IP Library Granted Patent US 11,919,388
Granted Patent B2
US 11,919,388 · App. 17/829,832 · Granted Mar 5, 2024

Vehicle remote start prevention alert

Inventors: Padmanaban Kanagaraj (Farmington Hills, MI); Katherine Freund (Livonia, MI)
Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America, Division of Panasonic Corporation of North America
B60K28/10B60R25/04F02N11/00F02N11/0807G06V20/56F02N2200/12F02N2200/123F02N2300/306
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,919,388
App. No.
17/829,832
Granted
Mar 5, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A motor vehicle includes at least one camera capturing images of an environment outside of the motor vehicle. A proximity sensor detects an object disposed adjacent to the motor vehicle. An electronic processor receives the images captured by the at least one camera, and receives a proximity signal from the proximity sensor. The proximity signal is indicative of whether an object is disposed adjacent to the motor vehicle. The electronic processor determines, based upon the images captured by the at least one camera and the proximity signal, whether the motor vehicle is disposed within an enclosure. The electronic processor receives an engine start request signal that has been wirelessly transmitted by a user. In response to receiving the engine start request signal, the electronic processor causes the engine start system to start an engine of the motor vehicle when the motor vehicle is not disposed within an enclosure.

Claims (50)

1. A remote starting arrangement for a motor vehicle, the arrangement comprising:

an engine start system;

a global positioning system; and

an electronic processor communicatively coupled to the global positioning system and the engine start system, the electronic processor being configured to:

determine, based upon geographical coordinates provided by the global positioning system, whether the motor vehicle is disposed within an enclosure;

receive an engine start request signal wirelessly transmitted by a user;

in response to receiving the engine start request signal:

cause the engine start system to start an engine of the motor vehicle when the motor vehicle is not disposed within an enclosure; and

inform the user that the engine of the motor vehicle will not be started, the informing occurring when the motor vehicle is disposed within an enclosure;

receive an override signal after informing the user that the engine of the motor vehicle will not be started; and

in response to receiving the override signal, cause the engine start system to start an engine of the motor vehicle.

2. The arrangement of claim 1 , further comprising a camera configured to capture images while an ignition of the motor vehicle is OFF, the electronic processor being configured to:

receive the images captured by the at least one camera; and

determine, based upon the images captured by the at least one camera and geographical coordinates provided by the global positioning system, whether the motor vehicle is disposed within an enclosure.

3. The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the electronic processor is configured to, in response to receiving the engine start request signal when the motor vehicle is disposed within an enclosure, inform the user that the engine of the motor vehicle will not be started by causing a wireless signal to be transmitted to an electronic device that did not cause the engine start request signal to be wirelessly transmitted.

4. The arrangement of claim 1 , further comprising a memory device storing a database of geographical coordinates corresponding to enclosed spaces, the electronic processor being configured to determine whether the motor vehicle is disposed within an enclosure based upon data retrieved from the database.

5. The arrangement of claim 1 , further comprising a proximity sensor communicatively coupled to the electronic processor and configured to detect an object disposed adjacent to the motor vehicle, the electronic processor being configured to:

receive a proximity signal from the proximity sensor; and

determine, based upon the proximity signal, whether the motor vehicle is disposed within an enclosure.

6. The arrangement of claim 5 , wherein the proximity sensor is configured to detect an object disposed adjacent to the motor vehicle while an ignition of the motor vehicle is OFF.

7. A method of starting a motor vehicle, the method comprising:

determining, based upon geographical coordinates provided by a global positioning system disposed within the motor vehicle, whether the motor vehicle is disposed within an enclosure;

receiving an engine start request signal wirelessly transmitted by a user;

in response to receiving the engine start request signal:

causing an engine of the motor vehicle to start if the motor vehicle is not disposed within an enclosure; and

informing the user that the engine of the motor vehicle will not be started, the informing occurring if the motor vehicle is disposed within an enclosure;

receiving an override signal from the user after informing the user that the engine of the motor vehicle will not be started; and

in response to receiving the override signal from the user, causing the engine of the motor vehicle to start.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising detecting an object near the motor vehicle, the determining step including determining, based upon the detecting step and geographical coordinates provided by a global positioning system disposed within the motor vehicle, whether the motor vehicle is disposed within an enclosure.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein, in response to receiving the engine start request signal when the motor vehicle is disposed within an enclosure, the user is informed that the engine of the motor vehicle will not be started, the informing including causing a wireless signal to be transmitted to an electronic device that did not cause the engine start request signal to be wirelessly transmitted.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the determining step is further based upon data retrieved from a database of geographical coordinates stored in correspondence with garages.

