Valet mode application

• US 9,148,758 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2012
• Issued: 09/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Autonet Mobile, Inc.
• Inventors: Moeller, Douglas S
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Chi H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rivas, Raul
• Application Number:
  US13/559,581
• Publication Number:
  US 20120320891A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,160 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information

Abstract

An application for use with a wireless device comprising a touch screen display is provided. The application comprises a valet mode application stored by the wireless device. The valet mode application is executable by the wireless device to provide control for a mobile router valet mode, the mobile router disposed within a vehicle. The valet application program is executable by the wireless device to produce a predetermined image on the touch screen display. The valet application program is executable such that touching the image is utilized to activate and deactivate a valet mode operation in the mobile router. The valet mode operating in the mobile router such that when the vehicle exceeds one or more predetermined conditions, the mobile router provides a notification to the wireless device.

Claims

1. In combination:

a wireless device having digital communication capability and comprising a user input/output interface comprising a touch screen display, a processor, and a memory;

a valet mode application stored in said device memory;

said valet mode application is executable by said processor to provide control for a valet mode operation of a mobile router disposed within a vehicle, said mobile router comprising a wireless wide area network transceiver to access a wide area network, and a mobile wireless local area network movable with said vehicle comprising a wireless local area network transceiver, said mobile router operable to connect a wireless mobile device in said vehicle to said mobile wireless local area network and to maintain a connection to said wide area network, said valet mode operation selectively operable to determine whether said vehicle moves more than a predetermined radius from an initial location determined at the time said valet mode operation is activated or has traveled at a speed in excess of a predetermined speed while said valet mode is activated;

said processor executes said valet mode application program to produce a predetermined image on said touch screen display;

said touch screen display is operable such that touching said image is utilized to activate and deactivate said valet mode operation in said mobile router, said valet mode operation is such that when said valet mode becomes activated, said initial location of said vehicle is determined by said mobile router; and

said valet mode operation of said mobile router, when activated, causes said mobile router to operate such that said mobile router detects when said vehicle exceeds one or more predetermined conditions and said mobile router provides a notification to said wireless device if one or more predetermined conditions is exceeded.

2. A combination in accordance with claim 1, comprising:

said one or more predetermined conditions are preset in said mobile router.

3. A combination in accordance with claim 2, comprising:

said wireless device is operable to change said one or more predetermined conditions.

4. A combination in accordance with claim 3, comprising:

said predetermined conditions comprise one or both of said predetermined radius from said initial location and a vehicle speed.

5. A combination in accordance with claim 4, comprising:

said valet mode operation of said mobile router remains activated for the shorter time of said wireless device deactivates said valet mode operation and a predetermined time period.

6. A combination in accordance with claim 5, comprising:

said predetermined time period is stored in said mobile router.

7. A combination in accordance with claim 6, comprising:

said wireless device is operable with said valet mode application program to change said predetermined time period.

8. A combination in accordance with claim 1, comprising:

said predetermined image comprises one of a button and icon;

said wireless device is operable in response to a first touch of said image to cause activation of said valet mode operation in said mobile router; and

said wireless device is operable in response to a second touch of said image to cause deactivation of said valet mode operation in said mobile router.

9. A combination in accordance with claim 1, comprising:

said wireless device comprises one of a cell phone, a smartphone, a personal data assistant (“

PDA”

), a tablet computer, a laptop, or a notepad.

10. A combination in accordance with claim 1, comprising:

said valet mode application is downloaded to said wireless device.

11. A combination in accordance with claim 1, comprising:

said valet mode application is utilized to associate said wireless device with one or more mobile routers.

12. An application stored in a memory for use with a wireless device comprising a touch screen display, a processor, and a memory said application comprising:

a valet mode application stored by said wireless device in said memory;

said valet mode application is executable by said processor to provide control for a mobile router operable in a valet mode operation, said mobile router disposed within a vehicle, said mobile router comprising a wireless wide area network transceiver to access a wide area network, and a mobile wireless local area network movable with said vehicle comprising a wireless local area network transceiver, said mobile router operable to connect a wireless mobile device in said vehicle to said mobile wireless local area network and to maintain a connection to said wide area network, said valet mode selectively operable to determine whether said vehicle has moved more than a predetermined radius from an initial location determined at the time said valet mode operation is activated or has traveled at a speed in excess of a predetermined speed while said valet mode is activated,

said valet application program is executable by said processor to produce a predetermined image on said touch screen display;

said valet mode application program is executable by said processor such that touching said image is utilized to activate and deactivate said valet mode operation in said mobile router; and

said valet mode operation causing said mobile router to determine said initial location at the time said valet mode operation is activated and to operate such that when said vehicle exceeds one or more predetermined conditions, said mobile router provides a notification to said wireless device.

13. An application in accordance with claim 12, comprising:

said one or more predetermined conditions are preset in said mobile router.

14. An application in accordance with claim 13, comprising:

said wireless device is operable to change said one or more predetermined conditions.

15. An application in accordance with claim 14, comprising:

said predetermined conditions comprise one or both of said predetermined radius and a vehicle speed.

16. An application in accordance with claim 15, comprising:

said valet mode operation of said mobile router remains activated for the shorter time of said wireless device deactivates said valet mode operation of said mobile router and a predetermined time period.

17. An application in accordance with claim 16, comprising:

said predetermined time period is stored in said mobile router.

18. An application in accordance with claim 17, comprising:

said wireless device is operable with said valet mode application program to change said predetermined time period.

19. An application in accordance with claim 12, comprising:

said predetermined image comprises one of a button and an icon;

said processor is operable in response to a touch of said image activating said valet mode application to cause an activation of said valet mode operation in said mobile router; and

said processor is operable in response to a touch of said image to cause deactivation of said valet mode operation in said mobile router.

20. An application in accordance with claim 12, comprising:

said wireless device comprises one of a cell phone, a smartphone, a personal data assistant (“

PDA”

), a tablet computer, a laptop, or a notepad.

21. An application in accordance with claim 12, comprising:

said valet mode application is downloaded to said wireless device.

22. An application in accordance with claim 12, comprising:

said valet mode application is utilized to associate said wireless device with one or more mobile routers.

23. An application in accordance with claim 12, comprising:

said valet mode application is downloadable to said wireless device from a server.