Multi-band communication system for vehicle

Abstract

The invention provides a multiband communication system for a vehicle. A vehicle includes a transceiver configured to support a plurality of frequency bands; a display; and a controller programmed to, in response to detecting that the vehicle is stolen, generate a message including a location of the vehicle; transmitting, via the transceiver, the message to one or more external devices using the plurality of frequency bands; generating a first notification; and outputting the first notification via the display.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to a communication system for a vehicle and more particularly to a multi-band communication system for detecting and operating a reported stolen vehicle. Background Art

[0002] Modern vehicles may be provided with a stolen vehicle service that is configured to send vehicle information (e.g., vehicle location) to a designated entity via a predefined communication channel (e.g., a cellular network). However, advanced thieves may compromise stolen vehicle services by disabling vehicle hardware such as a modem and / or other transceivers or placing a signal jammer near the vehicle to interfere with wireless communications at a certain frequency. Summary of the invention

[0003] In one or more illustrative examples of the present disclosure, a vehicle includes: a transceiver configured to support multiple frequency bands; a display; and a controller programmed to, in response to detecting that the vehicle is stolen: generate a message including the location of the vehicle; transmit the message to one or more external devices via the transceiver using the multiple frequency bands; generate a first notification; and output the first notification via the display.

[0004] In one or more illustrative examples of the present disclosure, a method for a vehicle includes: in response to detecting that the vehicle is being operated by an unauthorized user, generating a message including a vehicle identification via one or more controllers; transmitting the message to one or more external devices via multiple wireless frequency bands via one or more transceivers; generating a first notification via the one or more controllers; and outputting the first notification via the display by ignoring user input intended to turn off the display.

[0005] In one or more illustrative examples of the present disclosure, a non-transitory computer-readable medium includes instructions that, when executed by one or more controllers of a vehicle, cause the vehicle to: in response to detecting that the vehicle is stolen, capture an image of a vehicle user; generate a message including a vehicle identification, a vehicle location, and the image; transmit the message to one or more external devices via multiple frequency bands; generate a first notification based on the vehicle location; output the first notification via an internal display; generate a second notification different from the first notification; and output the second notification via an external display. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] For a better understanding of the invention and to show how it may be carried out, embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0007] Figure 1 An example block topology diagram of a vehicle system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0008] Figure 2 An example flow chart of a process for operating a vehicle when vehicle theft is detected is shown.

[0009] Figure 3 An example schematic diagram illustrating an example of the present disclosure is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0010] As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it should be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely examples of the present invention that can be implemented in various forms and alternative forms. The drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale; some features may be enlarged or minimized to show details of specific components. Therefore, the specific structural details and functional details disclosed herein should not be interpreted as limiting, but only as a representative basis for teaching those skilled in the art to utilize the present invention in various forms.

[0011] The present disclosure generally provides a plurality of circuits or other electrical devices. All references to circuits and other electrical devices and the functions provided by them are not intended to be limited to only cover what is shown and described herein. Although specific labels can be assigned to various circuits or other electrical devices, such circuits and other electrical devices can be combined and / or separated from each other in any manner based on the specific type of electrical implementation required. It should be recognized that any circuit or other electrical device disclosed herein may include any number of microprocessors, integrated circuits, memory devices (e.g., flash memory, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) or other appropriate variations thereof) and software, which cooperate with each other to perform the operations disclosed herein. In addition, any one or more of the electrical devices may be configured to execute a computer program embodied in a non-temporary computer-readable medium, the computer program being programmed to perform any number of functions disclosed.

[0012] The present disclosure proposes, among other things, a system for operating a vehicle in response to detecting that the vehicle is stolen. More specifically, the present disclosure proposes a system for performing wireless communications with a third party entity using multiple frequency bands in response to detecting that the vehicle is stolen.

[0013] refer to Figure 1, shows an example block topology diagram of a vehicle system 100 of one embodiment of the present disclosure. Vehicle 102 may include various types of automobiles, crossover utility vehicles (CUVs), sport utility vehicles (SUVs), trucks, recreational vehicles (RVs), buses / coaches, motorcycles, boats, airplanes, or other mobile machines for transporting people or goods. In many cases, vehicle 102 may be powered by an internal combustion engine. As another possibility, vehicle 102 may be a battery electric vehicle (BEV), a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) powered by both an internal combustion engine and one or more electric motors, such as a series hybrid electric vehicle (SHEV), a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), a parallel / series hybrid electric vehicle (PSHEV), or a fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV). It should be noted that the system 100 shown is only an example, and more, fewer, and / or differently positioned elements may be used.

