Method and apparatus for remote vehicle function control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11021135-B2
Application number	US-201715674601-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 11, 2017
Priority date	Aug 11, 2017
Publication date	Jun 1, 2021
Grant date	Jun 1, 2021

Abstract

A system includes a processor configured to wirelessly communicate with a mobile device application. The processor is further configured to receive a vehicle-command from the mobile device application and send a wireless instruction to a vehicle instructing an action corresponding to and responsive to the received vehicle command.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a portable-device processor configured to:
wirelessly pair with a mobile device;
send identification of a plurality of vehicles controllable by the processor, to a mobile device application;
receive a selection, from the mobile device application, of one of the plurality of vehicles controllable by the processor;
wirelessly receive a vehicle command from the mobile device application; and
send a wireless instruction to the selected vehicle instructing an action corresponding to and responsive to the received vehicle command.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is included as part of a phone case.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is included as part of a credit card shaped device.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to authenticate the mobile device application as being preapproved to control the vehicle.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to provide mobile-device requested functionality to only the selected one of the plurality of vehicles.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to provide a listing of vehicle functions controllable by the processor, for the selected vehicle, responsive to a request from the mobile device application.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to provide passive entry passive start functionality while within a predefined proximity to a transponder of the selected vehicle.

8. A system comprising:
a mobile device processor configured to:
detect wireless connection advertising from a fob-device configured for communication with a mobile device application executed by the mobile device processor;
wirelessly connect using the advertised wireless connection;
present a set of vehicle-functions controllable by the fob-device and identified by the fob-device, following connection to the fob-device;
receive selection of a vehicle function on the mobile device; and
send a wireless instruction, corresponding to the selected vehicle function, to the fob-device.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the mobile device processor is further configured to:
request a list of vehicles controllable by the fob-device from the fob-device;
receive the list of vehicles from the fob-device, responsive to the request;
present a selectable list of vehicles based on the received list, and
wherein the set of vehicle-functions identified by the fob device are identified for a selected vehicle.

10. A computer-implemented method comprising:
storing a plurality of vehicle control-credentials, corresponding to a plurality of vehicles, on a local memory of a fob-device;
transmitting identification of the plurality of vehicles to a mobile device;
wirelessly receiving instructions from the mobile device, selecting one of the transmitted plurality of vehicles; and
utilizing the control credentials corresponding to the selected vehicle to provide vehicle control functionality, such that only the selected vehicle is controllable by the fob-device until new instructions selecting a different one of the plurality of vehicles are received from the mobile device.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the fob-device includes passive entry passive start (PEPS) functionality, further comprising providing PEPS functionality for only the selected vehicle until new instructions selecting a different one of the plurality of vehicles are received from the mobile device.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
receiving a control-command, corresponding to a vehicle function controllable by the fob-device, from the mobile device at the fob-device; and
sending an instruction to the selected vehicle from the fob-device instructing control of the vehicle function in accordance with the received control-command.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Gersabeck David Martin
• Hatton David Anthony
• Alhihi Ziad
• Simons Michael Andrew
• Nelson Thomas
• Conroy Ryan

Classifications

• H04M1/72415 Primary

  for remote control of appliances · CPC title

• B60R16/023

  for transmission of signals between vehicle parts or subsystems · CPC title

• H04W76/14

  Direct-mode setup · CPC title

• B60R2325/205

  Mobile phones · CPC title

• B60R2325/101

  Bluetooth® · CPC title