Patent Application

App. No. 11/935,123

Abstract

Claims (34)

1 . A method for indicating the location of a vehicle to a user comprising:

generating an alert with a device onboard the vehicle when a distance between an electronic device and the vehicle is less than a predetermined distance; and

varying a property of the alert to indicate the location of the vehicle to the user.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the varying of the property of the alert is based on a duration a user input mechanism on the electronic device is actuated.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the varying of the property comprises increasing a value of the property as the duration the user input mechanism is actuated increases.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the varying of the property of the alert is based on a location of an electronic device relative to the vehicle.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the varying of the property of the alert comprises comprising increasing a value of the property as the distance between the vehicle and the electronic device decreases.

6 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the electronic device is a key fob.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the alert comprises an audible alert generated by a horn onboard the vehicle.

8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the alert further comprises a visible alert generated by a light onboard the vehicle.

9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the property of the alert comprises at least one of a duration of the alert and an intensity of the alert.

10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

detecting an ambient condition proximate the vehicle; and

adjusting the property of the alert based on the ambient condition proximate the vehicle.

11 . A method for indicating a location of an automobile to a user comprising:

receiving a signal having an associated signal characteristic being representative of a duration of actuation of an user input mechanism on an electronic device;

generating an alert with a device onboard the automobile to indicate to the user the location of the automobile in response to the receiving the signal, the alert being at least one of an audible alert and a visible alert and having a property; and

varying the property of the alert based on the signal characteristic.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the property of the alert comprises a duration of the alert.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the property of the alert comprises an intensity of the alert.

14 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising adjusting the intensity of the alert based on the time of day.

15 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

detecting an ambient condition proximate the vehicle; and

adjusting the intensity of the alert based on the ambient condition proximate the vehicle.

16 . An automotive annunciation system comprising:

an annunciation device; and

a processor in operable communication with the annunciation device and configured to:

receive a signal having an associated signal characteristic;

generate an alert having a property to indicate to the user the location of the vehicle in response to the receiving the signal; and

vary the property of the alert based on the signal characteristic.

17 . The automotive annunciation system of claim 16 , wherein the annunciation device comprises a horn, the alert is an audible alert, and the property of the alert comprises at least one of a duration of the audible alert and a volume of the audible alert.

18 . The automotive annunciation system of claim 17 , wherein the associated signal characteristic is representative of a location of an electronic device relative to the automobile.

19 . The automotive annunciation system of claim 17 , wherein the associated signal characteristic is representative of a duration of actuation of an user input mechanism on an electronic device.

20 . The automotive annunciation system of claim 19 , wherein the electronic device is a key fob.

Assignments (11)