Method and apparatus for tracking device connection and state change

• US 8,947,221 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2013
• Issued: 02/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Dauzet, Ryan Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Swarthout, Brent
• Application Number:
  US13/777,417
• Publication Number:
  US 20140240112A1
• Time in Patent Office: 707 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.2, 340/5.72, 340/5.74, 340/425.5, 340/438, 340/457, 340/687
• US Class Current: 340/438
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/102 a signal being sent to a remote location, e.g. a radio signal being transmitted to a police station, a security company or the owner

Abstract

A system includes a processor configured to determine if a vehicle computing system (VCS) has been placed in a monitoring mode. The processor is also configured to detect and log the connection or disconnection of any remote devices. The processor is further configured to flag logs if the VCS is in a monitoring mode. Also, the processor is configured to detect the presence of a known vehicle driver or the termination of the monitoring mode and report any flagged logs upon known driver detection or monitoring mode termination.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a processor configured to;

determine if a vehicle computing system (VCS) is in a monitoring mode;

detect and log any remote-device connection or disconnection;

flag the logs for upload;

detect a known driver or the monitoring-mode termination; and

report the flagged logs upon known driver detection or monitoring-mode termination, including remote-server connection detection and flagged log upload to the remote-server upon connection detection.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote-device includes a portable phone.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote device includes a USB memory device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote-device includes a personal computer.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote-device includes a tablet.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote-device includes a portable music player.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to detect and log a state change in any connected remote-device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the reporting is further performed over a vehicle audio system.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the reporting is further performed over a vehicle visual display.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the reporting is further performed to a user device.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to provide the known driver with an option to save any flagged logs and to responsively save the flagged logs upon receipt of driver confirmation.

12. A computer-implemented method comprising:

determining if a vehicle computing system (VCS) is in a monitoring-mode;

detecting and logging any remote-device connection or disconnection;

flagging the logs for upload;

detecting a known driver or monitoring-mode termination; and

reporting the flagged logs upon known driver detection or monitoring-mode termination, including detecting a remote-server connection and uploading the flagged log to the remote-server upon connection detection.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising detecting and logging a state change in any connected remote device.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising providing the known driver with an option to save any flagged logs and responsively saving the flagged logs upon receipt of driver confirmation.

15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium, storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

determining if a vehicle computing system (VCS) is in a monitoring-mode;

detecting and logging any remote device connection or disconnection;

flagging the logs for upload;

detecting a known driver or the monitoring-mode termination; and

reporting the flagged logs upon known driver detection or monitoring-mode termination, including detecting a remote-server connection and uploading the flagged log to the remote-server upon connection detection.

16. The storage medium of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises detecting and logging a state change in any connected remote device.

17. The storage medium of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises providing the known driver with an option to save any flagged logs and responsively saving the flagged logs upon receipt of driver confirmation.