Portable transceiver with vehicle security control and locate features

• US 8,380,430 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2008
• Issued: 02/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VOXX International Corporation
• Original Assignee: VOXX International Corporation
• Inventors: Malone, Thomas C., Tranchina, James R., DiCroce, John, Wilson, Shane
• Primary Examiner(s): Rodriguez, Joseph C
• Application Number:
  US12/259,768
• Publication Number:
  US 20100103036A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,575 Days
• Field of Search: 701/207, 701/208, 701/211, 701/213, 701/410, 701/428, 701/431, 701/433, 701/439
• US Class Current: 701/431
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/33 of global position, e.g. by providing GPS coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/36 Input/output arrangements for on-board computers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00

Abstract

A portable transceiver for locking and locating an automobile, includes a remote keyless entry system for locking the automobile; a locating device determining a location of the transceiver, wherein the remote keyless entry system and the locating device are housed in a pocket sized housing; and a processor deriving directional information from a current location to a waypoint, wherein in response to an activation of the remote keyless entry system, the locating device determines the waypoint corresponding substantially to that of the automobile.

Claims

1. A portable transceiver for use in communications with an automobile, comprising:

a transmitter that transmits signals to activate a remote keyless entry (RKE) feature of the automobile;

a locating device that tracks a distance and direction of a plurality of traversed paths of the transceiver relative to a waypoint;

an altimeter that measures elevation;

a processor that processes the plurality of traversed paths, and reconstructs a return path back to the waypoint, wherein the return path corresponds to the plurality of traversed paths, and in response to an activation of the RKE feature, the locating device determines the waypoint corresponding substantially to that of the automobile; and

a display that simultaneously displays a pointer indicating a direction from a current one of the plurality of traversed paths to a next one of the plurality of traversed paths, a waypoint indicator indicating a distance from the current one of the plurality of traversed paths to the next one of the plurality of traversed paths, and a set of arrows indicating an elevation direction from the current one of the plurality of traversed paths to the next one of the plurality of traversed paths,

wherein the transmitter, the locating device, the altimeter, the processor and the display are housed in a pocket sized housing.

2. The portable transceiver according to claim 1, wherein the locating device includes a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver.

3. The portable transceiver according to claim 1, wherein the locating device includes a radio-frequency (RF) ranging device.

4. The portable transceiver according to claim 1, wherein the locating device includes an accelerometer device.

5. The portable transceiver according to claim 1, wherein the display is one of a liquid crystal display (LCD), light emitting diode (LED) array, organic light-emitting diode (OLED) graphic display, plasma display, glasses-free three-dimensional (3D)-enabled display, aluminum gallium arsenide (AlGaAs) LED array, and a liquid crystal on silicon (LCoS) micro display.

6. The portable transceiver according to claim 1, wherein the display further displays a bread-crumb trail indicating the return path.

7. The portable transceiver according to claim 1, wherein the waypoint is determined by the locating device when a lock vehicle command is input to the remote keyless entry system.

8. The portable transceiver according to claim 1, wherein the directional information is audibly provided.

9. A portable transceiver according to claim 1, further including a second transceiver including a second locating device in the automobile, wherein the second locating device is configured to determine the location of the automobile and the second transceiver transmits the location of the automobile information to the portable transceiver.

10. The portable transceiver according to claim 9, wherein the first and second locating devices include respective Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers.

11. The portable transceiver according to claim 9, wherein the second locating device further includes an altimeter for measuring an elevation of the second locating device.

12. The portable transceiver according to claim 9, further comprising:

a receiver in the portable transceiver that receives the location of the automobile information transmitted from the second transceiver.

19. The portable transceiver according to claim 1, wherein in response to the activation of the RKE feature, the locating device initiates a tracking procedure that measures a distance that the transceiver is moved away from the waypoint in three dimensions.

20. The portable transceiver according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of traversed paths are distinguished from each other based on detected changes in direction.

13. A method of guiding a user to a vehicle, comprising:

marking a waypoint corresponding to the user'"'"'s location upon arming of a security feature of the vehicle;

tracking a distance and direction of a plurality of traversed paths of the user relative to the waypoint;

reconstructing a return path back to the waypoint, wherein the return path corresponds to the plurality of traversed paths; and

displaying, simultaneously, a pointer indicating a direction from a current one of the plurality of traversed paths to a next one of the plurality of traversed paths, a waypoint indicator indicating a distance from the current one of the plurality of traversed paths to the next one of the plurality of traversed paths, and a set of arrows indicating an elevation direction from the current one of the plurality of traversed paths to the next one of the plurality of traversed paths.

14. The method of claim 13, further including the step of correcting to true position after arming of the security feature and before tracking the user'"'"'s movement.

15. The method of claim 13, further including storing the distance and direction of the plurality of traversed paths.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the reconstructing the return path includes retrieving the stored distance and direction of the plurality of traversed paths.

17. A portable transceiver for use in communications with an automobile, comprising:

a transmitter that transmits signals to activate a remote keyless entry (RKE) feature of the automobile;

a locating device that tracks a distance and direction of a plurality of traversed paths of the transceiver relative to a waypoint, wherein the transmitter and the locating device are housed in a pocket sized housing; and

a processor that processes the plurality of traversed paths, and reconstructs a return path back to the waypoint, wherein the return path corresponds to the plurality of traversed paths, and in response to an activation of the RKE feature, the locating device determines the waypoint corresponding substantially to that of the automobile and initiates a tracking procedure that measures a distance that the transceiver is moved away from the waypoint in three dimensions.

18. The portable transceiver according to claim 17, wherein the plurality of traversed paths are distinguished from each other based on detected changes in direction.