US 2009/0015373 A1 · METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR SECURE KEYLESS ENTRY FOR VEHICLE FLEET MANAGEMENT

Abstract

The technology described herein provides a keyless entry system and associated method for fleet vehicle management. Secure keyless entry is provided to a user for a vehicle in the fleet vehicle management environment without the user having possession of a vehicle key or a vehicle key fob to gain entry to the vehicle. Additionally, in various embodiments, this technology provides a personalized, programmable access device carried by a user desiring access to a particular locked vehicle in a fleet vehicle management environment, an access control device configured to access electronically an on-board vehicle keyless entry system, and an access chip module electronically attached to the access control device and configured to activate the on-board vehicle keyless entry system and thereby unlock the particular locked vehicle. Furthermore, this technology provides a system with local management, reporting, audit trails, wireless connectivity to each access control device, and self-testing.

Claims31

Dependent claims

A remote, electronic keyless entry system for fleet vehicle management, the system comprising:

an access device, wherein the access device is a personalized, programmable access device carried by a user desiring access to a particular locked vehicle in a fleet vehicle management environment;
an access control device, wherein the access control device is located on an automobile vehicle and is configured to access electronically an on-board vehicle keyless entry system;
and
an access chip module, wherein the access chip module is electronically attached to the access control device and is configured to activate the on-board vehicle keyless entry system and thereby unlock the particular locked vehicle;
wherein secure keyless entry is provided to the user for a vehicle in the fleet vehicle management environment without the user having possession of a vehicle key or a vehicle key fob to gain entry to the vehicle.

2 more elements

A method for the remote, electronic keyless entry in fleet vehicle management, the method comprising:

configuring an access control device to correspond to an on-board keyless entry system in a specific vehicle in a fleet vehicle management environment;
placing the configured access control device with the specific vehicle;
parking the vehicle in the fleet vehicle management environment with the configured access control device located on the vehicle;
approaching the specific vehicle with an access device for the specific vehicle;
authenticating, by the access control device, whether a bearer of the approaching access device is, in fact, authorized to gain entry into the specific vehicle;
triggering an access chip module, by the access control device, to activate the on-board keyless entry system receptors in the specific vehicle and unlock the vehicle;
and
relocking automatically the vehicle after a predetermined period of time due to access inactivity, relocking the vehicle by using the access device, or relocking the vehicle with a command from a local server;
wherein secure keyless entry is provided to the user for the vehicle in the fleet vehicle management environment without the user having possession of a vehicle key or a vehicle key fob to gain entry to the vehicle.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Methods and systems for secure keyless entry for vehicle fleet management

Life of this patent

Methods and systems for secure keyless entry for vehicle fleet management

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims31