Platform for wireless interaction with vehicle

Abstract

Techniques described herein include a platform for providing user interaction with a vehicle's functions on a mobile device. In some embodiments, the vehicle and mobile device may both be in communication with a service provider computer, that may facilitate communications between the two. In some embodiments, a user is provided with various details related to the vehicle's condition as well as a list of functions that may be initiated by the user. The user is able to select one or more of the listed functions to be performed by the vehicle while located any distance from the vehicle. In some embodiments, the service provider computer may determine whether the user is authorized to initiate a particular vehicle function. Upon selection of a vehicle function from the list of vehicle functions, a processor device in the vehicle executes the function.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system installed in a vehicle, the system comprising:
 a plurality of input sensors mounted in a vehicle;   an antenna coupled with a network chip to communicate with a separate entity via a communications network; and   a processor device coupled with the vehicle to:
 receive one or more signals from the plurality of input sensors, the signals indicating a set of vehicle conditions comprising a vehicle location; 
 detect, responsive to the one or more signals, occurrence of a predetermined event; 
 capture, automatically in response to detecting the occurrence of the predetermined event, condition information that indicates at least the vehicle location; and 
 communicate, automatically in response to detecting the occurrence of the predetermined event, the condition information to a separate entity via the antenna and the communications network. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the one or more signals indicates startup of the vehicle; and   the processor device is configured to detect occurrence of the predetermined event when the received input indicates startup of the vehicle.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the one or more signals indicates a speed at which the vehicle is traveling; and   the processor device is configured to detect occurrence of the predetermined event when the speed crosses a predetermined threshold.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the one or more signals comprises a request for the condition information indicated by a request message received from the separate entity via the antenna and the communications network; and   the processor device is configured to detect occurrence of the predetermined event when the received input comprises the request.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the processor device is configured to detect occurrence of the predetermined event in accordance with a predetermined periodic basis.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined event relates to at least one of the set of vehicle conditions. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the separate entity is a mobile user device. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the mobile user device is at least one of a mobile phone, a smart watch, a personal data assistant (PDA), a smart phone, or a wireless key. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the one or more signals indicates a police response condition relating to the vehicle; and   the separate entity is a computational system of the police.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the antenna is a cellular antenna, and the antenna is coupled with the network chip to communicate with the separate entity via a cellular network. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the antenna is a short-range wireless antenna, and the antenna is coupled with the network chip to communicate with the separate entity via a short-range wireless network. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the condition information further indicates at least one an amount of fuel remaining in the vehicle, an estimated distance of vehicle travel remaining based on the amount of fuel remaining in the vehicle, tire pressure for each of one or more tires of the vehicle, or an image captured by a camera device coupled with the vehicle. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor device is further configured to:
 determine whether the separate entity is associated with an operator authorized to receive the condition information in accordance with a user profile identifying a plurality of functions related to the vehicle that the operator is authorized to perform,   wherein the processor device is configured to communicate the condition information to the separate entity only when the processor device determines that the operator is authorized to receive the condition information.   
     
     
         14 . A method comprising:
 receiving one or more signals from a plurality of input sensors mounted in a vehicle, the signals indicating a set of vehicle conditions comprising a vehicle location;   detecting, responsive to the one or more signals, occurrence of a predetermined event;   capturing, automatically in response to detecting the occurrence of the predetermined event, condition information that indicates at least the vehicle location; and   communicating, automatically in response to detecting the occurrence of the predetermined event, the condition information to a separate entity via an antenna and a communications network.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the detecting comprises detecting startup of the vehicle. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the detecting comprises detecting that a speed of the vehicle crosses a predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the detecting comprises:
 receiving a request message indicating a request for the condition information, the request message received from the separate entity via the antenna and the communications network; and   detecting that the received input comprises the request.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 determining whether the separate entity is associated with an operator authorized to receive the condition information in accordance with a user profile identifying a plurality of functions related to the vehicle that the operator is authorized to perform,   wherein the communicating is performed only when it is determined that the operator is authorized to receive the condition information.   
     
     
         19 . A processor device comprising:
 a sensor interface adapted to communicatively couple with a plurality of input sensors mounted in a vehicle;   a communications interface adapted to couple with an antenna to communicate with a separate entity via a communications network; and   a non-transient storage medium having instructions stored thereon, which, when executed, cause the processor device to perform steps comprising:
 receiving one or more signals from the plurality of input sensors via the sensor interface, the signals indicating a set of vehicle conditions comprising a vehicle location; 
 detecting, responsive to the one or more signals, occurrence of a predetermined event; 
 capturing, automatically in response to detecting the occurrence of the predetermined event, condition information that indicates at least the vehicle location; and 
 communicating, automatically in response to detecting the occurrence of the predetermined event, the condition information to the separate entity via the communications interface. 
   
     
     
         20 . The processor device of  claim 19 , wherein the steps further comprise:
 determining whether the separate entity is associated with an operator authorized to receive the condition information in accordance with a user profile identifying a plurality of functions related to the vehicle that the operator is authorized to perform,   wherein the communicating is performed only when it is determined that the operator is authorized to receive the condition information.