[0014] like Figure 1 As shown, the computing platform 104 may include one or more processors 106 configured to execute instructions, commands, and other routines that support the processes described herein. For example, the computing platform 104 may be configured to execute instructions of a vehicle application 108 to provide features such as navigation, remote control, and wireless communication. Such instructions and other data may be maintained in a non-volatile manner using various types of computer-readable storage media 110. Computer-readable media 110 (also referred to as processor-readable media or storage devices) include any non-temporary media (e.g., tangible media) that participate in providing instructions or other data that can be read by the processor 106 of the computing platform 104. Computer-executable instructions may be compiled or interpreted according to a computer program created using a variety of programming languages ​​and / or techniques, including but not limited to the following alone or in combination: Java, C, C++, C#, Objective C, Fortran, Pascal, Java Script, Python, Perl, and Structured Query Language (SQL).

[0015] The computing platform 104 may be provided with various features that allow a vehicle user to interface with the computing platform 104. For example, the computing platform 104 may receive input from human machine interface (HMI) controls 112 that are configured to provide for user interaction with the vehicle 102. As an example, the computing platform 104 may interface with one or more buttons, switches, knobs, or other HMI controls (e.g., steering wheel audio buttons, call buttons, dashboard controls, etc.) that are configured to invoke functions on the computing platform 104.

[0016] The computing platform 104 may also drive or otherwise communicate with one or more displays 114, which are configured to provide visual output to the vehicle user via a video controller 116. In some cases, the display 114 may be a touch screen that is also configured to receive user touch input via the video controller 116, while in other cases, the display 114 may be only a display without touch input capabilities. The computing platform 104 may also drive or otherwise communicate with one or more cameras 115, which are configured to provide video input via the video controller 116. In some cases, the camera may include one or more cabin cameras that are located in the cabin and are configured to capture images (e.g., facial images) of the vehicle user. Additionally or alternatively, the camera may include one or more external cameras that are configured to capture images near the vehicle. For example, the external camera may include a reversing camera and / or a 360-degree surround view camera. The computing platform 104 may also drive or otherwise communicate with one or more speakers 118, which are configured to provide audio output to the vehicle user via an audio controller 120. The computing platform 104 may also drive or otherwise communicate with one or more microphones 119, which are configured to provide audio input to the computing platform 104 through the audio controller 120. For example, the microphone 119 may be used to capture the voice of one or more vehicle users. In addition, the computing platform 104 may also be provided with the ability to integrate video and audio from other associated devices (such as a user's camera, smart phone, etc.).

[0017] The computing platform 104 may also be provided with navigation and route planning features through a navigation controller 122, which is configured to calculate a navigation route in response to user input via, for example, the HMI control 112, and output the planned route and instructions via the speaker 118 and the display 114. The location data required for navigation may be collected from a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) controller 124, which is configured to communicate with a plurality of satellites and calculate the location of the vehicle 102. The GNSS controller 124 may be configured to support various current and / or future global or regional positioning systems, such as the Global Positioning System (GPS), Galileo satellites, Beidou satellites, Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS), etc. Map data for route planning may be stored in the storage device 110 as part of the vehicle data 126. The map data may also be stored from the cloud or updated periodically via the TCU 170. The navigation software may be stored in the storage device 110 as one of the vehicle applications 108.

[0018] The vehicle 102 may provide wireless communication capabilities to accommodate various situations. For example, the computing platform 104 may be configured to communicate wirelessly with the external device 128 via the wireless connection 130. The external device 128 may include one or more devices associated with various entities (such as vehicle owners, dealers, manufacturers, law enforcement entities, third-party entities, etc.). In the event that the vehicle 102 is stolen, the external device 128 may be configured to facilitate the identification and location of the vehicle 102 in a crowdsourcing manner. The external device 128 may include various types of portable devices, such as mobile license plate readers (LPRs), vehicles, cellular phones, tablet computers, etc. In addition, the external device 128 may include various types of fixed devices, such as fixed LPRs, traffic signal devices, highway or street or building cameras, vehicle refueling facilities (e.g., charging stations), parking meters, etc. The computing platform 104 may be provided with a wireless transceiver 132 that communicates with a Wi-Fi controller 134, a Bluetooth controller 136, a radio frequency identification (RFID) controller 138, a near field communication (NFC) controller 140, and other controllers such as a ZigBee transceiver, an infrared data association (IrDA) transceiver, an ultra-wideband (UWB) transceiver (not shown), and is configured to communicate with a compatible wireless transceiver 142 of an external device 128.

