processing unit for initiating the starting of the automobile'"'"'s engine.

13. The automobile ignition system of claim 12 wherein said portable memory device receiving port is a USB port located near the driver'"'"'s position inside the automobile.

14. The automobile ignition system of claim 12 wherein said portable memory device is read in order to enable driver preference settings for automobile components, said components comprising side mirrors and an adjustable driver'"'"'s seat.

15. The automobile ignition system of claim 12 wherein said portable memory device has a storage capacity of at least 64 MB.

16. An automobile ignition system comprising:

a USB port located near the driver'"'"'s position inside the automobile;

an onboard processing unit in electrical communication with said port and the automobile'"'"'s ignition system; and

a USB portable flash drive;

wherein said USB portable flash drive is inserted into said USB port, thereby allowing data transfer from said drive to said processing unit for initiating the starting of the automobile'"'"'s engine.

17. The automobile ignition system of claim 16 wherein said portable memory device is read in order to enable driver preference settings for automobile components, said components comprising side mirrors and an adjustable driver'"'"'s seat.

18. The automobile ignition system of claim 16 wherein said portable memory device has a storage capacity of at least 64 MB.

19. An automobile ignition system comprising:

a portable memory device receiving port;

an onboard processing unit in electrical communication with said port and the automobile'"'"'s ignition system; and

a portable memory device, wherein said memory device is read and write capable, wherein said portable memory device is inserted into said port, thereby allowing data transfer from said device to said processing unit for initiating the starting of the automobile'"'"'s engine, wherein further said portable memory device is read in order to enable drive preference settings for automobile components, said components comprising side mirrors and an adjustable driver'"'"'s seat.

20. The automobile ignition system of claim 19 wherein said portable memory device is a USB portable flash drive.

21. The automobile ignition system of claim 19 wherein said portable memory device receiving port is a USB port located near the driver'"'"'s position inside the automobile.

22. The automobile ignition system of claim 19 wherein said portable memory device is accessible for the transfer of data from the portable memory device to an entertainment media in the automobile.

23. The automobile ignition system of claim 22 wherein said entertainment media comprises an automobile radio.

24. The automobile ignition system of claim 22 wherein said entertainment media comprises an audio/visual system.

25. The automobile ignition system of claim 19 wherein said portable memory device interfaces with an onboard navigation system.

26. The automobile ignition system of claim 25 wherein said onboard navigation system is a Global Positioning System.

27. The automobile ignition system of claim 19 wherein said portable memory device interfaces with engine controls.

28. The automobile ignition system of claim 19 wherein said portable memory device interfaces with automobile system monitors.

29. The automobile ignition system of claim 19 wherein said portable memory device has a storage capacity of at least 64 MB.

30. An automobile ignition system comprising:

a portable memory device receiving port;

an onboard processing unit in electrical communication with said port and the automobile'"'"'s ignition system; and

a portable memory device, wherein said memory device is read and write capable, wherein said portable memory device is inserted into said port, thereby allowing data transfer from said device to said processing unit for initiating the starting of the automobile'"'"'s engine, wherein further said portable memory device is accessible for the transfer of data from the portable memory device to an entertainment media in the automobile.

31. The automobile ignition system of claim 30 wherein said portable memory device is a USB portable flash drive.

32. The automobile ignition system of claim 30 wherein said portable memory device receiving port is a USB port located near the driver'"'"'s position inside the automobile.

33. The automobile ignition system of claim 30 wherein said portable memory device is read in order to enable driver preference settings for automobile components, said components comprising side mirrors and an adjustable driver'"'"'s seat.

34. The automobile ignition system of claim 30 wherein said entertainment media comprises an automobile radio.

35. The automobile ignition system of claim 30 wherein said entertainment media comprises an audio/visual system.

36. The automobile ignition system of claim 30 wherein said portable memory device interfaces with an onboard navigation system.

37. The automobile ignition system of claim 30 wherein said onboard navigation system is a Global Positioning System.

38. The automobile ignition system of claim 30 wherein said portable memory device interfaces with engine controls.

39. The automobile ignition system of claim 30 wherein said portable memory device interfaces with automobile system monitors.

40. The automobile ignition system of claim 30 wherein said portable memory device has a storage capacity of at least 64 MB.

41. An automobile ignition system comprising:

a portable memory device receiving port;

an onboard processing unit in electrical communication with said port and the automobile'"'"'s ignition system; and

a portable memory device, wherein said memory device is read and write capable, wherein said portable memory device is inserted into said port, thereby allowing data transfer from said device to said processing unit for initiating the starting of the automobile'"'"'s engine, wherein further said portable memory device interfaces with an onboard navigation system.

42. The automobile ignition system of claim 41 wherein said portable memory device is a USB portable flash drive.

43. The automobile ignition system of claim 41 wherein said portable memory device receiving port is a USB port located near the driver'"'"'s position inside the automobile.

44. The automobile ignition system of claim 41 wherein said portable memory device is read in order to enable driver preference settings for automobile components, said components comprising side mirrors and an adjustable driver'"'"'s seat.

45. The automobile ignition system of claim 41 wherein said portable memory device is accessible for the transfer of data from the portable memory device to an entertainment media in the automobile.

