Method and apparatus for a near field communication system to exchange occupant information

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9612797-B2
Application number	US-201113217591-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 25, 2011
Priority date	Aug 25, 2011
Publication date	Apr 4, 2017
Grant date	Apr 4, 2017

Abstract

A system includes a plurality of antennas, positioned to be capable of receiving a wireless near field communication (NFC) device signal associated with a device located in any one of a driver's back pocket or front pocket, a center console or a passenger seat. The system also includes an NFC reader, in communication with the plurality of antennas. The NFC reader is operable to assign, based at least in part on a number of signals received and a signal strength, one of one or more devices associated with detected signals to a driver. The NFC reader is in communication with a vehicle computing system, operable to retrieve additional information associated with the device assigned to the driver and to apply that information to control vehicle settings.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
at least three antennas, positioned to be capable of receiving a wireless near field communication (NFC) device signal associated with a device located in any one of a driver's back pocket or front pocket, a center console or a passenger seat, wherein antennas are deployed, individually, in at least a driver side door, a passenger side door, and in a center console;
an NFC reader, in communication with the plurality of antennas, wherein the NFC reader is operable to assign, based at least in part on a number of signals received and a signal strength, one of one or more devices associated with detected signals to a driver, wherein
the NFC reader is in communication with a vehicle computing system, operable to retrieve additional information associated with the device assigned to the driver and to apply that information to control vehicle settings.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least three antennas includes four antennas.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the four antennas are deployed, individually, forward of a driver in the driver side door, rearward of a driver, in a center console and relative to a passenger seat in the passenger side door, further from the driver than a center console antenna.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein, if a plurality of signals are detected, the NFC reader further evaluates whether any one signal was received by multiple antennas, wherein, if no signal was received by multiple antennas and at least one driver side antenna received at least one signal, the device associated with the signal received by the at least one driver side antenna is assigned to the driver, wherein, if no signal was received by multiple antennas and no one driver side antenna received at least one signal, no device is assigned to the driver.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein, if a single signal is only received by either one or both of the center console and passenger side antenna, and the passenger seat is occupied, as determined by the vehicle computing system, the NFC reader does not assign a device to the driver.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein, if a plurality of signals are received, the NFC determines that a signal detected by more than one antenna corresponds to the driver.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein, if a plurality of signals are detected by any number of the antennas forward of the driver, rearward of the driver and in the center console, the NFC assigns a device associated with a signal being detected by multiple antennas to the driver.

Assignees

• Cuddihy Mark A
• Rao Manoharprasad K
• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Cuddihy Mark A
• Rao Manoharprasad K

Classifications

• B60R16/037

  for occupant comfort {, e.g. for automatic adjustment of appliances according to personal settings, e.g. seats, mirrors, steering wheel} · CPC title

• H01Q1/32

  Adaptation for use in or on road or rail vehicles · CPC title

• H01Q1/2291

  used in Bluetooth® or Wi-Fi® devices of Wireless Local Area Networks [WLAN] (H01Q1/241 takes precedence; WLAN in general H04W) · CPC title

• G06F7/00 Primary

  Methods or arrangements for processing data by operating upon the order or content of the data handled (logic circuits H03K19/00) · CPC title

• H04H20/62

  for transportation systems, e.g. in vehicles · CPC title