IP Library Granted Patent US 10,583,830
Granted Patent B2
US 10,583,830 · App. 15/860,269 · Granted Mar 10, 2020

Mobile device tethering for a remote parking assist system of a vehicle

Inventors: Erick Michael Lavoie (Dearborn, MI); Vivekanandh Elangovan (Canton, MI); John Robert Van Wiemeersch (Novi, MI)
Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
B60W30/06B60W50/08G05D1/0016H04B17/27H04B17/318H04W4/023B60W2050/0002
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,583,830
App. No.
15/860,269
Granted
Mar 10, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

Method and apparatus are disclosed for mobile device tethering for a remote parking assist system of a vehicle. An example vehicle includes first and second wireless modules and a processor. The processor estimates a region of probability representative of possible locations of a mobile device based on a first signal strength indicator. When the region of probability overlaps a virtual boundary, the processor polls a key fob, estimates a distance of the key fob from the vehicle based on a second signal strength indicator, and when the key fob is within the virtual boundary, enable autonomous parking.

Claims (40)

1. A vehicle comprising:

first and second wireless modules; and

a processor to:

estimate a region of probability representative of possible locations of a mobile device based on a first signal strength indicator;

when the region of probability overlaps a virtual boundary:

poll a key fob;

estimate a distance of the key fob from the vehicle based on a second signal strength indicator; and

when the key fob is within the virtual boundary, enable autonomous parking.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the processor is to receive the first signal strength indicator from the first wireless module and the second signal strength indicator from the second wireless module.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the processor is to, when the region of probability is entirely outside the virtual boundary, disable autonomous parking.

4. The vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the processor is to, when the region of probability transitions from overlapping the virtual boundary to being entirely outside the virtual boundary, disable polling of the key fob.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the processor is to, when the region of probability is entirely inside the virtual boundary, enable autonomous parking.

6. The vehicle of claim 5 , wherein the processor is to, when the region of probability transitions from overlapping the virtual boundary to being entirely inside the virtual boundary, disable polling of the key fob.

7. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the region of probability is representative of an error in estimating distance based on the first signal strength indicator.

8. A method to control a vehicle comprising:

estimating, with a processor, a region of probability representative of possible locations of a mobile device based on a first signal strength indicator received from a first wireless module;

when the region of probability overlaps a virtual boundary:

polling a key fob;

estimating a distance of the key fob from the vehicle based on a second signal strength indicator receives from a second wireless module; and

when the key fob is within the virtual boundary, enabling autonomous parking.

9. The vehicle of claim 8 , including when the region of probability is entirely outside the virtual boundary, disabling autonomous parking.

10. The vehicle of claim 9 , including when the region of probability transitions from overlapping the virtual boundary to being entirely outside the virtual boundary, disabling polling of the key fob.

11. The vehicle of claim 8 , including when the region of probability is entirely inside the virtual boundary, enabling autonomous parking.

12. The vehicle of claim 11 , including when the region of probability transitions from overlapping the virtual boundary to being entirely inside the virtual boundary, disable polling of the key fob.

13. The vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the region of probability is representative of an error in estimating distance based on the first signal strength indicator.

14. A system comprising:

a key fob that communicates on a first set of frequencies;

a remote parking application executing on a mobile device, the mobile device communicating on a second set of frequencies;

a vehicle with first and second wireless modules and a processor, the vehicle to:

estimate a region of probability representative of possible locations of the mobile device based on a first signal strength indicator;

when the region of probability overlaps a virtual boundary:

poll the key fob;

estimate a distance of the key fob from the vehicle based on a second signal strength indicator; and

when the key fob is within the virtual boundary, perform remote parking commands received from the remote parking application.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the vehicle is to receive the first signal strength indicator via the first wireless module communicatively coupled to the mobile device and the second signal strength indicator via the second wireless module.

16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the vehicle is to, when the region of probability is entirely outside the virtual boundary, ignore remote parking commands received from the remote parking application.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the vehicle is to, when the region of probability transitions from overlapping the virtual boundary to being entirely outside the virtual boundary, disable polling of the key fob.

18. The system of claim 14 , wherein the vehicle is to, when the region of probability is entirely inside the virtual boundary, perform remote parking commands received from the remote parking application.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the vehicle is to, when the region of probability transitions from overlapping the virtual boundary to being entirely inside the virtual boundary, disable polling of the key fob.

20. The system of claim 14 , wherein the region of probability is representative of an error in estimating distance based on the first signal strength indicator.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 10, 2018
From: LAVOIE, ERICK MICHAEL; ELANGOVAN, VIVEKANANDH; WIEMEERSCH, JOHN ROBERT VAN
To: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 045495/0887 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190202442A1 · Jul 4, 2019
Cited By (2)
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