Warning of danger of unauthorized access to a parked vehicle

• US 9,327,684 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2013
• Issued: 05/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Kleinstck, Lutz
• Primary Examiner(s): Swarthout, Brent
• Application Number:
  US14/084,179
• Publication Number:
  US 20140139330A1
• Time in Patent Office: 896 Days
• Field of Search: 3404261-42628
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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

The invention concerns a process and assistance system for warning of an unauthorized access to a parked vehicle. The process includes a first step for providing a communication as to whether the vehicle is at least partially unlocked. In a second step, in the case of an affirmative communication, the transmission of the current location of the vehicle takes place. In a third step, a comparison is made between the current location with at least one predetermined home location. In a fourth step, in the case in which the current location does not correspond with at least one home location, a wireless transmission of a warning signal to a mobile unit is given. In a fifth step, following the receipt of the warning signal by the mobile unit, a warning that is perceptible optically and/or acoustically and/or haptically is undertaken.

Claims

1. A process for warning of a danger for unauthorized access to a parked vehicle, comprising:

providing a communication that the vehicle is at least partially unlocked when any vehicle equipment consisting of doors, windows, gas filler cap, trunk lid, hood, sunroof and roof is not in a closed and locked condition,

transmitting a current location of the vehicle in response to the communication that the vehicle is at least partially unlocked, said current location being a location where the vehicle has been parked,

comparing the current location of the vehicle with at least one predetermined home location, said at least one home location being a location where the vehicle is considered to be safe and not considered in danger for unauthorized access,

wirelessly transmitting a warning signal to a mobile unit if the current location is not the at least one home location, and

upon receipt of the warning signal by the mobile unit, issuing by the mobile unit a warning that is perceptible optically, acoustically, haptically, or a combination thereof.

2. The process according to claim 1, wherein providing a communication is first carried out following a predetermined time period after parking of the vehicle.

3. The process according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined time period is selected from within the range of 1 min to 10 min.

4. The process according to claim 1, further comprising resending the warning signal in the event that the warning signal has not been acknowledged by a manual input being made to the mobile unit.

5. The process according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle is considered parked if an ignition key is removed from the vehicle or a radio key is removed from the vehicle from a reception coverage area of the vehicle.

6. The process according to claim 1, wherein the mobile unit is a mobile telephone or a mobile computer.

7. The process according to claim 1, further comprising transmitting a locking signal to the vehicle, which upon receipt in the vehicle brings about a complete automatic locking of the vehicle being enabled by a predetermined manual input in the mobile unit following the issuance of the warning.

18. The process according to claim 1, wherein the at least one predetermined home location includes one or more of a home garage of a vehicle owner, a guarded company parking lot, or a vicinity of the home garage that is within a predetermined radius.

8. An assistance system that includes a processor programmed for warning of a danger for an unauthorized access to a parked vehicle, comprising:

first means for communicating that the vehicle is at least partially unlocked when any vehicle equipment consisting of doors, windows, gas filler cap, trunk lid, hood, sunroof and roof is not in a closed and locked condition,

second means for transmitting a current location of the vehicle if the vehicle is at least partially unlocked, said current location being a location where the vehicle has been parked,

third means for comparing the current location of the vehicle with at least one predetermined home location, said at least one predetermined home location being a location where the vehicle is considered to be safe and not considered in danger for unauthorized access, and

fourth means for wirelessly transmitting a warning signal to a mobile unit if the current location is not the at least one predetermined home location, whereby subsequent to the receipt of the warning signal by the mobile unit, a warning that is perceptible optically, acoustically, haptically, or a combination thereof, is transmitted by the mobile unit.

9. The assistance system according to claim 8, wherein the first means is set up in such a manner that the transmission as to whether the vehicle is at least partially unlocked will only first be undertaken after a predetermined time period following the parking of the vehicle.

10. The assistance system according to claim 8, wherein the first means is connected with a central locking system of the vehicle.

11. The assistance system according to claim 8 further comprising a fifth means for allowing the mobile unit to transmit a locking signal, which brings about the automatic locking of the vehicle following receipt of the locking signal.

12. The assistance system according to claim 11, wherein the fifth means is connected with a central locking system of the vehicle.

19. The assistance system according to claim 8, wherein the at least one predetermined home location includes one or more of a home garage of a vehicle owner, a guarded company parking lot, or a vicinity of the home garage that is within a predetermined radius.

13. A method for warning of a danger for unauthorized access to a vehicle comprising providing an assistance system that is programmed for communicating that the vehicle is at least partially unlocked when any vehicle equipment consisting of doors, windows, gas filler cap, trunk lid, hood, sunroof and roof is not in a closed and locked condition, transmitting a current location of the vehicle if the vehicle is at least partially unlocked, said current location being a location where the vehicle has been parked, comparing the current location of the vehicle with at least one predetermined home location, said at least one predetermined home location being a location where the vehicle is considered to be safe and not considered in danger for unauthorized access, and wirelessly transmitting a warning signal to a mobile unit if the current location is not the at least one predetermined home location, whereby subsequent to the receipt of the warning signal by the mobile unit, a warning that is perceptible optically, acoustically, haptically, or a combination thereof, is transmitted by the mobile unit.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the assistance system is set up in such a manner that the transmission as to whether the vehicle is at least partially unlocked will only first be undertaken after a predetermined time period following the parking of the vehicle.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the assistance system is connected with a central locking system of the vehicle.

16. The method according to claim 13 further comprising allowing the mobile unit to transmit a locking signal which brings about the automatic locking of the vehicle following receipt of the locking signal.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the mobile unit is connected with a central locking system of the vehicle.

20. The method according to claim 13, wherein the at least one predetermined home location includes one or more of a home garage of a vehicle owner, a guarded company parking lot, or a vicinity of the home garage that is within a predetermined radius.