Computer implemented method for controlling a keyless entry apparatus for vehicle

Abstract

A computer implemented method for controlling a keyless entry apparatus for vehicle providing a means of controlling the keyless entry apparatus through an application. The method utilizes various components of a mobile communication device particularly but not limited to a display module, RF card scanner, biometrics sensor and wireless communication module. The method allows the user to use a mobile communication device to discover, control, and manage a keyless entry apparatus of a vehicle. It also allows the mobile communication device to activate the installed application using a RF card to identify a vehicle through its keyless entry apparatus. In addition, an authentication method for the user is available using biometrics and alternative authentication means. Furthermore, the method allows to determine the distance, rssi, and battery level of the vehicle through the application’s graphical user interface (GUI).

Description

COMPUTER IMPLEMENTED METHOD FOR CONTROLLING A KEYLESS ENTRYAPPARATUS OF A VEHICLETechnical Field of the Utility ModelThis utility model relates to a keyless entry system but more particularly to acomputer implemented method for controlling a keyless entry apparatus of a vehicle.Background of the Utility ModelKeyless entry systems have been available with most modern cars today usinga transponder / key-fob / remote device. The said systems are limited in features,dependent on the transponder / key-fob / remote device, battery operated, prone tomechanical damage, and susceptible to Radio Frequency (RF) interference. Thebetter features are only available to the carmakers top-of-the-line models and has ahuge price difference as compared to base models. Some keyless entry systems areeasily spoofed and may not provide alternative access especially for those sharingtheir vehicles.Furthermore, implementation of these systems does not incorporate asecondary authentication to verify the driver / owner using a mobile communicationdevice. Implementation of most modern systems usually focuses on the lockingmechanism of the vehicle and does not have engine control. Engine control variesaccording to brand / model of a vehicle and will be restricted to use a particularapplication designed by the manufacturer. In addition, such features are only limitedto higher end models. The method allows for detection of distance of a device with theapplication for passive entry, detection of a verified driver inside. The dual verificationfeature allows for convenient but a secure keyless entry system experience towardsCar ownersTherefore, it is ideal to address the limitations of the vehicles regardless of brandby providing a method for a mobile communication device to control the keyless entryapparatus of the vehicle in an improved way.DGO02L8248N2025589 24 Feb 2025 06:10:49 PM 2DESCRIPTION.pafDGO02L8248N202DESCRIPTION.pafBrief Description of the DrawingsThe embodiments and other aspects of the computer implemented method are bestunderstood and more apparent in referring to the detailed description in conjunctionwith the appended drawings in which:FIG. 7 is a block diagram of the mobile communication device on which the variousembodiments may operate;FIG. 2 illustrates a flow diagram of the method in the preferred embodiment of thepresent utility model;FIG. 3 is an architectural diagram of the method to illustrate the scenario onceimplemented in the preferred embodiment of the present invention;FIG. 4A is a view of the profile details of a RF card;FIG. 4B is login view that seeks biometrics authentication or password phrase;FIG. 4C is the display of the current data being received; andFIG. 4D shows a home screen of a mobile communication device with the applicationindicator which indicates that the application is running in background.5589 24 Feb 2025 06:10:49 PM 3Detailed DescriptionIn the following detailed description, the present utility model discloses acomputer implemented method to provide in depth understanding only, thus shouldnot be regarded as limiting. The well-known methods, technology components, andprocedures will not be discussed in detail as to not obscure the present invention.The drawing in FIG. 1, the block diagram of the mobile communication deviceis disclosed. The computer implemented method is installed in the mobilecommunication device 200. The wireless communication module 204 may be basedon Bluetooth technology for establishing a connection and controlling a keyless entryapparatus A of a vehicle V. The Radio Frequency (RF) card scanner 206 may be anyshort-range scanner capable of detecting Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) cardswhich is integrated in a mobile communication device 200. The said mobilecommunication device 200 comprises a biometrics sensor 208 which may be anysensor capable of detecting fingerprints. The display module 203 of saidcommunication device 200 is capable of accepting touch inputs through its I / O module202. Furthermore, the said mobile communication module 200 has a memorycontaining an Operating System (OS) 210 for managing applications and otheroperations and a