Systems and methods for enhanced vehicle valet mode

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11919478-B2
Application number	US-202117412023-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 25, 2021
Priority date	Sep 22, 2020
Publication date	Mar 5, 2024
Grant date	Mar 5, 2024

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed for an enhanced valet mode for vehicles. An example method may include receiving a request for a temporary valet passcode. The example method may also include generating a temporary valet passcode. The example method may also include displaying a request for entry of the temporary valet passcode. The example method may also include determining that an input has been received. The example method may also include determining that a mobile device is located within the vehicle or within a threshold distance from the vehicle. The example method may also include preventing the vehicle from starting based on authorization of the mobile device for a period of time subsequent to the input being received.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
receiving a request for a temporary valet passcode for use with a vehicle;
generating the temporary valet passcode;
displaying, by the vehicle, a request for entry of the temporary valet passcode;
determining, by the vehicle, that an input has been received;
initiating, by the vehicle and based on the input, a valet mode of the vehicle;
determining that a mobile device is located within the vehicle or within a threshold distance from the vehicle; and
preventing, by the vehicle, the mobile device from causing the valet mode of the vehicle to end for a period of time subsequent to the input being received.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining that the temporary valet passcode has been received at a first time;
initiating, upon receiving the temporary valet passcode at the first time, a timer, wherein the timer provides a threshold amount of time during which the vehicle is configured to be started subsequent to receiving the temporary valet passcode;
receiving an ignition start input at the vehicle;
determining that the ignition start input was received within the threshold amount of; and
starting the vehicle based on the determination that the ignition start input was received within the threshold amount of time.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining that the temporary valet passcode has been received at a first time;
receiving an ignition start input at the vehicle;
determining that the ignition start input was not received within a threshold amount of time subsequent to the first time;
determining that the mobile device is located inside the vehicle or within a threshold distance from the vehicle; and
starting the vehicle based on the determination that the mobile device is located inside the vehicle or within the threshold distance from the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, subsequent to the vehicle entering valet mode and being turned off, an ignition start input;
determining that the mobile device is not located inside the vehicle; and
displaying, based on the determination that the mobile device is not located inside the vehicle, the request for entry of the temporary valet passcode.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, subsequent to the vehicle entering valet mode and being turned off, an ignition start input;
determining that the mobile device is located inside the vehicle; and
starting, based on the determining that the mobile device is located inside the vehicle, the vehicle without displaying the request for entry of the temporary valet passcode.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the input includes a first digit of the temporary valet passcode.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mobile device is a validated Phone-as-a-Key (Pack) mobile device or a validated Passive entry passive start (PEPS) key fob.

8. A vehicle comprising:
a computer processor operable to execute computer-executable instructions; and
a memory operable to store the computer-executable instructions operable to perform operations of:
receiving a request for a temporary valet passcode for use with the vehicle;
generating the temporary valet passcode;
displaying a request for entry of the temporary valet passcode;
determining that an input has been received;
initiating, based on the input, a valet mode of the vehicle;
determining that a mobile device is located within the vehicle or within a threshold distance from the vehicle; and
preventing, by the vehicle, the mobile device from causing the valet mode of the vehicle to end for a period of time subsequent to the input being received.

9. The vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the computer-executable instructions are further operable to perform operations of:
determining that the temporary valet passcode has been received at a first time;
initiating, upon receiving the temporary valet passcode at the first time, a timer, wherein the timer provides a threshold amount of time during which the vehicle is configured to be started subsequent to receiving the temporary valet passcode;
receiving an ignition start input at the vehicle;
determining that the ignition start input was received within the threshold amount of time; and
starting the vehicle based on the determination that the ignition start input was received within the threshold amount of time.

10. The vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the computer-executable instructions are further operable to perform operations of:
determining that the temporary valet passcode has been received at a first time;
receiving an ignition start input at the vehicle;
determining that the ignition start input was not received within a threshold amount of time subsequent to the first time;
determining that the mobile device is located inside the vehicle or within a threshold distance from the vehicle; and
starting the vehicle based on the determination that the mobile device is located inside the vehicle or within the threshold distance from the vehicle.

11. The vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the computer-executable instructions are further operable to perform operations of:
receiving, subsequent to the vehicle entering valet mode and being turned off, an ignition start input;
determining that the mobile device is not located inside the vehicle;
displaying, based on the determination that the mobile device is not located inside the vehicle, the request for entry of the temporary valet passcode; and
starting the vehicle upon receiving the temporary valet passcode by the vehicle.

12. The vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the computer-executable instructions are further operable to perform operations of:
receiving, subsequent to the vehicle entering valet mode and being turned off, an ignition start input;
determining that the mobile device is located inside the vehicle; and
starting, based on the determining that the mobile device is located inside the vehicle, the vehicle without displaying the request for entry of the temporary valet passcode.

13. The vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the input includes a first digit of the temporary valet passcode.

14. The vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the mobile device is a validated Phone-as-a-Key (Paak) mobile device or a validated Passive entry passive start (PEPS) key fob.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions, that when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations of:
receiving a request for a temporary valet passcode for use with a vehicle;
generating the temporary valet passcode;
displaying, by the vehicle, a request for entry of the temporary valet passcode;
determining, by the vehicle, that an input has been received;
initiating, by the vehicle and based on the input, a valet mode of the vehicle;
determining that a mobile device is located within the vehicle or within a threshold distance from the vehicle; and
preventing, by the vehicle, the mobile device from causing the valet mode of the vehicle to end for a period of time subsequent to the input being received.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to perform operations of:
determining that the temporary valet passcode has been received at a first time;
initiating, upon receiving the temporary valet passcode at the first time, a timer, wherein the timer provides a threshold amount of time during which the vehicle is configured to be started subsequent to receivin

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Delong Aaron
• Karpinsky Eugene
• Smyth Cameron
• Thivierge Timothy
• King Daniel
• Hille Kevin
• Ehsan Farhan
• Van Wiemeersch John
• Lalwani Santosh

Classifications

• B60R25/243 Primary

  with more than one way to gain access · CPC title

• B60R25/045

  by limiting or cutting the electrical supply to the propulsion unit · CPC title

• B60R25/209

  Remote starting of engine · CPC title

• B60R25/23

  using manual input of alphanumerical codes · CPC title

• B60R25/31

  of human presence inside or outside the vehicle · CPC title