Key fob with directional vehicle locator

• US 7,242,321 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2005
• Issued: 07/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FCA US LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: Daimler Chrysler Corporation (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Inventors: New, David, Borkowicz, Neil L, Carle, Keith B
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass; Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): Walk; Samuel J
• Application Number:
  US11/115,614
• Publication Number:
  US 20060244574A1
• Time in Patent Office: 804 Days
• Field of Search: 340/426.22, 340/426.36, 340/988, 340/989, 340/995.26, 340/995.27, 340/539.11, 342/357.07, 342/457, 701/200, 701/302
• US Class Current: 340/988
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/33 of global position, e.g. by providing GPS coordinates

Abstract

A system for locating a vehicle includes a hand-held unit with data transceiver operation to generate a location request signal. The system also includes a location element in the vehicle, which is operative upon receipt of the location request signal to determine a location of the vehicle relative to the hand-held unit. The locator element in the vehicle sends an indication of the location to the vehicle. The data transceiver in the hand-held unit is further operative to receive the indication of the location of the vehicle and to send the indication to a location indicator. Upon receipt of the indication of the location, the location indicator alerts an operator of the hand-held unit.

Claims

1. A system for locating a vehicle, the system comprising:

a hand-held unit with a data transceiver operative to generate a location request signal, a location indicator for alerting an operator of the hand-held unit of a vehicle location;

a sensor for detecting an angular deviation of the hand-held unit from a north-south reference line of earth; and

a hand-held module coupled to the sensor for receipt of the angular deviation and operative to sending the angular deviation to the location indicator for alerting the operator of the angular deviation of the hand-held unit;

a location element in the vehicle operative upon receipt of the location request signal to determine a location of the hand-held unit relative to the vehicle and to send an indication of the location to the hand-held unit; and

wherein the data transceiver in the hand-held unit is further operative to receive the indication of the location of the hand-held unit and send the indication to a location indicator of the hand-held unit.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein one of the hand-held unit and the location element transposes the indication of the location of the hand-held unit into an indication of a location of the vehicle relative to the hand-held unit.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the angular deviation of the hand-held unit from the north-south reference line of earth is displayed using the location indicator.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the angular deviation of the hand-held unit is displayed using a floating compass dial.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising a request signal actuator coupled to the hand-held module operative for initiating the location request signal when activated by the operator.

6. A system for locating a vehicle, the system comprising:

a hand-held unit with a data transceiver operative to generate a location request signal and a location indicator for alerting an operator of the hand-held unit of a vehicle location;

a location element in the vehicle operative upon receipt of the location request signal to determine a location of the hand-held unit relative to the vehicle and to send an indication of the location to the hand-held unit;

a radio directional finding system operative to determine a bearing angle of the location request signal based on an angular direction by which the radio directional finding system received the location request signal;

a location determination module coupled to the radio directional finding system for receipt of the bearing angle of the location request signal; and

a sensor coupled to the location determination module for detecting an angular deviation of the vehicle relative to a north-south reference line of earth, whereby the location determination module determines the location of the hand-held unit relative to the vehicle based on a function of the angular deviation of the vehicle and the bearing angle of the location request signal; and

wherein the data transceiver in the hand-held unit is further operative to receive the indication of the location of the hand-held unit and send the indication to a location indicator of the hand-held unit.

7. A process for locating a vehicle, the process comprising:

generating request signal for a location of the vehicle from a hand-held unit;

determining an indication of the location of the hand-held unit relative to the vehicle in a location element in the vehicle including detecting an angular deviation of the hand-held unit from a north-south reference line of earth;

sending the indication of the location of the hand-held unit relative to the vehicle to the hand-held unit; and

alerting an operator of the hand-held unit of the indication of the location of the hand-held unit relative to the vehicle.

8. The process of claim 7 further comprising alerting the operator associated with the hand-held unit of the angular deviation of the hand-hold unit from the north-south reference line of earth.

9. The process of claim 8 wherein alerting the operator further comprises displaying the angular deviation of location of the hand-held unit from the north-south reference line of earth as a floating compass dial.

10. The process of claim 7 wherein determining the indication further comprises determining a bearing angle indicating an angular direction of the request signal received by the location element and sent by the hand-held unit.

11. The process of claim 7 further comprising transposing the indication of the location of the hand-held unit relative to the vehicle such that the operator of the hand-held unit is alerted of an indication of a location of the vehicle relative to the hand-held unit.

12. The process of claim 7 wherein alerting the operator further comprises displaying the indication of the location using an arrow to indicate a direction of the vehicle relative to the hand-held unit.

13. A hand-held unit adapted to communicate with a locator element associated with a vehicle, the hand-held unit comprising:

a module with a data transceiver operative to generate a request signal and receive an indication of a location of the hand-held unit relative to the vehicle by the locator element;

a location indicator coupled to the module operative to alert an operator of the indication; and

a sensor coupled to the module operative to detect an angular deviation of the hand-held unit from a north-south reference line of earth.

14. The hand-held unit of claim 13 wherein the location indicator is further operative to alert the operator of the angular deviation of the hand-held unit from the north-south reference line of earth.

16. The hand-held unit of claim 13 further comprising a request signal actuator coupled to the module operative to initiate the request signal to locate the vehicle.

15. A hand-held unit adapted to communicate with a locator element associated with a vehicle, the hand-held unit comprising:

a module with a data transceiver operative to generate a request signal and receive an indication of a location of the hand-held unit relative to the vehicle by the locator element, wherein the indication of the location of the vehicle is based on a function of an angular deviation of the vehicle from a north-south reference line of earth and a bearing angle of the angular direction of the request signal received by the vehicle and sent by the hand-held unit; and

a location indicator coupled to the module operative to alert an operator of the indication.