[0019] Depending on the specific implementation, the external device 128 may be provided with various hardware and software configurations. In other examples, the external device 128 may be provided with a processor 144, which is configured to execute instructions, commands and other routines that support processes such as wireless communication and multimedia data processing (e.g., video and audio processing). For example, the external device 128 may be provided with positioning and navigation functions via a GNSS controller 146. The external device 128 may be provided with a wireless transceiver 142 that communicates with a Wi-Fi controller 150, a Bluetooth controller 152, an RFID controller 154, an NFC controller 156 and other controllers (not shown), and the wireless transceiver is configured to communicate with the wireless transceiver 132 of the computing platform 104 via a compatible communication protocol. The external device 128 may also be provided with a modem 158, which is configured to communicate with a wireless wide area network. The external device 128 may also be provided with a camera 160 and a microphone 162 that are configured to capture video and audio inputs, respectively.

[0020] The computing platform 104 may also be configured to communicate with various components of the vehicle 102 via one or more in-vehicle networks 166. As some examples, the in-vehicle network 166 may include, but is not limited to, one or more of a controller area network (CAN), Ethernet, and a media oriented systems transport (MOST). In addition, the in-vehicle network 166 or portions of the in-vehicle network 166 may be a wireless network implemented via Bluetooth low energy (BLE), Wi-Fi, UWB, etc.

[0021] The computing platform 104 can be configured to communicate with various electronic control units (ECUs) 168 of the vehicle 102, which are configured to perform various operations. For example, the computing platform 104 can be configured to communicate with a telematics control unit (TCU) 170 via a wireless connection 174 using a modem 176, and the TCU is configured to control telecommunications between the vehicle 102 and the wireless network 172. The wireless connection 174 can be in the form of various communication networks (e.g., a wireless wide area network, also known as a cellular network). Through the wireless network 172, the vehicle 102 can access one or more servers 178 for various purposes to access various content. It should be noted that the terms wireless network 172 and server are used as general terms in this disclosure and may include any computing network involving carriers, routers, computers, controllers, circuits, etc., which is configured to store data and perform data processing functions and facilitate communication between various entities.

[0022] The ECU 168 may also include an autonomous driving controller (ADC) 182 configured to control autonomous driving features of the vehicle 102. Driving instructions may be received remotely from the server 178. The ADC 182 may be configured to use the driving instructions in conjunction with navigation instructions from the navigation controller 122 to execute the autonomous driving features.

[0023] The ECU 168 may also include a powertrain control module (PCM) 184 that is configured to control the powertrain of the vehicle 102. For example, the PCM 184 may be configured to limit vehicle speed or prohibit vehicle travel under certain conditions.

[0024] ECU 168 may also include a body control module (BCM) 186, which is configured to control the vehicle's body operations. For example, BCM 186 may be configured to control the vehicle's interior and exterior lighting. BCM 186 may also be configured to lock and unlock the doors, trunk, and front trunk.

[0025] The vehicle 102 may be provided with various features, including a stolen vehicle service configured to detect and resolve situations when the vehicle 102 is stolen by an unauthorized user. The vehicle 102 may be configured to automatically detect that the vehicle 102 is stolen and is being driven by an unauthorized user. As discussed above, the vehicle 102 may be provided with wireless communication capabilities to communicate with various entities. One or more vehicle components or controllers may be configured to use the communication status to detect and identify the stolen vehicle status. It should be noted that one or more vehicle components or controllers may be configured to distinguish the stolen vehicle status from communication failures that may sometimes occur. For example, the vehicle 102 may use certain hardware to communicate with the server 178 to report stolen vehicle information, such as location. With this knowledge, a car thief may typically disable the hardware or interfere with the wireless band used for stolen vehicle reporting, while leaving other wireless communication bands and hardware intact when the vehicle is stolen. If the vehicle 102 detects that those hardware elements and / or communication bands have stopped functioning while other hardware and / or communication bands are still functioning, rather than other hardware and / or communication bands also being stopped functioning, the vehicle controller can differentiate to determine a stolen condition rather than a communication failure.

