SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ALERTING A USER UPON DEPARTING A VEHICLE

• US 20170132905A1
• Filed: 01/24/2017
• Published: 05/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stewart Rudolph
• Original Assignee: Stewart Rudolph
• Inventors: RUDOLPH, STEWART
• Granted Patent: US 10,083,595 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A system for alerting a user of a device departing a vehicle includes a software application configured to be executed on a memory of the device. The software application performs an initial query phase to periodically query the status of a data connection between the device and the vehicle. Upon confirmation that a data connection has been established, the software application engages an armed state and periodically queries for a failure of the data connection between the device and the vehicle. Upon detecting a failure of the data connection the software application engages an alert state operative to alert a user upon failure of said data connection between the device and the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for causing a mobile device to emit an alert via a software application executed on a memory of the mobile device, the method comprising:

detecting a failure of a data connection between the mobile device and a vehicle;

providing an alert upon failure of the data connection.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the failure of the data connection is associated with a disabling of the vehicle ignition.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising detecting an available data connection prior to establishing the data connection.

4. The method as recited in claim 3 further comprising providing an alert upon establishing the data connection.

5. The method as recited in claim 3 further comprising initiating a query for an available data connection after detecting the failure of the data connection.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the data connection comprises a wireless communication channel

7. The method as recited in claim 6 wherein the wireless communication channel complies with BLUETOOTH standards.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the alert comprises a noise audible to the user.

9. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein said noise audible to the user comprises a predetermined sound file called by the software application.

10. The method as recited in claim 9 wherein the alert is operative to notify a user that the user may be departing the vehicle without the device.

11. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the alert comprises a pre-recorded sound.

12. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the alert comprises at least one visual component.

13. The method as recited in claim 12 wherein said visual component comprises a graphical display.

14. The method as recited in claim 12 wherein said visual component comprises activation of a flash assembly of the mobile device.

15. A non-transient computer readable medium containing program instructions for causing a mobile device to perform the method as recited in claim 1.

16. A system for alerting a user of a mobile device, the system comprising:

a software application configured to be executed on a memory of the mobile device;

said software application comprising an initial query phase operative to determine the status of a data connection between the mobile device and a vehicle;

said software application further comprising an armed state to determine when a failure of said data connection between the mobile device and the vehicle has occurred;

said software application further comprising an alert state operative to emit an alert upon failure of said data connection.

17. The system as recited in claim 16 wherein said initial query phase is further operative to emit an alert upon determining an establishment of said data connection.

18. The system as recited in claim 17 wherein said establishment of said data connection is associated with an ignition of the vehicle.

19. The system as recited in claim 16 wherein said failure of said data connection is associated with a disabling of the vehicle ignition.

20. The system as recited in claim 16 wherein said initial query phase comprises said software application operatively testing for the establishment of a wireless communication channel between the device and the vehicle;

said armed state comprises said software application operatively testing for the failure of a wireless communication channel between the device and the vehicle.