Credential check and authorization solution for personal vehicle rental

• US 8,880,239 B2
• Filed: 11/07/2012
• Issued: 11/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Kleve, Robert Bruce, Van Wiemeersch, John Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Mary
• Assistant Examiner(s): BERNS, MICHAEL ANDREW
• Application Number:
  US13/670,523
• Publication Number:
  US 20140129053A1
• Time in Patent Office: 727 Days
• Field of Search: 701/2, 705/5, 705/50, 705/76
• US Class Current: 701/2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0645 Rental transactions; Leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0057 for the hiring or rent of vehicles, e.g. cars, bicycles or wheelchairs car rental G07B15/00

Abstract

A vehicle computing system includes a processor programmed and configured to establish communication with a wireless device brought into proximity of a vehicle. The processor may use the wireless device to receive an identifier from a vehicle rental administrative system. The identifier is configured with the processor to activate a vehicle during a prescribed rental period. The processor may receive user input to activate the vehicle for a rental period. The processor may compare the user input to the received identifier and enable a keyless drive-away of the vehicle if the user input corresponds to the identifier.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a processor configured to

receive rental data, originating from an administrative system remote from the vehicle, specifying a credential for an authorized user of the vehicle and defining a threshold speed for the vehicle,

in response to successfully authenticating input identifying a user against the credential, enable keyless drive away of the vehicle, and

in response to a speed of the vehicle exceeding the threshold speed, output an alert for the administrative system.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to receive the credential and threshold speed from the administrative system via a wireless device over a telecommunications network.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the credential includes data representing a fingerprint.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to transmit the credential and threshold speed to a vehicle control system.

5. The vehicle of claim 4 wherein the vehicle control system is integrated with a fingerprint scanner.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the threshold speed is a predefined value stored at the administrative system.

7. A computer-implemented method, performable by one or more vehicle processors, comprising:

receiving rental data, originating from an administrative system remote from a vehicle, specifying a credential for an authorized user of the vehicle and defining a geofence for the vehicle;

in response to successfully authenticating input identifying a user against the credential, enabling keyless drive away of the vehicle; and

in response to a location of the vehicle being outside of the geofence, output an alert for the administrative system.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the credential is data representing a license of the user.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the one or more vehicle processor are integrated with a camera.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the camera is used to receive the input.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the input represents a license of the user.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein the geofence is a defined no-go zone area stored at the administrative system.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the alert is at least one of an email notification, text message, and in-vehicle display message.

14. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium, storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, configure the processor to:

receive rental data, originating from an administrative system remote from a vehicle, specifying a credential for an authorized user of the vehicle and defining a threshold speed for the vehicle;

in response to successfully authenticating input identifying a user against the credential, enable keyless drive away of the vehicle; and

in response to a speed of the vehicle exceeding the threshold speed, output an alert for the administrative system.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 14 storing additional instructions to further configure the processor to receive the credential and threshold speed from the administrative system via a wireless device over a telecommunications network.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 wherein the wireless device is a smart phone.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 14 wherein the credential is a code phrase.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 14 storing additional instructions to further configure the processor to transmit the credential to a vehicle control system.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18 wherein the vehicle control system is integrated with a microphone.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 14 wherein the alert is at least one of an email notification, text message, and in-vehicle display message.