System for programming customizable vehicle features

• US 7,050,795 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2004
• Issued: 05/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Denso International America Incorporated (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Denso International America Incorporated (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakano, Akio, McBride, Justin, Keeling, Thomas, Wiegand, Michael, Aoyama, Keiichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): Afshar, Kamran
• Application Number:
  US10/875,922
• Publication Number:
  US 20050288837A1
• Time in Patent Office: 698 Days
• Field of Search: 455418-420, 455/88, 455/550.1, 455/569.1, 455/575.9, 455/345, 455/569.2, 340/426.14, 340/425.5, 340428-430
• US Class Current: 455/419
• 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

Abstract

A system for communicating user identified preferences to a vehicle includes a programming device adapted to receive input indicative of user defined vehicle settings and operable to store the input as vehicle setting data. A first portable security device is operable to transmit a first identification code. A transceiver residing in the vehicle is in data communication over a wireless communication link with each of the first portable security device and the programming device. The transceiver is operable to initiate download of the vehicle setting data to the vehicle upon receipt of the first identification code from the first portable security device.

Claims

1. A system for communicating user identified preferences to a vehicle comprising:

a programming device adapted to receive input indicative of user defined vehicle settings and operable to store said input as first and second vehicle setting data;

a first portable security device operable to transmit a first identification code;

a transceiver residing in the vehicle and in data communication over a wireless communication link with each of said first portable security device and said programming device, said transceiver operable to initiate download of said first vehicle setting data from the programming device to the vehicle upon receipt of said first identification code from said first portable security device; and

a second portable security device associated with second user setting data stored in said programming device, said second portable security device operable to transmit a second identification code, wherein said transceiver is operable to establish priority between said first and second identification codes and initiate download of one of said first and second vehicle setting data based on said priority.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said transceiver is adapted to establish priority based on proximity of said first and second portable security devices relative to a vehicle antenna.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said transceiver is operable to transmit a polling signal to said first and second portable security devices.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein said first and second portable security devices are operable to respond to said polling signal with transmission of a respective identification code.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said transceiver is operable to communicate a signal representing said vehicle data to a vehicle ECU, the ECU communicating one of said first and second vehicle setting data to a predetermined vehicle module upon receipt of a respective identification code.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said first identification code is communicated from said first portable security device to said transceiver upon actuation of an input device on said first portable security device, wherein said transceiver is operable to determine if said first identification code corresponds to a predetermined identification code and receive said first vehicle setting data based on said first identification code corresponding to said predetermined identification code.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein said programming device is further defined as one of a cell phone, a personal digital assistant and a personal computer.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said programming device is located remotely from the vehicle.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein one of said first and second vehicle setting data is downloaded from said programming device to said transceiver in the vehicle through an internet connection.

10. A system for communicating user identified preferences to a vehicle comprising:

a programming device operable to receive input indicative of user defined vehicle settings;

a first portable security device operable to receive said user defined vehicle settings and store said user defined vehicle settings as first vehicle setting data;

a plurality of vehicle modules in the vehicle operable to receive said user defined vehicle settings;

a transceiver residing in the vehicle and in data communication over a wireless communication link with said portable security device, said transceiver operable to initiate download of said first vehicle setting data directly from said programming device to the vehicle modules upon receipt of a first identification code from said first portable security device; and

a second portable security device associated with a second user setting data stored in said programming device, said second portable security device operable to transmit a second identification code, wherein said transceiver is operable to establish priority between said first and second identification codes and initiate download of one of said first and second vehicle setting data based on said priority.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising a data transfer medium for communicating said user defined vehicle settings from said programming device to said portable security device as one of said first and second vehicle setting data.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein said programming device communicates said user defined vehicle settings over a wireless communication link to said portable security device as one of said first and second vehicle setting data.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein said transceiver is operable to transmit a polling signal to one of said first and second portable security devices.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein one of said first and second portable security devices is operable to respond to said polling signal with a respective identification code.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein said transceiver is operable to determine if said first identification code corresponds to a predetermined identification code and receive said first vehicle setting data from said programming device based on said first identification code corresponding to said predetermined identification code.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein said programming device is operable to download said input as vehicle data based on said first portable security device attaining a predetermined proximity to said programming device.

17. A system for communicating user identified preferences to a vehicle comprising:

a programming device adapted to directly receive user-input indicative of user-defined vehicle settings and operable to store said input as first vehicle setting data;

a first portable security device operable to transmit a first identification code;

a transceiver in data communication with said programming device over a wireless communication link and residing in the vehicle, said transceiver operable to initiate download of said first vehicle setting data directly from said programming device when said programming device attains an operational proximity to the vehicle, wherein said transceiver is operable to transmit a polling signal to said programming device and a second portable security device associated with second user setting data stored in said programming device, said second portable security device operable to transmit a second identification code, wherein said transceiver is operable to establish priority between said first and second identification codes and initiate download of one of said first and second vehicle setting data based on said priority.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein said programming device is operable to respond to said polling signal with a device identification code.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein said transceiver is operable to determine if said first identification code corresponds to a predetermined identification code and receive said first vehicle setting data based on said first identification code corresponding to said predetermined identification code.