Vehicular mobile device control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018288232-A1
Application number	US-201715476047-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 31, 2017
Priority date	Mar 31, 2017
Publication date	Oct 4, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

Vehicle systems and methods identify a seat-related location for a mobile device based on an angle of a signal received from the mobile device. Responsive to identifying the seat-related location for the mobile device, the vehicle systems and methods control a functional aspect of the mobile device based on the seat-related location.

First claim

1 . A vehicle system comprising:
at least one processor configured to, responsive to identifying a seat-related location for a mobile device based on an angle of a first signal received from the mobile device, permit the mobile device to control a first climate zone of the vehicle that is for the seat-related location and not a second climate zone of the vehicle.

2 . The vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein the seat-related location comprises a front seat passenger location, and the at least one processor is further configured to, responsive to identifying the seat-related location for the mobile device, permit the mobile device to enter a destination into a navigation system of the vehicle.

3 . The vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein the seat-related location comprises a backseat location, and the at least one processor is further configured to, responsive to identifying the seat-related location for the mobile device, prevent the mobile device from entering a destination into a navigation system of the vehicle.

4 . The vehicle system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a multiple beam forming antenna that receives the first signal from the mobile device.

5 . The vehicle system of claim 4 , wherein the multiple beam forming antenna operates in a millimeter band.

6 . The vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to identify the seat-related location for the mobile device responsive to a weight increase being detected on a seat of the vehicle.

7 . The vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to identify the seat-related location based on a distance between the mobile device and an antenna of the vehicle that is derived from a phase delay between a second signal and a third signal sent to the mobile device from the antenna.

8 . The vehicle system of claim 7 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to, responsive to a distance between the mobile device and the vehicle exceeding a preset threshold, terminate a connection between the mobile device and the vehicle.

9 . A system comprising:
a vehicle configured to
responsive to a seat weight increase, scan an interior of the vehicle to identify a first seat-related location for a mobile device that is associated with a driver's seat of the vehicle based on an angle of a signal received from the mobile device; and
responsive to identifying the first seat-related location and to the vehicle being in motion, prevent a display of the mobile device from illuminating.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the first seat-related location is associated with a first climate zone, and the vehicle is further configured to enable the mobile device to control the first climate zone and not a second climate zone of the vehicle.

11 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the vehicle is further configured to
responsive to identifying the first seat-related location, or a second seat-related location for the mobile device that is associated with a front passenger seat of the vehicle, enable the mobile device to enter a destination into a navigation system of the vehicle, and responsive to identifying a third seat-related location for the mobile device that is not the first seat-related location or the second seat-related location, prevent the mobile device from entering a destination into the navigation system of the vehicle.

12 . The system of claim 9 , further comprising:
a multiple beam forming antenna that receives the signal from the mobile device.

13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the multiple beam forming antenna operates in a millimeter band.

14 . (canceled)

15 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the vehicle is further configured to identify the first seat-related location based on a distance between the mobile device and an antenna of the vehicle that is derived from a phase delay between a second signal and a third signal sent to the mobile device from the antenna.

16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the vehicle is further configured to, responsive to the distance between the mobile device and the vehicle exceeding a preset threshold, terminate a connection between the mobile device and the vehicle.

17 . A method comprising:
by a vehicle
broadcasting, from a phased array antenna mounted on a vehicle headliner, a reference signal into a vehicle interior cabin;
identifying seat-related locations for mobile devices based on an angle of a signal received at the antenna from each mobile device responsive to the reference signal; and
responsive to identifying the seat-related locations, preventing a first of the mobile devices from entering a destination into a vehicle navigation system.

18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
responsive to identifying the seat-related locations, permitting a second of the mobile devices to enter a destination into the vehicle navigation system.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the seat-related locations comprise a backseat location of the vehicle for the first mobile device and a front seat location of the vehicle for the second mobile device.

20 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the seat-related locations comprise a driver's seat location for the first mobile device, and further comprising, responsive to the vehicle being in motion and to identifying the seat-related locations for the mobile devices, preventing a display of the first mobile device from illuminating.

21 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
responsive to identifying that the first mobile device has left the vehicle and is within a predetermined distance of the vehicle
removing a limitation or allowance previously applied to the first mobile device; and
continuing to monitor a location of the first mobile device, and
responsive to identifying that the first mobile device has left the vehicle and is not within the predetermined distance of the vehicle, terminating a connection with the first mobile device.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Macneille Perry Robinson
• Lei Oliver

Classifications

• H04M11/007 Primary

  with remote control systems (remote control in general G08C) · CPC title

• H04W4/023

  using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds · CPC title

• H04B7/0617

  for beam forming · CPC title

• H04W4/046

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04W4/026 Primary

  using orientation information, e.g. compass · CPC title