# US 9,520,062 B2 · Method for locating a vehicle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,520,062 B2 - Document ID: US9520062B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/718,905 - Filed: 2015-05-21 - Published: 2016-01-21 - Granted: 2016-12-13 - Earliest claimed: 2011-10-20 - Assignees: Apple Inc. - Applicants: Apple Inc. - Inventors: Brian J. Tucker; Emily C. Schubert; Jesse L. Dorogusker; Joakim Linde; Stephen Chick - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9520062B2 ## CPC - G08G 1/127: to a central station {; Indicators in a central station} - G01C 21/20: Instruments for performing navigational calculations (G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence) - G01C 21/206: {specially adapted for indoor navigation} - G01S 5/017: {Detecting state or type of motion} - H04W 4/025: {using location based information parameters} - H04W 4/80: Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication - 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}) - G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S) - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract A portable computing device can be used to locate a vehicle in a parking structure. In particular, the portable computing device can communicate with a parking system that manages the parking structure and/or with a vehicle in order to locate the vehicle. Communications between the portable computing device, parking system and vehicle can be based on one or more wireless connections, such as Bluetooth and/or Bluetooth LE connections. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for locating a vehicle, comprising: a plurality of wireless sensors; and a server comprising a processor and connected to each of the plurality of wireless sensors, wherein the server is configured to: receive, at the server, via a first sensor of the plurality of wireless sensors installed in proximity to a location, a vehicle signal from a wireless transmitter in the vehicle; determine, by the server, a location of the vehicle based at least in part on the location of the first sensor; receive, at the server, via a second sensor of the plurality of wireless sensors installed in proximity to the location, a device signal from a wireless transmitter in a portable computing device; determine, by the server and based on the vehicle signal and the device signal, that the portable computing device is associated with the vehicle; and transmit, to the portable computing device, information indicative of the determined location of the vehicle. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless transmitter in the vehicle and the wireless transmitter in the portable computing device are Bluetooth transmitters. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the server receives the vehicle signal when the vehicle is in a parked state. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle signal includes a first identifier and the device signal includes a second identifier, wherein the first and second identifiers have the same value. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the server is further configured to determine a current location of the portable computing device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the information indicative of the determined location includes guidance instructions, wherein the guidance instructions include directions usable to navigate from the current location of the portable computing device to the determined location. ### Claim 7 A method for locating a vehicle, comprising: receiving, by a server comprising a processor and connected to each of a plurality of wireless sensors, via a first sensor of the plurality of wireless sensors installed in proximity to a location, a vehicle signal from a wireless transmitter in the vehicle; determining, by the server, a location of the vehicle based at least in part on the location of the first sensor; receiving, at the server, via a second sensor of the plurality of wireless sensors installed in proximity to the location, a device signal from a wireless transmitter in a portable computing device; determining, by the server and based on the vehicle signal and the device signal, that the portable computing device is associated with the vehicle; and transmitting, from the server to the portable computing device, information indicative of the determined location of the vehicle. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein: receiving the vehicle signal comprises receiving, by the server, the device signal from a Bluetooth transmitter in the vehicle; and receiving the device signal comprises receiving, by the server, the vehicle signal from a Bluetooth transmitter in the portable computing device. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein receiving the vehicle signal comprises receiving, by the server, the vehicle signal when the vehicle is in a parked state. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein determining that the portable computing device is associated with the vehicle comprises determining that a first identifier included in the vehicle signal has the same value as a second identifier included in the device signal. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, further comprising determining, by the server, a current location of the portable computing device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein transmitting the information indicative of the determined location of the vehicle comprises transmitting, from the server, guidance instructions, and wherein the guidance instructions comprise directions usable to navigate from the current location of the portable computing device to the determined location. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein transmitting the guidance instructions further comprises transmitting: a visual representation of the location; or audio announcements. ### Claim 14 A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium, storing program instructions that when executed by a server: receive, at the server, wherein the server comprises a processor and is connected to each of a plurality of wireless sensors, via a first sensor of the plurality of wireless sensors installed in proximity to a location, a vehicle signal from a wireless transmitter in a vehicle; determine, by the server, a location of the vehicle based at least in part on the location of the first sensor; receive, at the server, via a second sensor of the plurality of wireless sensors installed in proximity to the location, a device signal from a wireless transmitter in a portable computing device; determine, by the server and based on the vehicle signal and the device signal, that the portable computing device is associated with the vehicle; and transmit, to the portable computing device, information indicative of the determined location of the vehicle. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the wireless transmitter in the vehicle and the wireless transmitter in the portable computing device are Bluetooth transmitters. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the program instructions further cause the server to receive the vehicle signal when the vehicle is in a parked state. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the vehicle signal includes a first identifier and the device signal includes a second identifier, and wherein the first and second identifiers have the same value. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the program instructions further cause the server to determine a current location of the portable computing device. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the information indicative of the determined location comprises guidance instructions, and wherein the guidance instructions comprise directions usable to navigate from the current location of the portable computing device to the determined location. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the guidance instructions further comprise: a visual representation of the location; or audio announcements.