Vehicle systems activation methods and applications

• US 9,126,545 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2011
• Issued: 09/08/2015
• 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.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sample, Jonathan L
• Application Number:
  US13/035,296
• Publication Number:
  US 20120221173A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,656 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: 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 between a vehicle activation application of the vehicle and a personal handheld device while a control module of the vehicle is in a sleep mode, the vehicle including one or more components;

authenticating, using a processor of the vehicle, the personal handheld device by comparing security information of the communication with security settings of the vehicle in response to the initiating of the communication;

generating an activation message on the vehicle in response to the personal handheld device being authenticated, the activation massage causing the control module to transition from the sleep mode to a control mode;

monitoring, by the vehicle, while the control module is in control mode for a presence of the personal handheld device to be in proximity to the vehicle, said monitoring comprising recognizing signals transmitted by the personal handheld device to the system;

if the presence of the personal handheld device is in proximity to the vehicle, generating a presence signal by the vehicle;

in response to the generating of the presence signal, selectively activating the one or more components based on user-configurable activation settings; and

in response to the selectively activating of the one or more components, communicating signals from the vehicle to the personal handheld device that manage an application user interface displayed by a display of the personal handheld device to indicate a status of the one or more components.

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

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

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising storing control preferences and wherein the selectively generating the control signal is based on the control preferences.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if the presence of the personal handheld device is not detected after a predetermined threshold of time, causing the control mode to transition from the control mode to the sleep mode.

18. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein if the presence of the personal handheld device is not detected after a predetermined threshold of time, the telematics system cause the at least one control module to transition from the control mode to the sleep mode.

5. A vehicle comprising:

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

a presence indication system, in communication with the vehicle network, configured to monitor for a presence of a personal handheld device to be in proximity to the vehicle by recognizing signals transmitted by the personal handheld device, and generate a presence signal when the presence of the personal handheld device is in proximity to the vehicle; and

a telematics system configured to receives messages from the personal handheld device, 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 existence of the presence signal, monitor for an existence of the presence signal while the at least one control module is in the control mode, and cause a device activation application of the personal handheld device to manage an application user interface displayed by a display of the personal handheld device to indicate a status of the one or more components.

6. The vehicle of claim 5, wherein the telematics system authenticates the personal handheld device based on the messages.

7. The vehicle of claim 6 wherein the messages include security information.

8. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the security information includes a phone number.

9. The vehicle of claim 7, wherein the security information includes a security code.

10. The vehicle of claim 5, wherein the telematics system selectively generates the activation message based on control preferences.

11. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the control preferences are preconfigured by a user.

12. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the at least one control module selectively generates control signals based on the activation message.

13. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the at least one control module selectively generates the control signals based on the presence signal.

14. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the at least one 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.

15. The vehicle of claim 5, further comprising a short range wireless communication port configured to provide a direct data link between the portable handheld device and the vehicle network.

16. The vehicle of claim 5, further comprising a vehicle configuration application configured to facilitate user control over the reconfiguring of activation settings of the device activation application.