Key fob security copy to a mobile phone

• US 9,002,536 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Issued: 04/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Hatton, David Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James
• Assistant Examiner(s): SMITH-STEWART, DEMETRA R
• Application Number:
  US13/802,990
• Publication Number:
  US 20140277837A1
• Time in Patent Office: 754 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/2
• 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
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00793 by Hertzian waves
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00865 remotely by wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/20 involving the use of a pass
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3816 Mechanical arrangements for accommodating identification devices, e.g. cards or chips; with connectors for programming identification devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234

Abstract

A mobile device enabling one or more processors to receive vehicle key security codes from a vehicle key. The mobile device may receive a signal from a transmitter associated with a vehicle key, the signal being indicative of one or more security codes associated with the vehicle key. The mobile device may store the one or more security codes in memory and configure a mobile device application to implement one or more vehicle control functions using the security codes. The mobile device may wirelessly transmit commands for implementing the one or more vehicle control functions using the security codes to a vehicle associated with the key. The wireless transmission of commands may include short range wireless communication.

Claims

1. A mobile device comprising:

software configuring one or more processers to;

receive a signal from a transmitter associated with a vehicle key, the signal being indicative of one or more vehicle computing system security codes associated with the vehicle key;

store the one or more vehicle computing system security codes in memory;

initialize a predefined timer for the one or more security codes;

configure a mobile device application to implement one or more vehicle control functions using the security codes; and

wirelessly transmit commands via the mobile device application for implementing the one or more vehicle control functions using the security codes to a vehicle associated with the key during the predefined timer.

2. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the signal from the transmitter transmitted using Bluetooth technology.

3. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the signal from the transmitter transmitted using near field communication.

4. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the one or more processers are additionally configured to:

receive a voice command related to the one or more vehicle control functions;

transmit a signal to the vehicle associated with the key based on the voice command.

5. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the mobile device is a cellular telephone.

6. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the one or more processers are additionally configured to:

configure the mobile device application to either be identifiable as a primary key or a secondary key, wherein the primary key provides greater control over vehicle functionality than the secondary key; and

transmit a signal indicative of the mobile device being one of the primary key or the secondary key.

7. The mobile device of claim 6 wherein the one or more processers are further configured to:

receive input defining a change of status of the mobile device from the primary key to the secondary key.

8. The mobile device of claim 6 wherein the primary key is configured to activate or deactivate at least one vehicle feature.

9. A vehicle key fob apparatus comprising:

a circuit having a transmitter configured to;

in response to input using at least one button at a key fob for initializing wireless transmission of one or more vehicle computing system security code signals,

wirelessly transmit the one or more vehicle computing system security code signals to a handheld computing device to enable the handheld computing device to wirelessly perform a vehicle control function independent from the key fob.

10. The vehicle key fob apparatus of claim 9 wherein the wireless transmission of the one or more security code signals includes a short range wireless communication.

11. The vehicle key fob apparatus of claim 10 wherein the short range wireless communication includes near field communication.

12. The vehicle key fob apparatus of claim 11 wherein the near field communication is radio frequency identification technology.

13. The vehicle key fob apparatus of claim 9 wherein the circuit is additionally configured to transmit a signal to assign the handheld computing device as a primary key or secondary key.

14. The vehicle key fob apparatus of claim 13 wherein the primary key provides greater control over the one or more vehicle control functions than that of the secondary key.

15. A method comprising:

receiving a signal from a transmitter associated with a vehicle key indicative of a vehicle computing system security code;

configuring a mobile device application to implement a vehicle control function using the security code for a predefined amount of time; and

wirelessly transmitting commands via the mobile device application for implementing the vehicle control function during the predefined time using the security code for a vehicle associated with the key.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

receiving a voice command related to the one or more vehicle control functions;

transmitting a signal to the vehicle associated with the key based on the voice command.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

configuring the mobile device application to either be identifiable as a primary key or a secondary key, wherein the primary key provides greater control over vehicle functionality than the secondary key; and

transmitting a signal indicative of the mobile device being one of the primary key or the secondary key.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

receiving a change of status of the mobile device from the primary key to the secondary key.