Abstract: A vehicle includes a keypad including a near-field communication (NFC) sensor, and a processor.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for mobile device tethering for a remote parking assist system of a vehicle. An example vehicle includes first and second wireless modules and a processor. The processor calculates trajectories of the vehicle and a mobile device and estimates a location of the mobile device. When the mobile device is within a threshold distance of the vehicle, the processor polls a key fob at an interval based on a comparison of the trajectories and estimate a location of the key fob. When the key fob is within the threshold distance, the processor enables autonomous parking.

Abstract: Vehicles and methods are disclosed for enabling low power security checks to be performed on attempted access to a vehicle. An example vehicle includes a communication system having a low frequency antenna for communication with a vehicle unlocking device and a processor. The processor is configured to vary a gain in a low frequency signal transmitted to the vehicle unlocking device via the communication system, determine, based on a response from the vehicle unlocking device, that the vehicle unlocking device is a suspected attack device, responsively perform a security check on the vehicle unlocking device, and transmit an alert based on the security check.

Abstract: A vehicle may determine a predefined communication scheme for localizing a user via time of flight (ToF), responsive to a request designated for fulfilment upon condition that a user is within a certain distance of a vehicle. The vehicle may identify a first user location via a first ToF localization using the predefined communication scheme and a second user location via time of flight using a lower power communication scheme, the lower power communication scene configured to use less power for user localization from a power source as compared to the predefined communication scheme. The vehicle may then, responsive to a difference between the first user location and the second user location being within a predefined threshold difference, save coordinate information indicative of a location of the request as being as suitable for use of the lower power communication.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for vehicle remote park-assist communication counters. An example vehicle includes an autonomy unit for remote parking, a communication module, and a controller. The controller is to implement a counter into remote parking communication between the communication module and a mobile device and, when the counter exceeds a threshold, monitor for a reset vehicle event and a reset mobile event. The controller also is to reset the counter responsive to detecting at least one of the reset vehicle event and the reset mobile event.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for key fob utilization for vehicle remote park-assist. An example vehicle system for remote park-assist (RePA) includes a key fob. The key fob includes a low frequency (LF) antenna to receive a beacon and an ultra-high frequency (UHF) antenna to transmit a return signal including a distance indicator and a RePA signal. The example vehicle system also includes a vehicle. The vehicle includes an LF module to transmit the beacon at a predefined interval, a receiver-transceiver module to receive the return signal and the RePA signal, a controller to enable RePA responsive to determining that the distance indicator is less than a tethering threshold distance, and an autonomy unit to perform RePA based on the RePA signal.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for monitoring of communication for vehicle remote motive control. An example vehicle includes an autonomy unit for remote motive control, a communication module, and a controller. The controller is to send a diagnostic signal to and receive a return signal from a mobile device via the communication module, determine a time period between sending of the diagnostic signal and receipt of the return signal, and prevent the autonomy unit from causing vehicle movement responsive to determining the time period is greater than a threshold.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for interface verification for vehicle remote park-assist. An example vehicle system includes a vehicle and a mobile device. The mobile device includes a touchscreen and a controller. The controller is to present, via the touchscreen, an interface of a remote parking app and receive, via the touchscreen, an input to initiate remote parking when the interface is presented. The controller is to temporarily stop presenting the interface and stop initiation of remote parking responsive to continuing to receive the input when the interface is not displayed.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for activation of valet mode for vehicles. An example vehicle system includes a remote near-field communication (NFC) device and a vehicle. The vehicle includes an engine, a cabin, and an interior NFC reader located in the cabin. The vehicle also includes a controller configured to enter a valet mode and authenticate the remote NFC device for the valet mode when the engine is active and the interior NFC reader communicates with the remote NFC device.

Abstract: A system includes a processor configured to detect a vehicle wireless signal at a first frequency-band. The processor is also configured to choose a second signal at a second frequency-band having a predefined relationship to a requested action. The processor is further configured to connect to the second signal and lower a signal data-transfer rate, responsive to the detection, and use the second signal to perform a time-of-flight based user-proximity detection, to determine if a user is within a vehicle proximity range associated with the requested action.