database 212 for storing data and retrieving of data. The said OS210 may be any operating system capable of running in a mobile communicationdevice 200. The processor 214 of the said mobile communication device 200 may beof any speed and specification provided that it is compatible with the OS 210 of saidmobile communication device 200.The drawing in FIG. 2, the flow diagram of the method is disclosed. The flowdiagram starts with the “Start Mobile Application” 102 to initialize the application to saidmobile communication module 200. Upon success, the application was programmedto allow it to perform simultaneously “enable wireless communication module” 105,“display main interface” 108, and “enable RF card scanner module” 104. The enablingof said RF card scanner 206 of said mobile communication device 200 allows themobile communication device 200 to let the application process an Radio Frequency(RF) card R being scanned or tapped into said RF card scanner 206 of said mobilecommunication device 200. The “wait for RF card R tap in background” 106 allows theapplication to process the intended task once said RF card R is being scanned to aidRF card scanner 206 of said mobile communication device 200. The intended taskDGO02L8248N2025589 24 Feb 2025 06:10:49 PM 4DESCRIPTION.pafDGO02L8248N202DESCRIPTION.pafreferred is “Display Activation Interface” 110 which will be displayed to a graphical userinterface (GUI) 400 of said mobile communication device 200. Once the interface isshown, a process to “activate application” will be initialize to allow for “scanning fornearby vehicle” 112 through a vehicle V signal. The scanning process may be doneimmediately once the “enable wireless communication module” 105 was doneprovided that the application is already activated using said RF card R. In orderfor the application to check status of activation, the process “activated?” 116 forverification of the application utilized after scanning and finding the matched vehicle Vof the application will be triggered programmatically in the application. If the“activated?” process is not successful, it will be redirected to “wait for RF card tap inbackground” 106 until such time a correct said RF card R is scanned. Upon correctverification, the process “connect to vehicle” 118 will be utilized to attempt forconnection to said vehicle V. A checking of a keyless entry apparatus A and applicationactivation will be made through the process of “activation code match?” 120 to see toit that the correct vehicle V is being connected to by the application. If the code doesnot match, the “display error message popup’ will be initialized to inform a user U thatthe vehicle and application did not match. If the code is a match, the “read ReceivedSignal Strength Indicator (RSSI), distance, battery level of vehicle” 122 is then utilizedwhich gets the data from the keyless entry apparatus A and triggers “display RSSI,distance, battery level of vehicle to main interface” to display it on the graphical userinterface (GUI) 400. The RSSI is the transmitted signal of said wireless communicationmodule 204 of said mobile communication device 200 which is measure of the powerpresent in a received radio signal from any communication device transmitting in thesame frequency. The received signal is then used as basis for checking the distanceof said vehicle V programmatically to said mobile communication device 200, the “isdevice near the vehicle” 124 is then utilized if the user U having the mobilecommunication device 200 is near the vehicle V having the keyless entry apparatusA. lf the user U is near, the “request unlock car’ 126 will be processed which will senda signal to the keyless entry apparatus A an unlock signal, if the mobile communicationdevice 200 is far to the keyless entry apparatus A nothing will happen and nocommand will be sent. Once the vehicle V is unlocked, the mobile communicationdevice 200 checks if it’s inside the vehicle V or not through the “is driver inside” 128.If the mobile communication device 200 will be far from the vehicle V, a “request lockcar’ 130 will be sent to the keyless entry apparatus A. Once the mobile communication5589 24 Feb 2025 06:10:49 PM 5device 200 is inside the vehicle V, the application will process the “request fingerprintauthentication”, this will pop up a fingerprint authentication interface 420 to inform theuser U that the application requires his / her fingerprint data through the biometricssensor 208. The fingerprint of the user U will be authenticated and once correct, the“request unlock engine’ will be triggered which will send signal to the keyless entryapparatus A for the unlocking of the said vehicle V engine. However, if the fingerprintdata is incorrect, the “show alternative authentication” 136 process will be triggered toallow the user U to use a different authentication method such as pattern, pin,password, or any means of authentication available in the mobile communicationdevice 200. If the alternative authentication is correct, the “request unlock engine” 140will be triggered. However, if the alternative authentication is not correct, the “displayerror message popup’ 121 is triggered.As to the drawing in FIG. 3, the