Hand held car locator

[0001] This invention relates to a system wherein a car position is transmitted to a hand held locator, such that the operator will be able to more easily find a vehicle when parked. Modern vehicles are provided with a number of electronic features. As one example, many modern vehicles are provided with a GPS navigation system which provides some information with regard to approximate location of the vehicle. This information can provide an approximate address for a location of the vehicle.

[0002] Further, most vehicles are provided with hand held key fobs which include a number of electronic commands for the vehicle. As an example, the key fob will command the vehicle doors to lock and unlock.

[0003] One deficiency with modern vehicles, is there has been no practical way of storing the location of a vehicle when parked in a large parking area. As an example, when a vehicle is parked in a large parking lot, there is no practical way of providing information to the vehicle operator of where the vehicle is parked. Similarly, if parked on a city street, there has been no simple way of providing the operator with feedback of where the vehicle was parked.

[0004] In a disclosed embodiment of this invention, information with regard to the location of a vehicle is transmitted to a hand held locator when the vehicle is parked. As one example, the hand held locator may be a key fob; however, other hand held devices may be provided with this function. In one embodiment, when the key fob is actuated to lock the vehicle doors, the vehicle sends a signal to the key fob of the location of the vehicle. In one simple embodiment, the information transmitted to the key fob may be GPS navigation system information. This information will prove sufficient if the vehicle is parked on a city street, as the information should provide accurate information of approximate address. However, with modern GPS navigation systems, there is no reference point in a large potential parking area such as a parking lot.

[0005] Thus, in a second embodiment of this invention, localized position locating transmitter may be positioned at locations around a city, or in a particular parking area. Those local positioning transmitters will provide the vehicle with an indication of its location within a parking lot, or other potential large parking area. Then, when the position information is transmitted to the hand held locator, it is this localized information which is downloaded to the hand held locator. The technology utilized to receive, interpret and then transmit this information can be similar to that utilized for GPS navigation systems. Further, the technology necessary to provide these local transmitters is also within the skill of a worker in this art. It is the application of such a system which is inventive here.

[0006] Further, as GPS databases increase in detail, it may well be that they will be able to provide information on particular parking lot locations. Further, the local transmitter such as mentioned above could be a local GPS correction device. GPS systems are known which have reference points located around a particular area. The reference points allow a GPS navigation system to pinpoint the reference points, and thus adjust the location of the vehicle by working from the known reference point. This feature, and in particular in combination with increased detail in the databases, will provide the ability to display specific information about the location in a parking lot.

[0007] These and other features of the present invention can be best understood from the following specification and drawings, the following of which is a brief description.

[0008] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a first embodiment of this invention.

[0009] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the second embodiment.

[0010] FIG. 3 is a plan view of an inventive key.

[0011] FIG. 4 is a view of a first display embodiment.

[0012] FIG. 5 is a view of a second display embodiment.

[0013] A vehicle locator system 20 is illustrated in FIG. 1 receiving information from a GPS satellite 22. The vehicle 24 is shown parked. The satellite 22 will communicate with the vehicle such that the vehicle 24 can interpret the satellite signal and determine its approximate location. Then, a hand held locator 26 is actuated by the user by pushing a button 28, the vehicle 24 sends its position information to the hand held locator 26. The locator 26 preferably has an RF/LF transmitter receiver to communicate as described in this application. In a preferred embodiment, the hand held locator is a key fob, and the button 28 is the door lock function. The locator 26 is modified to have an appropriate memory to store this information. Thus, when the operator actuates the door lock function, the vehicle 24 sends a signal to the key fob 26 of where the vehicle is located. As an alternative, any other signal indicative of the vehicle being locked would be utilized. As an example, the actuation of the sending of the signal to the key fob could occur entirely at the vehicle without any signal from the key fob. As an example, if the doors are locked at the vehicle is turned off, the signal may be sent. Thus, the signal could be generated upon the locking of the door, rather than upon the receipt of a signal from the key fob. The above described system has two potential deficiencies. First, while the accuracy of GPS navigation systems are being continuously improved, they are still somewhat inaccurate within a degree of several yards. Moreover, the GPS navigation systems provide address information with regard to streets. Such information is not very valuable within a large parking lot.

[0014] Thus, as shown in FIG. 2, local transmitters 30 can be utilized to communicate with the vehicle 24. Again, the vehicle 24 is provided with a receiver to receive the information, which may be essentially identical to its normal GPS receiver. The local transmitter 30 provides information with regard to a location in a parking lot, or more accurate information with regard to a position on a city street. Local transmitters 30 thus allow the vehicle 24 to communicate with the key fob 26 and provide very accurate information of the location of a vehicle, including its position within a parking lot. Alternatively, transmitter 30 can supply information directly to the locator 26. If the download occurs at the time the vehicle is locked, then the transmitter storing the locator information on the locator would put the operator very close to the vehicle.

[0015] The FIG. 2 embodiment is also representative of a modified GPS locator system. In this embodiment, the members 30 could be GPS reference points. It is known that GPS reference points are located at certain locations to allow a GPS navigation system to focus its position to a more exact location. Such information combined with an increase in detail in the GPS database will allow the identification of a particular location in a large parking lot, etc. Thus, the FIG. 2 embodiment could also extend to such an arrangement.

[0016] FIG. 3 shows the key fob 26 having its switch 28, and a display screen 32 for displaying the location of a vehicle.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 4, in a first embodiment, the display could simply display address information. The embodiment of FIG. 1 would be capable of providing such a display function.

[0018] It may also be that the standard GPS navigation systems will be improved such that location within a parking lot will also be part of a standard GPS navigation system. If such development occurs, then the embodiment of FIG. 1 will also provide information of the location within a parking lot, such as shown in FIG. 5.

[0019] Also, the FIG. 2 embodiment would provide information of the location within a parking lot, if properly programmed.

[0020] Essentially, the present invention allows a hand held locator to be provided with location information from a vehicle when the operator exits the vehicle. In this way, the operator is reminded of the location of the vehicle, and will be able to find the vehicle. The technology necessary for this invention is well within the skill of a worker within the art. It is the application of the technology to the particular problem which is inventive here.

[0021] Although preferred embodiments of this invention have been disclosed, a worker in this art would recognize that certain modifications would come within the scope of this invention. For that reason, the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this invention.