Lock code recovery system

• US 8,686,829 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2011
• Issued: 04/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Highstrom, Matthew M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): DARAMOLA, ISRAEL O
• Application Number:
  US13/157,682
• Publication Number:
  US 20120315873A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,026 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.61, 340/539.11, 340/870.01, 455/569.2, 713/183, 713/186, 726/6, 726/17, 726/18
• US Class Current: 340/5.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/205 Mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user

Abstract

A lock code recovery system for selectively sending a lock code to a proximate personal electronic device is provided. A recognizable code is associated with the proximate personal electronic device. The lock code recovery system includes a user input device for receiving feedback and a control module. The control module is in communication with the user input device, and has a memory with an application and at least one recognizable code stored thereon. The application has the lock code associated with the application for at least activating or deactivating the application. The control module includes control logic for monitoring the user input device for feedback indicating the lock code associated with the application should be sent to the proximate personal device.

Claims

1. A lock code recovery system for selectively sending a lock code from the lock code recovery system to a proximate personal electronic device, wherein a recognizable code is associated with the proximate personal electronic device and wherein the proximate personal electronic device is a portable electronic device, the lock code recovery system comprising:

a user input device for receiving feedback; and

a control module in communication with the user input device, the control module having a memory with an application and at least one recognizable code stored thereon, the application having the lock code associated with the application for at least activating or deactivating the application, the control module comprising;

a control logic for monitoring the user input device for feedback indicating the lock code associated with the application should be sent to the proximate personal electronic device;

a control logic for detecting the recognizable code associated with the proximate personal electronic device over a short-range wireless network;

a control logic for comparing the at least one recognizable code stored in the memory of the control module with the recognizable code associated with the proximate personal electronic device;

a control logic for determining if the at least one recognizable code stored in the memory of the control module is identical to the recognizable code associated with the proximate personal electronic device;

a control logic for establishing a short-range wireless connection between the proximate personal electronic device and the control module; and

a control logic for sending a signal indicating the lock code from the lock code recovery system to the proximate personal electronic device over the short-range wireless connection if the at least one recognizable code stored in the memory of the control module is identical to the recognizable code associated with the proximate personal electronic device.

2. The lock code recovery system of claim 1, further comprising a display in communication with the control module and the user input device.

3. The lock code recovery system of claim 2, wherein the display includes a graphic for indicating whether the lock code associated with the application should be sent to the proximate personal electronic device.

4. The lock code recovery system of claim 1, wherein the signal indicating the lock code is sent as a self-addressed short messaging services (SMS) message.

5. The lock code recovery system of claim 1, wherein a Message Access Profile (MAP) specification defines a set of features to exchange the signal between the control module and the proximate personal electronic device.

6. The lock code recovery system of claim 1, wherein the short-range wireless connection is based on one of the IEEE 802.15 standard and the IEEE 802.11 standard.

7. The lock code recovery system of claim 1, wherein the application is configured to limit a speed or a power range of a vehicle.

8. The lock code recovery system of claim 1, wherein the application is configured to limit a sound volume of an audio system.

9. The lock code recovery system of claim 1, wherein the control module is an infotainment control module.

10. A vehicle having a lock code recovery system for sending a lock code from the lock code recovery system to a proximate personal electronic device, wherein a recognizable code is associated with the proximate personal electronic device and wherein the proximate personal electronic device is a portable electronic device, the lock code recovery system comprising:

a user input device for receiving feedback; and

a control module in communication with the user input device, the control module having a memory with an application and at least one recognizable code stored thereon, the application having the lock code associated with the application for at least activating or deactivating the application, the control module comprising;

a control logic for monitoring the user input device for feedback indicating the lock code associated with the application should be sent to the proximate personal electronic device;

a control logic for detecting the recognizable code associated with the proximate personal electronic device over a short-range wireless network;

a control logic for comparing the at least one recognizable code stored in the memory of the control module with the recognizable code associated with the proximate personal electronic device;

a control logic for determining if the at least one recognizable code stored in the memory of the control module is identical to the recognizable code associated with the proximate personal electronic device;

a control logic for establishing a short-range wireless connection between the proximate personal electronic device and the control module; and

a control logic for sending a signal indicating the lock code from the lock code recovery system to the proximate personal electronic device over the short-range wireless connection if the at least one recognizable code stored in the memory of the control module is identical to the recognizable code associated with the proximate personal electronic device.

11. The vehicle of claim 10, further comprising a display in communication with the control module and the user input device.

12. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the display includes a graphic for indicating whether the lock code associated with the application should be sent to the proximate personal electronic device.

13. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein a Message Access Profile (MAP) specification defines a set of features to exchange the signal between the control module and the proximate electronic personal electronic device.

14. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the short-range wireless connection is based on one of the IEEE 802.15 standard and the IEEE 802.11 standard.

15. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the application is configured to restrict access to one or more vehicle functions.

16. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the signal indicating the lock code is sent as a self-addressed short messaging services (SMS) message.

17. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the application is configured to limit access to a storage area of a vehicle.

18. A vehicle having a lock code recovery system for sending a lock code to a proximate personal electronic device, wherein a recognizable code is associated with the proximate personal electronic device and wherein the proximate personal electronic device is a portable electronic device, the lock code recovery system comprising:

a user input device for receiving feedback;

a display in communication with the user input device; and

a control module in communication with the user input device and the display, the control module having a memory with a valet application and at least one recognizable code stored thereon, the valet application having the lock code associated with the valet application for at least activating or deactivating the valet application, the control module comprising;

a control logic for monitoring the user input device for feedback indicating the lock code associated with the valet application should be sent to the proximate personal electronic device;

a control logic for detecting the recognizable code associated with the proximate personal electronic device over a short-range wireless network;

a control logic for comparing the at least one recognizable code stored in the memory of the control module with the recognizable code associated with the proximate personal electronic device;

a control logic for determining if the at least one recognizable code stored in the memory of the control module is identical to the recognizable code associated with the proximate personal electronic device;

a control logic for establishing a short-range wireless connection between the proximate personal electronic device and the control module; and

a control logic for sending a self-addressed short messaging services (SMS) signal indicating the lock code from the lock code recovery system to the proximate personal electronic device over the short-range wireless connection if the at least one recognizable code stored in the memory of the control module is identical to the recognizable code associated with the proximate personal electronic device.

19. The vehicle of claim 18, wherein a Message Access Profile (MAP) specification defines a set of features to exchange the signal between the control module and the proximate personal electronic device.

20. The vehicle of claim 18, wherein the short-range wireless connection is based on one of the IEEE 802.15 standard and the IEEE 802.11 standard.