Mobile device-activated vehicle functions

• US 9,110,772 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2012
• Issued: 08/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Huntzicker, Fred W., Alrabady, Ansaf I., Gautama, Neeraj R., Chau, Jarvis, Kalhous, Amanda J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Mary
• Application Number:
  US13/672,080
• Publication Number:
  US 20140129054A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,013 Days
• Field of Search: 701/2, 701/36, 701/57, 340/5.2, 340/5.6, 340/5.61, 340/5.8
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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

Abstract

Mobile device-activated vehicle functions are implemented by authenticating a vehicle with a device via wireless signals transmitted between a low frequency antenna of the device and a low frequency antenna of the vehicle when the vehicle is in communicative range of the device. The mobile device-activated vehicle functions are further implemented by receiving, via computer processor embedded in the device, a selection from one of a plurality of input components embedded in the device, the selection associated with a vehicle function, and transmitting a request to implement the vehicle function via the low frequency antenna coupled to the computer processor and the low frequency antenna of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a case configured to receive a mobile communications device, wherein the case is embedded with circuitry powered by a battery disposed in the mobile communications device, the circuitry configured to authenticate a vehicle and comprising;

a computer processor;

a low frequency antenna;

input components communicately coupled to the computer processor, and wherein the circuitry defines a wireless receiver that, in conjunction with a wireless charger of the vehicle, is configured to inductively charge the battery when the wireless receiver is in physical contact with the wireless charger; and

logic executable by the computer processor, the logic configured to implement a method, the method comprising;

authenticating the vehicle with the circuitry via wireless signals transmitted between the low frequency antenna and a low frequency antenna of the vehicle when the vehicle is in communicative range of the circuitry;

receiving a selection from one of the input components, the selection associated with a vehicle function; and

transmitting a request to implement the vehicle function via the low frequency antenna coupled to the computer processor and the low frequency antenna of the vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle function is a passive entry passive start function.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the passive entry passive start function is at least one of:

remote locking of a door;

remote unlocking of a door;

remote starting of vehicle engine;

remote activation of lights; and

remote activation of power windows.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the logic is further configured to implement programming a unique identifier to a memory of the computer processor, the unique identifier associated with the vehicle and the logic uses the unique identifier to authenticate the vehicle with the circuitry.

5. A method, comprising:

authenticating a vehicle with circuitry via wireless signals transmitted between a low frequency antenna of the circuitry and a low frequency antenna of the vehicle when the vehicle is in communicative range of the circuitry;

embedding the circuitry in a case that is configured to receive a mobile communications device;

communicatively coupling the case with the mobile communications device, via a coupling element, when the mobile communications device is placed in the case, the circuitry is powered by a battery disposed in the mobile communications device;

inductively charging the battery, via a wireless receiver embedded in the case in conjunction with a wireless charger of the vehicle, when the wireless receiver is in physical contact with the wireless charger;

receiving, via computer processor embedded in the circuitry, a selection from one of a plurality of input components embedded in the device, the selection associated with a vehicle function; and

transmitting a request to implement the vehicle function via the low frequency antenna coupled to the computer processor and the low frequency antenna of the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the vehicle function is a passive entry passive start function.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the passive entry passive start function is at least one of:

remote locking of a door;

remote unlocking of a door;

remote starting of vehicle engine;

remote activation of lights; and

remote activation of power windows.

8. The method of claim 5,

wherein the coupling element includes at least one of physical wiring and a wireless node.

9. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

programming a unique identifier into a memory of the computer processor, wherein the unique identifier associated with the vehicle and the computer processor uses the unique identifier to authenticate the vehicle with the circuitry.

10. A computer program product comprising a storage medium embodied with computer instructions, which when executed by a computer processor embedded in circuitry, causes the computer processor to implement a method, the method comprising:

authenticating a vehicle with the circuitry via wireless signals transmitted between a low frequency antenna of the circuitry and a low frequency antenna of the vehicle when the vehicle is in communicative range of the circuitry;

embedding the circuitry in a case that is configured to receive a mobile communications device;

communicatively coupling the case with the mobile communications device, via a coupling element, when the mobile communications device is placed in the case, the circuitry is powered by a battery disposed in the mobile communications device;

inductively charging the battery, via a wireless receiver embedded in the case in conjunction with a wireless charger of the vehicle, when the wireless receiver is in physical contact with the wireless charger;

receiving a selection from one of a plurality of input components embedded in the circuitry, the selection associated with a vehicle function; and

transmitting a request to implement the vehicle function via the low frequency antenna coupled to the computer processor and the low frequency antenna of the vehicle.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the vehicle function is a passive entry passive start function.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the passive entry passive start function is at least one of:

remote locking of a door;

remote unlocking of a door;

remote starting of vehicle engine;

remote activation of lights; and

remote activation of power windows.

13. The computer program product of claim 10,

wherein the coupling element includes at least one of physical wiring and a wireless node.

14. A system, comprising:

a case configured to receive a mobile communications device, wherein the case is embedded with circuitry powered by a battery disposed in the mobile communications device, the circuitry configured to authenticate a vehicle and comprising;

a computer processor;

a low frequency antenna;

input components communicately coupled to the computer processor; and

logic executable by the computer processor, the logic configured to implement a method, the method comprising;

authenticating the vehicle with the circuitry via wireless signals transmitted between the low frequency antenna and a low frequency antenna of the vehicle when the vehicle is in communicative range of the circuitry;

receiving a selection from one of the input components, the selection associated with a vehicle function; and

transmitting a request to implement the vehicle function via the low frequency antenna coupled to the computer processor and the low frequency antenna of the vehicle.