46. The automobile ignition system of claim 45 wherein said entertainment media comprises an automobile radio.

47. The automobile ignition system of claim 45 wherein said entertainment media comprises an audio/visual system.

48. The automobile ignition system of claim 41 wherein said onboard navigation system is a Global Positioning System.

49. The automobile ignition system of claim 41 wherein said portable memory device interfaces with engine controls.

50. The automobile ignition system of claim 41 wherein said portable memory device interfaces with automobile system monitors.

51. The automobile ignition system of claim 41 wherein said portable memory device has a storage capacity of at least 64 MB.

52. An automobile ignition system comprising:

a portable memory device receiving port;

an onboard processing unit in electrical communication with said port and the automobile'"'"'s ignition system; and

a portable memory device, wherein said memory device is read and write capable, wherein said portable memory device is inserted into said port, thereby allowing data transfer from said device to said processing unit for initiating the starting of the automobile'"'"'s engine, wherein further said portable memory device interfaces with engine controls.

53. The automobile ignition system of claim 52 wherein said portable memory device is a USB portable flash drive.

54. The automobile ignition system of claim 52 wherein said portable memory device receiving port is a USB port located near the driver'"'"'s position inside the automobile.

55. The automobile ignition system of claim 52 wherein said portable memory device is read in order to enable driver preference settings for automobile components, said components comprising side mirrors and an adjustable driver'"'"'s seat.

56. The automobile ignition system of claim 52 wherein said portable memory device is accessible for the transfer of data from the portable memory device to an entertainment media in the automobile.

57. The automobile ignition system of claim 56 wherein said entertainment media comprises an automobile radio.

58. The automobile ignition system of claim 56 wherein said entertainment media comprises an audio/visual system.

59. The automobile ignition system of claim 52 wherein said portable memory device interfaces with an onboard navigation system.

60. The automobile ignition system of claim 59 wherein said onboard navigation system is a Global Positioning System.

61. The automobile ignition system of claim 52 wherein said portable memory device interfaces with automobile system monitors.

62. The automobile ignition system of claim 52 wherein said portable memory device has a storage capacity of at least 64 MB.

63. An automobile ignition system comprising:

a portable memory device receiving port;

an onboard processing unit in electrical communication with said port and the automobile'"'"'s ignition system; and

a portable memory device, wherein said memory device is read and write capable, wherein said portable memory device is inserted into said port, thereby allowing data transfer from said device to said processing unit for initiating the starting of the automobile'"'"'s engine, wherein further said portable memory device interfaces with automobile system monitors.

64. The automobile ignition system of claim 63 wherein said portable memory device is a USB portable flash drive.

65. The automobile ignition system of claim 63 wherein said portable memory device receiving port is a USB port located near the driver'"'"'s position inside the automobile.

66. The automobile ignition system of claim 63 wherein said portable memory device is read in order to enable driver preference settings for automobile components, said components comprising side mirrors and an adjustable driver'"'"'s seat.

67. The automobile ignition system of claim 63 wherein said portable memory device is accessible for the transfer of data from the portable memory device to an entertainment media in the automobile.

68. The automobile ignition system of claim 67 wherein said entertainment media comprises an automobile radio.

69. The automobile ignition system of claim 67 wherein said entertainment media comprises an audio/visual system.

70. The automobile ignition system of claim 63 wherein said portable memory device interfaces with an onboard navigation system.

71. The automobile ignition system of claim 70 wherein said onboard navigation system is a Global Positioning System.

72. The automobile ignition system of claim 63 wherein said portable memory device interfaces with engine controls.

73. The automobile ignition system of claim 63 wherein said portable memory device has a storage capacity of at least 64 MB.

74. An automobile ignition system comprising:

a portable memory device receiving port;

an onboard processing unit in electrical communication with said port and the automobile'"'"'s ignition system; and

a portable memory device, wherein said memory device is read and write capable, wherein said portable memory device is inserted into said port, thereby allowing data transfer from said device to said processing unit for initiating the starting of the automobile'"'"'s engine, wherein further said portable memory device has a storage capacity of at least 64 MB.

75. The automobile ignition system of claim 74 wherein said portable memory device is a USB portable flash drive.

76. The automobile ignition system of claim 74 wherein said portable memory device receiving port is a USB port located near the driver'"'"'s position inside the automobile.

77. The automobile ignition system of claim 74 wherein said portable memory device is read in order to enable driver preference settings for automobile components, said components comprising side mirrors and an adjustable driver'"'"'s seat.

78. The automobile ignition system of claim 74 wherein said portable memory device is accessible for the transfer of data from the portable memory device to an entertainment media in the automobile.

79. The automobile ignition system of claim 78 wherein said entertainment media comprises an automobile radio.

80. The automobile ignition system of claim 78 wherein said entertainment media comprises an audio/visual system.

81. The automobile ignition system of claim 74 wherein said portable memory device interfaces with an onboard navigation system.

82. The automobile ignition system of claim 81 wherein said onboard navigation system is a Global Positioning System.

83. The automobile ignition system of claim 74 wherein said portable memory device interfaces with engine controls.

84. The automobile ignition system of claim 74 wherein said portable memory device interfaces with automobile system monitors.