Devices, systems and methods for controlling permitted settings on a vehicle

• US 8,706,349 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2009
• Issued: 04/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Corp.
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rector, Jay Daryl, Davis, John Potts III, McNamara, Justin Michael Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): PAYNE, ROBERT T
• Application Number:
  US12/632,375
• Publication Number:
  US 20110137520A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,597 Days
• Field of Search: 180/272, 180/287, 180/209, 701/31.5, 701/32.3, 701/2, 701/487, 701/516, 701/431, 701/1, 701/301, 701/45, 455/456.1, 455/411, 710/72, 340/426.16, 340/905, 340/425, 340/426.1, 340/439, 705/1.1
• US Class Current: 701/36
• 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: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/053 remote terminal provisioning, e.g. of applets
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/651 Text message transmission triggered by call automatic reactions in messaging within packet-switching networks H04L51/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42136 Administration or customisation of services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Abstract

Devices, systems, and methods are disclosed for altering permitted settings of a vehicle according to a driver identified through short range wireless communication. The vehicle captures a unique identifier from a wireless communication device of the driver of the vehicle. This unique identifier is used to reference a database to determine the identity of the driver as well as settings for the driver created by a controlling authority. The controlling authority may be, for instance, a parent or employer of the driver. The settings may limit certain devices within the vehicle and/or the vehicle itself. Speed control settings, radio settings, wireless communication device settings, and various other settings are all possible to limit distractions to the driver. Further, the settings may be influenced by the number or identities of passengers within the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising

transmitting, to a wireless communication device via a short range wireless communication, a request for a unique identifier associated with a user of the wireless communication device,

receiving, from the wireless communication device via the short range wireless communication, the unique identifier associated with the user,

determining an identity of the user of the wireless communication device based on the unique identifier,

determining a setting corresponding to the identity of the user of the wireless communication device, and

implementing the setting, wherein implementation of the setting controls a function of the vehicle based on the identity of the user of the wireless communication device.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising an antenna located near a driver seat and the operations further comprising determining that the user is a driver of the vehicle based on the wireless communication device of the user being close to the antenna located near the driver seat.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the setting comprises a radio control and wherein implementation of the setting causes at least one of a maximum radio volume of a radio of the vehicle to be set, allowed radio stations to be set, or compact discs prohibited from being played by the radio of the vehicle to be set.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the setting comprises a permitted speed setting and wherein implementation of the setting causes a maximum allowed speed of the vehicle to be set.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

detecting a passenger wireless communication device in addition to the wireless communication device; and

changing the setting based on detection of the passenger wireless communication device.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising at least one of a biometric sensor or a weight scale coupled to a seat in the smart vehicle.

7. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication device is a contactless smart card.

17. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the setting comprises a wireless communication device control and wherein implementation of the setting causes prohibition of acceptance of communications received via the wireless communication device.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the unique identifier is at least one of an MSISDN address, an IMSI address, or a MAC address of the wireless communication device.

8. A method, comprising:

transmitting, from a vehicle comprising a processor to a wireless communication device via a short range wireless communication, a request for a unique identifier associated with a user of the wireless communication device;

receiving, at the vehicle from the wireless communication device via the short range wireless communication, the unique identifier associated with the user;

determining, by the vehicle, an identity of the user of the wireless unique identifier;

determining, by the vehicle, a setting corresponding to the identity of the user of the wireless communication device; and

implementing, by the vehicle, the setting, wherein implementation of the setting controls a function of the vehicle based on the identity of the user of the wireless communication device.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising determining that the user is a driver of the vehicle based on the wireless communication device of the user being close to an antenna located near a driver seat of the vehicle.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the setting comprises a permitted speed setting and wherein implementation of the setting causes a maximum allowed speed of the vehicle to be set.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the setting comprises a radio control and wherein implementation of the setting causes at least one of a maximum radio volume of a radio of the vehicle to be set, allowed radio stations to be set, or compact discs prohibited from being played by the radio of the vehicle to be set.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the setting comprises a wireless communication device control and wherein implementation of the setting causes prohibition of acceptance of communications received via the wireless communication device.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

detecting a passenger wireless communication device in addition to the wireless communication device; and

changing the setting based upon detection of the passenger wireless communication device.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising sending a blocked call notification to the wireless communication device.

15. The method of claim 8, further comprising verifying the identity of the user using at least one of a biometric sensor or a weight scale.

16. A non-transitory computable-readable, storing instructions that, when executed by a processor of a vehicle, cars the processor to perform operations comprising:

transmitting to a wireless communication device via a range wireless communication, a request for a unique identifier associated with a user of the wireless communication device;

receiving from the wireless communication device via the short range wireless communication, the unique identifier associated with the user;

determining an identity of the user of the wireless communication device based on the unique identifier;

determining a setting corresponding to the identity of the user of the wireless communication device; and

implementing the settings, wherein implementation of this setting controls a function of the vehicle based on the identity of the user of the wireless communication device.

18. The computer-readable memory of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise determining that the user is a driver of the vehicle based on the wireless communication device of the user being close to an antenna located near a driver seat of the vehicle.

20. The computer-readable memory of claim 16, wherein the setting comprises a wireless communication device control and wherein implementation of the setting causes prohibition of acceptance of communications received via the wireless communication device.