Patent ID: 9701265
Date: 2017-07-11
CPC Classifications: B60C,B60N,B60R,G01F,G01G,G01M,G01S,G06F,G06K,G07C,G08B,H01Q,H04W

Claim:
1. A method for controlling a vehicle, comprising: arranging a smartphone-engaging coupling element in the vehicle; causing data about operational status of the vehicle to be transferred from one or more vehicle-resident systems to a smartphone when the smartphone is engaged with the coupling element, the smartphone being usable for voice and data communications independent of the vehicle when outside of a compartment defined by the vehicle; causing commands to be received by the vehicle from the smartphone when the smartphone is engaged with the coupling element, the commands being based in part on data previously transferred from the one or more vehicle-resident systems to the smartphone when the smartphone is engaged with the coupling element; and then causing at least one vehicular system to change its operation in accordance with the commands received by the vehicle from the smartphone when the smartphone is engaged with the coupling element.