| Patent application number | Description | Published |
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| 20110032093 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DYNAMICALLY GENERATING A SPEED ALERT BASED ON DRIVER STATUS - In at least one embodiment, a method for generating a speed alert with an electronic device in a vehicle is provided. The method comprises receiving a vehicle speed signal indicating the speed at which the vehicle is traveling on a road and receiving a speed limit signal indicating the posted speed limit for the road traveled by the vehicle. The method further comprises adding a predetermined speed buffer to the posted speed limit and comparing the posted speed limit and the predetermined speed buffer to the vehicle speed signal. The method further comprises generating an alert if the vehicle speed signal is greater than the posted speed limit and the predetermined speed buffer. | 02-10-2011 |
| 20110071720 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR MONITORING THE CONDITION OF VEHICLE COMPONENTS FROM A NOMADIC WIRELESS DEVICE OR COMPUTER - A computer-implemented method for detecting a working condition of one or more vehicle components includes communicating with a cellular communication module in a vehicle over a telecommunications network. A vehicle component characteristic or identifier for the vehicle components is received over the telecommunication network. One or more operation status identifiers for the one or more vehicle components based on data from the vehicle is also received. A location for servicing or purchasing the one or more vehicle components based on the vehicle component characteristic or identifier is determined. A service status of the one or more vehicle components based on the one or more operation status identifiers is also determined. Based on the service status, a message including an identification of the vehicle components and a service or purchase location for the vehicle components is generated. The message is transmitted to a terminal for display. | 03-24-2011 |
| 20110071725 | REMOTELY INTERACTING WITH A VEHICLE TO PERFORM SERVICING AND ENGINEERING FUNCTIONS FROM A NOMADIC DEVICE OR COMPUTER - A method for remotely performing vehicle service functions may include receiving at a computer a request signal including at least one instruction for diagnosing a vehicle component. The method may also include retrieving one or more threshold parameters stored for determining a diagnosis of the vehicle component. A diagnostic signal together with the threshold parameters and the diagnostic instruction may be transmitted to a vehicle receiver. The determination as to whether the threshold parameters have been met is made at a vehicle. If the one or more threshold parameters are met, a return signal including diagnostic status identifiers identifying a diagnostic status of the vehicle component may be received. A message including at least one diagnostic status of the vehicle component based on the one or more diagnostic status identifiers may generated and displayed on a graphical display for vehicle diagnosis and service. | 03-24-2011 |
| 20110071734 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REMOTELY CONTROLLING VEHICLE COMPONENTS FROM A NOMADIC COMMUNICATION DEVICE OR COMPUTER - A method for remotely controlling one or more vehicle components includes receiving over a telecommunications network signals originating from a remote terminal. The signals include remote operation instructions for remotely operating a vehicle entertainment system component. The remote operation instructions are executed. Operation status identifiers transmitted over a vehicle data bus are received from the vehicle entertainment system component. Based on the operation status identifiers, an operating status of the vehicle entertainment system component is determined. A return signal including an operation status message and an instruction for displaying the operation status message at the remote terminal is generated. The signal is transmitted to the remote terminal for display. | 03-24-2011 |
| 20110080282 | VEHICLE SYSTEM PASSIVE NOTIFICATION USING REMOTE DEVICE - A method of vehicle monitoring includes monitoring one or more vehicle safety systems while a vehicle is in operation to detect an unsafe condition. The method also includes sending an alert to a handheld device if an unsafe condition is detected. | 04-07-2011 |
| 20110205040 | METHOD AND SYSTEMS FOR DETECTING AN UNAUTHORIZED USE OF A VEHICLE BY AN AUTHORIZED DRIVER - Various embodiments may include detecting an unauthorized use of a vehicle in the absence of GPS location information. Vehicle component condition data may be received for one or more vehicle components. Historical vehicle component condition data for the one or more vehicle components may also be received. A comparison between the vehicle component condition data and the historical vehicle component condition data may be performed in order to determine if an inconsistency exists between the vehicle component condition data and the historical vehicle component condition data based on the comparison. Upon determining the inconsistency, an alert signal signifying an unauthorized use may be generated. At least one of the vehicle component condition data and the alert signal may be transmitted to a remote terminal to alert a user of the unauthorized use. | 08-25-2011 |
| 20110215899 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR AUTHORIZING A VEHICLE DRIVEAWAY - Various embodiments may include methods and systems for authorizing a vehicle driveaway. A vehicle driveaway authorization code may be received by, for example, a computer system and circuit configured to receive the vehicle authorization code. The vehicle driveaway authorization code may have a corresponding user authorization code. Input may be received at the vehicle that defines the user authorization code. An identifying signal may also be wirelessly received to identify a wireless nomadic device in a vicinity of the vehicle. It may be determined whether the nomadic device was previously wirelessly paired with the vehicle based on the identifying signal. The vehicle driveaway authorization code may be compared to the user authorization code. If the nomadic device was previously wirelessly paired with the vehicle and if the vehicle driveaway authorization code corresponds to the user authorization code, a vehicle drive may be enabled. | 09-08-2011 |
