Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080205320 | Method and system for selectively communicating with mobile platforms - There is provided a method for selectively communicating from a remote system to a subset of a plurality of vehicles. Each of the vehicles is equipped with a first wireless communications device and a second wireless communication device. The method comprises broadcasting a common message from the remote system to the vehicles via the first wireless communication device. A subset of the plurality of vehicles is selected based upon the common message. A communications link is established between the remote system and the second wireless communication device of each of the selected subset of vehicles to transmit formatted electronic data therebetween. | 08-28-2008 |
20080208405 | Method and system for facilitating communication of information to a mobile platform - There is provided a method and system for facilitating communications between a remote access point and a mobile platform during a shutdown period. The mobile platform is equipped with a first receiver and a wireless communications receiver. A wake-up signal is wirelessly transmitted from a remote wireless device to the first receiver of the mobile platform. The communications receiver is activated based upon the wake-up signal. The remote access point is controlled to communicate with the communications receiver subsequent to the activation of the communications receiver. | 08-28-2008 |
20090098907 | Parked Vehicle Location Information Access via a Portable Cellular Communication Device - A portable cellular communication device and system is provided for finding the current location of a vehicle on demand by a user. The portable cellular communication device can direct the user to a parked vehicle utilizing location data of the portable cellular communication device provided by a GPS transmitter or a wireless node, and current vehicle location information provided by accessing a vehicle location database. | 04-16-2009 |
20100039215 | VALET KEYFOB SYSTEM - A system for activating a predetermined set of vehicle features on a vehicle is provided. The system comprises a valet keyfob in wireless communication with the vehicle and configured to activate the predetermined set of vehicle features when enabled, and a first processor coupled to the vehicle and configured to enable the valet keyfob to activate the predetermined set of vehicle features. | 02-18-2010 |
20100109835 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING LOCATION BASED SECURITY FOR COMMUNICATION WITH A REMOTE DEVICE - A method for providing location based security for communication between a remote device and a mobile device having a global positioning system receiver for determining its current position. The method comprises receiving geographic data from the remote device, determining if the mobile device is within a predetermined geographic region based on the geographic data and the current position, and enabling subsequent communication with the remote device when the current position is within the predetermined geographic region. | 05-06-2010 |
20100117960 | HANDHELD ELECTRONIC DEVICE WITH MOTION-CONTROLLED CURSOR - A handheld electronic device of the present invention includes a display, a memory, a motion sensor, and a controller. The memory is configured for storing a viewable output of at least one software application. The controller is in communication with the display, the memory, and the motion sensor. The controller includes a first control logic that generates a first image on the display representative of a portion of the viewable output of the software application. The first image has a field of view (FOV), where the viewable output includes an inner region and an outer region. A second control logic adjusts the FOV of the first image based upon movement of the handheld device. A third control logic displays a second image of a cursor in the inner region. A fourth control logic displays the second image of the cursor in the outer region. | 05-13-2010 |
20100161490 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROTECTING THE PRIVACY OF RESPONDER INFORMATION - A device, such as a vehicle, and a method within the device are provided for protecting the privacy of device specific information. The method includes the steps of detecting a beacon transmitted by an association requestor, determining whether the association requestor is an authorized requester by determining whether a present parameter falls within a range of authorized parameters associated with the association requester, and transmitting the device specific information to the authorized requester only if the present parameter falls within the range of authorized requester parameters. | 06-24-2010 |
20100178872 | INITIATING WIRELESS COMMUNICATION BETWEEN A VEHICLE AND AN ACCESS POINT - Methods and a vehicle are provided for initiating a short range radio frequency (RF) connection between the vehicle and an access point. The vehicle includes transceiver circuitry comprising receiver circuitry and transmitter circuitry, a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver for receiving GPS coordinates, and a controller. The controller is coupled to the GPS receiver for determining a location of the vehicle in response to the GPS coordinates. The controller is also coupled to the transmitter circuitry for providing a probe request thereto for transmission to the access point in order to initiate the short range RF connection in response to the location of the vehicle. | 07-15-2010 |
20100191973 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ESTABLISHING A SECURE CONNECTION WITH A MOBILE DEVICE - Methods and apparatus are provided for establishing a secure connection with a mobile device that is configured to store a first private key that mathematically corresponds to a first public key. The method comprises receiving a quasi-public key from a trusted entity, wherein the quasi-public key mathematically corresponds to a quasi-private key that is stored on the mobile device, receiving a first digital certificate from the mobile device, the first digital certificate comprising the first public key and a first digital signature generated with the quasi-private key, and authenticating the first digital certificate using the first digital signature and the quasi-public key. | 07-29-2010 |
