Method of finding a key to a mobile vehicle

• US 8,188,837 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2008
• Issued: 05/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Patenaude, Russell A., Tengler, Steven C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): MA, KAM WAN
• Application Number:
  US12/189,114
• Publication Number:
  US 20100033342A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,390 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.72, 340/539.32, 340/8.1, 340/5.33, 340/825.49
• US Class Current: 340/5.33
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/2018 Central base unlocks or authorises unlocking

Abstract

A method of finding a key to a mobile vehicle includes receiving a call, at a call center, indicating that the key is lost and requesting, via the call center, a telematics unit on-board the mobile vehicle to establish communication with a remote access key fob that is associated with the key, the remote access key fob having an alarm integrated therewith. The method further includes requesting, via the call center, the telematics unit to activate the alarm of the remote access key fob and activating, via the telematics unit, the alarm of the remote access key fob.

Claims

1. A method of finding a key of a mobile vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving a call, at a call center, indicating that the key is lost;

requesting, via the call center, a telematics unit on-board the mobile vehicle to establish communication with a remote access key fob that is associated with the key, the remote access key fob having an alarm integrated therewith;

requesting, via the call center, the telematics unit to activate the alarm of the remote access key fob;

activating, via the telematics unit, the alarm of the remote access key fob;

deactivating at least one function of the remote access key fob, the at least one function being selected from a mobile vehicle door-unlocking function, a mobile vehicle ignition-start function, or combinations thereof;

receiving confirmation from a user associated with the mobile vehicle that the key has been found;

reactivating the previously deactivated at least one function of the remote access key fob in response to receiving confirmation;

initiating, by a finder of the key, a call with an advisor of the call center;

indicating to the advisor that the key has been found; and

verifying that the finder is in fact the user associated with the mobile vehicle;

wherein the user associated with the mobile vehicle is a non-owner of the mobile vehicle, and wherein the method further comprises contacting an owner of the mobile vehicle to inform the owner that the non-owner found the key.

2. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the communication established between the telematics unit and the remote access key fob is wireless.

3. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the alarm is at least one of a visual alarm or an audible alarm.

4. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the key fob includes a locating device, and wherein the method further comprises sending a signal, from the key fob to the telematics unit, indicating a then-current location of the key fob.

5. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the alarm is activated for a predetermined time period.

6. The method as defined in claim 5, further comprising:

determining whether the key has been found within the predetermined time period; and

if the key has not been found within the predetermined time period, deactivating the at least one function of the remote access key fob.

7. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

notifying the key fob that the key is lost;

determining whether the key fob is within a predetermined range of the mobile vehicle; and

notifying the telematics unit that the key fob is either within the range or not within the range.

8. The method as defined in claim 7 wherein if the key fob is not within the range, the method further comprises reactivating, via the telematics unit, the alarm of the key fob.