11. The method of claim 7 , further comprising capturing images of an environment outside of the motor vehicle, wherein the determining step includes determining, based upon the captured images, whether the motor vehicle is disposed within an enclosure.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the capturing step comprises capturing images of an environment outside of the motor vehicle while an ignition of the motor vehicle is OFF.

13. A remote starting arrangement for a motor vehicle, the arrangement comprising:

a global positioning system;

an engine start system; and

an electronic processor communicatively coupled to the global positioning system, the electronic processor being configured to:

receive geographical coordinates from the global positioning system;

determine, based upon the received geographical coordinates, whether the motor vehicle is disposed within an enclosure;

receive an engine start request signal wirelessly transmitted by a user; and

in response to receiving the engine start request signal:

cause the engine start system to start an engine of the motor vehicle when the motor vehicle is not disposed within an enclosure; and

inform the user that the engine of the motor vehicle will not be started, the informing occurring when the motor vehicle is disposed within an enclosure.

14. The arrangement of claim 13 , wherein the global positioning system is configured to produce geographical coordinates while an ignition of the motor vehicle is OFF.

15. The arrangement of claim 13 , wherein the electronic processor is configured to, in response to receiving the engine start request signal when the motor vehicle is disposed within an enclosure, inform the user that the engine of the motor vehicle will not be started by causing a wireless signal to be transmitted to an electronic device that did not cause the engine start request signal to be wirelessly transmitted.

16. The arrangement of claim 13 , wherein the electronic processor is configured to determine whether the motor vehicle is disposed within an enclosure by retrieving data from an external database of geographical coordinates corresponding to enclosed spaces.

17. The arrangement of claim 16 , wherein the electronic processor is configured to ask the user to confirm that the motor vehicle is presently within an enclosed space, the data from the external database being dependent upon a confirmation from the user that the motor vehicle is presently within an enclosed space.

18. The arrangement of claim 13 , further comprising at least one camera configured to capture images of an environment outside of the motor vehicle, wherein the electronic processor is configured to determine whether the motor vehicle is disposed within an enclosure based further upon the captured images.

19. The arrangement of claim 13 , further comprising a proximity sensor configured to detect an object disposed adjacent to the motor vehicle, wherein the electronic processor is configured to determine whether the motor vehicle is disposed within an enclosure based further upon a proximity signal from the proximity sensor.

20. The arrangement of claim 13 , wherein the electronic processor is configured to determine whether the motor vehicle is disposed within an enclosure by retrieving data from an internal database of geographical coordinates corresponding to enclosed spaces, the electronic processor being configured to ask the user to indicate whether the motor vehicle is presently within an enclosed space, the data from the internal database being dependent upon an indication from the user about whether the motor vehicle is presently within an enclosed space.

Assignments (3)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE SUPPORTIVE DOCUMENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 72222 FRAME 267. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Sep 23, 2025
From: PANASONIC CORPORATION OF NORTH AMERICA
To: PANASONIC AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS AMERICA, LLC.
Reel/Frame 072930/0871 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 31, 2025
From: PANASONIC CORPORATION OF NORTH AMERICA
To: PANASONIC AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS AMERICA, LLC
Reel/Frame 072222/0267 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 1, 2022
From: KANAGARAJ, PADMANABAN; FREUND, KATHERINE
To: PANASONIC AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS COMPANY OF AMERICA, DIVISION OF PANASONIC CORPORATION OF NORTH AMERICA
Reel/Frame 060071/0130 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation 16538958 · Aug 13, 2019
Continuation 15797054 · Oct 30, 2017
Provisional Application 62419737 · Nov 9, 2016
Related Publication 20220289024A1 · Sep 15, 2022
Cited By (1)
US 12,304,305