20100211770 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROTECTING PRIVATE DATA ON A VEHICLE - Methods and apparatus are provided for protecting private data on a vehicle. The method comprises receiving a first signal generated by a user of the vehicle and, in response to the first signal, deleting predetermined data stored on the vehicle to prevent the private data from being accessed. | 08-19-2010 |
20100245184 | CONTROL MODULE CHASSIS-INTEGRATED SLOT ANTENNA - A control module has a conductive metal chassis with a chassis body and a chassis lid. A non-conductive opening is formed within the chassis body and a tab extends from the chassis lid engaging edges of the non-conductive opening to create a rectangularly-shaped non-conductive aperture with a longitudinal axis having a predetermined length for forming a slot antenna structure. The predetermined length is designed to communicate with a specific communications frequency. The slot antenna structure is signally interconnected to a transceiver housed within the chassis. | 09-30-2010 |
20100271195 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING FORWARD LIGHTING FOR VEHICLES - A method for controlling forward lighting for a vehicle includes the steps of determining whether full forward lighting is required for the vehicle, and varying the forward lighting depending on whether full forward lighting is required. | 10-28-2010 |
20100274410 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR CUSTOMIZING CONTENT FOR AN OCCUPANT OF A VEHICLE - A method for customizing content for an occupant of a vehicle during a vehicle drive includes the steps of determining a driving mode of the vehicle and determining appropriate content for the occupant based on the driving mode. The driving mode represents one or more characteristics of the vehicle drive. | 10-28-2010 |
20100274570 | VEHICLE CHARGING AUTHORIZATION - Methods and apparatus are provided for charging an onboard energy storage system of a plug-in vehicle using a charging station. An embodiment of the system includes a vehicle communication system configured to transmit data related to charging authorization to the charging station. The embodiment also includes an electronic device configured to communicate with the vehicle communication system within a set range from the plug-in vehicle; and a vehicle controller communicatively coupled to the vehicle communication system. The vehicle controller is configured to direct the vehicle communication system to transmit the data related to charging authorization if the electronic device is within the set range from the plug-in vehicle. | 10-28-2010 |
20110032075 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR HOME-TO-VEHICLE APPLICATIONS OVER WIRELESS LINKS - Methods and apparatus are provided for enabling communication between an information handling device, such as a computer, and a vehicle. A dongle is provided for enabling the communication and includes an external coupling device, dongle transceiver circuitry, and a dongle controller. The dongle transceiver circuitry enables remote keyless entry communication between the dongle and the vehicle. The external coupling device couples the dongle to the information handling device, and the dongle controller is coupled to the external coupling device for determining when the dongle is coupled to the information handling device. The dongle controller is also coupled to the dongle transceiver circuitry for providing a remote keyless entry wakeup message to the dongle transceiver circuitry in response to receiving a communication initiation signal from the information handling device. | 02-10-2011 |
20130090821 | EFFICIENCY SCORE TRACKER FOR VEHICLE OPERATIONS - Implementing efficiency score tracking for vehicle operations includes identifying an operator of a vehicle. At each time increment of a driving event, the efficiency score tracking includes determining mileage accrual and energy consumed, calculating an efficiency value as a function of the mileage accrual and the amount of energy consumed, assigning a point value to the efficiency value, adding the point value to previous point values assigned during the driving event, and displaying a sum of the point value and the previous point values to the operator. The sum reflects a cumulative number of points assigned for a corresponding time increment and any previous time increments of the driving event. The efficiency score tracking also includes presenting a total point value reflecting a sum of all of the point values assigned to the operator of the vehicle for all of the time increments associated with the driving event. | 04-11-2013 |
20130197730 | ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGE REDUCTION APPARATUS AND METHOD - A vehicle includes a rechargeable energy storage device, such as a battery. A recharging system is operatively connected to the energy storage device and configured to selectively charge the energy storage device by transmitting energy thereto. A regenerative braking system is operatively connected to the energy storage device to selectively transmit energy thereto. A controller is operatively connected to the recharging system and configured to control the recharging system. The controller is configured to determine an amount of the vehicle's gravitational potential energy that is recoverable by the regenerative braking system over a predicted route, and to control the recharging system such that the amount of energy transferred from the recharging system to the energy storage device is based on the amount of the vehicle's gravitational potential energy that is recoverable by the regenerative braking system over the predicted route. | 08-01-2013 |