[0026] Once it is determined that the vehicle 102 is stolen, the vehicle 102 can communicate with the server 178 in a stealthy manner without being noticed by the car thief. As discussed above, certain wireless bands that are normally used to communicate with the server 178 may be compromised. However, unknown to the thief, the vehicle 102 may be configured to communicate with various entities including the server 178 using wireless bands that are not normally used to report stolen vehicles.

[0027] refer to Figure 2 , shows an example flow chart of a process 200 for operating a vehicle 102 in response to detecting that the vehicle 102 is stolen. Figure 1 , process 200 may be implemented individually or collectively by one or more components of computing platform 104 and / or ECU 168 .

[0028] At operation 202, in response to detecting that the vehicle 102 may be stolen, the computing platform 104 outputs a message and requires user input to prevent false alarms. There are many ways for the vehicle 102 to detect a stolen state. For example, in response to detecting a predefined anomaly (such as driving out of a geo-fence), a server 178 associated with a manufacturer or dealer can send a wireless message indicating a possible stolen alarm to the vehicle 102 and require the vehicle user to enter a predefined password (e.g., set by the manufacturer, administrator, or owner) via the HMI control 112 to confirm that the user is authorized to operate the vehicle 102. In addition or alternatively, high-level thieves may damage the vehicle communication system by damaging communication hardware (e.g., modem, antenna) or placing a signal jammer near the vehicle 102, so that the vehicle 102 cannot communicate with the server using the wireless network 172. To address these situations, the vehicle 102 can be configured to periodically receive a verification signal from the server 178 at a predefined interval (e.g., once every few hours), and automatically detect a possible stolen state in response to not receiving a stolen state signal. Additionally or alternatively, the vehicle 102 may be configured to automatically detect a possible stolen state using a geo-fence configuration without communicating with the server 178. As an example, vehicle manufacturers and dealers may apply one or more geo-fences to the navigation system of each undelivered / unsold vehicle. In response to detecting that the vehicle location is outside the geo-fence, the vehicle 102 may automatically trigger a possible stolen state check and communicate with the server 178 for confirmation. Additionally or alternatively, the vehicle 102 may be configured to automatically detect a possible stolen state via the communication status of various communication bands. As discussed above, car thieves may damage the operation of one or more wireless bands. However, when stealing the vehicle 102, it is unlikely that the thief will damage all multiple bands supported by the vehicle 102 in a short period of time. In this regard, if the vehicle 102 detects that some bands are no longer operating (indicating possible damage), while other bands are still operating, the possible stolen state may be marked. Additionally or alternatively, the vehicle 102 may be configured to detect a possible stolen state in response to being unable to connect to a cellular network at a location known to be covered by a cellular network based on map data. Additionally or alternatively, the hardware of the vehicle 102 may be provided with tamper protection, and in response to detecting that the relevant hardware (eg, antenna, TCU) has been tampered with by someone, a possible stolen status may be flagged.

[0029] At operation 204, computing platform 104 verifies whether a confirmation is received within a predefined time period (e.g., one minute). As discussed above, the confirmation may be received locally by the user entering a password via HMI control 112 and / or remotely from server 178. If a confirmation is received within the predefined period indicating that the possible stolen status detection is a false positive, the process proceeds to operation 206 and ends.

[0030] Otherwise, if the answer to operation 204 is no and the computing platform 104 does not receive confirmation within a predefined time period, the process proceeds to operation 208 and the stolen vehicle service is activated. The stolen vehicle service may include various operations intended to mitigate and resolve the situation. For example, at operation 208, the computing platform 104 activates vehicle sensors (such as a cabin camera 115) to capture images and videos of vehicle users. Additionally or alternatively, one or more external cameras 115 may be activated to capture images and videos of the surroundings of the vehicle 102. Where permitted by law, the computing platform 104 may also activate a microphone 119 to record any speech uttered by the user. Where the vehicle 102 is provided with a biometric sensor (such as a fingerprint reader), the computing platform 104 may also be configured to activate the biometric sensor to collect biometric information of the vehicle user where permitted by law. The sensor data may be used not only to locate the vehicle 102, but also to identify unauthorized vehicle users (e.g., thieves) by law enforcement agencies.

