Remote programming system and method for replacement vehicle keys
A remote programming system for engine control units of vehicles operates by coupling an onboard diagnostic interface device with an engine control unit of a vehicle, communicatively linking the interface device with a hand held device, communicatively linking the hand held device with a back end programming machine that is remotely located from the vehicle, communicating identifying information about the vehicle to the programming machine via the interface device, the hand held device, and the communication network(s), determining an action and programming information needed to program the engine control unit of the vehicle to accept a replacement key, sending the action and programming information from the programming machine to the hand held device via the communication network(s), and programing the engine control unit of the vehicle to accept the replacement key to activate the vehicle using or responsive to use of the action and programming information.
1. A method comprising:
communicatively linking an interface device to a vehicle that is programmed to accept a first key for activating the vehicle;
communicatively linking the interface device with a mobile electronic device, wherein the mobile electronic device includes an installed software application that communicates with the interface device;
communicatively linking, via one or more communication networks, the mobile electronic device with a programming machine;
communicating, by the installed software application, identifying information about the vehicle to the programming machine via the mobile electronic device and the one or more communication networks;
storing programming information received from the programming machine via the one or more communication networks, wherein the programming information is provided by the programming machine in response to the identifying information about the vehicle; and
based on the stored programming information, programming the vehicle to accept a tangible second key for activating the vehicle, wherein programming includes displaying, by the mobile electronic device, one or more prompts directing an operator to press or otherwise physically engage with at least one interactive physical element of the vehicle in furtherance of carrying out a sequence of actions that program the vehicle to accept the tangible second key.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mobile electronic device is one of a mobile phone, a tablet, a laptop computer, or hand-operated electronic device.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein programming the vehicle to accept the tangible second key includes storing unique identifying information of the tangible second key in a memory accessible by the vehicle.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein communicatively linking the interface device with the mobile electronic device includes one or more of: establishing a wireless communication connection between the interface device and the mobile electronic device, or connecting the interface device and the mobile electronic device with one or more wires or cables.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein unique identifying information of the tangible second key is stored in a first memory associated with the tangible second key and, after programming the vehicle, is stored in a second memory associated with the vehicle.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the unique identifying information of the tangible second key includes one or more of a make, model, year, or vehicle identification number, or any information associated with the vehicle available via the OBD-II standard.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the identifying information about the vehicle is used by the programming machine to select the programming information from among different sets of programming information that are associated with different vehicles.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein programming the vehicle to accept the tangible second key comprises programming the vehicle to no longer accept the first key.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing an indication that the vehicle was successfully programmed to accept the tangible second key.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein communicatively coupling the interface device to the vehicle comprises establishing a wireless connection.
11. A method comprising:
communicatively linking, via one or more communication networks, a mobile electronic device with a programming machine;
causing the mobile electronic device to communicate identifying information about a vehicle to the programming machine via the one or more communication networks, wherein the vehicle is programmed to accept a first key for activating the vehicle;
storing programming information received from the programming machine via the one or more communication networks, wherein the programming information is provided by the programming machine in response to the identifying information about the vehicle;
communicatively linking an interface device to the vehicle;
communicatively linking the mobile electronic device with the interface device; and
programming the vehicle to accept a tangible second key for activating the vehicle, wherein the programming includes use of the stored programming information to display, by the mobile electronic device, one or more prompts directing an operator to press or otherwise physically engage with at least one interactive physical element of the vehicle in furtherance of carrying out a sequence of actions that program the vehicle to accept the tangible second key.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the mobile electronic device is one of a mobile phone, a tablet, a laptop computer, or hand-operated electronic device.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein programming the vehicle to accept the tangible second key includes receiving and storing unique identifying information of the tangible second key in a memory accessible by the vehicle.
14. The method of claim 11 , wherein communicatively linking the mobile electronic device with the interface device includes one or more of: establishing a wireless communication connection between the interface device and the mobile electronic device, or connecting the interface device and the mobile electronic device with one or more wires or cables.
15. The method of claim 11 , wherein unique identifying information of the tangible second key is stored in a first memory associated with the tangible second key and, after programming the vehicle, is stored in a second memory associated with the vehicle.
16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the identifying information about the vehicle includes one or more of a make, model, year, vehicle identification number, or any information associated with the vehicle available via the OBD-II standard.
17. The method of claim 11 , further comprising using the identifying information about the vehicle to select the programming information from among different sets of programming information that are associated with different vehicles.
18. The method of claim 11 , wherein programming the vehicle to accept the tangible second key comprises programming the vehicle to no longer accept the first key.
19. The method of claim 11 , further comprising providing an indication that the vehicle was successfully programmed to accept the tangible second key.
20. A mobile computing device comprising one or more processors and memory storing instructions that, in response to execution by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
communicatively linking the mobile electronic device with an interface device that is communicatively linked to a vehicle, wherein the vehicle is programmed to accept a first key for activating the vehicle, and wherein the mobile electronic device includes an installed software application that communicates with the interface device;
communicatively linking, via one or more communication networks, the mobile electronic device with a programming machine;
communicating, by the installed software application, identifying information about the vehicle to the programming machine via the mobile electronic device and the one or more communication networks;
storing programming information received from the programming machine via the one or more communication networks, wherein the programming information is provided by the programming machine in response to the identifying information about the vehicle; and
based on the stored programming information, displaying, by the mobile computing device, one or more prompts directing an operator to press or otherwise physically engage with at least one interactive physical element of the vehicle in furtherance of carrying out a sequence of actions that program the vehicle to accept a tangible second key for activating the vehicle.