US-12617372-B2 - Systems and methods for enhanced vehicle valet mode

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed for an enhanced valet mode for vehicles. An example method may include receiving, by a vehicle, a request for a temporary valet passcode. The example method may also include determining, that a passive entry passive start (PEPS) key fob is not present inside the vehicle. The example method may also include presenting a request for a second passcode. The example method may also include determining that the second passcode has been input. The example method may also include determining that the second passcode matches a pre-established passcode that is stored in memory of the vehicle. The example method may also include generating, using an enhanced valet mode, a first temporary valet passcode based on the determination that the second passcode matches a pre-established passcode that is stored in the memory.

Inventors

• Aaron DeLong
• Eugene Karpinsky
• Cameron Smyth
• Timothy Thivierge
• Daniel King
• Kevin Hille
• Farhan Ehsan
• John Van Wiemeersch
• Santosh Lalwani

Assignees

• FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20210825

Claims (14)

1. 1 . A method comprising: receiving, by a vehicle and at a first time, a first request for a first temporary valet passcode; determining that (1) an owner passcode is stored in memory of the vehicle and a passive entry passive start (PEPS) device is present inside the vehicle or (2) the owner passcode is not stored in the memory of the vehicle, wherein the owner passcode is a pre-established passcode; initiating a simple valet mode of the vehicle based on the determination that the owner passcode is stored in the memory and the PEPS device is present inside the vehicle or the determination that the owner passcode is not stored in the memory of the vehicle; receiving, by the vehicle and at a second time, a second request for the first temporary valet passcode; determining that the owner passcode is stored in the memory of the vehicle and the PEPS device is not present inside the vehicle; initiating, based on the determination that the owner passcode is stored in the memory of the vehicle and the PEPS device is not present inside the vehicle, an enhanced valet mode instead of the simple valet mode; presenting, based on initiating the enhanced valet mode, a request for the owner passcode; receiving an entry of an input passcode; determining that the input passcode matches the owner passcode; and generating, by the vehicle and through the enhanced valet mode, the first temporary valet passcode and a second temporary valet passcode that are different than the owner passcode based on the determination that the input passcode matches the owner passcode.
2. 2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising: presenting, based on generating the first temporary valet passcode, the first temporary valet passcode on a human machine interface (HMI) of the vehicle; and sending the second temporary valet passcode to a mobile device.
3. 3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising: generating, by the vehicle, a third temporary valet passcode associated with a keypad of a door of the vehicle, wherein a size of the third temporary valet passcode is based on a maximum passcode size associated with the keypad of the door, and wherein the first temporary valet passcode is associated with an ignition of the vehicle; opening the door of the vehicle based on receiving the third temporary valet passcode at the keypad; and triggering the ignition of the vehicle based on receiving the first temporary valet passcode.
4. 4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the first temporary valet passcode and second temporary valet passcode are different than the third temporary valet passcode, and wherein the first temporary valet passcode and the second temporary valet passcode are created based on the third temporary valet passcode, and wherein the first temporary valet passcode and the second temporary valet passcode include a combination of the third temporary valet passcode and additional values.
5. 5 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the mobile device is a validated Phone-as-a-Key (Paak) mobile device.
6. 6 . A vehicle comprising: a processor operable to execute a set of computer-executable instructions; and memory operable to store the set of computer-executable instructions operable to: receive, at a first time, a first request for a first temporary valet passcode; determine that (1) an owner passcode is stored in memory of the vehicle and a passive entry passive start (PEPS) device is present inside the vehicle or (2) the owner passcode is not stored in the memory of the vehicle, wherein the owner passcode is a pre-established passcode; initiate a simple valet mode of the vehicle based on the determination that the owner passcode is stored in the memory and the PEPS device is present inside the vehicle or the determination that the owner passcode is not stored in the memory of the vehicle; receiving, by the vehicle and at a second time, a second request for the first temporary valet passcode; determine that the owner passcode is stored in the memory of the vehicle and the PEPS device is not present inside the vehicle; initiate, based on the determination that the owner passcode is stored in the memory of the vehicle and the PEPS device is not present inside the vehicle, an enhanced valet mode instead of the simple valet mode; present, based on initiating the enhanced valet mode, a request for the owner passcode; receive an entry of an input passcode; determine that the input passcode matches the owner passcode; and generate, by the vehicle and through the enhanced valet mode, the first temporary valet passcode and a second temporary valet passcode that are different than the owner passcode based on the determination that the input passcode matches the owner passcode.
