Abstract:
A communication system includes a remote device for communicating with a vehicle. Both the vehicle and the remote device have global positioning system (GPS) receivers for determining the location of the vehicle and remote device respectively. The remote device computes the direction, distance, and elevation difference between the remote device and the vehicle. The remote device also includes a digital compass for determining the direction the remote device is pointed. A display on the remote device shows an arrow, along with the distance and elevation difference, to guide a user to the vehicle. The remote device can also send control commands to vehicle systems and receive status data from vehicle systems.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The subject invention relates generally to a communication system for a vehicle and specifically to a remote device for communication with the vehicle.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0004]     Various systems and devices for communicating with a vehicle are well known in the prior art. An example of such a system is disclosed in U.S. patent application Publication 2003/0139179 (the &#39;179 publication).  
         [0005]     The &#39;179 publication discloses a system for communicating with a vehicle with a remote device. The remote device can utilize a wide area network, such as a cellular telephone network or TCP/IP, and a local area network, such as Bluetooth or 802.11. The remote device can include human interface elements, such as a display, one or more control buttons or knobs, a speaker, and a microphone. A user of the remote device can access, control, operate, and check the status of at least one vehicle system. The vehicle and the remote device each include a position system to determine the position of the vehicle and the remote device respectively. The remote device calculates the relative position of the vehicle to the remote device.  
         [0006]     The known communication system above does not, however, provide a remote device operative to indicate direction, distance, and elevation difference to the vehicle from the remote device on an updating basis to guide a user to the vehicle. Moreover, the above remote device is not equipped with a digital compass or other directional display, to show an arrow on a display to indicate direction to the vehicle from the remote device.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION AND ADVANTAGES  
       [0007]     The subject invention provides a remote device for communicating with a vehicle. The vehicle is equipped with a vehicle global positioning system (GPS) receiver for determining location coordinates of the vehicle and a vehicle wireless interface for transmitting the location coordinates of the vehicle. The remote device includes a remote device wireless interface for receiving the location coordinates of the vehicle. The remote device also includes a remote device GPS receiver for determining location coordinates of the remote device. A processor is operatively connected to the remote device wireless interface and the remote device GPS receiver to calculate the relative position of the remote device to the vehicle. The remote device is characterized by an output apparatus operatively connected to the processor for indicating direction, distance, and elevation difference to the vehicle from the remote device.  
         [0008]     Accordingly, the remote device of the subject invention allows a user to find the vehicle quickly and easily.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]     Other advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:  
         [0010]      FIG. 1  illustrates a user utilizing a remote device with a communication system to locate a vehicle;  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of a preferred embodiment of the communication system showing the remote device and the vehicle;  
         [0012]      FIG. 3   a  is a front view of the preferred embodiment of the remote device;  
         [0013]      FIG. 3   b  is a front view of a first alternative embodiment of the remote device; and  
         [0014]      FIG. 3   c  is a front view of a second alternative embodiment of the remote device. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0015]     Referring to the Figures, wherein like numerals indicate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, a communications system is shown at  10  in  FIG. 1 . The communications system  10  includes a vehicle  12  and a remote device  20 .  
         [0016]     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , showing a preferred embodiment of the communications system  10 , the vehicle  12  is equipped with a vehicle wireless interface  18 . The vehicle wireless interface  18  is capable of communicating with the remote device  20  via a cellular telephone network  28 . Examples of protocols used by the cellular telephone network  28  include, but are not limited to, Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), and Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM).  
         [0017]     The vehicle wireless interface  18  is also capable of communicating directly with the remote device  20 . Preferably, this communication is performed utilizing the Bluetooth® protocol as established by the Bluetooth® Special Interest Group headquartered in Overland Park, Kans. and located on the internet at http://www.bluetooth.org. However, other protocols, systems, and the like may be used to establish communications directly between the vehicle wireless interface  18  and the remote device  20 .  
         [0018]     The vehicle  12  is equipped with a vehicle global positioning system (GPS) receiver  14 . The vehicle GPS receiver  14  determines location coordinates of the vehicle  12  based on signals received from GPS satellites  16  orbiting the Earth. The vehicle  12  also includes a satellite communication receiver  42 . The satellite communication receiver  42  is able to receive data from service satellites  54 , such as those utilized by the OnStar® Corporation of Troy, Mich. Those skilled in the art recognize that the satellite communication receiver  42  can also receive data from satellites  54  from a variety of service providers. The vehicle GPS receiver  14  and the satellite communication receiver  42  are operatively connected to the vehicle wireless interface  18 .  
         [0019]     The vehicle wireless interface  18  is also operatively connected to at least one vehicle system  40 . Examples of vehicle systems  40 , include, but are not limited to the ignition/starter, door locks, trunk latch, engine controller, radio, instrument cluster, climate controls, and security.  
         [0020]     The vehicle wireless interface  18  transmits information about the vehicle  12 . This information includes the location coordinates of the vehicle  12 . The vehicle wireless interface  18  also transmits data from the at least one vehicle system  40  or the satellite communication receiver  42 . Additionally, the vehicle wireless interface  18  can receive data from the remote device  20 , such as commands to start the vehicle&#39;s  12  engine, turn up the volume on the radio, open the door locks, engage the security system, etc.  
