System for remotely operating vehicle functions

• US 7,483,772 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2005
• Issued: 01/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Kamdar, Hitan S., Veliu, Shpetim S., Reeser, Brad T., Sumcad, Anthony J., Patenaude, Russell A., Oesterling, Christopher L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Black; Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Behncke; Christine M
• Application Number:
  US11/048,550
• Publication Number:
  US 20060173587A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,456 Days
• Field of Search: 701/36, 701/1, 701/49, 701/2, 341/173, 340/5.54, 340/5.561, 340/5.64, 340/426.14, 340/426.16, 340/426.36, 709/217
• US Class Current: 701/2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/101 Bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/00 Fittings or systems for preventing or indicating unauthorised use or theft of vehicles locks for vehicles E05B77/00-E05B85/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/2081 combined with personal settings of other vehicle devices, e.g. mirrors, seats, steering wheels
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00793 by Hertzian waves
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00182 operated with unidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks

Abstract

A method for remotely operating vehicle functions including receiving at least one wireless key fob signal at a kiosk system, receiving a vehicle function request at the kiosk system, and sending the wireless key fob signal from the kiosk system to a vehicle based on the vehicle function request.

Claims

1. A method for remotely operating vehicle functions, the method comprising:

initiating enrollment of a vehicle that does not have a telematics unit into a kiosk system by inputting user identifying information to the kiosk system;

receiving at least one wireless key fob signal at the kiosk system, the wireless key fob signal being sent from a key fob associated with the vehicle and configured to operate the vehicle functions;

associating the received wireless key fob signal with the identifying information at the kiosk system;

receiving a vehicle function request at the kiosk system;

comparing an identifier input with the vehicle function request with the previously input user identifying information; and

when the identifier input with the vehicle function request with the previously input user identifying information matches, sending the wireless key fob signal from the kiosk system to the vehicle based on the vehicle function request, thereby initiating a vehicle function in the vehicle which is responsive to the wireless key fob signal from the kiosk system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the at least one wireless key fob signal at the kiosk system further comprises:

storing the wireless key fob signal linked with the user identifier information in a system database, wherein the user identifier information includes one or more of a vehicle identification number, a customer number associated with the vehicle, a social security number, a password, a security code and a personal identification number.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the vehicle function request at the kiosk system comprises:

receiving direct input at a kiosk in the kiosk system by one of a user or a kiosk attendant, wherein the direct input includes the identifier.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the vehicle function request at the kiosk system comprises:

receiving a call request from a user; and

prompting the user to input the identifier.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the vehicle function request at the kiosk system comprises:

receiving a short-range wireless signal from a portable wireless device at the kiosk system, wherein the identifier is embedded in the short-range wireless signal.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the wireless key fob signal from the kiosk system to the vehicle based on the vehicle function request comprises:

accessing the wireless key fob signal linked to the user identifier information in a system database; and

transmitting the accessed wireless key fob signal from the kiosk to the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless key fob signal includes a vehicle key code, wherein the vehicle function request is a vehicle door unlocking request, and wherein the method farther comprises:

synchronizing the vehicle key code for door unlock commands during the enrollment; and

storing the synchronized vehicle key code in a system database with the user identifier information.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein sending the wireless key fob signal from the kiosk system to the vehicle based on the vehicle function request comprises:

transmitting the synchronized vehicle key code to a door lock system in the vehicle based on the vehicle door unlock request.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the vehicle key code is for an unused setting in the key fob.

10. A system for remotely operating vehicle functions, the system comprising:

means for initiating enrollment of a vehicle that does not have a telematics unit into a kiosk system by inputting user identifying information to the kiosk system;

means for receiving at least one wireless key fob signal at the kiosk system, the wireless key fob signal being sent from a key fob associated with the vehicle and configured to operate the vehicle functions;

means for receiving a vehicle function request at the kiosk system;

means for comparing an identifier input with the vehicle function request with the previously input user identifying information; and

means for sending, when the identifier input with the vehicle function request with the previously input user identifying information matches, the wireless key fob signal from the kiosk system to the vehicle based on the vehicle function request, thereby initiating a vehicle function in the vehicle which is responsive to the wireless key fob signal from the kiosk system.

11. The system of claim 10, the system further comprising:

means for synchronizing a vehicle key code embedded in the wireless key fob signal for door unlock commands; and

means for storing the synchronized vehicle key code in a system database with the user identifier information.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the means for receiving the at least one wireless key fob signal at the kiosk system further comprises:

means for storing the wireless key fob signal linked with the user identifier information in a system database, wherein the user identifier information includes one or more of a vehicle identification number, a customer number associated with the vehicle, a social security number, a password, a security code and a personal identification number.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the means receiving the vehicle function request at the kiosk system comprises:

means for receiving direct input at a kiosk in the kiosk system by one of a user or a kiosk attendant, wherein the direct input includes the identifier.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the means for receiving the vehicle function request at the kiosk system comprises:

means for receiving a call request from a user; and

means for prompting the user to input the identifier.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the means for receiving the vehicle function request at the kiosk system comprises:

means for receiving a short-range wireless signal from a portable wireless device at the kiosk system, wherein the identifier is embedded in the short-range wireless signal.