IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,244,448
Granted Patent B2
US 8,244,448 · App. 12/535,239 · Granted Aug 14, 2012

Vehicle having remote start and garage door control

Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,244,448
App. No.
12/535,239
Granted
Aug 14, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

The subject of the present invention is a method for remote starting an internal combustion engine of a vehicle. The method includes detecting a wireless remote start signal; after detecting the wireless remote start signal, communicating with a garage door opener to determine if a garage door is closed; remote starting the engine if no closed garage door indication is received; transmitting a wireless garage door open signal and remote starting the engine if a closed garage door indication is received; monitoring a time since remote starting the engine; monitoring for vehicle operator interaction with the vehicle; and if no vehicle operator interaction with the vehicle is detected before the monitored time reaches a predetermined amount of time and the wireless garage door open signal was transmitted when the engine was remote started, automatically transmitting a wireless garage door close signal and automatically turning off the engine.

Claims (13)

1. A method for remote starting an internal combustion engine of a vehicle comprising the steps of:

(a) detecting a wireless remote start signal;

(b) after detecting the wireless remote start signal, communicating with a garage door opener to determine if a garage door is closed;

(c) remote starting the internal combustion engine if no closed garage door indication is received;

(d) automatically transmitting a wireless garage door open signal and remote starting the internal combustion engine if a closed garage door indication is received;

(e) monitoring a time since remote starting the internal combustion engine;

(f) monitoring for vehicle operator interaction with the vehicle; and

(g) if no vehicle operator interaction with the vehicle is detected before the monitored time reaches a predetermined amount of time and the wireless garage door open signal was automatically transmitted when the internal combustion engine was remote started, automatically transmitting a wireless garage door close signal and automatically turning off the internal combustion engine.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

(h) if no vehicle operator interaction with the vehicle is detected before the monitored time reaches the predetermined amount of time and the wireless garage door open signal was not automatically transmitted when the internal combustion engine was remote started, automatically turning off the internal combustion engine without automatically transmitting the wireless garage door close signal.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein step (f) is further defined by the vehicle operator interaction being a vehicle operator actuating an ignition user interface.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

(h) if the vehicle operator interaction with the vehicle is detected before the monitored time reaches the predetermined amount of time, preventing the automatic transmission of the wireless garage door close signal.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 4, 2009
From: NEWMAN, KEVIN L.
To: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 023049/0734 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20110030638A1 · Feb 10, 2011