7. 7 . The vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the computer-executable instructions are further operable to: present, based on generating the first temporary valet passcode, the first temporary valet passcode on a human machine interface (HMI) of the vehicle; and send the second temporary valet passcode to a mobile device.
8. 8 . The vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the computer-executable instructions are further operable to: generate, by the vehicle, a third temporary valet passcode associated with a keypad of a door of the vehicle, wherein a size of the third temporary valet passcode is based on a maximum passcode size associated with the keypad of the door, and wherein the first temporary valet passcode is associated with an ignition of the vehicle; open the door of the vehicle based on receiving the third temporary valet passcode at the keypad; and trigger the ignition of the vehicle based on receiving the first temporary valet passcode.
9. 9 . The vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the first temporary valet passcode and second temporary valet passcode are different than the third temporary valet passcode, and wherein the first temporary valet passcode and the second temporary valet passcode are created based on the third temporary valet passcode, and wherein the first temporary valet passcode and the second temporary valet passcode include a combination of the third temporary valet passcode and additional values.
10. 10 . The vehicle of claim 7 , wherein the mobile device is a validated Phone-as-a-Key (Paak) mobile device.
11. 11 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions, that when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations of: receiving, by a vehicle and at a first time, a first request for a first temporary valet passcode; determining that (1) an owner passcode is stored in memory of the vehicle and a passive entry passive start (PEPS) device is present inside the vehicle or (2) the owner passcode is not stored in the memory of the vehicle, wherein the owner passcode is a pre-established passcode; initiating a simple valet mode of the vehicle based on the determination that the owner passcode is stored in the memory and the PEPS device is present inside the vehicle or the determination that the owner passcode is not stored in the memory of the vehicle; receiving, by the vehicle and at a second time, a second request for the first temporary valet passcode; determine that the owner passcode is stored in the memory of the vehicle and the PEPS device is not present inside the vehicle; initiating, based on the determination that the owner passcode is stored in the memory of the vehicle and the PEPS device is not present inside the vehicle, an enhanced valet mode instead of the simple valet mode; presenting, based on initiating the enhanced valet mode, a request for the owner passcode, wherein the owner passcode is a pre-established passcode; receiving an entry of an input passcode; determining that the input passcode matches the owner passcode; and generating, by the vehicle and through the enhanced valet mode, the first temporary valet passcode and a second temporary valet passcode that are different than the owner passcode based on the determination that the input passcode matches the owner passcode.
12. 12 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the computer-executable instructions cause the processor to perform operations of: presenting, based on generating the first temporary valet passcode, the first temporary valet passcode on a human machine interface (HMI) of the vehicle; and sending the second temporary valet passcode to a mobile device.
13. 13 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the computer-executable instructions cause the processor to perform operations of: generating, by the vehicle, a third temporary valet passcode associated with a keypad of a door of the vehicle, wherein a size of the third temporary valet passcode is based on a maximum passcode size associated with the keypad of the door, and wherein the first temporary valet passcode is associated with an ignition of the vehicle; opening the door of the vehicle based on receiving the third temporary valet passcode at the keypad; and triggering the ignition of the vehicle based on receiving the first temporary valet passcode.
14. 14 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the first temporary valet passcode and second temporary valet passcode are different than the third temporary valet passcode, and wherein the first temporary valet passcode and the second temporary valet passcode are created based on the third temporary valet passcode, and wherein the first temporary valet passcode and the second temporary valet passcode include a combination of the third temporary valet passcode and additional values.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This disclosure claims priority to and the benefit of (i) U.S. provisional application No. 63/081,388, filed Sep. 22, 2020, (ii) U.S. provisional application No. 63/081,391, filed Sep. 22, 2020, and (iii) U.S. provisional application No. 63/081,389, filed Sep. 22, 2020, which are all hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. In addition, this disclosure is related to U.S. application Ser. No. 16/597,551, filed Oct. 9, 2019, and U.S. application Ser. No. 16/597,571, filed Oct. 9, 2019, which are both hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. BACKGROUND Valet mode is a vehicle feature that may allow a vehicle owner to limit certain functionality of the vehicle by enabling a setting in the vehicle's HMI before handing off the vehicle to a valet. In some cases, keycodes (the terms password, keycode, code, key, or the like may be used interchangeably herein) may be generated that the vehicle owner (a vehicle owner may be interchangeably referred to herein as a user, vehicle owner, occupant, owner, or the like) may provide to the valet. The keycodes may be used by the valet to access and drive the vehicle when the owner is not present (for example, to drive the vehicle from the parking space back to the owner when the owner is ready to leave the premises). However, some aspects of valet mode may conflict with certain other vehicle systems, and may also have room for improvement in certain respects. For example, multiple keycodes may need to be generated for the valet, such as a first keycode for the valet to enter into a door keypad to access the vehicle and a second keycode to enter into an HMI of the vehicle to start the vehicle. However, given that the door keypad is a physical keypad with a finite number of buttons, the door keypad may be more limited in terms of the keycodes that may be used compared to keycodes that may be entered into the vehicle HMI. Using a shorter keycode that is compatible with the door keypad as a keycode for the HMI may result in reduced security of the system. As a second example, the valet may need to write down (or otherwise record) any keycodes that are used to access and/or drive the vehicle, which may necessitate two-handed operations by the valet when entering a keycode (the valet may need to hold the keycode in one hand, and interact with the vehicle systems with the other hand) and starting the vehicle. This may lead to problems if the valet and/or vehicle owner lose or forget the keycodes. As a third example, any authorized passive entry passive start devices in the vicinity may conflict with the keycode entry by the valet. With respect to this third example, many car manufacturers offer a passive entry (cabin unlock) and passive start (engine starting) system that eliminates the need for a driver to insert a key into a door lock cylinder or ignition lock. One passive engine starting system incorporates the presence of a key fob for starting an engine without the need to insert a mechanical key into an ignition lock cylinder (PEPS). Another passive entry and start system, which is generally referred to as a phone-as-a-key (PaaK) system, involves the use of a smartphone in place of the passive key. The driver may enter a unique keycode into the smartphone that enables the operation of the engine via the engine-start push-button in the vehicle. In a variation of this system, the driver may enter the keycode into an infotainment system in the vehicle that then enables the operation of the engine-start push-button. If any of the such devices are present in the vicinity while the valet is entering a keycode into the vehicle, the vehicle may be “tricked” into exiting the valet mode prematurely. As a fourth example, the valet mode may conflict with other vehicle features, such as a secure idle mode (secure idle mode may prevent a gear shifter from being moved from the “park” position, and is described in additional detail below). These are just a few examples, and are not intended to be limiting. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The detailed description is set forth with reference to the accompanying drawings. The drawings are provided for purposes of illustration only and merely depict example embodiments of the disclosure. The drawings are provided to facilitate understanding of the disclosure and shall not be deemed to limit the breadth, scope, or applicability of the disclosure. In the drawings, the left-most digit(s) of a reference numeral may identify the drawing in which the reference numeral first appears. The use of the same reference numerals indicates similar, but not necessarily the same or identical components. However, different reference numerals may be used to identify similar components as well. Various embodiments may utilize elements or components other than those illustrated in the drawings, and some elements and/or components may not be present in various embodiments. The use of singula