Apple’s iPhone – Advanced Car Remote Control

Recently published patent application called `Accessory control with geo-fencing’ by the US Patent and Trademark office, imagines virtual field or boundary surrounding a car which is called a geofence.

The tech giant has filed a patent which will help the car to perform various functions and on detecting the proximity to the car based on the geofence, the iPhone has the capabilities of performing a variety of task like the opening of the door, starting the ignition or popping open the trunk.

For instance, the doors of the vehicle could lock if the driver tends to move a certain distance away or the boot could unlock if the owner of the vehicle walked to the rear of the car. Smartphones that could act as remote controls for your car with various apps and technologies is nothing new since they are already available enabling the phone to remotely operate in unlocking doors or starting the car.

 Apple is now planning to turn the iPhone into an advanced remote control for cars, enabling users to unlock the doors as well as start the engine whenever they approach their vehicle. Apple’s invention would now perform these functions automatically depending on the position within or outside the geofence.

And the iPhone could communicate with the car via CarPlay or a similar device. For many years now, remote controls for cars have been made available but Apple is striving to use the geo fenced location potentials in taking the technology still further.

iPhone to Signal Message/Alarm to lock Doors

The iPhone can remotely connect through Bluetooth to the in-car system like the Apple’s CarPlay enabling drivers in making calls, send messages as well as use maps through the smartphone’s voice activated assistance – Siri.

CarPlay which was launched in March is presently compatible with five car makers, namely, Hyundai, Honda, Ferrari, Mercedez-Benx and Volvo and Apple is planning the service to 24 other manufacturers including Land Rover, Ford and Peugeot.

Apple had launched its iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus recently with Apple Pay earlier this week and the new iPads too recently. This technology could even work over a long distance through cellular signal.

As listed in the patent application, the car could start to warm up whenever it detects that the driver and the iPhone is within a distance of a few minutes. For instance on leaving your car and the geofence, the iPhone could signal a message to lock the doors and turn on the alarm.

Idea of Apple’s Patent Application

Multiple geofences may also target certain areas of the car like a geofence in the rear may automatically open the truck if it detects when the person is in the right place and is in possession of the iPhone.

A brief idea of the patent application is that a vehicle accessory could transmit a first signal to a mobile device, the first signal includes the location of the vehicle wherein the device can monitor its own location.

The mobile device can also assess whether one or more location based criteria have been satisfied based on the location of the device and the vehicle’s location.

On determining that the location based criterion has been fulfilled, the mobile device transmits a second signal to the vehicle accessory indicating a function of the vehicle need to be controlled.

For instance, the mobile device could activate or de-activate vehicle features like the door locking, vehicle defrosting etc. in a way which could capitalize on accurate signal transmission.