Vehicle location device and method
First Claim
1. An electronic device configured to be carried on a user'"'"'s person for directing the user to a parked vehicle, the electronic device utilizing node location data provided by at least one local wireless node and vehicle location information provided by the vehicle, the electronic device comprising:
- a motion detector configured to determine when the electronic device is in motion;
a network receiver configured to receive the node location data from the at least one local wireless node; and
a controller coupled to the motion detector and to the network receiver, the controller configured;
to store the vehicle location information;
to monitor for the availability of node location data in response to detection of motion by the motion detector;
to receive node location data, when available, via the network receiver;
to estimate the location of the electronic device from the received node location data; and
to determine the position of the vehicle relative to the electronic device.
12 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An electronic device configured to be carried on a user'"'"'s person is provided for directing the user to a parked vehicle. The electronic device utilizes node location data provided by at least one local wireless node and vehicle location information provided by the vehicle. The electronic device includes a network receiver and a controller coupled thereto. The network receiver is configured to receive the node location data from the at least one local wireless node. The controller is configured to store the vehicle location information, to estimate the location of the electronic device from the received node location data, and to determine the position of the vehicle relative to the electronic device.
29 Citations
18 Claims
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1. An electronic device configured to be carried on a user'"'"'s person for directing the user to a parked vehicle, the electronic device utilizing node location data provided by at least one local wireless node and vehicle location information provided by the vehicle, the electronic device comprising:
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a motion detector configured to determine when the electronic device is in motion; a network receiver configured to receive the node location data from the at least one local wireless node; and a controller coupled to the motion detector and to the network receiver, the controller configured;
to store the vehicle location information;
to monitor for the availability of node location data in response to detection of motion by the motion detector;
to receive node location data, when available, via the network receiver;
to estimate the location of the electronic device from the received node location data; and
to determine the position of the vehicle relative to the electronic device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A keyfob for directing a user to a parked vehicle, the keyfob utilizing node location data provided by at least one wireless node, the keyfob comprising:
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a vehicle link receiver configured to receive vehicle location information from the vehicle; a network receiver configured to receive the node location data; a controller coupled to the vehicle link receiver and to the network receiver, the controller configured to estimate the position of the vehicle relative to the keyfob utilizing the vehicle location information and the received node location data; and a vehicle position indicator coupled to the controller and configured to generate a series of beep, the controller configured to vary the frequency of the series of beeps generated by the vehicle position indicator to indicate the position of the vehicle relative to the keyfob. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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12. A process carried out by an electronic device carried by a user for guiding the user to a vehicle, the process comprising:
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storing vehicle location information; receiving wireless node location data; estimating the location of the electronic device from the received node location data; determining the position of the vehicle relative to the electronic device; generating a signal indicative of the position of the vehicle relative to the electronic device; and determining if the electronic device is within the vehicle; wherein the step of estimating the location of the electronic device from the received node location data and the step of generating a signal indicative of the position of the vehicle relative to the electronic device are performed in a continuous loop until it is determined that the electronic device is within the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification