System and method for communicating with a vehicle
First Claim
1. A system that authorizes a vehicle operation of a vehicle, the vehicle including a vehicle system capable of controlling the vehicle operation, the vehicle including a driver-side door, said system comprising:
- a master transmitter configured to communicate to the vehicle system authorization to initiate the vehicle operation, wherein said master transmitter includes a vehicle interface capable of communicating said authorization to the vehicle system via a vehicle bus;
a plurality of remote communication devices disposed on the vehicle, each of said plurality of communication devices capable of receiving wireless communications from a portable device, said plurality of remote communication devices including a directional communication device carried by a driver-side door and disposed in an interior space of the driver-side door, said directional communication device including a directional antenna aimed substantially toward a driver-side seat of the vehicle, said plurality of remote communication devices including a cabin exterior communication device disposed on the vehicle outside the interior space of the driver-side door and outside the vehicle cabin of the vehicle;
said portable device configured to wirelessly communicate an authorization code to said master transmitter to authorize the vehicle operation, said portable device including a transceiver capable of receiving wireless communications from the master transmitter;
wherein at least one of said master transmitter and said portable device is configured to determine if a location of said portable device is in proximity to the driver-side seat of the vehicle but not in proximity to a passenger-side seat or a rear seat of the vehicle, wherein said determination of said location is based on a difference between
1) a signal strength of wireless communications relative to said directional communication device carried by the driver-side door and disposed in the interior space of the driver-side door and
2) a signal strength of wireless communications relative to said cabin exterior communication device disposed outside the interior space of the driver-side door and outside the vehicle cabin, wherein the signal strength of wireless communications relative to said directional communication device with the directional antenna aimed substantially toward the driver-side seat of the vehicle facilitates locating the portable device in proximity to the driver-side seat but not in proximity to the passenger-side seat or the rear seat; and
wherein said portable device communicates said authorization code to said master transmitter.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for using a portable device to communicate with a vehicle to authorize one or more vehicle operations. The portable device may authorize the vehicle to unlock/lock doors, start the vehicle engine, or mobilize the vehicle, or a combination thereof. The vehicle may include a vehicle transmitter system with one or more transmitters disposed at various locations on the vehicle, and the portable device may be configured to monitor a communication strength between the portable device and the one or more transmitters of the transmitter system. Based on the monitored signal strength, the portable device may determine location information about itself.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A system that authorizes a vehicle operation of a vehicle, the vehicle including a vehicle system capable of controlling the vehicle operation, the vehicle including a driver-side door, said system comprising:
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a master transmitter configured to communicate to the vehicle system authorization to initiate the vehicle operation, wherein said master transmitter includes a vehicle interface capable of communicating said authorization to the vehicle system via a vehicle bus; a plurality of remote communication devices disposed on the vehicle, each of said plurality of communication devices capable of receiving wireless communications from a portable device, said plurality of remote communication devices including a directional communication device carried by a driver-side door and disposed in an interior space of the driver-side door, said directional communication device including a directional antenna aimed substantially toward a driver-side seat of the vehicle, said plurality of remote communication devices including a cabin exterior communication device disposed on the vehicle outside the interior space of the driver-side door and outside the vehicle cabin of the vehicle; said portable device configured to wirelessly communicate an authorization code to said master transmitter to authorize the vehicle operation, said portable device including a transceiver capable of receiving wireless communications from the master transmitter; wherein at least one of said master transmitter and said portable device is configured to determine if a location of said portable device is in proximity to the driver-side seat of the vehicle but not in proximity to a passenger-side seat or a rear seat of the vehicle, wherein said determination of said location is based on a difference between
1) a signal strength of wireless communications relative to said directional communication device carried by the driver-side door and disposed in the interior space of the driver-side door and
2) a signal strength of wireless communications relative to said cabin exterior communication device disposed outside the interior space of the driver-side door and outside the vehicle cabin, wherein the signal strength of wireless communications relative to said directional communication device with the directional antenna aimed substantially toward the driver-side seat of the vehicle facilitates locating the portable device in proximity to the driver-side seat but not in proximity to the passenger-side seat or the rear seat; andwherein said portable device communicates said authorization code to said master transmitter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 21)
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15. A method of authorizing a vehicle operation of a vehicle, the vehicle including a vehicle driver-side door, the vehicle including a vehicle system capable of controlling the vehicle operation, the method comprising:
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providing a directional communication device with a directional antenna aimed substantially toward a vehicle driver-side seat, the directional communication device being carried by a vehicle driver-side door and disposed in an inner space of the vehicle driver-side door; providing a cabin exterior communication device disposed on the vehicle outside the inner space of the vehicle driver-side door and outside the cabin interior; receiving communications in the directional communication device; receiving communications in the cabin exterior communication device; transmitting communications from a portable device, wherein the portable device is separate from the vehicle; determining, based on signal strength of communications with the portable device, a location of the portable device is in proximity to the driver-side seat of the vehicle but not in proximity to a passenger-side seat or a rear seat of the vehicle, said determining including determining the location based on a difference between
1) a signal strength of communications relative to the directional communication device carried by the vehicle driver-side door and in the inner space of the vehicle driver-side door and
2) a signal strength of communications relative to the cabin exterior communication device outside the inner space of the vehicle driver-side door and outside the cabin interior, wherein the signal strength of wireless communications relative to said directional communication device with the directional antenna aimed substantially toward the driver-side seat of the vehicle facilitates locating the portable device in proximity to the driver-side seat but not in proximity to the passenger-side seat or the rear seat; andbased on the location, communicating an authorization code to the vehicle authorizing the vehicle to perform the vehicle operation. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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22. A master vehicle device disposed on a vehicle, said master vehicle device comprising:
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a transceiver configured to communicate wirelessly with a portable device separable from the vehicle; a vehicle communication interface configured to communicate with a plurality of remote communication devices, wherein the plurality of remote communication devices include a directional communication device carried by a vehicle driver-side door and disposed in an interior space of the vehicle driver-side door of the vehicle, wherein the directional communication device includes a directional antenna aimed substantially toward a driver-side seat of the vehicle, and wherein said plurality of remote beacon communication devices include a cabin exterior communication device disposed on the vehicle outside the interior space of the vehicle driver-side door and outside the vehicle cabin of the vehicle; and a controller configured to determine if a location of the portable device is in proximity to the driver-side seat of the vehicle but not in proximity to a passenger-side seat or a rear seat of the vehicle, said controller configured to determine said location based on a difference between
1) a signal strength of wireless communications relative to the directional communication device carried by the driver-side door and disposed in at least one of the interior space of the driver-side door and the vehicle cabin and
2) a signal strength of wireless communications relative to the cabin exterior communication device disposed outside the interior space of the driver-side door and outside the vehicle cabin, wherein the signal strength of wireless communications relative to said directional communication device with the directional antenna aimed substantially toward the driver-side seat of the vehicle facilitates locating the portable device in proximity to the driver-side seat but not in proximity to the passenger-side seat or the rear seat. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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Specification