20130329888 | IN-VEHICLE MOBILE TRANSACTIONS - A mobile client system initiates a wireless communication with a transaction system and receives a digital certificate from the transaction system in response. The digital certificate includes an embedded geographic location of the transaction system. The mobile client system also compares the geographic location of the transaction system with a current geographic location of the mobile client system and establishes an encrypted communication channel with the transaction system upon determining that the location of the transaction system is in proximity of the current location of the mobile client system. The mobile client system further sends the user credentials to the transaction system via the encrypted communication channel. Upon successful authentication of the mobile client system via the user credentials, the mobile client system performs a transaction with the transaction system using a graphical user interface of the client system. | 12-12-2013 |
20140074352 | PARK ASSIST SYSTEM - A park assist system for providing guidance to park a vehicle into a parking area is disclosed. The park assist system includes an imaging device, at least one indicator, and a control module. The imaging device acquires image data representative of a field of view (FOV). The indicator provides feedback to guide the vehicle into the parking area. The control module is in communication with the imaging device and the at least one indicator. The control module includes control logic for monitoring image data representative of the viewable area. The control module includes control logic for determining if a specific predetermined object is located within the FOV. The specific predetermined object indicates the presence of the parking area. The control module includes control logic for activating the at least one indicator to provide feedback regarding the parking area. | 03-13-2014 |
20140095021 | Park Assist System - A park assist system for providing guidance to park a vehicle into a parking area is disclosed. The park assist system includes an imaging device, at least one indicator, and a control module. The imaging device acquires image data representative of a field of view (FOV). The indicator provides feedback to guide the vehicle into the parking area. The control module is in communication with the imaging device and the at least one indicator. The control module includes control logic for monitoring image data representative of the viewable area. The control module includes control logic for determining if a specific predetermined object is located within the FOV. The specific predetermined object indicates the presence of the parking area. The control module includes control logic for activating the at least one indicator to provide feedback regarding the parking area. | 04-03-2014 |
20140129054 | MOBILE DEVICE-ACTIVATED VEHICLE FUNCTIONS - Mobile device-activated vehicle functions are implemented by authenticating a vehicle with a device via wireless signals transmitted between a low frequency antenna of the device and a low frequency antenna of the vehicle when the vehicle is in communicative range of the device. The mobile device-activated vehicle functions are further implemented by receiving, via computer processor embedded in the device, a selection from one of a plurality of input components embedded in the device, the selection associated with a vehicle function, and transmitting a request to implement the vehicle function via the low frequency antenna coupled to the computer processor and the low frequency antenna of the vehicle. | 05-08-2014 |
20140324248 | TELEMATICS FOR A TOWED VEHICLE - A telematics system for a vehicle to be towed is provided. The telematics system includes a vehicle communication network configured to receive vehicle data from at least one vehicle system of a plurality of vehicle systems. The telematics system also includes a telematics module configured to determine a towing mode status of the vehicle, generate telematics data based on the vehicle data, and transmit the telematics data to a remote access system based on the towing mode status of the vehicle indicating that the vehicle is configured to be towed. | 10-30-2014 |
20150014134 | SELECTABLE WINDOW SWITCH CONTROLLER - A vehicle window control panel for controlling a plurality of vehicle window assemblies comprises a common window control switch and a plurality of selector interfaces. The common window control switch is configured for controlling operation of a window assembly when the window assembly occupies an active state. The plurality of selector interfaces is electrically coupled to the common window control switch, and each of the plurality of selector interfaces is associated with an associated window assembly and configured for selectively coupling the associated window assembly to the common window control switch so as to cause the associated window assembly to occupy an active state. Each of the plurality of selector interfaces is also configured for selectively decoupling the associated window assembly from the common window control switch so as to cause the associated window assembly to occupy an inactive state. | 01-15-2015 |
20150037999 | ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY - An electrical connector assembly including a first connector having a first electrical conductor. A second connector is engagable with the first connector and has a second electrical conductor. The first and second electrical conductors establish an electrical connection through the electrical connector assembly when in contact together. A lock mechanism is arranged to both lock the first and second connectors together and to enable contact between the first and second conductors when the first and second connectors are in a fully engaged relation. A method of establishing an electrical connection through an electrical connector assembly is also included. | 02-05-2015 |
20150043779 | VEHICLE PATH ASSESSMENT - A number of variations include a vehicle path assessment system. | 02-12-2015 |