Remote login of a personal computer

• US 7,389,160 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2006
• Issued: 06/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sorensen Research & Development Trust
• Original Assignee: Sorensen Research & Development Trust
• Inventors: Sorensen, Jens Ole, Sorensen, Jens Erik
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US11/400,439
• Publication Number:
  US 20060184289A1
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: 701/2, 701/35, 701/1, 701/33, 701/36, 701/49, 340/5.81, 340/5.23, 340/5.61, 340/5.54, 340/426.14, 340/426.36, 726/2, 726/8, 726/17, 726/27, 726/28, 713/201, 713/202
• US Class Current: 701/2
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/002 Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon detection means responsive to presence or absence of children B60N2/266
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0248 with memory of positions
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/205 Mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/20 Means to switch the anti-theft system on or off
• 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: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00182 operated with unidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks

Abstract

A system for remotely logging into a personal computer includes a controller coupled to the personal computer and a remote control device. The controller memorizes a login password for the personal computer. The remote control device transmits a login signal to which the controller responds by causing the personal computer to be turned on and by sending the memorized login password to the personal computer. When the personal computer is located in an automobile that includes apparatus for adjusting at least one component of the automobile to provide a plurality of arrangements of the at least one component, the controller controls the adjusting apparatus and memorizes at least a first component arrangement associated with the personal computer; and the controller responds to a first component arrangement signal received from a location remote from the controller by controlling the adjusting apparatus to provide the memorized first component arrangement.

Claims

1. A system for remotely logging into a personal computer, comprising:

a controller coupled to the personal computer, wherein the controller includes means for memorizing a login password for the personal computer; and

a remote control device for transmitting a login signal;

wherein the controller is adapted for responding to said login signal by causing the personal computer to be turned on and by sending the memorized login password to the personal computer.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the personal computer is located in an automobile.

3. A system according to claim 2, wherein the controller is adapted for controlling a plurality of preferred arrangements of at least one component of a said automobile that includes means for adjusting at least one component of the automobile to provide a plurality of arrangements of the at least one component;

and

wherein the controller includes means for memorizing the plurality of preferred component arrangements;

wherein the remote control device is adapted for transmitting a component arrangement signal indicating a memorized preferred component arrangement; and

wherein the controller is adapted to respond to the component arrangement signal by causing means for adjusting the at least one component to adjust the at least one component to the indicated memorized preferred component arrangement.

4. A system according to claim 3, wherein the remote control device is adapted for transmitting said login signal with said component arrangement signal.

5. A system according to claim 3, wherein the controller is coupled to a plurality of said personal computers located in an automobile;

wherein the controller includes means for memorizing a plurality of login passwords for said plurality of said coupled personal computers that are respectively associated with said preferred arrangements within the automobile, including at least a first login password for a first said coupled personal computer associated with a first component arrangement and a second login password for a second said coupled personal computer associated with a second component arrangement;

wherein the controller is adapted for responding to a first said login signal received from a location remote from the automobile, by causing the first personal computer to be turned on and by sending the memorized first login password to the first personal computer; and

wherein the controller is adapted for responding to a second said login signal received from a location remote from the automobile, by causing the second personal computer to be turned on and by sending the memorized second login password to the second personal computer.

6. A system according to claim 2, wherein the controller is adapted for controlling a seat positioning control system to adjust the position of a seat in the automobile to a preferred seat position and for memorizing the preferred seat position;

wherein the remote control device is adapted for transmitting a seat-position signal indicating the memorized preferred seat position; and

wherein the controller is adapted to respond to the seat position signal by causing the seat positioning control system to adjust the seat to the indicated memorized preferred seat position.

7. A system according to claim 2, wherein the remote control device is adapted for transmitting said login signal with an unlock-request signal that is adapted for causing a keyless-entry system to unlock one or more doors of the automobile.

8. A method of remotely logging into a personal computer, comprising the steps of:

(a) with a remote control device, transmitting a login signal; and

(b) with a controller that is coupled to the personal computer and includes a memorized login password for the personal computer, responding to said login signal by causing the personal computer to be turned on and by sending the memorized login password to the personal computer.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the controller is coupled to a plurality of said personal computers, the method further comprising the steps of;

(c) with the controller, memorizing a plurality of login passwords for said plurality of coupled personal computers, including at least a first login password for a first said coupled personal computer and a second login password for a second said coupled personal computer;

(d) with a first said remote control device, transmitting a first said login signal that the controller responds to by causing the first personal computer to be turned on and by sending the memorized first login password to the first personal computer; and

(e) with a second said remote control device, transmitting a second said login signal that the controller responds to by causing the second personal computer to be turned on and by sending the memorized second login password to the second personal computer.

