Passive entry cell phone and method and system therefor

Abstract

A system for a vehicle including: a bluetooth receiver configured to be installed in a vehicle and connected with an electronic system of the vehicle; and a phone including a long-range radio frequency (RF) transceiver configured to transmit signals to and receive signals from a cellular network and a bluetooth transmitter configured to communicate with the bluetooth receiver in the vehicle within a predetermined range.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of operating a vehicle control system, comprising:
 determining the presence of a smartphone outside a vehicle when the smartphone is within a first distance range;   unlocking a door of the vehicle when the smartphone is within the first distance range;   determining the presence of the smartphone inside the vehicle; and   starting the vehicle based on the presence of the smartphone inside the vehicle.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein received signal strength indication (RSSI) is used to determine the presence of the smartphone outside the vehicle or inside the vehicle. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein Bluetooth is used to determine the presence of the smartphone inside the vehicle. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein near field communication (NFC) is used to determine the presence of the smartphone inside the vehicle. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a short-range wireless transceiver is disposed at the vehicle and used to determine the presence of the smartphone outside the vehicle or inside the vehicle. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the door is unlocked in response to an instruction provided from a control unit in the vehicle. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the control unit receives an indication that the smartphone is outside the vehicle from a short-range wireless transceiver is disposed at the vehicle. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the vehicle is started in response to an instruction provided from a control unit in the vehicle. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the control unit receives an indication that the smartphone is inside the vehicle from a short-range wireless transceiver is disposed at the vehicle. 
     
     
         10 . A vehicle control system, comprising:
 a control unit disposed inside a vehicle; and   a short-range wireless receiver disposed at the vehicle,   wherein the control unit is configured to receive a first indication from the short-range wireless receiver that a portable electronic device functioning in place of a key fob is located outside the vehicle, control the unlocking of a door of the vehicle in response to the first indication, receive a second indication from the short-range wireless receiver that the portable electronic device is inside the vehicle, and control the starting of the vehicle in response to the second indication.   
     
     
         11 . The vehicle control system of  claim 10 , wherein the portable electronic device is a smartphone. 
     
     
         12 . The vehicle control system of  claim 10 , wherein the short-range wireless receiver is a Bluetooth-equipped device. 
     
     
         13 . The vehicle control system of  claim 10 , wherein the location of the portable electronic device inside the vehicle is based on short-range wireless communication between the portable electronic device and the short-range wireless receiver. 
     
     
         14 . The vehicle control system of  claim 13 , wherein the short-range wireless communication is performed using Bluetooth or near field communication (NFC). 
     
     
         15 . The vehicle control system of  claim 10 , wherein the location of the portable electronic device inside the vehicle is determined using received signal strength indication (RSSI). 
     
     
         16 . A method of operating a vehicle control system, comprising:
 determining that a mobile computing device is outside a vehicle when the mobile communication device is within range of a short-range wireless receiver at the vehicle;   permitting access to the interior of vehicle when the mobile computing device is within the range of the short-range wireless receiver;   determining that the mobile computing device is inside the vehicle; and   initiating an electronic function of the vehicle based on the presence of the mobile computing device inside the vehicle.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the mobile computing device is used to initiate the electronic function of the vehicle. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the mobile computing device is a smartphone. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the mobile computing device includes a software application operable thereon to instruct the vehicle to perform the electronic function.