architectural diagram which suggests theplacement of the apparatus and how the mobile communication device 200 is placed.In FIG. 4A, FIG. 4B, FIG. 4C, and FIG. 4D the plurality of graphical user interface (GUI)400 of the method was disclosed to show each view when navigating from one screento another. The user graphical user interface (GUI) 400 may vary according to devicesthe computer implemented method is executing. The computer implemented methodis executed by a mobile communication device 200 to control a keyless entryapparatus A of a vehicle V. It displays relevant data to a graphical user interface (GUI)400 to the display module 203 of a mobile communication device 200. The graphicaluser interface (GUI) 400 comprises an activation code 402 text field that indicates theparticular code which will be recognize a particular keyless entry apparatus A, a deviceID 408 text field which is the ID of a particular keyless entry apparatus, a batterycharacteristic ID 406 text field for identifying the vehicle V battery which the applicationis linked to, a mode characteristic ID 410 text field for checking various mode of thewireless communication module 204 of the mobile communication device 200, a statuscharacteristic ID 412 text field for the determining the status of the wirelesscommunication module 204, a tap your RF card 410 label for RF Card R tapping isan label to let the user A the portion where to tap an RF Card R, an activate 416 buttonacts as button for the activating process, a fingerprint authentication interface 420 tohelp the user A identify that the application requires the user A to authenticate usingtheir fingerprint through the biometric sensor 208, a use password 422 button that canallow the user to authenticate through a different way if biometric sensor 208 is notDGO02L8248N2025589 24 Feb 2025 06:10:49 PM 6DESCRIPTION.pafavailable or if it malfunctions, a vehicle V battery level 432 label that displays thevehicle V battery voltage level, a distance of the vehicle 430 label allows the user toknow the exact distance computed of the mobile communication device 200 to thevehicle V, a connection state 434 label for identifying the connection status of themobile communication device 200 to the keyless entry apparatus A and an appindicator 440 label to let the user know that the application is running in backgroundand is still running properly.The computer implemented method executed by a mobile communication device200 of controlling a keyless entry apparatus A of a vehicle V comprises the followingsteps through the computer implemented method executed in the device 200:displaying a graphical user interface (GUI) 400 to a display module 203 of said mobilecommunication device 200; enabling RF card scanner 206 of said mobilecommunication device 200 the computer implemented method was programmed toutilize the RF card scanner 206 of a device 200; waiting for RF card R being scannedto said RF card scanner 206 of said mobile communication device 200, it can triggerwhen a valid RF card R is tapped on the mobile communication device 200; enablinga wireless communication module 204 of said mobile communication device 200, themodule can be any wireless technology available in the mobile communication device200; displaying activation interface of said graphical user interface (GUI) 400 allowsusers to have a feedback when activating a RF card R; checking of activation statusthrough said graphical user interface (GUI) 400 whether in “activated mode” or “notactivated mode’, this provides status when the vehicle is verified or not; processing ofactivate application 114 through said graphical user interface (GUI) 400 if in “notactivated mode”; scanning for signal of said keyless entry apparatus A of said vehicleV through said wireless communication module 204 of said mobile communicationdevice 200 if in “activated mode’;redirecting to RF card R scan to said RF card scanner 206 of said mobilecommunication device 200 if said activating status is in “not activated mode’;connecting to said vehicle V if said activating status is in “activated mode’; identifyingof said keyless entry apparatus A and activation code which is unique to every keylessentry apparatus A if there is a match; reading RSSI, distance, and battery level of saidvehicle V data; displaying of said RSSI, said distance, and said battery level of saidvehicle V data to said graphical user interface (GUI) 400, the RSSI is being scannedcontinuously once a connection is established to determine the distance; checkingDGO02L8248N2025589 24 Feb 2025 06:10:49 PM 7DESCRIPTION.pafDGO02L8248N202DESCRIPTION.pafsaid distance of said vehicle V to said mobile communication device 200; sending ofan unlock request through said wireless communication module 204 of said mobilecommunication device 200 to said keyless entry apparatus A; identifying if a user U isinside said vehicle V through data received from said keyless entry apparatus A thedata is particular was RSSI value which was programmatically determined if a drive isfar or not from the vehicle V; sending of a lock request to said keyless entry apparatusA if said user U is not inside said vehicle; requesting of biometrics authentication