Method for checking the use of the functions of a provided vehicle

• US 9,026,266 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2012
• Issued: 05/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bluecarsharing (Bollore SA)
• Original Assignee: Bluecarsharing (Bollore SA)
• Inventors: Aaron, Francis, Rodrigues, Ruben, Ressayre, Sandrine, Lambrinos, Clment, Chebbi, Yousra, Augustin, Aymeric, Barrois, Raphal, Geron, Antoine, Geron, Sylvain
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Yonel
• Application Number:
  US14/128,977
• Publication Number:
  US 20140148997A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,037 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/36, 705/5, 180/272, 180/287, 340/425.5, 340/426.1, 340/426.11, 340/500, 340/568.1, 340/5.1, 340/5.2, 340/5.8, 340 581- 585
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/021 specially adapted to land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/00 Arrangements or apparatus for collecting fares, tolls or entrance fees at one or more control points handling coins or valuable papers, e.g. banknotes, G07D; apparatus for vending or hiring articles or services activated by coins, credit cards, paper currency or the like G07F7/00, G07F17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00896 specially adapted for particular uses

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for checking the use of a vehicle provided to a predetermined user, characterized in that it includes the following steps: a digital means, located in a terminal or in a vehicle connected to said terminal, reads data containing an identifier of said user: said user identifier is sent to a central computer system managing a plurality of vehicles and a plurality of users, in order to compare said user identifier with at least one datum from a user database; and, in the event the vehicle has been provided correctly, said central system sends at least one message enabling a control signal to be sent to a means for controlling at least one function of said assigned vehicle, or an infrastructure to which the latter is connected.

Claims

1. A method for controlling the use of a vehicle, in particular of a motor vehicle, made available to a specified user, characterized in that it comprises the following steps:

reading an item of data representing an identifier of said user by digital means within a terminal or in a vehicle connected to said terminal comprising means for communicating with a central data processing system managing a plurality of vehicles and a plurality of users;

sending this user identifier by digital means to said central data processing system;

comparison of said user identifier by said central data processing system with at least one item of data of a user database;

in the event that this comparison supplies a result validating the making available of said allocated vehicle to said user, sending, by said central system, of at least one message allowing the immediate or delayed sending of at least one command signal to the control means of at least one function of said allocated vehicle, or of an infrastructure to which it is connected, wherein said message comprises engine starting authorization data; and

storing said engine authorization data in storage means in said vehicle.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the message is transmitted to a control unit within the allocated vehicle and triggers storage of said user identifier as a valid user identifier, in storage means of said control unit.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that the storage of the user identifier as a valid user identifier, in storage means of the control unit is carried out by replacing a valid user identifier of a preceding user.

4. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that it further comprises the following steps:

reading a user identifier item of data, within said vehicle, by reading means communicating with the control unit;

validation of this identifier item of data by comparing with the valid identifier item of data stored in said control unit;

depending on the result of this verification, sending, or not sending by said control unit, of at least one command signal, called identification command signal, to control means of at least one function of said vehicle or of an infrastructure to which it is connected.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the control unit generates a command signal for general authorization for driving which depends on the value of the state of authorization of engine starting stored in said control unit.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises a step of verification of at least one state of the vehicle or of the infrastructure to which it is connected, said verification also determining the sending of the command signal.

7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the or at least one signal triggers means for locking or unlocking of at least one access to an interior region of the vehicle.

8. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one command signal generates a signal for starting a powertrain and/or deactivation of means for immobilizing the vehicle or at least one powertrain.

9. The method according to claim 1, in which, after the reading step, the method comprises a step of validation of the identifying item of data by comparison by the vehicle of the item of data read with a universal identification item of data stored permanently in the storage means of the control unit, and, depending on the result of this verification, a step of sending, or not sending, at least one command signal to control means of at least one function of said vehicle or of an infrastructure to which it is connected.

10. The method of managing a fleet of motor vehicles made available to a plurality of users, characterized in that it comprises control of each of said vehicles by a method of control according to claim 1.

12. The vehicle according to claim 11, characterized in that it comprises control means of one or more functions of said vehicle, which are arranged so that they can only be activated by an operation of activation according to claim 1.

14. The method according to claim 5, wherein generating a command signal for general authorization for driving depends on detecting a command for starting by the user or on generation of a command signal for changing the state of locking of the doors and windows.

15. The method according to claim 6, wherein said verification determines the sending of the identification command signal or signal for authorization for driving.

16. The method according to claim 7, wherein the identification command signal triggers means for locking or unlocking of at least one access to an interior region of the vehicle.

17. The method according to claim 7, wherein the at least one signal in triggers means for locking or unlocking the passenger compartment and/or an access lid to means for connection to a power recharging terminal.

18. The method according to claim 8, wherein the command signal for authorization of starting generates a signal for starting a powertrain and/or deactivation of means for immobilizing the vehicle or at least one powertrain.

19. The method according to claim 8, wherein the at least one command signal generates a signal for starting all the powertrains and/or deactivation of means for immobilizing all the powertrains.

20. The method according to claim 9, wherein the step of sending or not sending at least one command signal to control means of at least one function of said vehicle or of an infrastructure to which it is connected comprises sending or not sending an identification command signal.

11. A vehicle comprising at least one control unit arranged for communicating with an information system for management of a plurality of vehicles, characterized in that the control unit is connected within the vehicle to:

user identification means accessible from the outside without opening said vehicle;

means for wireless communication with said management information system;

control means of one or more functions of said vehicle, said control unit being configured for;

reading an item of data representing an identifier of a user,

sending the user identifier to the information system,

receiving a message comprising engine starting authorization data from the information system, and

storing the engine authorization data in storage means in the vehicle.

13. A installation comprising a vehicle according to claim 11 and a management information system comprising means for wireless communication with the vehicle and storage means comprising at least one user database.

21. The vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the means for wireless communication with said management information system comprises wireless digital telephony.