Method for the remote activation of a function of a motor vehicle and computer program product

• US 9,604,522 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2014
• Issued: 03/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Geissenhoener, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Tyler J
• Application Number:
  US14/898,625
• Publication Number:
  US 20160114649A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,015 Days
• Field of Search: 701/36
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00657 Remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00771 the input being a vehicle position or surrounding, e.g. GPS-based position or tunnel
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/32 Cooling devices B60H1/00478, B60H1/005 take precedence; vehicles adapted to transport refrigerated goods B60P3/20
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/51 Remote controlling of devices based on replies, status thereof

Abstract

A method remotely activates an air-conditioning function of a motor vehicle by a mobile communication device. This involves transmitting an activation signal by a mobile communication device to a receiver device of the motor vehicle, receiving the activation signal by the receiver device of the motor vehicle, determining a current location by a location-determining device of the motor vehicle, transferring information about the determined location from the motor vehicle to the mobile communication device, and activating the air-conditioning function of the motor vehicle if the receiver device has received a confirmation signal transmitted by the mobile communication device.

Claims

1. A method for remote activation of an air-conditioning function of a motor vehicle, comprising:

sending an activation signal to a reception device of the motor vehicle from a mobile communication appliance, the reception device being part of a communication device that communicates with the mobile communication appliance wirelessly;

receiving the activation signal by the reception device of the motor vehicle;

ascertaining a current position of the motor vehicle by a position finding device of the motor vehicle;

after receiving the activation signal by the reception device, transmitting a piece of information about the current position of the motor vehicle, the piece of information being transmitted from the motor vehicle to the mobile communication appliance;

displaying the current position of the motor vehicle to a user on a display device of the mobile communication appliance; and

activating the air-conditioning function of the motor vehicle if the reception device has received a confirmation signal sent by the mobile communication appliance, the confirmation signal being different from the activation signal.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein

after the piece of information is received by the mobile communication appliance, the mobile communication appliance outputs a confirmation request to the user.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein

inputting confirmation by the user on the mobile communication appliance prompts the mobile communication appliance to send the confirmation signal to the motor vehicle.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the air-conditioning function is activated by switching on an internal combustion engine of the motor vehicle.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein

activation of the air-conditioning function is followed by the internal combustion engine remaining switched on for a prescribed period and the air-conditioning function being performed for the prescribed period.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the air-conditioning function of the motor vehicle is a heating and/or cooling of the motor vehicle.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the communication device is a bidirectional communication device of the motor vehicle, and

the bidirectional communication device communicates with the mobile communication appliance wirelessly over a mobile radio network.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the mobile communication appliance is a smartphone, a tablet PC, a laptop computer or a personal digital assistant (PDA).

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the activation signal serves as a direct trigger for transmission of the piece of information.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the current position of the motor vehicle is displayed to the user by representing the current position of the motor vehicle in a geographic map or road map, on the display device of the mobile communication appliance.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein

if the motor vehicle has not been used within a predetermined time period after the air-conditioning function of the motor vehicle has been activated, the mobile communication appliance outputs a reminder signal to the user.

12. A non-transitory readable storage medium storing computer program, which when executed on a mobile communication appliance, causes the mobile communication appliance to perform a method for activating an air-conditioning function of a motor vehicle, the method comprising:

prompting the mobile communication appliance to send an activation signal for requesting a piece of information about a position of the motor vehicle, the activation signal being sent to a reception device of the motor vehicle;

after the piece of information about the position of the motor vehicle is received, prompting the mobile communication appliance to display the position of the motor vehicle to a user on a display device of the mobile communication appliance and to take satisfaction of a predetermined criterion for the position as a basis for sending a confirmation signal for activating the air-conditioning function to the reception device of the motor vehicle, the confirmation signal being different from the activation signal.

13. The storage medium as claimed in claim 12, wherein

the predetermined criterion is receipt of an input from the user after the position of the motor vehicle has been displayed.