System including vehicle location alert based communication with a vehicle audio entertainment system and related methods

• US 9,159,233 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Issued: 10/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omega Patents, L.L.C.
• Original Assignee: Omega Patents, L.L.C.
• Inventors: Flick, Kenneth E.
• Primary Examiner(s): DOAN, KIET M
• Application Number:
  US13/827,590
• Publication Number:
  US 20140266811A1
• Time in Patent Office: 943 Days
• Field of Search: 455/569.1, 455/418, 455/456.4, 455/404.1, 455/420, 455/416, 455/404.2, 455/423, 455/428, 455/456.1, 701/36, 701/29.6, 701/1, 701/2, 340/429, 340/539.14, 340/902, 340/907, 340/903, 340/426.17, 340/426.1, 340/426.13, 370/352
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/102 a signal being sent to a remote location, e.g. a radio signal being transmitted to a police station, a security company or the owner
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/33 of global position, e.g. by providing GPS coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/127 to a central station ; Indicators in a central station

Abstract

A system for a vehicle having a data communications bus extending throughout the vehicle, and an audio entertainment system coupled to the data communications bus may include a vehicle wireless transceiver and a vehicle controller to be coupled to the data communications bus. The vehicle controller may be configured to determine and send a vehicle location alert via the vehicle wireless transceiver, and selectively set the audio entertainment system to link with the vehicle wireless transceiver in a hands-free mode. The system may also include a mobile device to be carried by a user remote from the vehicle that may include a remote wireless transceiver configured to link wirelessly with the vehicle wireless transceiver. The mobile device may also include a remote controller cooperating to command, based upon receiving the vehicle location alert, the vehicle controller to set the audio entertainment system into the hands-free mode.

Claims

1. A system for a vehicle having a data communications bus extending throughout the vehicle, and a vehicle audio entertainment system coupled to the data communications bus, the system comprising:

a vehicle wireless transceiver;

a multi-vehicle compatible controller to be coupled to the vehicle data communications bus and configured to

determine and send a vehicle location alert via said vehicle wireless transceiver, and

selectively set the vehicle audio entertainment system to link with said vehicle wireless transceiver in a hands-free mode;

a downloading interface coupled to said multi-vehicle compatible controller; and

a mobile wireless communications device to be carried by a user remote from the vehicle and comprising

a portable housing,

a display carried by said portable housing,

at least one input device carried by said portable housing,

a remote wireless transceiver carried by said portable housing and configured to link wirelessly with said vehicle wireless transceiver, and

a remote controller carried by said portable housing and coupled to said display, said at least one input device, and said remote wireless transceiver, said remote controller configured to

present on said display an option, based upon receiving the vehicle location alert, to set the vehicle audio entertainment system into the hands-free mode,

accept user selection of the option via said at least one input device, and

cooperate, based upon acceptance of the option, with said remote wireless transceiver to command, said multi-vehicle compatible controller to set the vehicle audio entertainment system into the hands-free mode.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said multi-vehicle compatible controller is configured to be operable with at least one of different bus protocols and different vehicle device bus codes.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said vehicle wireless transceiver and said remote wireless transceiver each comprises a cellular transceiver.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said multi-vehicle compatible controller is configured to determine the vehicle location alert based upon data on the vehicle data communications bus.

5. A mobile wireless communications device to be carried by a user remote from a vehicle having a data communications bus extending throughout the vehicle, a vehicle audio entertainment system coupled to the data communications bus, a vehicle wireless transceiver, a multi-vehicle compatible controller to be coupled to the data communications bus and operable with a plurality of different vehicles, the multi-vehicle compatible controller configured to determine and send a vehicle location alert via the vehicle wireless transceiver, and selectively set the vehicle audio entertainment system to link with the vehicle wireless transceiver in a hands-free mode, and a downloading interface coupled to the multi-vehicle compatible controller, the mobile wireless communications device comprising:

a portable housing;

a display carried by said portable housing;

at least one input device carried by said portable housing;

a remote wireless transceiver carried by said portable housing and configured to link wirelessly with said vehicle wireless transceiver, and

a remote controller carried by said portable housing and coupled to said display, said at least one input device, and said remote wireless transceiver, said remote controller configured to

present on said display an option, based upon the vehicle location alert, to set the vehicle audio entertainment system in the hands-free mode,

accept user selection of the option via said at least one input device, and

cooperate, based upon acceptance of the option, with said remote wireless transceiver to command the multi-vehicle compatible controller to set the vehicle audio entertainment system into the hands-free mode.

6. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 5, wherein the vehicle wireless transceiver and said remote wireless transceiver each comprises a cellular transceiver.

7. A system for a vehicle having a data communications bus extending throughout the vehicle, and a vehicle audio entertainment system coupled to the data communications bus, the system configured to communicate with a mobile wireless communications device to be carried by a user remote from the vehicle and comprising a portable housing, a display carried by the portable housing, at least one input device carried by the portable housing, a remote wireless transceiver, and a remote controller cooperating with the remote wireless transceiver, the system comprising:

a vehicle wireless transceiver configured to link wirelessly with the remote wireless transceiver;

a downloading interface; and

a multi-vehicle compatible controller to be coupled to the data communications bus, operable with a plurality of different vehicles, and coupled to the downloading interface, said multi-vehicle compatible controller configured to

determine and send a vehicle location alert via said vehicle wireless transceiver, and

set the vehicle audio entertainment system to link with said vehicle wireless transceiver in a hands-free mode based upon a command received from the remote controller, the command being based upon acceptance, via the at least one user input device, of a user selection of an option displayed on the display in response to receiving the vehicle location alert, said multi-vehicle compatible controller to set the vehicle audio entertainment system into the hands-free mode.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said multi-vehicle compatible controller is configured to be operable with at least one of different bus protocols and different vehicle device bus codes.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein said vehicle wireless transceiver and the remote wireless transceiver each comprises a cellular transceiver.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein said multi-vehicle compatible controller is configured to determine the vehicle location alert based upon data on the vehicle data communications bus.

11. A method of remotely operating a mobile wireless communications device to be carried by a user remote from a vehicle, the mobile wireless communications device comprising a portable housing, a display carried by the portable housing, and at least one input device carried by the portable housing, the vehicle having a data communications bus extending throughout the vehicle, a vehicle audio entertainment system coupled to the data communications bus, a vehicle wireless transceiver, a downloading interface, and

a multi-vehicle compatible controller to be coupled to the data communications bus, coupled the downloading interface, and operable with a plurality of different vehicles, the multi-vehicle compatible controller configured to determine and send a vehicle location alert via the vehicle wireless transceiver, and selectively set the vehicle audio entertainment system to link with the vehicle wireless transceiver in a hands-free mode, the method comprising:

wirelessly linking a remote wireless transceiver carried by a portable housing of the mobile wireless communications device with the vehicle wireless transceiver;

presenting, using a remote controller carried by the portable housing and cooperating with the remote wireless transceiver, on the display an option to set the vehicle audio entertainment system into the hands-free mode based upon receiving the vehicle location alert;

accepting, using the remote controller, user selection of the option via the at least one user input device; and

commanding, via the remote controller the multi-vehicle compatible controller to set the vehicle audio entertainments system into the hands-free mode based upon acceptance of the option.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the vehicle wireless transceiver and the remote wireless transceiver each comprises a cellular transceiver.