VEHICLE SYSTEMS ACTIVATION METHODS AND APPLICATIONS

• US 20120221173A1
• Filed: 02/25/2011
• Published: 08/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Ampunan, Nathan D., Lieblein, Richard H., Thibodeau, Christopher T.
• Granted Patent: US 9,126,545 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/037 for occupant comfort , e.g. for automatic adjustment of appliances according to personal settings, e.g. seats, mirrors, steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/48 for in-vehicle communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring

Abstract

A method of communicating with a vehicle is provided. The method includes: initiating a communication with a vehicle activation application of a vehicle using a personal handheld device; authenticating, using a processor, the personal handheld device based on the communication; and selectively activating one or more components of a vehicle network based on the authenticating.

Claims

1. A method of communicating with a vehicle, comprising:

initiating a communication with a vehicle activation application of a vehicle using a personal handheld device;

authenticating, using a processor, the personal handheld device based on the communication; and

selectively activating one or more components of a vehicle network based on the authenticating.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the selectively activating comprises transitioning the one or more components from a sleep mode to a control mode.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more components includes a control module.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more components is a vehicle system.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising selectively generating a control signal based on a presence signal.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing security settings and wherein the authenticating is based on the security settings.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising storing control preferences and wherein the selectively generating the control signal is based on the control preferences.

8. A vehicle comprising:

a vehicle network that communicates with at least one control module; and

a telematics system that receives messages from a personal handheld device and that selectively generates an activation message on the vehicle network to activate the at least one control module from a sleep mode to a control mode based on the messages.

9. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the telematics system authenticates the personal handheld device based on the messages.

10. The vehicle of claim 9 wherein the messages include security information.

11. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the security information includes a phone number.

12. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the security information includes a security code.

13. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the telematics system selectively generates the activation message based on control preferences.

14. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the control preferences are preconfigured by a user.

15. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein the control module selectively generates control signals based on the activation message.

16. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the control module selectively generates the control signals based on a presence signal.

17. The vehicle of claim 16, further comprising a presence indication system that generates the presence signal based on a proximity of a portable device to the presence indication system.

18. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the control module is a body control module, and wherein the control preferences include at least one of unlock a door, open a trunk, roll down a window, and illuminate a light.