10. A method according to claim 9, in combination with a method of controlling arrangements of at least one component of an automobile in which said plurality of personal computers are located and that includes means for adjusting at least one component of the automobile to provide a plurality of arrangements of the at least one component, said preferred arrangements including at least a first component arrangement and a second component arrangement, wherein the first personal computer is associated with the first component arrangement and the second personal computer is associated with the second component arrangement, the method of controlling arrangements comprising the steps of:

(f) with the controller, controlling the adjusting means, and memorizing a plurality of preferred component arrangements, including at least the first component arrangement and the second component arrangement;

(g) with a first said remote control device, transmitting a first component arrangement signal that causes the controller to control the adjusting means to provide the memorized first component arrangement; and

(h) with a second said remote control device, transmitting a second component arrangement signal that causes the controller to control the adjusting means to provide the memorized second component arrangement.

11. A combination of methods according to claim 10, wherein the first remote control device transmits the first login signal with the first component arrangement signal and the second remote control device transmits the second login signal with the second component arrangement signal.

12. A method according to claim 8, in combination with a method of controlling a plurality of preferred arrangements of at least one component of an automobile in which the personal computer is located and that includes means for adjusting at least one component of the automobile to provide a plurality of arrangements of the at least one component, said preferred arrangements including at least a first component arrangement that is associated with the personal computer, the method of controlling arrangements comprising the steps of:

(c) with the controller, controlling the adjusting means, and memorizing at least the first component arrangement; and

(d) with the remote control device, transmitting a component arrangement signal that causes the controller to control the adjusting means to provide the memorized first component arrangement.

13. A combination of methods according to claim 12, wherein the remote control device transmits the login signal with the component arrangement signal.

14. A method according to claim 8, wherein the remote control device transmits the login signal with an unlock-request signal that causes a keyless-entry system to unlock one or more doors of the automobile.

15. A computer readable medium for use with a computer in a controller that is coupled to a personal computer, wherein the computer readable medium contains program instructions for:

(a) enabling the controller to memorize a login password for the personal computer; and

(b) causing the controller to respond to a login signal received from a location remote from the controller by causing the personal computer to be turned on and by sending the memorized login password to the personal computer.

16. A computer readable medium according to claim 15, wherein the controller is coupled to a plurality of personal computers, and wherein the computer readable medium also contains program instructions for:

(c) causing the controller to memorize a plurality of login passwords for said plurality of coupled personal computers, including at least a first login password for a first said coupled personal computer and a second login password for a second said coupled personal computer;

(d) causing the controller to respond to a first said login signal by causing the first personal computer to be turned on and by sending the memorized first login password to the first personal computer; and

(e) causing the controller to respond to a second said login signal by causing the second personal computer to be turned on and by sending the memorized second login password to the second personal computer.

17. A computer readable medium according to claim 16, wherein said plurality of personal computers are located in an automobile that includes means for adjusting at least one component of the automobile to provide a plurality of arrangements of the at least one component, said preferred arrangements including at least a first component arrangement and a second component arrangement, wherein the first personal computer is associated with the first component arrangement and the second personal computer is associated with the second component arrangement, wherein the computer readable medium also contains program instructions for:

(f) causing the controller to control the adjusting means and to memorize a plurality of preferred component arrangements, including at least the first component arrangement and the second component arrangement;

(g) causing the controller to respond to a first component arrangement signal received from a location remote from the controller by controlling the adjusting means to provide the memorized first component arrangement; and

(h) causing the controller to respond to a second component arrangement signal received from a location remote from the controller by controlling the adjusting means to provide the memorized second component arrangement.

18. A computer readable medium according to claim 15, wherein the personal computer is located in an automobile that includes means for adjusting at least one component of the automobile to provide a plurality of arrangements of the at least one component, said preferred arrangements including at least a first component arrangement that is associated with the personal computer, and wherein the computer readable medium also contains program instructions for:

(c) causing the controller to control the adjusting means and to memorize at least the first component arrangement; and

(d) causing the controller to respond to a first component arrangement signal received from a location remote from the controller by controlling the adjusting means to provide the memorized first component arrangement.

19. A computer readable medium according to claim 15, wherein the personal computer is located in an automobile that includes keyless-entry system, and wherein the computer readable medium contains program instructions for:

(c) causing the controller to control the keyless-entry system; and

(d) causing the controller to respond to an unlock-request signal received from a location remote from the controller by causing a keyless-entry system to unlock one or more doors of the automobile.