[0031] At operation 210, the computing platform 104 activates various wireless transceivers and communicates with any available external device via the transceivers through multiple frequency bands. As discussed above, one or more vehicle communication systems may have been compromised by high-level thieves to prevent the vehicle 102 from communicating with the server 178. In one example, the operation of the TCU 170 may be compromised by hardware tampering and / or signal jammers. The vehicle 102 may not be able to communicate directly with the server 178 via the wireless network 172. However, the vehicle 102 can still have one or more remaining wireless communication capabilities enabled by one or more functional wireless transceivers 132 to support various wireless protocols. Utilizing functional wireless capabilities to communicate with external devices 128 can increase the chances of the vehicle 102 being successfully identified and located by various interested parties (e.g., manufacturers, law enforcement agencies). The computing platform 104 has several ways to communicate with the external device 128. For example, the computing platform 104 may broadcast an unencrypted message using various protocols (e.g., Bluetooth, UWB, Wi-Fi, NFC) via one or more active wireless transceivers 132, regardless of whether the external device 128 has been detected within the transmission range. Additionally or alternatively, the computing platform 104 may search for and attempt to connect to any compatible external device 128 within the transmission range of the wireless transceiver 132 before sending the message to the connected external device 128. Regardless of the specific protocol transmitted to the external device, the message may include various information items that can be used to identify and locate the vehicle 102. For example, the message may include vehicle identification information such as a vehicle identification number (VIN), a vehicle brand, a vehicle year, a color, etc. The message may also include the current vehicle location determined by the GNSS controller 124. The message may also include sensor data collected at operation 208, such as video, audio, and biometric data. The message may also include the fuel level of the vehicle 102 (e.g., the battery charge of the EV), which may be used to determine the vehicle range.

[0032] In addition to transmitting messages using multiple frequency bands, computing platform 104 may also communicate directly with unauthorized vehicle users to prevent the user from continuing unauthorized use.

[0033] At operation 212, the computing platform 104 generates a notification and outputs the notification via the speaker 118 and / or the display 114. The notification may include a general message persuading the user to stop the vehicle 102. Examples of notifications may include "This vehicle has been detected as stolen. You are being followed!" and "Vehicle theft is a felony! Stop now!" The notification may be repeated in a mandatory manner, i.e., the user is not allowed to mute or even reduce the volume of the audio notification; or turn off the video notification output via the display 114. The user input for stopping the notification may be ignored by the computing platform 104. The mandatory output of the notification may also help the public and / or law enforcement agencies identify the stolen status of the vehicle. For example, if the vehicle 102 is stopped by law enforcement, the officer may immediately realize that the vehicle 102 is stolen after noticing the video and / or audio notification. In some examples, the notification may be further customized based on various inputs such as the location of the vehicle. For example, different jurisdictions (e.g., states) may have different penalty standards for vehicle theft. The notification may be adjusted and modified based on different penalty standards. As an example, when the vehicle is operating in jurisdiction A, the notification may include "Vehicle theft in state A may be punished by up to 3 years in prison." When the vehicle 102 continues to travel and enters jurisdiction B with different penalty standards, the notification may be modified to "Vehicle theft in state B may be punished by up to 5 years in prison." and so on. As another example, if the vehicle is about to cross state lines, the vehicle 102 may inform the driver that the violation will be escalated to federal charges and subject to more severe penalties. In addition, in the event that the vehicle 102 is provided with external speakers or displays, the computing platform 104 may also generate notifications for output via the external speakers and displays. It should be noted that the notifications output externally may be different from those output in the vehicle cabin, as the external notifications are more concerned with raising public awareness of the stolen status of the vehicle 102. An example of an external notification may be "This vehicle has been reported as stolen. Call 911!"

[0034] In addition to notifications, the vehicle 102 may also perform body operations to facilitate vehicle identification and situation mitigation at operation 214. For example, the BCM 186 of the vehicle 102 may lock the doors and trunk to prevent unauthorized users from abandoning the vehicle until law enforcement arrives. Additionally or alternatively, the BCM 186 may operate the vehicle's exterior lights and horn (e.g., flashing lights, honking the horn) in a predefined pattern to attract public attention.

[0035] Additionally, at operation 216, the vehicle 102 further performs autonomous driving operations to mitigate the situation. As an example, the PCM 184 may impose a speed limit (e.g., 15 mph) on the vehicle to prevent the vehicle from causing a high-speed pursuit. The ADC 182 may take over driving control from an unauthorized user and autonomously drive to and park at a predefined location (e.g., side of the road, police station). The operations of process 200 may be applied to a variety of situations.