usinga biometrics sensor 208 of said mobile communication device 200 to said user U;sending of a unlock request using said wireless communication module 204 of saidmobile communication device 200 to said keyless entry apparatus A of said vehicle Vif biometrics authentication is valid; displaying of an alternative authentication to saidgraphical user interface (GUI) 400 of said mobile communication device 200, thisallows for a non-biometric authentication and resort to password or pin; and checkingof said alternative authentication code if there is a match; andsending of unlock request through said wireless communication device 204 of saidmobile communication device 200 to said keyless entry apparatus A if alternativeauthentication is valid.The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the RF card R was programmed toidentify a specific keyless entry apparatus A the card R will be any programmable cardusing the RFID technology. The RF card R was pre-programmed using a card writingapplication to embed the unique code in the RF card R for an intended keyless entryapparatus A which will then be installed in a vehicle V.5589 24 Feb 2025 06:10:49 PM 8

Claims

CLAIMS5 1. A computer implemented method executed by a mobile communication device(200) of controlling a keyless entry apparatus (A) of a vehicle (V) comprisingthe steps of;displaying a graphical user interface (GUI) (400) to a display module (203) ofsaid mobile communication device (200);10 enabling a Radio Frequency (RF) card scanner (206) of said mobilecommunication device (200);enabling a wireless communication module (204) of said mobile communicationdevice (200);detecting a Radio Frequency (RF) card (R) being scanned to said RF card15 scanner (206) of said mobile communication device (200);checking of activation status through said graphical user interface (GUI) (400)whether in “activated mode” or “not activated mode’;displaying an activation interface (500) of said graphical user interface (GUI)(400) if in “not activated mode”;20 processing of activate application (114) through said activation interface (500)if in “not activated mode’;requesting for RF card (R) scan to said RF card scanner (206) of said mobilecommunication device (200) if said activating status is in “not activatedmode’;25 scanning for signal of said keyless entry apparatus (A) of said vehicle (V)through said wireless communication module (204) of said mobilecommunication device (200) if in “activated mode’;connecting to said keyless entry apparatus (A) through said wirelesscommunication module (204) of said mobile communication device (200)30 is in “activated mode”;identifying of said keyless entry apparatus (A) and activation code if there is amatch;38MB02T7247820250ZA 24 Feb 2025 06:09:09 PM 9CLAIMS. pdfreceiving of transmitted data through said wireless communication module(204) of said mobile communication device (200) from said keyless entryapparatus (A) of said vehicle (V)displaying a Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI), a distance, and abattery level of said vehicle (V) data to said graphical user interface(GUI) (400);checking said distance of said vehicle (V) to said mobile communication device(200);sending of unlock request through said wireless communication module (204)of said mobile communication device (200) to said keyless entryapparatus (A);identifying if user (U) is inside said vehicle (V) through the data received fromsaid keyless entry apparatus (A);sending of lock request to said keyless entry apparatus (A) if said user (U) isnot inside said vehicle;requesting of biometrics authentication using a biometrics sensor (208) of saidmobile communication device (200) to said user (U);sending of a unlock request using said wireless communication module (204)of said mobile communication device (200) to said keyless entryapparatus (A) of said vehicle (V) if biometrics authentication is valid;displaying of alternative authentication to said graphical user interface (GUI)(400) of said mobile communication device (200);checking of said alternative authentication code if there is a match; andsending of unlock request through said wireless communication device (204) ofsaid mobile communication (200) device to said keyless entry apparatus(A) if alternative authentication valid.. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said graphical user interface (GUI)(400) comprises a display defined by the following elements:a. an activation code (402) text field;b. adevice ID (408) text field;c. a battery characteristic ID (406) text field;d. amode characteristic ID (410) text field;e. a status characteristic ID (412) text field;f. atap your RF card (410) label for RF Card (R) tapping;e 8MB02T7247820250ZA 24 Feb 2025 06:09:09 PM 10CLAIMS. pdfg. an activate (416) button;h. a fingerprint authentication interface (420);i. ause password (422) button;j.. a vehicle battery level (432) label;5 k. a distance of the vehicle (430) label:|. aconnection state (434) label; andm. an app indicator (440) label.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said RF card (R) was programmedto identify said keyless entry apparatus (A).3MB02T7247820250ZA 24 Feb 2025 06:09:09 PM 11CLAIMS. pdf