SYSTEM AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING VEHICLE FUNCTIONS

• US 20090195370A1
• Filed: 02/05/2008
• Published: 08/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Corp.
• Original Assignee: AT&T Knowledge Ventures, L.P. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jones, Todd W., Huffman, James, Kaufman, Darren
• Granted Patent: US 8,907,770 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/426.13
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/2018 Central base unlocks or authorises unlocking
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/209 Remote starting of engine

Abstract

A method of controlling vehicle functions is provided that includes receiving at a service provider, security data from a vehicle function system. The security data is related to a security code required to activate one or more functions controlled by the vehicle function system. The method also includes receiving a vehicle function request at the service provider from a remote device. The vehicle function request indicates a request to activate a particular function of a vehicle. In addition, the method includes sending a vehicle function command from the service provider to a mobile wireless device. The vehicle function command is adapted to cause the mobile wireless device to transmit a wireless signal to activate the particular function of the vehicle and the vehicle function command includes the security code or authentication information related to the security code.

Claims

1. A method of controlling vehicle functions, the method comprising:

receiving at a service provider, security data from a vehicle function system, the security data being related to a security code required to activate one or more functions controlled by the vehicle function system;

receiving a vehicle function request at the service provider from a remote device, wherein the vehicle function request indicates a request to activate a particular function of a vehicle; and

sending a vehicle function command from the service provider to a mobile wireless device, wherein the vehicle function command is adapted to cause the mobile wireless device to transmit a wireless signal to activate the particular function of the vehicle and the vehicle function command includes the security code or authentication information related to the security code.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining if the vehicle function request is related to a subscriber associated with a valid subscription to a remote vehicle function activation service.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the subscriber is associated with the mobile wireless device and the vehicle function command is sent from the service provider to the mobile wireless device when the subscriber is associated with a valid subscription to the remote vehicle function activation service.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising providing a graphical user interface to a service representative terminal of the service provider, wherein the graphical user interface is adapted to indicate the vehicle function request and to initiate sending the vehicle function command to the mobile wireless device.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein an account associated with the mobile wireless device subscriber is charged a fee after a vehicle function request is received at the service provider, after the vehicle function command is sent to the mobile wireless device, or any combination thereof.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the remote vehicle function activation service applies to vehicles manufactured by a plurality of different vehicle manufacturers.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote device is associated with a law enforcement entity or an emergency response entity.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an enrollment request associated with the mobile wireless device, wherein the enrollment request relates to providing a remote vehicle function activation service via the mobile wireless device; and

activating the remote vehicle function activation service with respect to the mobile wireless device.

9. A method of controlling vehicle functions, the method comprising:

receiving a vehicle function command at a mobile wireless device from a wireless communication service provider server, the vehicle function command adapted to cause the mobile wireless device to transmit a wireless signal to activate a particular function of a vehicle and the vehicle function command includes a security code or authentication information related to the security code, wherein the security code is required to activate the particular function of the vehicle; and

transmitting a wireless signal from the mobile wireless device to activate the particular function of the vehicle in response to receiving the vehicle function command, the wireless signal including the security code;

wherein the mobile wireless device is within the vehicle, yet is not a component of the vehicle.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the particular function of the vehicle is selected from a group including unlocking a vehicle door, starting the engine of the vehicle, shutting off the engine of the vehicle, limiting the speed of the vehicle to a threshold speed, or any combination thereof.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the mobile wireless device is adapted to transmit a distinct wireless signal to activate each respective vehicle function.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the mobile wireless device sends the wireless signal to a vehicle function system coupled to the vehicle.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the security code corresponds to security data transmitted via a remote keyless entry device associated with the vehicle to control one or more functions of the vehicle.

14. A system to control vehicle functions, the system comprising:

a communication control module to;

receive communication data from a remote device; and

determine if the communication data indicates a vehicle function request, wherein the vehicle function request indicates a request to activate a particular function of a vehicle and the vehicle is one of a plurality of vehicles associated with a particular remote vehicle function activation service subscription; and

a vehicle function module to;

identify a security code associated with the vehicle when the communication data indicates the vehicle function request, wherein each of the plurality of vehicles associated with the remote vehicle function activation service subscription are associated with a different security code and the identified security code is required to activate the particular function of the vehicle; and

send a vehicle function command to a mobile wireless device, wherein the vehicle function command is adapted to cause the mobile wireless device to transmit a wireless signal to activate the particular function of the vehicle and the vehicle function command includes the identified security code or authentication information related to the identified security code.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the vehicle function module provides one or more interactive voice response (IVR) menus to the remote device when the communication data indicates the vehicle function request.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the vehicle function module provides one or more graphical user interfaces to the remote device when the communication data indicates the vehicle function request.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the vehicle function module receives a confirmation signal indicating that the particular vehicle function has been activated at the vehicle.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the vehicle function module receives the confirmation signal from the vehicle.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the vehicle function module receives the confirmation signal from the mobile wireless device.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the vehicle function module sends confirmation data to the remote device, the confirmation data indicating that the particular vehicle function has been activated at the vehicle.

21. The system of claim 14, wherein the particular function of the vehicle is one of a plurality of vehicle functions and the vehicle function command sent to the mobile wireless device is based on the respective vehicle function requested.

22. A mobile wireless device, comprising:

an antenna;

a transceiver coupled to the antenna, wherein the transceiver is adapted to transmit a first set of wireless signals of a first range of frequencies via the antenna;

a vehicle function transmitter adapted to transmit a second set of wireless signals of a second range of frequencies;

a communication control module to;

receive communication data from a service provider server via the antenna and the transceiver; and

determine if the communication data indicates a vehicle function command, wherein the vehicle function command is related to a particular function of a vehicle; and

a vehicle function module to;

prompt the vehicle function transmitter to transmit a wireless signal when the communication data indicates the vehicle function command, wherein the wireless signal is adapted to activate the particular function of the vehicle.

23. The mobile wireless device of claim 22, wherein the first set of wireless signals is associated with a first set of vehicle function commands and the second set of wireless signals is associated with a second set of vehicle function commands.

24. The mobile wireless device of claim 23, wherein the vehicle function module is adapted to determine when the vehicle function command is associated with the first set of vehicle function commands or the second set of vehicle function commands.

25. A computer-readable storage medium comprising:

operational instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to receive a vehicle function request at a service provider from a remote device, wherein the vehicle function request indicates a request to activate a particular function of a vehicle;

operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to identify the manufacturer of the vehicle; and

operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to send a vehicle function command from the service provider to a mobile wireless device, wherein the vehicle function command is adapted to cause the mobile wireless device to transmit a wireless signal to activate the particular function of the vehicle and the vehicle function command is based on the manufacturer of the vehicle.