[0036] refer to Figure 3 , showing an example schematic diagram 300 of an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 1 and Figure 2 , in this example, the vehicle 102 is marked as stolen and the stolen vehicle service is activated. As the vehicle 102 traverses on the route 302, the computing platform 104 attempts to communicate with various external devices 128 associated with various entities via multiple frequency bands to increase the chance of success. For example, the computing platform 104 may first establish wireless communication with an infrastructure device 128a that supports multiple frequency bands. As discussed above, the infrastructure device 128a may include a traffic camera, a portable LPR, a parking meter, a traffic signal device, a gas station, etc. configured to support one or more wireless communication protocols for multi-band communication. The infrastructure device 128a may also be provided with a sensor, such as a camera, to capture images / videos of the vehicle in response to receiving a message transmitted from the vehicle 102a. The infrastructure device 128a may also report to the server 178 the messages received from the vehicle and the data captured by the onboard sensors to provide useful information to identify and locate the stolen vehicle 102.

[0037] As the vehicle continues to traverse along route 302, an external device 128b (e.g., a smart phone) associated with a third-party entity may become within the wireless transmission range of the vehicle 102. The external device 128b may subscribe to a stolen vehicle service in exchange for a reward provided by the system. In response to receiving a message transmitted from the vehicle 102, the external device 128b may report the message to the server 178 along with useful information such as the location of the external device 128b. In addition, the external device 128b may be configured to output a message to the device user to explain the situation and request the user to activate the camera and capture an image / video of the stolen vehicle 102. For example, in response to receiving a signal transmission from the vehicle 102, the external device 128b may display a message such as "Reporting a stolen 2023 blue brand model vehicle near you. Please consider capturing an image of the vehicle to help. Look for flashing headlights." etc., so that more useful information can be provided to the server 178. As discussed above, the BCM 186 may operate vehicle body features, such as flashing headlights to attract public attention for easier identification.

[0038] Similarly, fleet vehicle 128c, operating as another external device, may then become within the wireless transmission range of vehicle 102. Fleet vehicle 128c may be directly or indirectly associated with vehicle 102 reported as stolen. For example, fleet vehicle 128c may be associated with the same manufacturer or dealer as vehicle 102. Additionally or alternatively, fleet vehicle 128c may subscribe to a stolen vehicle service in exchange for a reward similar to external device 128b. In response to receiving a message from vehicle 102, fleet vehicle 128c may report the message and fleet vehicle information (e.g., location) to server 178. If provided with a camera, fleet vehicle 128c may automatically activate the camera to capture images / videos of the stolen vehicle 102 and upload the images / videos to server 178 for processing. In some examples, both the stolen vehicle 102 and fleet vehicle 128c may be provided with vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication capabilities via wireless connections such as dedicated short-range communications (DSRC) and cellular vehicle networking communications (CV2X). V2V communications may be part of a multi-frequency communications band. Additionally, since V2V communications may include accurate information about the relative positions of the vehicles, the fleet vehicle 128c may use the relative position of the vehicle 102 to guide the camera to capture images / videos.

[0039] Using the information reported by the plurality of external devices 128 to the server 178, the law enforcement entity can locate the stolen vehicle 102 and dispatch agents accordingly. Figure 3 As shown in the example of , for example, the law enforcement device 128d can be dispatched to the current or predicted vehicle location to engage with the stolen vehicle 102. For example, the law enforcement device 128d can be a police car that is equipped with the ability to communicate with the stolen vehicle 102 via multiple frequency bands. When the law enforcement device 128d approaches and enters the transmission range of the stolen vehicle 102, the law enforcement device 128d can also receive wireless messages so that the stolen vehicle 102 can be easily identified. Alternatively, in the event that the law enforcement device 128d is not equipped with a compatible wireless transmission capability and cannot receive messages directly from the stolen vehicle 102, the police officer may still be able to manually identify the stolen vehicle using the information provided by the server and the vehicle operation (e.g., light flashing, audio / visual notification) to attract public attention.

[0040] The algorithm, method or process disclosed herein can be delivered to or implemented by a computer, a controller or a processing device, and the computer, the controller or the processing device can include any dedicated electronic control unit or a programmable electronic control unit. Similarly, the algorithm, method or process can be stored in various forms as data and instructions that can be executed by a computer or a controller, including but not limited to information permanently stored on a non-writable storage medium such as a read-only memory device and information that can be changed and stored on a writable storage medium such as an optical disk, a random access memory device or other magnetic and optical media. The algorithm, method or process can also be implemented by a software executable object. Alternatively, the algorithm, method or process can be implemented in whole or in part using a combination of suitable hardware components (such as an application-specific integrated circuit, a field programmable gate array, a state machine or other hardware components or devices) or firmware, hardware and software components.

