Phone as a key predictive vehicle access

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11513582-B2
Application number	US-201916589828-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 1, 2019
Priority date	Oct 1, 2019
Publication date	Nov 29, 2022
Grant date	Nov 29, 2022

Abstract

A computer-implemented method includes predicting, via a predictive analytical model, a time interval associated with a future key-on event for a vehicle. The predictive analytical model is based at least in part on key-on event data. The method includes generating, based at least in part on the predicted time interval, a power mode instruction configured to cause a vehicle Telematics Control Unit (TCU) or Phone as a Key (PaaK) system to change a TCU state from a low energy state to a higher energy state, and transmitting, based on the predicted time interval, the power mode instruction to the vehicle TCU.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
determining, via a predictive analytical model, a predicted time interval associated with a future key-on event for a vehicle, wherein the predictive analytical model is based at least in part on historical key-on event data;
determining, based at least in part on the predicted time interval, a power mode instruction configured to change a vehicle power state from a low energy state to a higher energy state, wherein the low energy state prevents communications between a vehicle Telematics Control Unit (TCU) and a mobile device, and wherein the higher energy state enables communications between the TCU and the mobile device; and
transmitting, based on the predicted time interval, the power mode instruction to the vehicle.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein changing the vehicle power state comprises causing the vehicle TCU to change the vehicle power state from the low energy state to the higher energy state.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein changing the vehicle power state comprises causing a Phone as a Key (PaaK) system to change the vehicle power state from the low energy state to the higher energy state.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein changing the vehicle power state comprises causing a Phone as a Key (PaaK) system to change the PaaK system from the low energy state to the higher energy state.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein changing the vehicle power state comprises causing a Phone as a Key (PaaK) system to change a vehicle Telematics Control Unit (TCU) from the low energy state to the higher energy state.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein changing the vehicle power state comprises causing the vehicle Telematics Control Unit (TCU) to change the vehicle TCU from the low energy state to the higher energy state.

7. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1 , wherein the key-on event data comprises time information and date information associated with one or more of unlocking the vehicle, actuating a door latch mechanism, opening a door, starting a motor, performing a remote start/climate control, or a vehicle function that indicates user intent to access or operate the vehicle.

8. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1 , wherein the key-on event data comprises Global Position Service (GPS) information indicative of a GPS location of one or more of the vehicle and a mobile device associated with the vehicle.

9. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1 , wherein the key-on event data comprises key fob information associated with a key fob used to perform one or more of unlocking the vehicle, starting a motor, performing a remote start/climate control, or a vehicle function that indicates user intent to access or operate the vehicle.

10. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1 , wherein the key-on event data comprises user-level data associated with a user of the vehicle.

11. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, from one or more of the vehicle Telematics Control Unit (TCU) and a mobile device associated with the vehicle, the key-on event data indicative of a plurality of key-on events; and
generating, based on the key-on event data indicative of the plurality of key-on events, the predictive analytical model.

12. The computer-implemented method according to claim 11 , wherein the key-on event data comprises fleet-level data associated with vehicles in a plurality of vehicle fleets; and
grouping vehicles automatically into the plurality of vehicle fleets, based on a vehicle make, model, primary approximate geo-locations, trim level, or feature level.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein transmitting the power mode instruction comprises transmitting a wireless signal to a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) module associated with the vehicle, wherein the power mode instruction changes the vehicle power state from the low energy state to the higher energy state based at least in part on the predicted time interval.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting the predictive analytical model to a mobile device.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14 , wherein the mobile device is configured for determining the predicted time interval associated with the future key-on event for the vehicle, and transmitting the power mode instruction to the vehicle.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting the predictive analytical model to an automotive computer onboard the vehicle.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 16 , wherein the automotive computer onboard the vehicle is configured for determining the predicted time interval associated with the future key-on event for the vehicle, and transmitting the power mode instruction to the vehicle.

18. A system, comprising:
a processor; and
a memory for storing executable instructions, the processor configured to execute instructions to:
determine, via a predictive analytical model, a predicted time interval associated with a future key-on event for a vehicle, wherein the predictive analytical model is based at least in part on historical key-on event data;
determine, based at least in part on the predicted time interval, a power mode instruction configured to cause a vehicle Telematics Control Unit (TCU) to change from a low energy state to a higher energy state, wherein the low energy state prevents communications between the vehicle TCU and a mobile device, and wherein the higher energy state enables communications between the vehicle TCU and the mobile device; and
transmit, based on the predicted time interval, the power mode instruction to the vehicle TCU.

19. The system according to claim 18 , wherein the key-on event data comprises time information and date information associated with unlocking the vehicle, actuating a door latch mechanism, opening a door, starting a motor, performing a remote start/climate control, or similar vehicle functions that indicate user intent to access or operate the vehicle.

20. A vehicle, comprising:
a processor; and
a memory for storing executable instructions, the processor configured to execute instructions to:
receiving, from one or more of a vehicle Telematics Control Unit (TCU) and a mobile device associated with the vehicle, key-on event data indicative of a plurality of key-on events;
generating, based on the key-on event data indicative of the plurality of key-on events, a predictive analytical model;
determine, via the predictive analytical model, a predicted time interval associated with a future key-on event for a vehicle, wherein the predictive analytical model is based at least in part on key-on event data;
determine, based at least in part on the predicted time interval, a power mode instruction configured to cause a vehicle Phone-as-a-Key (PaaK) system to change from a low energy state to a higher energy state; and
adjust, based on the power mode instruction, a power mode of the vehicle from the low energy state to the higher energy state.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Thivierge Jr Timothy
• Bounefissa Fouad
• Jawany Jalal
• Schubert Jochen

Classifications

• H04W4/40 Primary

  for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P] · CPC title

• G07C9/00857

  where the code of the data carrier can be programmed · CPC title

• G07C9/00309

  operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks · CPC title

• H04W4/80

  Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication · CPC title

• G06F1/3231 Primary

  Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users · CPC title