A method for securing a vehicle based on the vehicle's location. (03-Nov-2009)

A method for securing a vehicle based on the vehicle 's location.

Automobiles and other vehicles are incorporating technology to provide comfort and services, including intelligent systems for remembering user preferences like radio station, volume setting, climate control settings, etc. In addition, other devices are being integrated with these systems like Global Positioning Systems (GPS). In some cases, the GPS is an integral part of the vehicle, and in other cases it is an external component with minimal linkages.

Today, there are no known solutions which tie a GPS system to the enablement/disablement of the security features of a vehicle. There are manual processes and automatic processes for activating/deactivating security systems but none are based on GPS location of the vehicle and user preference associated with the location.

In the main embodiment of this art, the locking mechanism of a vehicle is linked to the vehicle's GPS device. Based upon the GPS location and a set of location profiles, specific functions of the security capabilities of the vehicle will automatically be activated or deactivated. The diagram below illustrates a sample flow of the system. The functions associated with the security capabilities include, but are not limited to:
door locks
trunk lock
hood lock
motion detection alarm (including anti-towing alarms)
intrusion detection alarm
windows rolled up
In the description and diagram that follows, the means of activating the system is illustrated as the user parking the vehicle. However, other means can be used to activate the system, these include, but are not limited to:
user manual act...