Patent ID: 9666005
Date: 2017-05-30
CPC Classifications: G07C

Claim:
1. A system that authorizes a vehicle operation of a vehicle, the vehicle including a vehicle system capable of controlling the vehicle operation, the vehicle including a driver-side door, said system comprising: a master transmitter configured to communicate to the vehicle system authorization to initiate the vehicle operation, wherein said master transmitter includes a vehicle interface capable of communicating said authorization to the vehicle system via a vehicle bus; a plurality of remote communication devices disposed on the vehicle, each of said plurality of communication devices capable of receiving wireless communications from a portable device, said plurality of remote communication devices including a directional communication device carried by a driver-side door and disposed in an interior space of the driver-side door, said directional communication device including a directional antenna aimed substantially toward a driver-side seat of the vehicle, said plurality of remote communication devices including a cabin exterior communication device disposed on the vehicle outside the interior space of the driver-side door and outside the vehicle cabin of the vehicle; said portable device configured to wirelessly communicate an authorization code to said master transmitter to authorize the vehicle operation, said portable device including a transceiver capable of receiving wireless communications from the master transmitter; wherein at least one of said master transmitter and said portable device is configured to determine if a location of said portable device is in proximity to the driver-side seat of the vehicle but not in proximity to a passenger-side seat or a rear seat of the vehicle, wherein said determination of said location is based on a difference between 1) a signal strength of wireless communications relative to said directional communication device carried by the driver-side door and disposed in the interior space of the driver-side door and 2) a signal strength of wireless communications relative to said cabin exterior communication device disposed outside the interior space of the driver-side door and outside the vehicle cabin, wherein the signal strength of wireless communications relative to said directional communication device with the directional antenna aimed substantially toward the driver-side seat of the vehicle facilitates locating the portable device in proximity to the driver-side seat but not in proximity to the passenger-side seat or the rear seat; and wherein said portable device communicates said authorization code to said master transmitter.