Key fob security copy to a mobile phone

• US 9,168,895 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2015
• Issued: 10/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Hatton, David Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James
• Assistant Examiner(s): SMITH-STEWART, DEMETRA R
• Application Number:
  US14/640,339
• Publication Number:
  US 20150175127A1
• Time in Patent Office: 235 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/205 Mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00793 by Hertzian waves
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00865 remotely by wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/20 involving the use of a pass
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3816 Mechanical arrangements for accommodating identification devices, e.g. cards or chips; with connectors for programming identification devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234

Abstract

A vehicle computing system configured to program a mobile device as a key fob. The vehicle computing system includes a processor and a user interface. The user interface is configured to receive input from a user. The processor is configured to detect a valid key fob configured to control one or more vehicle control functions. The processor may transmit vehicle security codes for programming a connected mobile device to implement the one or more vehicle control functions based on a request to create a mobile device key fob via the user interface and a detected valid key fob. Once programmed, the mobile device may implement one or more vehicle control functions on the mobile device when the valid key fob is not present.

Claims

1. A vehicle computing system comprising:

a processor in communication with a backup slot and a user-interface display, the processor programmed to,

in response to a customer security code transfer request, prompt a driver via the user-interface display to place a mobile device at the backup slot, and

in response to the mobile device being placed at the backup slot, transmit one or more vehicle computing system security codes to the mobile device to implement one or more vehicle control functions using the one or more security codes.

2. The vehicle computing system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further programmed to initialize a predefined timer for the one or more vehicle computing system security codes;

and enable the mobile device to implement one or more vehicle control functions using the security codes during the predefined timer.

3. The vehicle computing system of claim 1, wherein the backup slot wirelessly transmits the one or more vehicle computing security codes using near field communication.

4. The vehicle computing system of claim 1, wherein the user-interface display is configured to output instructions to a user and the backup slot is configured to wirelessly transmit the one or more vehicle computing system security codes.

5. The vehicle computing system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further programmed to receive input at the user-interface display to define the mobile device as a primary key or a secondary key.

6. The vehicle computing system of claim 5, wherein the processor is further programmed to configure the mobile device via the one or more vehicle computing system security codes, to either be identifiable as the primary key or the secondary key, wherein the primary key provides greater control over vehicle functionality than the secondary key.

7. The vehicle computing system of claim 5, wherein the primary key is configured to activate or deactivate at least one vehicle feature.

8. The vehicle computing system of claim 1, wherein the one or more vehicle control functions is at least one of unlocking doors, locking doors, starting the vehicle, and opening a vehicle trunk.

9. A vehicle computing system comprising:

a processor programmed to

detect a valid key fob configured to control a vehicle control function; and

in response to a request to create a mobile device key fob via a user interface and a detected valid key fob, transmit vehicle security codes to a connected mobile device to implement the vehicle control function on the mobile device key fob when the valid key fob is not present.

10. The vehicle computing system of claim 9, wherein the processor is further programmed to establish a communication connection with the mobile device using at least one of near field communication, BLUETOOTH, and Bluetooth Low Energy.

11. The vehicle computing system of claim 10, wherein the processor is further programmed to initialize a predefined timer for the vehicle security codes;

and enable the mobile device to implement the vehicle control function using the security codes during the predefined timer.

12. The vehicle computing system of claim 9, wherein the processor is further programmed to receive input at the user interface to define the mobile device as a primary key or a secondary key.

13. The vehicle computing system of claim 12, wherein the processor is further programmed to configure the mobile device via the vehicle security codes, to either be identifiable as the primary key or the secondary key, wherein the primary key provides greater control over vehicle functionality than the secondary key.

14. The vehicle computing system of claim 12, wherein the primary key is configured to activate or deactivate at least one vehicle feature.

15. The vehicle computing system of claim 9, wherein the vehicle control function is at least one of unlocking doors, locking doors, starting the vehicle, and opening a vehicle trunk.

16. A vehicle computing system comprising:

at least one processor programmed to

receive a request to create a mobile device key fob from a user interface; and

transmit vehicle security codes to a backup slot for communication to a mobile device based on the request, wherein the vehicle security codes enable the mobile device to implement one or more vehicle control functions on the mobile device when a vehicle key fob is not present.

17. The vehicle computing system of claim 16, wherein the processor is further programmed to initialize a predefined timer for the vehicle security codes;

and enable the mobile device to implement one or more vehicle control functions using the security codes during the predefined timer.

18. The vehicle computing system of claim 16, wherein the processor is further programmed to receive a signal from the user interface to define the mobile device as a primary key or a secondary key.

19. The vehicle computing system of claim 18, wherein the processor is further programmed to configure the mobile device via the vehicle security codes, to either be identifiable as the primary key or the secondary key, wherein the primary key provides greater control over vehicle functionality than the secondary key.

20. The vehicle computing system of claim 16, wherein the backup slot is wirelessly transmitting the vehicle security codes using near field communication.