Abstract: A vehicle may determine a predefined communication scheme for localizing a user via time of flight (ToF), responsive to a request designated for fulfilment upon condition that a user is within a certain distance of a vehicle. The vehicle may identify a first user location via a first ToF localization using the predefined communication scheme and a second user location via time of flight using a lower power communication scheme, the lower power communication scene configured to use less power for user localization from a power source as compared to the predefined communication scheme. The vehicle may then, responsive to a difference between the first user location and the second user location being within a predefined threshold difference, save coordinate information indicative of a location of the request as being as suitable for use of the lower power communication.

Abstract: Vehicles and methods are disclosed for enabling low power security checks to be performed on attempted access to a vehicle. An example vehicle includes a communication system having a low frequency antenna for communication with a vehicle unlocking device and a processor. The processor is configured to vary a gain in a low frequency signal transmitted to the vehicle unlocking device via the communication system, determine, based on a response from the vehicle unlocking device, that the vehicle unlocking device is a suspected attack device, responsively perform a security check on the vehicle unlocking device, and transmit an alert based on the security check.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for interface verification for vehicle remote park-assist. An example vehicle system includes a mobile device and a vehicle autonomy unit. The mobile device includes a touchscreen and a controller. The controller is to present, via the touchscreen, an interface of a remote parking app and receive, via the touchscreen, an input responsive to the presentation of the interface. The vehicle autonomy unit receives an input signal from the mobile device and an input classifier coupled to the vehicle autonomy unit verifies the received input signal complies with an input classification.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for mobile device tethering for a remote parking assist system of a vehicle. An example vehicle includes a plurality of proximity sensors and a body control module. In response to detecting a mobile device proximate one of the proximity sensors, the body control module sends a location associated with the corresponding proximity sensor to the mobile device. The body control module receives, from the mobile device, a relative position of the mobile device from the location, and when the mobile device is within a threshold distance of the vehicle, enables autonomous parking.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for mobile device tethering for a remote parking assist system of a vehicle. An example vehicle includes projection lamps and a body control module. The body control module determines a distance of a mobile device from the vehicle. The body control module also projects a representation of a boundary around the vehicle using the projection lamps and modifies the representation of the boundary based on the distance of the mobile device from the vehicle and an operational state of the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicle communicates with a remote key fob while ensuring an RF environment is sufficient to maintain adequate power from an RF-harvesting power supply that allows the fob to operate without a battery. The vehicle has a receiver adapted to detect a backscatter communication signal from the fob. A harvesting emulator in the vehicle is responsive to ambient RF around the vehicle to duplicate a concurrent response of the fob power supply. A vehicle-powered RF transmitter is activated to broadcast energizing RF radiation around the vehicle when the duplicated response is below a threshold.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for managing location uncertainty areas for a passive start system of a vehicle. An example vehicle includes antenna modules for determining signal strengths of communication with a mobile device. The example vehicle also includes a wireless module configured to, when the mobile device is in a location uncertainty area (LUA), determine first and second location predictors. The wireless module is also configured to enable passive start when the first and second location predictors both indicate the mobile device is inside the vehicle. The wireless module is further configured to disable passive start if the mobile device is outside the vehicle.

Abstract: A system includes a vehicle, a first passive Near-Field Communication (NFC) device, and a first mobile device communicatively coupled to the vehicle and including a digital vehicle key. The first mobile device distributes the digital vehicle key to the first passive NFC device and informs the vehicle an instance in which the mobile device has distributed the digital vehicle key to the first passive NFC device.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for mobile device tethering for a remote parking assist system of a vehicle. An example vehicle includes first and second wireless modules and a processor. The processor estimates a region of probability representative of possible locations of a mobile device based on a first signal strength indicator. When the region of probability overlaps a virtual boundary, the processor polls a key fob, estimates a distance of the key fob from the vehicle based on a second signal strength indicator, and when the key fob is within the virtual boundary, enable autonomous parking.

Abstract: A vehicle may include: a motor, nodes, sensors, puddle lights, and processor(s) configured to: command the nodes to produce high power signal patterns to link with a mobile device; command at least some of the nodes to produce low power signal patterns to link with the mobile device based detecting the high power link; activate at least some of the puddle lights based on the low power link. The vehicle may activate at least some of the puddle lights based on the low power link by running processing software on measurements captured by the nodes based on the low power link.