Selective passive door lock functions for vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016264097-A1
Application number	US-201514643606-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 10, 2015
Priority date	Mar 10, 2015
Publication date	Sep 15, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system and method of selectively carrying out a vehicle passive door lock function. The method carried out by the system includes: (a) detecting a vehicle operator's exit from a vehicle having at least one lockable door for passenger entry and exit, wherein the vehicle is configured to automatically carry out a passive operator departure process following the operator's exit, (b) determining whether the vehicle is at a lock function exempt location; (c) automatically carrying out the passive operator departure process in a first mode when it is determined that the vehicle is not at the exempt location; and (d) automatically carrying out the passive operator departure process in a second mode when it is determined that the vehicle is at the exempt location, wherein the second mode comprises at least one less door lock function than is carried out in the first mode.

First claim

1 . A method of selectively carrying out a vehicle passive door lock function, comprising the steps of:
(a) detecting a vehicle operator's exit from a vehicle having at least one lockable door for passenger entry and exit, wherein the vehicle is configured to automatically carry out a passive operator departure process in a first mode, wherein the first mode comprises one or more door lock functions that are carried out following the operator's exit, and wherein a first one of the door lock functions comprises automatically locking the vehicle door, and a second one of the door lock functions comprises automatically providing a notification indicating that the vehicle door has been automatically locked; (b) determining whether the vehicle is at a lock function exempt location; (c) automatically carrying out the passive operator departure process in the first mode when it is determined that the vehicle is not at the exempt location; and (d) automatically carrying out the passive operator departure process in a second mode when it is determined that the vehicle is at the exempt location, wherein the second mode comprises at least one less door lock function than is carried out in the first mode.

2 . The method set forth in claim 1 , wherein the detecting of the operator's exit from the vehicle further comprises detecting movement of a passive entry control device out of proximity to the vehicle.

3 . The method set forth in claim 1 , wherein step (b) further comprises accessing current vehicle location data from a GPS module on the vehicle and comparing the current vehicle location data to stored location data indicative of the lock function exempt location.

4 . The method set forth in claim 1 , wherein the lock function exempt location comprises a home location for the vehicle and wherein step (b) further comprises detecting data indicative of the vehicle being at the home location.

5 . The method set forth in claim 1 , wherein the lock function exempt location comprises a home garage location indicating that the vehicle is located in a garage of the operator's home, and wherein step (b) further comprises detecting data indicative of the vehicle being at the home garage location.

6 . The method set forth in claim 5 , wherein, in step (d), carrying out the passive operator departure process in the second mode further comprises leaving the vehicle unlocked when the vehicle is determined to be within the home garage location.

7 . The method set forth in claim 1 , wherein the second door lock function comprises an audible alert indicating that the vehicle door has been automatically locked.

8 . A method of configuring a vehicle for selectively carrying out a vehicle passive door lock function, comprising the steps of:
(a) receiving a first input instructing the vehicle to automatically carry out a passive operator departure process in a first mode, wherein the first mode comprises one or more door lock functions that are carried out following exit of an operator from the vehicle, wherein a first one of the door lock functions comprises automatically locking the vehicle door, and a second one of the door lock functions comprises automatically providing a notification indicating that the vehicle door has been automatically locked; (b) receiving a second input instructing the vehicle to automatically carry out the passive operator departure process in a second mode when the vehicle is at one or more identified geographic locations, whereby the one or more identified geographic locations comprise lock function exempt location(s), wherein the second mode comprises at least one less door lock function than is carried out in the first mode; (c) obtaining data indicative of the presence of the vehicle at the lock function exempt location(s); and (d) configuring the vehicle to automatically detect if the vehicle is at a lock function exempt location when the operator exits the vehicle and, if not, to automatically carry out the passive operator departure process in the first mode and, if so, to carry out the passive operator departure process in the second mode following exit of an operator from the vehicle.

9 . The method set forth in claim 8 , wherein the second input is received at the vehicle via a touch screen input on a vehicle user interface or as speech received by a vehicle microphone.

10 . The method set forth in claim 9 , wherein step (c) further comprises obtaining location data indicative of the location of the vehicle at the time the second input was received.

11 . The method set forth in claim 8 , wherein the first input, the second input, or both, is received via a web portal or mobile device.

12 . The method set forth in claim 8 , wherein step (c) further comprises obtaining location data from a remote location.

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Oesterling Christopher L

Classifications

• B60R25/20 Primary

  Means to switch the anti-theft system on or off · CPC title

• B60R25/31 Primary

  of human presence inside or outside the vehicle · CPC title

• B60R25/2009

  Antitheft state indicator · CPC title

• B60R25/33

  of global position, e.g. by providing GPS coordinates · CPC title