Vehicle component control methods and systems

• US 9,008,854 B2
• Filed: 05/04/2012
• Issued: 04/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: American Vehicular Sciences LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: American Vehicular Sciences LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Inventors: Breed, David S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Yonel
• Application Number:
  US13/464,841
• Publication Number:
  US 20120296567A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,075 Days
• Field of Search: 701/400, 701468-470, 701/36, 701/49, 701/2, 701/48, 340/988, 340/4.11, 340/5.8, 340/5.64, 340/5.72, 340/426.36, 340/438, 455/41.2
• US Class Current: 701/1
• 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: E05F 15/77 using wireless control
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0807 Remote means
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network

Abstract

Control system for controlling at least one part of a vehicle includes a plurality of sensor systems mounted at different locations on the vehicle, each sensor system providing a measurement related to a state thereof system or a measurement related to a state of the mounting location. A processor is coupled to the sensor systems and diagnoses the state of the vehicle itself and optionally its dynamic motion based on the measurements of the sensor systems. The processor controls each part based at least in part on the diagnosed state of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a wireless device that wirelessly detects that a wireless vehicle entry device is inside the vehicle,

wherein the vehicle detects that a switch is being actuated after the detection and starts the vehicle in response to detecting that the switch is being actuated and the wireless vehicle entry device is inside the vehicle, and

wherein the vehicle automatically sets a seat position of the vehicle according to the wireless vehicle entry device.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the wireless vehicle entry device is a cell phone.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the wireless device detects the wireless vehicle entry device outside of the vehicle, and the vehicle unlocks the vehicle in response to detecting the wireless vehicle entry device outside of the vehicle.

4. The vehicle of claim 3, wherein the vehicle unlocks the vehicle in response to detecting the wireless vehicle entry device outside of the vehicle for at least a pre-determined period of time.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the wireless device determines that the wireless vehicle entry device is outside a range of the vehicle, and the vehicle automatically locks the vehicle in response to determining that the wireless vehicle entry device is outside of the range.

9. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is automatically sets temperature controls of the vehicle according to the wireless vehicle entry device.

6. A vehicle comprising:

a wireless device that wirelessly detects that a wireless vehicle entry device is inside the vehicle,

wherein the vehicle detects that a switch is being actuated after the detection and starts the vehicle in response to detecting that the switch is being actuated and the wireless vehicle entry device is inside the vehicle, and

wherein the vehicle automatically sets a mirror position of the vehicle according to the wireless vehicle entry device.

7. A vehicle comprising:

a wireless device that wirelessly detects that a wireless vehicle entry device is inside the vehicle,

wherein the vehicle detects that a switch is being actuated after the detection and starts the vehicle in response to detecting that the switch is being actuated and the wireless vehicle entry device is inside the vehicle, and

wherein the vehicle automatically sets radio stations of the vehicle according to the wireless vehicle entry device.

8. A vehicle comprising:

a wireless device that wirelessly detects that a wireless vehicle entry device is inside the vehicle,

wherein the vehicle detects that a switch is being actuated after the detection and starts the vehicle in response to detecting that the switch is being actuated and the wireless vehicle entry device is inside the vehicle, and

wherein the vehicle automatically sets a headrest position of the vehicle according to the wireless vehicle entry device.

10. A method for use by a vehicle, the method comprising:

wirelessly detecting that a wireless vehicle entry device is inside the vehicle;

permitting the vehicle to be started by actuating a switch, in response to the wirelessly detecting that the wireless vehicle entry device is inside the vehicle;

detecting that the switch is being actuated after the permitting;

starting the vehicle in response to the detecting that the switch is being actuated; and

automatically setting a seat position of the vehicle, according to the wireless vehicle entry device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the wireless vehicle entry device is a cell phone.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

detecting that the wireless vehicle entry device is outside of the vehicle; and

unlocking the vehicle in response to the detecting of the wireless vehicle entry device outside of the vehicle.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the detecting of the wireless vehicle entry device outside of the vehicle is performed for at least a pre-determined period of time.

14. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

determining that the wireless vehicle entry device is outside a range of the vehicle; and

automatically locking the vehicle in response to the determining that the wireless vehicle entry device is outside of the range.

15. A method for use by a vehicle, the method comprising:

wirelessly detecting that a wireless vehicle entry device is inside the vehicle;

permitting the vehicle to be started by actuating a switch, in response to the wirelessly detecting that the wireless vehicle entry device is inside the vehicle;

detecting that the switch is being actuated after the permitting;

starting the vehicle in response to the detecting that the switch is being actuated; and

automatically setting a mirror position of the vehicle, according to the wireless vehicle entry device.

16. A method for use by a vehicle, the method comprising:

wirelessly detecting that a wireless vehicle entry device is inside the vehicle;

permitting the vehicle to be started by actuating a switch, in response to the wirelessly detecting that the wireless vehicle entry device is inside the vehicle;

detecting that the switch is being actuated after the permitting;

starting the vehicle in response to the detecting that the switch is being actuated; and

automatically setting radio stations of the vehicle, according to the wireless vehicle entry device.

17. A method for use by a vehicle, the method comprising:

wirelessly detecting that a wireless vehicle entry device is inside the vehicle;

permitting the vehicle to be started by actuating a switch, in response to the wirelessly detecting that the wireless vehicle entry device is inside the vehicle;

detecting that the switch is being actuated after the permitting;

starting the vehicle in response to the detecting that the switch is being actuated; and

automatically set a headrest position of the vehicle, according to the wireless vehicle entry device.

18. A vehicle comprising:

a vehicle ignition; and

a wireless device that wirelessly detects that a wireless vehicle entry device is inside the vehicle, wherein the wireless vehicle entry device is capable of unlocking the vehicle wirelessly,

wherein the vehicle permits the vehicle ignition to be started by depressing a button, in response to detecting that the wireless vehicle entry device is inside the vehicle, detects that the button is being depressed after permitting, and starts the vehicle ignition in response to detecting that the button is being depressed, and

wherein the vehicle automatically sets a seat position, a mirror position, a radio station, or a headrest position of the vehicle according to the wireless vehicle entry device.