         [0021]     Still referring to  FIG. 2 , the remote device  20  includes a remote device wireless interface  22 . The remote device wireless interface  22  transmits and receives data to and from the vehicle  12  via the vehicle wireless interface  18 . The remote device wireless interface  22  is capable of communicating with the cellular telephone network  28 . As state above, examples of protocols used by the cellular telephone network  28  include, but are not limited to, Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), and Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM).  
         [0022]     The remote device wireless interface  22  is also capable of communicating directly with the vehicle wireless interface  18 . Again, this communication is preferably performed utilizing the Bluetooth® protocol. However, other protocols, systems, and the like may be used to establish communications directly between the remote device wireless interface  22  and the vehicle wireless interface  18 .  
         [0023]     Data received by the remote device wireless interface  22  from the vehicle  12  includes, but is not limited to, status of the vehicle systems  40 , information from the satellite communication receiver  42 , and the location coordinates of the vehicle  12 .  
         [0024]     The remote device  20  also includes a remote device GPS receiver  30  and a digital compass  52 . The remote device GPS receiver  30  determines location coordinates of the remote device  20  based on signals received from the GPS satellites  16 . The digital compass  52  senses the direction that the remote device  20  is pointing towards based on the magnetic field of the Earth.  
         [0025]     The remote device  20  further includes a processor  32 . The processor  32  is operatively connected to the remote device wireless interface  22 , the remote device GPS receiver  30 , and the digital compass  52 . The position of the vehicle  12 , in relation to the position of the remote device  20 , is calculated by the processor  32 .  
         [0026]     An output apparatus  34 , operatively connected to the processor  32 , is also included with the remote device  20 . The output apparatus  34 , among other functions, indicates direction, distance, and elevation difference to the vehicle  12  from the remote device  20 . In the preferred embodiment, the output apparatus  34  includes a display  36  to graphically show direction, distance, and elevation difference to the vehicle  12  from the remote device  20 . An arrow  44 , shown on the display  36 , indicates direction to the vehicle  12 . The user  46 , by holding the remote communicator in their hand and viewing the display  36 , can follow the arrow  44  to easily find his or her vehicle  12 . This is very useful, especially when looking for your vehicle at busy parking lots, such as shopping malls, entertainment arenas, airports, etc. The elevation difference measurement is especially beneficial when searching for the vehicle in a multi-layer parking structure. In the preferred embodiment, the output apparatus also includes a speaker  38 . The remote device  20  can also audibly communicate direction, distance, and elevation difference to the vehicle  12  via the speaker  38 .  
         [0027]     The output apparatus  34  of the remote device  20  also indicates status data from one or more vehicle systems  40  of the vehicle  12 . In the preferred embodiment, the status data can be presented on the display  36  or through the speaker  38 . The status data includes, but is not limited to: engine running status, alarm system status, climate control settings, current speed of vehicle, frequency radio is tuned to, and so forth.  
         [0028]     The remote device  20  also includes an input apparatus  48 . The input apparatus  48  is operatively connected to the processor  32 . In the preferred embodiment, the input apparatus  48  comprises a keypad  60  and a microphone  58 . However, other embodiments may utilize pushbuttons, a control knob, a touchscreen panel, etc., as elements of the input apparatus  48 . The input apparatus  48  allows the user  46  to input data or commands into the remote device  20  to control one or more systems  40  of the vehicle  12 . These command and data are transmitted to the vehicle  12  via the remote device wireless interface  22  and the vehicle wireless interface  18 . For instance, on a cold winter day, the user  46  could use the remote device  20  to warm-up the vehicle  12  by turning on the engine and setting the climate controls. Or, the user  46  could change radio stations or adjust volume of the radio while outside of the vehicle  20 . The remote control operations possible with the subject invention are seemingly endless.  
         [0029]     In the preferred embodiment, the remote device  20  further includes a fingerprint recognition subsystem  50 . The fingerprint recognition subsystem  50  is operatively connected to the processor  32  and includes a fingerprint sensor  51 . (The fingerprint sensor  51  is shown in  FIG. 3   a .) The user  46  places his or her finger on the fingerprint sensor  51 . The user&#39;s  46  fingerprint is scanned into an image. The image is compared to other images stored in the subsystem  50  to verify the identity of the user  46 . The remote device  20  can be configured to prevent all usage of the remote device  20  unless the user  46  is verified by subsystem  50 . Alternatively, certain functions of the vehicle  12 , such as engine starting or door unlocking, can be blocked if the user  46  is not verified.  
         [0030]     An additional feature of the preferred embodiment of the remote device  20  is an integrated digital camera  56 . The user  46  is able to capture images and send the images to the vehicle  12  or other users of the cellular telephone network  28 .  
         [0031]     In the preferred embodiment, the remote device  20  is realized as a cellular telephone  24 , as shown in  FIG. 3   a . As outlined above, the output apparatus  34  of the cellular telephone  24  includes a display  36  and a speaker  38 . The input apparatus  48  includes a microphone  58  and a keypad  60 .  
         [0032]     In a first alternative embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 3   b , the remote device is realized as a key fob  25 , with pushbuttons to lock and unlock the doorlocks of the vehicle  12 . In a second alternative embodiment, referring to  FIG. 3   c  the remote device  20  is realized as a personal digital assistant (PDA)  26 . PDAs are capable of storing and processing data, typically including names, addresses, phone numbers, meetings, appointments, etc. It is understood by those skilled in the art that additional embodiments are possible utilizing a wide variety of devices.  
         [0033]     While the invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.