System and Method for Remotely Controlling Vehicle Components from a Nomadic Communication Device or Computer

Abstract

A method for remotely controlling one or more vehicle components includes receiving over a telecommunications network signals originating from a remote terminal. The signals include remote operation instructions for remotely operating a vehicle entertainment system component. The remote operation instructions are executed. Operation status identifiers transmitted over a vehicle data bus are received from the vehicle entertainment system component. Based on the operation status identifiers, an operating status of the vehicle entertainment system component is determined. A return signal including an operation status message and an instruction for displaying the operation status message at the remote terminal is generated. The signal is transmitted to the remote terminal for display.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 one or more processors configured to:   communicate wirelessly with a vehicle and a cellular phone to receive user requests from the cellular phone to control vehicle components;   verify that the user is authorized to request control of the vehicle components;   upon verification, transmit to the vehicle a request from the user to control a vehicle component received from the cellular phone.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the verification is based at least in part on a user personal identification number received from the cellular phone. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the verification is based at least in part on a mobile identification number received from the cellular phone. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the request includes control of a specific component. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the request includes a pre-set request to set one or more components to pre-set configurations, and wherein the processor is configured to transmit, upon verification, a pre-set configuration of vehicle components. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the pre-set configuration is stored on a memory associated with the system. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the pre-set configuration is stored on the cellular phone and is received by the one or more processors prior to transmission. 
     
     
         8 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 communicating wirelessly with a vehicle and a cellular phone to receive user requests from the cellular phone to control vehicle components;   verifying, from a server, that the user is authorized to request control of the vehicle components;   upon verification, transmitting to the vehicle a request from the user to control a vehicle component received from the cellular phone.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the verification is based at least in part on a user personal identification number received from the cellular phone. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the verification is based at least in part on a mobile identification number received from the cellular phone. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the request includes control of a specific component. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the request includes a pre-set request to set one or more components to pre-set configurations, and wherein the processor is configured to transmit, upon verification, a pre-set configuration of vehicle components. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the pre-set configuration is stored on a memory associated with the system. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the pre-set configuration is stored on the cellular phone and is received by the one or more processors prior to transmission. 
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium, storing instructions that, when executed by a processor of a server, cause the processor to perform a method comprising:
 communicating wirelessly with a vehicle and a cellular phone to receive user requests from the cellular phone to control vehicle components;   verifying, from a server, that the user is authorized to request control of the vehicle components;   upon verification, transmitting to the vehicle a request from the user to control a vehicle component received from the cellular phone.   
     
     
         16 . The storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the verification is based at least in part on a user personal identification number received from the cellular phone. 
     
     
         17 . The storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the verification is based at least in part on a mobile identification number received from the cellular phone. 
     
     
         18 . The storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the request includes control of a specific component. 
     
     
         19 . The storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the request includes a pre-set request to set one or more components to pre-set configurations, and wherein the processor is configured to transmit, upon verification, a pre-set configuration of vehicle components. 
     
     
         20 . The storage medium of  claim 19 , wherein the pre-set configuration is stored on a memory associated with the system or the cellular phone.