Vehicle location reminder system and method

• US 8,035,503 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2008
• Issued: 10/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Inventors: Partin, Dale L., Sultan, Michel F.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US12/316,012
• Publication Number:
  US 20100141412A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,036 Days
• Field of Search: 340/457, 340/457.1, 340/426.1, 340/426.13, 340/426.15, 340/426.16, 340/426.18, 340/426.19, 340/426.2, 340/426.22, 340/438, 340/539.21, 342/357.5, 342/457, 342/357.07
• US Class Current: 340/457
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental

Abstract

A vehicle location reminder system having a vehicle positioning system operable to provide an approximate location of a vehicle and record the approximate location of the vehicle. A status check system monitors use of the vehicle and sends a signal to the vehicle positioning system to record the approximate location of the vehicle when the vehicle is no longer in use. A memory system is connected to the status check system and the vehicle positioning system, the memory system being adapted to determine if the approximate location of the vehicle, when no longer in use, is in a familiar location. An alert system is connected to the memory system. The alert system prompts a vehicle user to record data on a mobile device pertaining to the approximate location of the vehicle when the location of the vehicle, when no longer in use, is not in a familiar location. A replay system is adapted to replay the recorded data.

Claims

1. A vehicle location reminder system comprising:

a vehicle positioning system operable to provide an approximate location of a vehicle and record the approximate location of the vehicle;

a status check system that monitors use of the vehicle and that sends a signal to the vehicle positioning system to record the approximate location of the vehicle when the vehicle is no longer in use;

a memory system connected to the status check system and the vehicle positioning system, the memory system adapted to determine if the approximate location of the vehicle, when no longer in use, is in a familiar location;

an alert system connected to the memory system wherein the alert system prompts a vehicle user within a range to record data pertaining to the approximate location of the vehicle after the vehicle is no longer in use, when the location of the vehicle is not in a familiar location, and before the vehicle user moves outside the range; and

a replay system adapted to replay the recorded data.

2. The vehicle location reminder system of claim 1, further comprising:

a mobile device that records data provided by the vehicle user.

3. The vehicle location reminder system of claim 2, wherein:

the mobile device includes an audio recorder for recording data provided by the vehicle user and the replay system includes a speaker for replaying the data audibly.

4. The vehicle location reminder system of claim 1, further comprising:

a passenger sensor that instructs the status check system to prompt the vehicle positioning system to record data relating to the approximate location of the vehicle once a passenger has left the vehicle.

5. The vehicle location reminder system of claim 1, wherein:

the status check system does not prompt the vehicle to record data relating to the approximate location of the vehicle until the vehicle has been locked and a predetermined time has elapsed since the vehicle was locked.

6. The vehicle location reminder system of claim 1, comprising:

a proximity sensor that measures a signal strength of a signal transmitted between the vehicle and a mobile device and that prompts the vehicle user to record data pertaining to the approximate vehicle location when the signal strength begins to diminish.

7. The vehicle location reminder system of claim 1, wherein:

the alert system prompts the vehicle user to record data pertaining to the approximate location of the vehicle when the last recorded approximate location of the vehicle by the vehicle positioning system, before the vehicle is parked, is not a familiar location.

8. The vehicle location reminder system of claim 1, wherein:

the alert system sends an alert to the vehicle user that is personalized and automatically adjusted according to environmental, vehicle, and security conditions.

9. The vehicle location reminder system of claim 1, wherein;

a position is recorded by the vehicle user as a familiar location or not a familiar location and the memory system records the position of the vehicle when no longer in use.

10. A vehicle location reminder system comprising:

a vehicle positioning system operable to provide an approximate location of a vehicle and record the approximate location of the vehicle;

a status check system that monitors use of the vehicle and that sends a signal to the vehicle positioning system to record the approximate location of the vehicle when the vehicle is no longer in use;

a memory system connected to the status check system and the vehicle positioning system, the memory system adapted to determine if the approximate location of the vehicle when the vehicle is no longer in use is a familiar location;

an alert system connected to the memory system wherein the alert system prompts a vehicle user within a range to record data pertaining to the approximate location of the vehicle after being parked, when the location of the vehicle is not a familiar location, and before the vehicle user moves away outside the range; and

a mobile device having an information recording system adapted to record and store data related to the approximate location of the vehicle.

11. The vehicle location reminder system of claim 10, wherein:

the mobile device includes an audio recorder for recording approximate location data provided by the vehicle user and a replay system having a speaker for audibly replaying audio data.

12. A method for determining the location of a vehicle, comprising:

installing a global positioning satellite system into the vehicle;

installing a notification system into the vehicle;

providing a module that evaluates when the vehicle is no longer in use;

recording the last known approximate location of the vehicle when no longer in use;

evaluating whether the last known approximate location is a familiar location;

sending approximate location data from the notification system and global positioning satellite system to an alert system;

sending an alert from the module to a vehicle user within a range, after the vehicle is no longer in use, when the approximate location is determined to not be familiar, and before the vehicle user moves outside the range; and

providing a recording device for receiving approximate location data from the vehicle user.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of providing a recording device further includes providing an audio recorder adapted to record audible data related to the approximate location of the vehicle and wherein the audio recorder replays the data for the vehicle user.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of providing a recording device further includes providing an image recorder adapted to record image information related to the approximate location of the vehicle and providing a display screen on the recording device.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving user occupancy information from a seat sensor located in a seat of the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving a signal from a door sensor indicating that a door on the vehicle has been opened.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

providing a proximity sensor that measures the strength of a signal between the recording device and the vehicle.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving a signal from a lock sensor that indicates when a door of the vehicle has been locked.