| 20110215901 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ENABLING AN AUTHORIZED VEHICLE DRIVEAWAY - Various embodiments may include methods and system for enabling an authorized vehicle driveaway. A vehicle driveaway authorization code for authorizing a vehicle to be driven and a user authorization code that corresponds to the vehicle driveaway authorization code may be generated. The codes may be generated by, for example, at least one server configured to generate the authorization codes. The at least one server may be communicating with a nomadic device and a vehicle driveaway authorization system. A vehicle driveaway request signal may be received. In response to a receipt of the vehicle driveaway request signal, the vehicle driveaway authorization code may be transmitted to the vehicle driveaway authorization system and the user authorization code may be transmitted to the nomadic device for input to the vehicle driveaway authorization system in order to enable the vehicle to be driven. | 09-08-2011 |
| 20110230165 | WIRELESS VEHICLE TRACKING - A vehicle tracking system includes a remote portable wireless device. The system also includes a wireless transceiving device included in each of a plurality of vehicles, the wireless transceiving device in communication with a GPS device. The system further includes a server, capable of communicating with both the remote portable wireless device and each wireless transceiving device. The at least one server may receive a plurality of vehicle selections from the remote portable wireless device. The server may also determine a vehicle that corresponds to each of the plurality of selections, including a cellular phone number for each determined vehicle. The server may further transmit tracking instructions to each determined vehicle and receive GPS coordinates from each vehicle. The server may compare the received coordinates from each vehicle and report a deviance beyond a predetermined threshold to the remote portable wireless device. | 09-22-2011 |
| 20110273279 | VEHICLE SYSTEM INTERACTION USING REMOTE DEVICE - A method for querying a vehicle system from a remote wireless device includes receiving an inquiry at a cellular transceiver included in a vehicle. The inquiry is sent from a remote server in communication with the remote wireless device and initiated by the remote wireless device. The method includes accessing one or more vehicle systems in accordance with the inquiry and querying the accessed one or more systems in accordance with the inquiry. The method also includes receiving information in accordance with the query from the one or more systems that were queried and transmitting the received information to the remote server through the cellular transceiver, for further transmission to the remote wireless device. | 11-10-2011 |
| 20110298924 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETECTING THE LOCATION OF A COMMUNICATION DEVICE IN A VEHICLE BASED ON CAMERA DETECTION - A system for detecting a personal communication device (PCD) in a vehicle having driver and passenger zones is provided. The system includes a camera and a controller. The camera is configured to transmit a first signal indicative of a captured image of an object in the driver zone. The controller is configured to receive the first signal and to receive a status signal indicative of the PCD being in a sleep mode or an active mode. The controller is further configured to receive a motion signal indicative of the PCD being in a stationary mode or a motion mode and to detect that the PCD is in the driver zone if the captured image of the object corresponds to the PCD and if the status signal indicates that the PCD is in the wake up mode or the motion signal indicates that the PCD is in the motion mode. | 12-08-2011 |
| 20110300843 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MONITORING THE LOCATION OF A COMMUNICATION DEVICE IN A VEHICLE BASED ON SIGNAL STRENGTH - A system for locating a personal communication device (PCD) in a vehicle is provided. A controller is configured to receive a first signal from the PCD at a first antenna in a driver zone and to generate a first signal strength value for the first signal. The controller is configured to receive the first signal from the PCD at the second antenna and to generate a second signal strength value for the first signal. The controller is configured to determine whether the first signal at the first antenna and the second signal at the second antenna are received within a predetermined amount of time of one another and to compare the first signal strength value to the second signal strength value if the first signal at the first antenna and the second signal at the second antenna are received within the predetermined amount of time. | 12-08-2011 |
| 20110301780 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MONITORING THE LOCATION OF A COMMUNICATION DEVICE IN A VEHICLE - In at least one embodiment, a system for locating a personal communication device (PCD) in a vehicle is provided. The system includes a controller that is configured to receive a first signal indicative of a location of at least one PCD in a vehicle and to determine whether the at least one PCD is located within one of a driver zone and a passenger zone. The driver zone corresponds to a location in the vehicle generally occupied by a driver and the passenger zone corresponds to a location in the vehicle generally occupied by at least one passenger. The controller is further configured to receive a second signal indicative of at least one occupant being positioned in at least one of the driver zone and the passenger zone and to store data corresponding to a modified driver zone that includes the driver zone and at least a portion of the passenger zone in response to determining that the at least one PCD is located in the driver zone and the second signal indicating that a first occupant is in the driver zone and a second occupant is not detected within the passenger zone. | 12-08-2011 |
