Vehicle System Passive Notification Using Remote Device

• US 20140015696A1
• Filed: 09/19/2013
• Published: 01/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Kleve, Robert Bruce, Van Wiemeersch, John Robert, Miller, Thomas Lee, Schondorf, Steven Yellin, Vandivier, Karl Douglas, Aldighieri, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 9,251,694 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/988
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0479 Communicating with external units being not part of the vehicle, e.g. tools for diagnostic, mobile phones, electronic keys or service stations
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/00 Alarm systems in which the location of the alarm condition is signalled to a central station, e.g. fire or police telegraphic systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems

Abstract

A method of vehicle monitoring includes monitoring one or more vehicle safety systems while a vehicle is in operation to detect an unsafe condition. The method also includes sending an alert to a handheld device if an unsafe condition is detected.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a processor configured to;

determine that a vehicle has stopped moving;

determine that an anomalous vehicle condition exists;

compare vehicle GPS coordinates to surrounding point of interest coordinates; and

send an alert to a remote party if the vehicle has stopped moving, the anomalous condition exists and the vehicle GPS coordinates do not correspond to a business or other known location.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the anomalous vehicle condition is a fuel-empty condition.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the anomalous vehicle condition is a vehicle over-heated condition.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the anomalous vehicle condition is a flat tire condition.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the anomalous vehicle condition is includes the presence of a diagnostic trouble code generated by the vehicle.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the other known location is a vehicle home address.

7. A computer-implemented method comprising:

determining that a vehicle has stopped moving;

determining that an anomalous vehicle condition exists;

comparing vehicle GPS coordinates to surrounding point of interest coordinates; and

sending an alert to a remote party if the vehicle has stopped moving, the anomalous condition exists and the vehicle GPS coordinates do not correspond to a business or other known location.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the anomalous vehicle condition is a fuel-empty condition.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the anomalous vehicle condition is a vehicle over-heated condition.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the anomalous vehicle condition is a flat tire condition.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the anomalous vehicle condition is includes the presence of a diagnostic trouble code generated by the vehicle.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the other known location is a vehicle home address.

13. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium, storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

determining that a vehicle has stopped moving;

determining that an anomalous vehicle condition exists;

comparing vehicle GPS coordinates to surrounding point of interest coordinates; and

sending an alert to a remote party if the vehicle has stopped moving, the anomalous condition exists and the vehicle GPS coordinates do not correspond to a business or other known location.

14. The storage medium of claim 13, wherein the anomalous vehicle condition is a fuel-empty condition.

15. The storage medium of claim 13, wherein the anomalous vehicle condition is a vehicle over-heated condition.

16. The storage medium of claim 13, wherein the anomalous vehicle condition is a flat tire condition.

17. The storage medium of claim 13, wherein the anomalous vehicle condition is includes the presence of a diagnostic trouble code generated by the vehicle.

18. The storage medium of claim 13, wherein the other known location is a vehicle home address.