[0041] Although exemplary embodiments are described above, these embodiments are not intended to describe all possible forms covered by the claims. The words used in the specification are descriptive rather than limiting, and it should be understood that various changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. The words "a processor" and "multiple processors" are interchangeable herein, as are the words "a controller" and "multiple controllers".

[0042] As previously described, the features of the various embodiments may be combined to form additional embodiments of the invention that may not be explicitly described or shown. Although various embodiments may have been described as providing advantages or being preferred over other embodiments or prior art implementations with respect to one or more desired characteristics, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that one or more features or characteristics may be compromised to achieve desired overall system properties, depending on the specific application and implementation. These properties may include, but are not limited to, strength, durability, marketability, appearance, packaging, size, serviceability, weight, manufacturability, ease of assembly, and the like. Thus, embodiments described as being less desirable than other embodiments or prior art implementations with respect to one or more characteristics are not outside the scope of this disclosure and may be desirable for a particular application.

[0043] According to the present invention, a vehicle is provided, having: a transceiver configured to support multiple frequency bands; a display; and a controller programmed to, in response to detecting that the vehicle is stolen: generate a message including the location of the vehicle; transmit the message to one or more external devices via the transceiver using the multiple frequency bands; generate a first notification; and output the first notification via the display.

[0044] According to an embodiment, the invention is further characterized by a camera, wherein the controller is further programmed to, in response to detecting that the vehicle is stolen: capture a facial image of a vehicle user using the camera; and include the facial image in the message.

[0045] According to an embodiment, the controller is also programmed to: generate the first notification using the position of the vehicle; output a second notification different from the first notification in response to detecting that the current vehicle route is predicted to enter a new geographic area; and modify the first notification using the position of the vehicle to reflect the new geographic area in response to detecting that the vehicle has entered the new geographic area.

[0046] According to an embodiment, the invention is also characterized by an internal speaker, wherein the controller is further programmed to: output the first notification via the internal speaker; and ignore manual input for turning off the internal speaker or the display.

[0047] According to an embodiment, the invention is also characterized by an external speaker outside the vehicle, wherein the controller is further programmed to: generate a second notification that is different in content from the first notification; and output the second notification via the external speaker.

[0048] According to an embodiment, the controller is further programmed to, in response to detecting that the vehicle is stolen, restrict motion maneuvers applied to the vehicle and lock vehicle doors.

[0049] According to an embodiment, the controller is further programmed to detect that the vehicle is stolen by detecting that at least one or more frequency bands supported by the transceiver are no longer functional while at least another frequency band supported by the transceiver continues to function.

[0050] According to an embodiment, the controller is further programmed to, in response to detecting that the vehicle is stolen, flash one or more vehicle lights and sound a horn of the vehicle.

[0051] According to an embodiment, the plurality of frequency bands supports at least two of the following communication protocols: cellular, Bluetooth, ultra-wideband, Wi-Fi, radio frequency identification, or dedicated short range communication.

[0052] According to an embodiment, the message further comprises the identification of the vehicle and the vehicle fuel level or charge level.

[0053] According to an embodiment, the one or more external devices include: an infrastructure device, a fleet vehicle, and a mobile phone.

[0054] According to the present invention, a method for a vehicle includes: in response to detecting that the vehicle is being operated by an unauthorized user, generating a message including vehicle identification via one or more controllers; transmitting the message to one or more external devices via multiple wireless frequency bands via one or more transceivers; generating a first notification via the one or more controllers; and outputting the first notification via the display by ignoring user input intended to turn off the display.

[0055] In one aspect of the present invention, the message is generated using the vehicle position, and the method further includes: in response to detecting that the current vehicle route is predicted to enter a new jurisdiction, outputting a second notification different from the first notification; in response to detecting that the vehicle has entered the new jurisdiction, modifying the first notification using the vehicle position via the one or more controllers to reflect the new jurisdiction; and outputting the modified first notification via the display.

[0056] In one aspect of the present invention, the method comprises: capturing an image via a camera; and transmitting the message including the image to the one or more external devices via the one or more transceivers.

[0057] In one aspect of the present invention, the method includes: outputting the first notification via an internal speaker; generating a second notification different from the first notification via the one or more controllers; outputting the second notification via an external speaker; and ignoring one or more user inputs intended to close the first notification or the second notification via the one or more controllers.

