Methodology for emergency transfer of keys for vehicle equipped with biometric access and start

• US 8,890,654 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2013
• Issued: 11/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Van Wiemeersch, John Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): HUNNINGS, TRAVIS R
• Application Number:
  US13/775,553
• Publication Number:
  US 20140240086A1
• Time in Patent Office: 631 Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.8
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/25 using biometry
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 1/00 Comparing elements, i.e. elements for effecting comparison directly or indirectly between a desired value and existing or anticipated values

Abstract

A system may include a system controller in communication with a function controller and configured to receive an authentication request. The authentication request may include a user input and the user input may be authenticated by matching the user input with at least one stored input. The controller may determine a vehicle mode and update, via the function controller, a status associated with a key fob in response to the vehicle mode being in an authenticated mode.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a system controller in communication with a function controller, the system controller configured to;

receive an authentication request, including a user input;

authenticating the user input by matching the user input with at least one stored input;

determining a vehicle mode;

updating, via the function controller, a status associated with a key fob in response to the vehicle mode being in an authenticated mode.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the updated status associated with the key fob indicates the key fob is functional.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the key fob is arranged in a receptacle within a vehicle.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the function controller is configured to determine that the key fob is not arranged within the receptacle.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the function controller is configured to associate a removed status with the key fob upon removal of the key fob from the receptacle.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a biometric device in communication with the system controller, wherein the user input is a biometric input received from the biometric device.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a database in communicated with the function controller and configured to maintain the status associated with the key fob.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the authenticated mode includes at least one of a motive, accessory, and delayed accessory mode.

9. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a computing device, an access request including a user input;

comparing the user input with at least one stored input;

authenticating the user in response to the user input matching the at least one stored input;

determining a vehicle mode;

updating a status associated with a key fob in response to the vehicle mode being in an authenticated mode.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising determining that key fob is arranged in a receptacle within a vehicle.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the function controller is configured to associate a removed status with the key fob upon removal of the key fob from the receptacle.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the user input is a biometric input.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising maintaining the status associated with the key fob in a database.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the authenticated mode includes at least one of a motive, accessory, and delayed accessory mode.

15. A method comprising:

detecting a key fob within a receptacle;

authenticating a first input;

authenticating a second input;

updating, at a computing device, the status associated with the key fob to include a backup status in response to the authentication of the first and second inputs.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first input is a frequency signal including a first input identification and wherein the second input is a frequency signal including a second input identification.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the first input is a frequency signal including a first input identification and wherein the second input is a biometric input.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising updating the status associated with the key fob to include an inactive status.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the detecting the key fob includes receiving a signal from the key fob at a function controller.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the signal includes a key fob identification and a vehicle identification number.