# US 2019/0168775 A1 · Method and apparatus for vehicle valet control devices > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0168775 A1 - Document ID: US20190168775A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/244,662 - Filed: 2019-01-10 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2017-12-05 - Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Inventors: John Robert VAN WIEMEERSCH; Aaron DELONG; Vivekanandh ELANGOVAN; Timothy THIVIERGE, JR.; Brian WILKERSON - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190168775A1 ## CPC - B60W 50/12: Limiting control by the driver depending on vehicle state, e.g. interlocking means for the control input for preventing unsafe operation - B60R 25/102: a signal being sent to a remote location, e.g. a radio signal being transmitted to a police station, a security company or the owner - B60R 25/20: Means to switch the anti-theft system on or off - B60R 25/33: of global position, e.g. by providing GPS coordinates - B60W 30/182: Selecting between different operative modes, e.g. comfort and performance modes - G08G 1/205: {Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental} - G08G 1/207: {with respect to certain areas, e.g. forbidden or allowed areas with possible alerting when inside or outside boundaries} - H04W 4/023: {using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds} - H04W 4/024: Guidance services - H04W 4/40: for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P] - B60W 2520/10: Longitudinal speed - B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G08G: TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS (guiding railway traffic, ensuring the safety of railway traffic B61L; arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00; radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91, G01S15/88, G01S17/88; {radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93}) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract A system includes a processor configured to place a vehicle into a valet mode, restricting vehicle usage. The processor is also configured to determine that a valet lag, having a wireless connection to the vehicle, is in motion, while the vehicle is in valet mode and activate an external indicator usable to find the vehicle, responsive to the tag motion. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system comprising: a processor configured to: periodically seek a wireless signal from a valet tag associated with a vehicle including the processor; and issue an alert to a predefined source, responsive to failing to find the wireless signal. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to store vehicle GPS coordinates each time the signal from the tag is detected during the periodic seeking. ### Claim 3 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein the alert includes the GPS coordinates saved the most recent time the signal from the tag was detected. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to determine a distance of the tag from a vehicle based on the wireless signal, when the tag is detected. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to determine a heading of the tag from a vehicle based on the wireless signal, when the tag is detected. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to approximate the location of the tag, relative to the vehicle, based on at least distance and heading of the tag, determined from the wireless signal. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to issue an alert responsive to the tag exceeding a certain distance, determined based on the wireless signal, from the vehicle. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, wherein the alert includes a distance of the tag from the vehicle, determined based on the wireless signal. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, wherein the alert includes a heading of the tag relative to the vehicle, determined based on the wireless signal. ### Claim 10 A method comprising: periodically seeking a wireless signal, using a vehicle transceiver, from a valet tag associated with a vehicle including the transceiver; and issuing an alert from the vehicle to a predefined source, stored at the vehicle, responsive to failing to find the wireless signal. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising storing vehicle UPS coordinates at the vehicle, each time the signal from the tag is detected during the periodic seeking. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the alert includes the UPS coordinates saved the most recent time the signal from the tag was detected. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising determining a distance of the tag from a vehicle based on the wireless signal, when the tag is detected. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising determining a heading of the tag from a vehicle based on the wireless signal, when the tag is detected. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising approximating the location of the tag, relative to the vehicle, based on at least distance and heading of the tag, determined from the wireless signal. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising issuing an alert responsive to the tag exceeding a certain distance, determined based on the wireless signal, from the vehicle. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the alert includes a distance of the tag from the vehicle, determined based on the wireless signal. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the alert includes a heading of the tag relative to the vehicle, determined based on the wireless signal. ### Claim 19 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising: periodically seeking a wireless signal, using a vehicle transceiver, from a valet tag associated with a vehicle including the transceiver; and issuing an alert from the vehicle to a predefined source, stored at the vehicle, responsive to failing to find the wireless signal. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The storage medium of claim 19, the method further comprising approximating the location of the tag, relative to the vehicle, based on at least distance and heading of the tag, determined from the wireless signal, and wherein the alert includes the determined distance or heading of the tag, or both.