Method and device for adjusting user-dependent parameter values

• US 7,685,162 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2006
• Issued: 03/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Inventors: Heider, Andreas, Sirch, Ottmar
• Primary Examiner(s): Trujillo; James
• Assistant Examiner(s): CONYERS, DAWAUNE A
• Application Number:
  US11/410,142
• Publication Number:
  US 20060195483A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,428 Days
• Field of Search: 701 35- 36, 701/49
• US Class Current: 707/802
• 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: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/966 Distributed

Abstract

A method and device for adjusting user-dependent parameter values in or on at least one automotive device in a motor vehicle and for saving the settings in at least one data memory inside the vehicle and/or outside the vehicle are provided. To improve the convenience of the known method with one or more main users and one more temporary users, there is a query in a first step to ascertain whether the user-dependent parameter values currently set are to be saved as temporary parameter values or as quasi-permanent parameter values in the at least one data memory inside the vehicle and/or outside the vehicle. In a second step, the user-dependent parameter values currently set are saved in accordance with the response to the inquiry, and in a third step, regardless of the result of the inquiry, the quasi-permanent parameter values are always set.

Claims

1. A method for adjusting user-dependent parameter values on or in at least one automotive device of a motor vehicle and for saving the settings in at least one data memory inside the vehicle or outside the vehicle, comprising the acts of:

querying whether the user-dependent parameter values currently set are to be saved as temporary parameter values associated with a temporary user of the vehicle or quasi-permanent parameter values associated with a main user of the vehicle in the at least one data memory inside the vehicle or outside the vehicle,

saving the currently set user-dependent parameter values in accordance with a response to the query, wherein, when the response indicates that the user-dependent parameter values currently set are to be saved as temporary parameter values associated with the temporary user, the user-dependent parameter values are saved as temporary parameter values associated with the temporary user, and when the response indicates that the user-dependent parameter values currently set are to be saved as quasi-permanent parameter values associated with the main user, the user-dependent parameter values are saved as quasi-permanent parameter values associated with the main user, and

setting, when the motor vehicle is turned off, the user-dependent parameter values on or in the at least one automotive device as quasi-permanent parameter values associated with a primary main user of the vehicle having a highest priority of all users, regardless of the result of the query.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the user-dependent parameter values that are set in or on at least one automotive device are user-dependent settings comprising settings for at least one of a seat position, a steering wheel position, a mirror position, user-dependent data comprising a telephone directory or an address directory or a directory of navigation destinations for use by a navigation system, or software settings already performed by a user.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the most current quasi-permanent parameter values or the highest priority quasi-permanent parameter values are set on the at least one automotive device after the user leaves the motor vehicle or in the period of time after locking the motor vehicle and before a subsequent opening of the motor vehicle.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the user-dependent parameter values currently set are saved as the most current quasi-permanent parameter values or the highest priority quasi-permanent parameter values only after a positive outcome of an authorization check by voice recognition, whereby the user-dependent parameter values currently set are saved in addition to other quasi-permanent parameter values or the user-dependent parameter values currently set replace other quasi-permanent parameter values.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the user-dependent parameter values currently set are saved in a data memory included in a vehicle key, said data memory being currently in use for operation of the vehicle or provided externally to the vehicle.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the user-dependent parameter values currently set are saved as temporary parameter values in the data memory inside the motor vehicle, assigning a name or another individualized item of information to the user-dependent parameter values currently set, and after opening the motor vehicle, there is a query to determine whether automotive devices are to be adjusted in accordance with the saved temporary parameter values.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the temporary parameters values are saved in a shift register memory, a set of more recent temporary parameter values replacing a set of older temporary parameter values.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a comparison is made of quasi-permanent parameter values saved in the data memory outside the motor vehicle with the user-dependent parameter values currently set in the motor vehicle, whereby, when there is a deviation, the quasi-permanent parameter values saved in the data memory outside the motor vehicle are adjusted in the motor vehicle.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the user-dependent parameter values currently set are saved as the temporary or quasi-permanent parameter values in the at least one data memory outside the vehicle, which is provided in a cell phone, Subscriber Identity Module card, a personal digital assistant, a chip card or a notebook, and transmission of the user-dependent parameter values currently set from the motor vehicle to the data memory outside the motor vehicle is performed as a wireless transmission.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the user-dependent parameter values are transmitted from the at least one data memory outside the motor vehicle by wireless transmission to another vehicle for adjusting its automotive devices, after a first authorization check by an authorization checking device in the other vehicle has turned out positive.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the user-dependent parameter values are saved as temporary parameter values if the outcome of the first authorization check is positive, and if the outcome of a second authorization check is positive, the user-dependent parameter values are saved as quasi-permanent parameter values in the other vehicle.

12. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the most current quasi-permanent parameter values or the highest priority quasi-permanent parameter values are set on the at least one automotive device after the user leaves the motor vehicle or in the period of time after locking the motor vehicle and before a subsequent opening of the motor vehicle.

13. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the user-dependent parameter values currently set are saved as the most current quasi-permanent parameter values or the highest priority quasi-permanent parameter values only after a positive outcome of an authorization check by voice recognition, whereby the user-dependent parameter values currently set are saved in addition to other quasi-permanent parameter values or the user-dependent parameter values currently set replace other quasi-permanent parameter values.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the user-dependent parameter values currently set are saved in a data memory included in a vehicle key, said data memory being currently in use for operation of the vehicle or provided externally to the vehicle.

15. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the user-dependent parameter values currently set are saved as temporary parameter values in the data memory inside the motor vehicle, assigning a name or another individualized item of information to the user-dependent parameter values currently set, and after opening the motor vehicle, there is a query to determine whether automotive devices are to be adjusted in accordance with the saved temporary parameter values.

16. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the temporary parameters values are saved in a shift register memory, a set of more recent temporary parameter values replacing a set of older temporary parameter values.

17. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein a comparison is made of quasi-permanent parameter values saved in the data memory outside the motor vehicle with the user-dependent parameter values currently set in the motor vehicle, whereby, when there is a deviation, the quasi-permanent parameter values saved in the data memory outside the motor vehicle are adjusted in the motor vehicle.

18. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the user-dependent parameter values currently set are saved as the temporary or quasi-permanent parameter values in the at least one data memory outside the vehicle, which is provided in a cell phone, Subscriber Identity Module card, a personal digital assistant, a chip card or a notebook, and transmission of the user-dependent parameter values currently set from the motor vehicle to the data memory outside the motor vehicle is performed as a wireless transmission.

19. The method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the user-dependent parameter values are transmitted from the at least one data memory outside the motor vehicle by wireless transmission to another vehicle for adjusting its automotive devices, after a first authorization check by an authorization checking device in the other vehicle has turned out positive.