[0058] In one aspect of the invention, the method includes: autonomously operating the vehicle to a predefined position via the one or more controllers; and locking doors of the vehicle via the one or more controllers.

[0059] In one aspect of the invention, the method includes flashing one or more exterior vehicle lights continuously via the one or more controllers.

[0060] According to the present invention, a non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions is provided, which, when executed by one or more controllers of a vehicle, causes the vehicle to: in response to detecting that the vehicle is stolen, capture an image of a vehicle user; generate a message including a vehicle identification, a vehicle location, and the image; transmit the message to one or more external devices via multiple frequency bands; generate a first notification based on the vehicle location; output the first notification via an internal display; generate a second notification different from the first notification; and output the second notification via an external display.

[0061] According to an embodiment, the present invention is also characterized by instructions that, when executed by one or more controllers of the vehicle, cause the vehicle to: in response to detecting that the vehicle leaves a first area and enters a second area, regenerate the first notification based on the vehicle position to reflect the second area.

[0062] According to an embodiment, the invention also features instructions that, when executed by one or more controllers of a vehicle, cause the vehicle to: detect that the vehicle is stolen by failing to connect to a cellular network at a location known to be covered by the cellular network.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising: a transceiver configured to support multiple frequency bands; monitor; as well as a controller programmed to, in response to detecting that the vehicle is stolen, generating a message including the location of the vehicle, transmitting the message to one or more external devices via the transceiver using the plurality of frequency bands; generating a first notification; as well as The first notification is output via the display.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 further comprising a camera, wherein the controller is further programmed to, in response to detecting that the vehicle is stolen: capturing a facial image of a vehicle user using the camera, and The facial image is included in the message.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller is further programmed to: generating the first notification using the position of the vehicle; In response to detecting that the current vehicle route is predicted to enter a new geographic area, outputting a second notification different from the first notification; and In response to detecting that the vehicle has entered the new geographic area, the first notification is modified using the location of the vehicle to reflect the new geographic area.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 further comprising an interior speaker, wherein the controller is further programmed to: outputting the first notification via the internal speaker; and Manual input to turn off the internal speaker or the display is ignored.

5. The vehicle of claim 4 further comprising external speakers exterior to the vehicle, wherein the controller is further programmed to: generating a second notification that is different in content from the first notification; and The second notification is output via the external speaker.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller is further programmed to: In response to detecting that the vehicle has been stolen, motion maneuvers applied to the vehicle are restricted and vehicle doors are locked.

7. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller is further programmed to: The vehicle is detected to be stolen by detecting that at least one or more frequency bands supported by the transceiver are no longer functional while at least another frequency band supported by the transceiver continues to function.

8. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller is further programmed to: In response to detecting that the vehicle is stolen, one or more vehicle lights are flashed and a horn of the vehicle is sounded.

9. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the plurality of frequency bands supports at least two of the following communication protocols: cellular, Bluetooth, ultra-wideband, Wi-Fi, radio frequency identification, or dedicated short range communications.

10. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the message further includes an identification of the vehicle and a vehicle fuel level or charge level.

11. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the one or more external devices include: Infrastructure installations, fleet vehicles and mobile phones.

12. A method for a vehicle, comprising: generating, via the one or more controllers, a message including a vehicle identification in response to detecting that the vehicle is being operated by an unauthorized user; transmitting the message to one or more external devices via one or more transceivers via a plurality of wireless frequency bands; generating, via the one or more controllers, a first notification; as well as The first notification is output via the display by ignoring a user input intending to turn off the display.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the message is generated using a vehicle location, the method further comprising: In response to detecting that the current vehicle route is predicted to enter a new jurisdiction, outputting a second notification different from the first notification; in response to detecting that the vehicle has entered the new jurisdiction, modifying, via the one or more controllers, the first notification using the vehicle location to reflect the new jurisdiction; as well as The modified first notification is output via the display.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising: capturing an image via a camera; as well as The message including the image is transmitted to the one or more external devices via the one or more transceivers.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more controllers of a vehicle, cause the vehicle to: responsive to detecting that the vehicle is stolen, capturing an image of a user of the vehicle; generating a message including the vehicle identification, the vehicle location, and the image; transmitting the message to one or more external devices via a plurality of frequency bands; generating a first notification based on the vehicle location; outputting the first notification via an internal display; generating a second notification different from the first notification; as well as The second notification is output via an external display.

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