Driving a Motor Vehicle by Utilizing a Mobile Device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025384724-A1
Application number	US-202519211439-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 19, 2025
Priority date	Jun 17, 2024
Publication date	Dec 18, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for controlling a motor vehicle by utilizing a mobile device includes detecting that a touch-sensitive screen of the mobile device has been disabled due to a low charge status of an energy storage device, detecting an operation of a physical switch of the mobile device, establishing a Bluetooth connection with the motor vehicle and transmitting a request to unlock the motor vehicle via the Bluetooth connection.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for controlling a motor vehicle by utilizing a mobile device, the method comprising:
detecting that a touch-sensitive screen of the mobile device is deactivated due to a low charge status of an energy storage device; detecting an actuation of a physical switch of the mobile device; establishing a Bluetooth connection with the motor vehicle; and transmitting a request to unlock the motor vehicle via the Bluetooth connection.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein a predetermined sequence of actuation of the switch is detected.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein a predetermined sequence of actuation of a plurality of physical switches of the mobile device is detected.

4 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein a predetermined sequence of actuation of a plurality of physical switches of the mobile device is detected.

5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein based on the Bluetooth connection, it is determined that the mobile device is located no further than a predetermined distance away from the motor vehicle.

6 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein based on the Bluetooth connection, it is determined that the mobile device is located no further than a predetermined distance away from the motor vehicle.

7 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein an actuation of a predetermined control element, which is accessible outside of the motor vehicle, is detected.

8 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein an actuation of a predetermined control element, which is accessible outside of the motor vehicle, is detected.

9 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the motor vehicle is unlocked in response to the request.

10 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein the motor vehicle is unlocked in response to the request.

11 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein an actuation of a predetermined control element located in an interior of the motor vehicle is detected, a request for authentication is transmitted to the mobile device via the Bluetooth connection, and the mobile device initiates an authentication with the motor vehicle.

12 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein an actuation of a predetermined control element located in an interior of the motor vehicle is detected, a request for authentication is transmitted to the mobile device via the Bluetooth connection, and the mobile device initiates an authentication with the motor vehicle.

13 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the authentication is based on a UWB connection.

14 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein the authentication is based on a UWB connection.

15 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the authentication is based on a digital vehicle key which is stored on the mobile device.

16 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the authentication is based on a digital vehicle key which is stored on the mobile device.

17 . A control device for a motor vehicle, the control device comprising:
a Bluetooth interface; and a processing device configured to:
establish a Bluetooth connection to a mobile device;
receive a request to unlock the motor vehicle via the Bluetooth connection;
detect an operation of a control element which is accessible on an exterior of the motor vehicle; and
unlock the motor vehicle.

18 . A motor vehicle comprising a control device according to claim 17 .

19 . A mobile device comprising:
a touch-sensitive screen; a physical switch; an electrical energy storage unit; a Bluetooth interface; and a processing device configured to detect that the touch-sensitive screen is disabled due to a low status of charge of the energy storage device, to detect an actuation of the physical switch, to establish a Bluetooth connection with the motor vehicle, and to transmit a request to unlock the motor vehicle via the Bluetooth connection.

Assignees

• Bayerische Motoren Werke Ag

Inventors

• Knott Thorsten
• Kombas Khaled

Classifications

• G07C2009/00325

  and the lock having only one limited data transmission range · CPC title

• G07C2009/00769

  with data transmission performed by wireless means · CPC title

• G07C9/00309 Primary

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

• B60R2325/101

  Bluetooth® · CPC title

• B60R2325/205

  Mobile phones · CPC title